Narrow defeat to Munster in thriller 'a bitter pill' admits Connacht chief Wilkins

The western province player their part in a memorable Thomond Park interpro on Saturday night

GAME OF INCHES: Connacht’s head coach Pete Wilkins. Picture: INPHO/James Crombie

Connacht captain Cian Prendergast wants his team to step off the rollercoaster in favour of stability this season after his side played their part in a thrilling URC derby at Munster that ended in a devastating two-point defeat.

Connacht shared 10 tries with the Reds in a pulsating season opener at Thomond Park on Saturday night but slipped to a 35-33 loss, continuing a frustrating trend of succumbing to narrow defeats that cost them a place in last season’s URC play-offs.

They were edged out in six URC league games last season by a score or less, settling for losing bonus points when victories could conceivably have transformed a final tally of 45 points and 11th place into 69 points, a total that would have been good enough to top the table.

No wonder head coach Pete Wilkins described the loss as “a bitter pill” as the trend continued into the new term. Connacht arrived back in Galway with both try and losing bonus points having taken a 12-0 first-quarter and 19-14 half-time lead while they were five points in front with 10 minutes to go in Limerick, only to concede a score-levelling try from Shane Daly and then watch replacement fly-half Tony Butler kick the touchline conversion.

Connacht still had a chance to get back at the death but fly-half Josh Ioane failed to find touch with a penalty and Munster saw out the bonus-point victory.

“It’s a bitter pill because we gave ourselves a terrific opportunity and I think the excitement, physicality and intent we played with around all aspects of our game, it didn’t surprise us,” Wilkins said. “That’s what we were preparing for and that’s the growth we’ve seen in the team over the last 10 weeks.

“We gave ourselves an opportunity and it’s very disappointing not to have taken it. There will be lessons to be learned out of it but also important things that we acknowledge that we’re doing really well and that has given us momentum and this stage of the season.” 

For back-rower Prendergast, leading Connacht for the first time this season, there is a need to end the loop of boom-or-bust results that for all their exciting attacking play are keeping in check the westerners’ ability to make an impact across a campaign.

“We have got to stay on an even keel,” the skipper said. “I think last year we started off really well, we rode the rollercoaster going too high, then getting too low, then high again, so I think for us getting even keel, taking the good stuff from today, taking the bad stuff and learning from it and becoming a better side off the back of it for next week against the Sharks at home, which is a big home opener for us.

“We take pride in playing at the Sportsground and we are really looking forward to putting on a performance there next week.” 

Prendergast agreed with Wilkins that this was a performance, if not a result, that Connacht can build on and gather momentum for Saturday's visit of the newly-minted Currie Cup champions to Dexcom Stadium.

“Yeah 100 per cent. We pride ourselves at home and we want to put on a show for the Connacht clan. They’re always out to support us, any kind of weather or conditions, you know what Galway can be like. They deserve a home opener to remember and from our point of view it is just about building on this.

“Can we put together some stuff defensively? Can we get our kicking game in a better place? Can we be a little bit calmer in grip moments in the game? That’s how we’ll judge ourselves I’d say, rather than this outcome-based result. I think our process is what we’ll judge ourselves on.”