Lancaster vows Connacht tried to keep matchwinner Devine

The 24-year-old came on in the final quarter against Ospreys

Sun, 29 Mar, 2026 - 16:00

John Fallon

Stuart Lancaster insists he did everything he could to keep Matthew Devine at Connacht but that ultimately it was the player’s decision to join Ulster in the summer on a one-year deal.

Devine, a product of Ballinasloe RFC, Garbally College and the Connacht academy, showed everyone what he is capable of when he came off the bench against Ospreys on Saturday and was the key figure in Connacht fashioning a 21-14 win which keeps them in contention for a knockout place in the URC and a return to the Champions Cup next season.

The 24-year-old came on in the final quarter and his quick thinking to tap and run a penalty eight minutes from time led to Welsh captain Jac Morgan, Ospreys’ best player, being binned for tackling him.

A couple of minutes later, with the sides still deadlocked at 14-14 after Sean Naughton’s penalty attempt went wide, Devine was on the shoulder of the kicker to race in and scored the winner under the posts.

“Mattie's instruction was pick up the tempo, so I didn't have a problem with it, because that's what I was hoping he would do, because that's the type of player he is,” said Lancaster when asked if he had any issue with Devine tapping the penalty from 40 metres. In any event, Lancaster said he wouldn’t had time to get a message onto the pitch.

“It was too quick, anyway. Obviously he got the yellow card and it paid off, didn't it, and they're the gambles you take, but it's more a philosophy of sometimes you feel you've just got to turn up the screw, and I thought he did that well, all of them did it well, to be fair.”

It was a bittersweet moment for a lot of Connacht fans, brilliant to get the win, their fifth in a row, but also seeing what they will be missing as Devine heads to Ulster.

At the centre of it all is game time. Devine was reluctant to sign a three-year contract having only started nine of the 28 games he has played for Connacht. Ulster’s one-year deal gives him the opportunity to back himself. Devine made his debut in January 2024 but so far has played under three Connacht head coaches, including interim Cullie Tucker.

The disquiet about Devine’s departure, not helped by a Connacht statement announcing his departure which focused on their disappointment and unlike others who were leaving, did not give the player an opportunity to thank supporters.

He is one of 18 indigenous Connacht players among the 48 in the senior squad or who have featured from the academy this season. A further 18 are from Leinster, five from New Zealand, three Australians, two from England and one apiece from South Africa and Germany.

But Devine is one of three indigenous Connacht scrumhalves in the squad, along with the experienced Caolin Blade and 26-year-old Colm Reilly, also, ironically, a product of Ballinasloe RFC and Garbally College. It is a position Connacht are well stocked in.

Adding another layer, the fourth senior scrum-half is Ben Murphy, son of Ulster head coach Richie Murphy and whose brother Jack plays outhalf for them.

Devine’s own younger brother John made his debut for Connacht in January against Montpellier. Their father Mike is a former Garbally College, Ballinasloe/Buccaneers RFC and Connacht winger.

The departure of the likes of Matthew Devine runs contrary to Connacht schemes such as ‘Grassroots to green shirts’, so did Lancaster and Connacht do everything to hold onto him?

“Yeah, yeah, of course I did, but ultimately I don't have the final say, he does, so yeah of course we wanted him to stay,” said Lancaster after the win over Ospreys.

“He's a great player, he's a great lad, we’ve got him and his brother have got on really well with both of them.

“John's been great and we've given him his opportunity, Mattie had a couple of injuries as well which hasn't helped. We've got 4 very good scrumhalves, we are very lucky. Colm Reilly, I thought, was excellent in the last two weeks as well, so it's just the way it works sometimes. Do we want him to leave? No, but he's chosen to do that,” he added.