Connacht look to future

CONNACHT signalled their future intent this week with the re-signing of two of two of their hottest prospects.

Hosting Gloucester today, their best chance of achieving points in Europe’s elite competition, youngsters Eoin Griffin and David McSharry represent the new Connacht.

“One day, they will play for Ireland,” insisted Connacht’s backs coach Billy Millard.

“They have a lot of potential, they are good kids, well balanced, and they work hard. Okay, they have a long way to go, but I would like to think as long as they are playing consistent footy, they are going to get there.”

Once restricted to one-year contracts, Connacht, now under new structures and a professional games board, have moved swiftly to ensure there is no repeat of Keatley, Carr or Cronin departing for pastures red or blue.

It remains a slow process though. There are still huge budget restrictions, but Millard calls it being forced to “think left field”.

“It is the first time I have worked with underdogs and I am enjoying it. It is certainly making me a better coach. The coaches’ application here is as good as I have seen in any other club worldwide. More experienced coaches would get frustrated, but Eric [Elwood] and Dan [McFarland] accept what they have, find strengths, and they are really good at the doing it.”

Millard, with pedigree of coaching youngsters like Australians Luke Burgess, Ashley Cooper, Drew Mitchell, Digby Ioane and James O’Connor, and Wales Leigh Halfpenny and Sam Warburton in Cardiff, is more cerebral than many. “If you are coaching just to win matches, it’s pretty shallow,” he said. “I’ve always tried to help kids go to the next level.”

The difference is those youngsters had experienced seasoned internationals around them. Griffin, McSharry, Tiernan O’Halloran, and even the more experienced like Gavin Duffy are doing it the hard way.

“Most of the other teams with young up-and-coming kids keep them for the LV Cup or games like that. We don’t have that luxury. It’s great for Irish rugby, but these guys could learn even more. In Cardiff, Martin Williams and Xavier Rush took Sam Warburton under their wings four years ago and that’s where Sam learned.

“Yes, we have young kids here who will go on and play for Ireland, but they will to do it the hard way. If we had senior Irish boys here with that experience, we would win more games to start with, but the young talent would blossom quicker.

“These kids are working so hard — they are giving everything they can — but throw in a Dougie Howlett, Paul O’Connell, or an old ex-All Black prop with these kids and you have a different story on your hands. For Connacht to progress to the next level, recruitment is key.

“If we had senior Irish boys here with that experience, we would win more games to start but the young talent would blossom quicker. You’d see greater consistency.”

Connacht have seven players who played at international level with a combined total of 42 international caps. Their RaboDirect competitors have, on average, 1,000% more caps. The figures are staggering: Munster 908; Ospreys 799; Cardiff 715; Leinster 548, and the three teams which finished below Connacht last year, Aironi 614, Treviso 372; and Glasgow 344.

“On paper we should not be doing what we are doing. I always thought Connacht punch above their weight.

“I remember bringing a full-strength Cardiff team here. We beat them once and lost to them once, yet on paper we should have put 60 points on them.”

In the short term, Millard says its important to “stick together and squeeze the best out of this group”. The Harlequins match is a standard to which Connacht will continue to aspire.

“A lot of friends who know rugby came to the Harlequins match and they were so surprised by Connacht. Now they are following us. That was a big occasion and the lads played our of their skins.

“Not many teams can do that every week, but when we get it right, we can challenge anyone. Today’s match will be huge and it is one that could define our season by giving us the confidence we need.”