CONNACHT v LEINSTER:LEINSTER WILL be welcomed to Galway by "New Connacht" on Saturday evening. Same old yarn, though. The penniless boys from out West hosting their rich Donnybrook cousins.
A third scalp in as many meetings with Leinster is on the cards, but it means a little more this time. You see, Eric Elwood has instilled an even greater desire to scrap for what Connacht know will never be simply handed over to them by the IRFU – equality.
It is only sport, of course, but this is about civil rights!
Most importantly, Elwood’s wiping clean of the slate has been embraced by the players. He calls it a new beginning, but some things stay the same.
A 34-man international squad came out this week with just three Connacht names on the list. Hooker Seán Cronin looks increasingly likely to collect a few caps this November, what with Jerry Flannery’s continued problems, but the other two call-ups are proof that playing well for Connacht can get you into the national set-up.
There are plenty of flankers out there, but Portumna’s John Muldoon is ahead of men like Alan Quinlan, Chris Henry, Niall Ronan and Shane Jennings. It is an immediate reward for breaking his arm on All Black number eight Kieran Reid’s head last June.
Irish rugby has never had it so good at fullback yet Gavin Duffy remains a contender. A Mayo native, Duffy seems incapable of a bad performance these days. “If there are Connacht guys involved in the international games we’ll be absolutely chuffed,” said Elwood. “We encourage individual development down here.”
While on the topic, what about Fionn Carr’s inability to break into the Ireland squad? What does the fastest rugby player on this island have to do? The answer is simple – he must outplay Shane Horgan (starting Saturday) then Johne Murphy and Andrew Trimble. There is a long queue in that department, but Carr is standing patiently in line.
“Well, you know, selection is a matter of opinion. Declan has done his homework on everybody. I liaise with Declan, Alan Gaffney, Les Kiss and Gert (Smal). We keep in contact. They know the progress our guys are making. They are still developing as players,” said Elwood.
“Declan might feel it is too early for some of these guys. The individuals might be disappointed, but they know if they keep working hard and getting results and performances in Connacht we are hopeful their time may come in the near future.”
But is there not an argument for Carr, who is almost 25, to be exposed to Ireland training sessions? “I’ve spoken to Fionn over the last couple of weeks and because he is doing quite well in the Magners and we all knew the autumn internationals were coming up I said, ‘Look Fionn if it happens, it happens but you got to stay positive. You got to be able to deal with it’,” explained Elwood.
“So, we had a good chat again this morning. ‘Look Fionn, hard luck but these things happen. That’s what selection is about; it is how you respond and bounce back’.
“He has a great opportunity at the weekend against Leinster and the key for him now is he doesn’t try too hard, he just plays his normal game that has got him in the shop window.
“I firmly believe, if he is patient, he will get his chance along with Ian (Keatley), Murph (Frank Murphy) and young Jamie Hagan. We’re doing something right and these guys are developing.”
The arrival of backs expert Brian Melrose from Australia and defensive organiser Mike Forshaw is a prime example of Elwood doing something right.
In his first season as head coach, Elwood insisted on a proper beginning; on carving out a different sort of reputation than what has gone before.
“I say it to the boys all the time, we are the New Connacht. We just want to change people’s perception of us. We want to be respected at home and away but to do that we have got to be competitive,” he said.
“To do that I needed to focus on my job so I brought in a guy to do the backs. Brian brought a new dimension. We are trying to play the game the way I would like to play it: a total 15-man game, integration with backs and forwards. Brian has brought his views to that, which has been terrific.
“Over the last few years we have been leaking tries. We needed a guy who could hang his hat on it: ‘I’m the defence coach, this is what I’m going to be judged on’.
“I looked at Mike’s pedigree and character, he was a player himself, and he has the lads working extremely hard. Disciplined. In fact, they are working on their defence with great pride. At the moment, we are seeing rewards out of Mike and Brian, which is fantastic.”
Elwood only came into the job on the premise that the Connacht Branch gave him a fighting chance. That meant a decent staff. Former player Conor McPhillips is another in as the full-time analyst, but everyone, including Elwood, remains in the dark over the extensions of their one-year contracts.
The Connacht Branch and IRFU turned to a consultancy firm earlier this year and a new business plan is expected.
“I’m hoping to hear something positive pretty soon for the sake of Connacht rugby. That’s for the IRFU and the Connacht Branch to decide but obviously the earlier we can find out about those things would be beneficial for me as a coach to assemble a squad for next year,” he said.
For now, all Elwood can do is control what is put in front of him. This week it is preparing for Leinster. “We are not naive to think we can just front up here against a team like Leinster because we have a good record against them. It is going to be a tough, physical battle. It is a derby match. No quarter given. Two proud provinces. We know the quality they have. We must be at 100 per cent.”
