Connacht - One season wonder or team progressing.

Season     W   D   L   F/A/DIF                BP  PTS  Place
2014-15    6   1   4   183/173/+10        2    28     6
2013-14    6   0  16  371/509/-138    11   35     10
2012-13    8   1  13  358/422/–64       4    38     8
2011-12    7   1  14  321/433/-112      7    37     8
2010-11    7   1  14  394/459/-65        9    39     9

In 2003 the IRFU looked at scapping Connacht in a cost cutting measure (similar to the SRU AND WRU which we sometimes forget). They have recently had funding increased and hopefully that will help them.

Above is the table for each season since the Italians joined.  As you will notice that they have been fairly consistent and while last year was a little lower they racked up alot of LBPs which this season they seem to be turning into wins.

We have been here before where we think that they are about to turn a corner, only to not push on. But here are some differences.
1)   They have some good young players coming through that are homegrown
2)   When they play they are more equal than hanging on for dear life praying for bad weather.
3)   They have a really good 9, 10, 12, 13
4)   Half way through the season they are holding onto the big boys (well the last two weeks have kind of opened a 7pts gap)
5)   Last Season they won in Tolouse and this season a second string won in Bayonne

Some things that still worry be are as follows
1)   They show signs of not being able to see out games or get results
2)   You still feel they don't go to the big teams to win but are happy with a LBP
3)   You still wonder will they be able to keep that squad together.

From an Irish point of view we either are to hard or soft on them.  But where do you all think Connacht is.  Are they moving up to the top 7 pushing for the playoff places or are they just having a good year and next year will be back in the lower pack

Just listened to an interview with Pat Lam. He said their goal is top six and an automatic champions cup spot.

I still feel they are behind Scarlets on that front and I think the bigger teams fear Scarlets (and probably Blues) more than Connacht.

He did bring up that J Carty is progressing much more at Connacht now he is playing weekly than he would have with Parks or at another province.

Made massive strides under Lam and there is no doubt the IRFU investment and signing have made a difference. Lam is right in saying that the top 6 is the goal and if they can do that top 4 next season may not be unrealistic.

I think Aki has been a great signing for them and gives them some good go forward ball and is only good for Henshaw to have him

Definitely have upped their game, but its only half way through the season, things can still change. A few good/poor performances/results, and we may still be discussing why they are playoff/bottom 4.

Even though they have signed some big names in the backs i have been more impressed by their pack actually, Dennis Buckley could well be the best Irish scummaging loosehead and Muldowney is finally performing to a good level.

Next week against Munster could be pivotal in their season.

The thing that I see as a weakness is how they view the big teams. Scarlets go into every game looking for a win. Against the Top 5 Connacht do not. They do need to get a result against Munster or else they will have lost 3 in a row.

They will need to make hay during the 6N IMO. If ulster get their guys back i don't think they will topple us and Scarlets are looking reasonably good. I wasn't bowled over by the last two games I have seen from connacht but I admit that's a small subset

I've noticed the improvement in Connacht in the last few seasons. They've been on the wrong end of results on many occasions, but the performance is certainly there; they're smashing rucks, recycling and attacking like a NZ team. Keep up the high intensity in performance and the results will hopefully come.

I think if you look at how far the Scarlets and Blues have dropped off in recent years, while Edinburgh and Treviso are clearly also getting a lot worse, it's pretty easy to see how they could of improved. The Dragons and Zebre are still weak teams too. 4 teams in the league are much worse.
Only Glasgow, Ulster, Munster, Leinster and the Ospreys are decent teams.

I do think that some teams have not progressed such as the Blues but Connacht are still quite abit a head of where they were.

Really until they beat a couple of the Top 5 each season and one away they will never progress.

Saint agree that they are doing alot better.

Standulsterman I think the Lenister game showed their inexperince. Both times when they had the man advantage they conceded more points. Hopefully it will come by the end of the Season but that is holding them back.

This time last year Dragons had picked up 25 points and looked much improved, however in the 2nd half of the season they only picked up 10 points and finished 9th.

Connacht still could do the same, however while it looked like Dragons last year overperformed in the first part of the season, I think Connacht are a geniune top 6 contender team.

you can judge how much they have improved, as Fionn Carr their star player in about 2011, can't even nail down a starting spot in the team anymore.

I do think Carr isn't quite as good as he was in 2011 but the improvement in quality across the squad is undeniable.

That said they showed their limitation when they struggled past a Scarlets team which was without their key players, i think they should finish behind The Scarlets if i'm honest.

I think Pat Lam has done a good job with the forwards, jury still out on the backline.

Their backline is young so it may improve again next year as they get older and wiser.

The one TBP they got against Zebre at home shows they still have alot to do in creating and taking chances.

Definitely a side on the up - as they were under Elwood, so wouldn't see them as 1 season wonders. They play a really good brand of rugby and have a very good defence to go with their natural commitment and passion.

They've recruited really well, the best of all the Irish provinces, but I think depth is still an issue for them - I'm not sure they have the squad to deal with form dips and injuries and over the course of the season, especially in the pack, an that may be their undoing versus the sides above them.