Connacht planning another 'ambush' in the Republic
Connacht heads to Ellis Park with the single-minded goal of a rare clean sweep in South Africa.
After their 33-24 upset of the Stormers, the Irish province heads to Johannesburg, where they won (33-30) back in 2022, the inaugural United Rugby Championship season.
Their last visit to Ellis Park, almost a year to the day ago, the Lions triumphed (26-7).
Connacht forwards coach John Muldoon said they will be facing two very different teams – from the Stormers at sea level to the Lions at altitude.
And with so much at stake in the last three rounds, the pressure is on the visitors.
Muldoon said Connacht has opted to leave it late before they depart their training base in Cape Town and head to the Highveld, with a “bit of a run around” at the captain’s practice at Ellis Park on Friday.
“This is my third time in South Africa with Connacht as a coach,” Muldoon said, adding: “We’ve put out two good performances in the first game and not so good in the second game.
“So we’re going to have to change a few things.
“We’ve made a few tweaks to how we prepare the week, and hopefully that will put us in good standing on Saturday.”
In a tight play-off race, the ninth-placed Irish province believe they still has destiny in its own hands.
The assistant coach admitted the Stormers and Lions are “two very different teams”, the Stormers a team of ‘stars’ and the Lions an ‘international team’ without many internationals.
(WATCH as Connacht forwards coach John Muldoon previews his team’s trip to Ellis Park and a URC crunch match with the Lions…..)
“They have a phenomenal back row,” he said of the Lions, adding: “They had eight or nine turnovers at the breakdown against Glasgow Warriors [last week].
“They were scoring tries for fun, from long distance.”
The Lions have one of the lowest ‘ball in play’ stats, with Muldoon attributing it to them being based on the Highveld and visitors struggling with the rarified air at Ellis Park.
“We have to get the balance right.
“Last year, we tried to play rugby and throw the ball around.
“We probably cut our own throats, [losing 7-26].
“They not only have a great back row, but lots of poaching threats all over the team.
“One of their advantages is that their team stays together a lot of the time.
“The majority of the time, they are a settled team and a small squad.
“You can tell there is a lot of unity and collectiveness.”
Muldoon admitted there are still a significant number of permutations in the last three weeks of league action, before the play-offs arrive.
“Some teams are losing players through injury, some teams are on tour, and some are yet to go on tour,” he added.
“We are getting to the stage of the season where you may no longer have your first team.
“It is a squad effort, and if you look at some of the injury reports, it gets down to who has the best squad.
“The way we train helps a lot in that we do a lot of mix-ups, three teams and different types of training.
“Hopefully that will help us going forward, and one or two injuries can result in massive upsets.
“Travelling to the Southern Hemisphere or the Northern Hemisphere puts stress and strain on quads.
“There is a lot to play for with three rounds [remaining].”
Connacht will be missing several key players, including Cathal Forde, who sustained a wrist injury last weekend.
Sean Jansen and Dave Heffernan are also nursing injuries, but both will be monitored this week for further evaluation.
The good news, however, is the availability of Shane Jennings, who missed last weekend with a knock, while the club has also called up two players, Eoin de Buitlear and Sean O’Brien, as possible hooker and back row cover.
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