Connacht's fairytale win yet to fully sink in, says Ultan Dillane

The smile is wide and the voice still hoarse from the celebrations but for Ultan Dillane, the enormity of Connacht’s Pro12 title success has still not quite registered.

Connacht’s 20-10 final victory over provincial rivals Leinster in Edinburgh last Saturday certainly caught the imagination, 21% (496,000) of Irish television viewers tuning in to TG4 alone, according to the official TAM Ireland figures.

The lock got to experience the outpouring of joy first hand when Pat Lam’s squad paraded the trophy through Galway on Sunday. The reception reminded him of similar homecomings for Kerry’s All-Ireland winners through the streets of Tralee.

“I remember one year Kerry won the All-Ireland,” Dillane, 22, said. “The Sam Maguire would come to each of the schools. I remember it coming to town, down by the station. It was huge. Everyone was out on the street.

“We had an unbelievable reception in Galway Sunday afternoon. We got an open-top tour bus driving us around town, there was about 20,000 turned up.

“It was really incredible to see and there was a stage set up in the Sportsground to welcome us in, it was phenomenal. That’s something I’ll remember for the rest of my life, it was brilliant.

“I don’t think it’s sunk in yet. We’re hugely overjoyed. It’s been unreal.”

It was not long, though, before Dillane and Connacht team-mates Robbie Henshaw, Kieran Marmion, Finlay Bealham and Quinn Roux had to turn their attention to Ireland camp. Just three caps into his Test career following a debut against England at Twickenham in February, Dillane must ready himself for three Tests against the Springboks, although he said the Connacht contingent will be galvanised by the excitement of their historic season and the encouragement of head coach Pat Lam.

“Us Connacht boys will feed off that and being there, we’ll constantly keep motivating each other to train hard and to earn a position on that (match-day) squad so it is brilliant to see the five of us there.

“Pat rang all of us minutes after the news went out and was congratulating us on the achievement. He’s forever giving us a boost of confidence saying it’s going to be an enjoyable tour and not to get nervous. He’s great like that.”

Dillane’s rise to Test rugby has been dramatic given he was playing All Ireland League club rugby as recently as November. Too quick for him to appear too fazed by the adjustment of playing in front of hundreds of people to 10s of thousands.

“To be honest, going out to play for Galway Corinthians in the Ulster Bank League... playing for Ireland wasn’t at the top of my mind, but I was lucky enough to get the opportunity.

“It might seem like (I’m not fazed) but it brings out nerves, of course. But it’s an incredible experience, you’ve just got to channel your nerves I think as best you can.

“Twickenham would have been my first cap and I was definitely a bundle of nerves leading up to that game but I remember listening to Nathan White and Johnny Sexton and they were really helpful.

“Johnny could see the nerves on my face and he said: ‘I know you’re nervous, but once you get out there, you are going to absolutely love the experience’.

“Yeah, (I thought), it’s not going to be as bad as I’m thinking.

“Nathan White said: ‘once you get out there, instinct takes over. You won’t even realise what you’re doing when you’re doing it.’ “That’s exactly what happened. It all kind of went by in a blur and it was all good.

“It is hard to explain really. It was an unbelievable experience just to get out there and play, to hear that noise of that many people in the crowd. It was unreal.”