Win over Sharks can kickstart Connacht season, says Lancaster

The western province had played a mere four games prior to the bonus-point victory on Saturday.

Fri, 28 Nov, 2025 - 22:40

John Fallon

Stuart Lancaster is hopeful that the 44-15 bonus point win over the Sharks can really get their season up and running after a disjointed start to his reign in Galway.

The postponement of their second round home fixture against Scarlets meant that Connacht had just played four games prior to this and having lost the last three Lancaster said it was imperative to start this block of ten games in succession with a win.

The victory sets them up well for a potentially good run to Christmas. They are away to Ospreys in the Challenge Cup next Sunday, then to home to Black Lion from Georgia the following week before heading to Newport to face a Dragons side still without a win one-third of the way through their URC schedule.

“We had the cancelled Scarlets game so we'd only played four. We felt we were just getting going and we had to stop again,” said Lancaster.

“I think the four games gave us enough to go after in terms of improvements that we could make because we knew we needed to improve.

“It also gave us the time to prepare for Sharks. It's a unique defensive system so we prepared well for that. The challenge is now, you don't get three-weeks into the next game and the next game and the next game.

“We get a decent run into Ospreys but then it's a six-day turnaround into the Black Lion. Then we play Dragons and then you've got the Christmas period to navigate. There'll be time off obviously for family time and Ulster and then Leinster.”

They led 23-5 at the break on Saturday night thanks to tries from skipper Paul Boyle and Chay Mullins, and the bonus point and the win was wrapped up when Hugh Gavin, Matthew Devine and Sam Illo scored in the second half.

The new stand at Dexcom Stadium will open at the end of January when temporary terracing behind each goal will bring the capacity for that opening game against Leinster up to 12,000 but from when he arrived during the summer Lancaster made it clear that they need to have results in the bag by then.

He’s pleased with what his squad is producing — new full-back Seán Naughton kicked 19 points in a flawless display in only his fifth appearance on Saturday evening — but knows the depth will be tested with this run of games.

“The guys have got their time in pre-season. They've really got to step up when you need them. Yes, the squad competition builds results because boys who are playing want to play again next week.

“Boys who have been on the bench want to play. Boys who haven't played want to play. You see that in training.

I think we've got really good squad depth now here at Connacht. Not just in the top 35 or 40 players. I think some of the younger players, because they've trained with us all the way through, that's really beginning to show the fruits of its labour.

“It's starting to see that now. We've got a good squad. Sam Gilbert obviously is a handy addition. You can see the impact he made.”