Connacht head coach Pete Wilkins has welcomed the return of a host of players at a vital time in the club’s season.
Four long-term absentees will be available for selection when Connacht face Emirates Lions in Saturday’s URC fixture at Dexcom Stadium, and more will follow as the season ramps up in Connacht’s bid to make the top eight, and also further their European hopes.
Colm Reilly (ankle), Shane Jennings (ankle), Diarmuid Kilgallen and Oisín McCormack (both thigh) have returned to full training and are available for selection, and although Ireland players Bundee Aki and Finlay Bealham continue to rehab after international duty, they will be available for the crunch fixture against Benetton.
Mack Hansen is still on target to return at the end of April after suffering a serious shoulder injury against Munster on New Year’s Day, while Shayne Bolton continues to recover from ankle surgery with hopes of a return in early April. John Porch, who had a minor surgical procedure on his knee three weeks ago, is expected to return to training in the coming weeks.
Although Connacht do not the easiest of run-ins to the seasons, Wilkins says Connacht takes confidence from last year’s results.
“We always back ourselves against anyone, whether home or away. Right from the start, we have been aiming for the top eight and anything less will be really disappointing. I think if we can get top four, that will be determined by how well we go over this next block. The opportunities are there for us to make a real push for top four or top six, but we have to take them.
“The points we picked up early means we are right in the mix and we should be finishing in a finals position, but these next four games will have a massive impact on that. The confidence we take out of last year is in these one-off games, we always back ourselves against anyone, whether home or away.
“People will write it up as a huge disappointment if we don’t get a convincing win this weekend, but the more you look into the Lions and the threats they have, and how we will have to play, every week is massive. It is very hard to find a weekend when you can think about resting a group of frontline players – hence we have to approach it from the other end where we have broader squad pushing for opportunities.”
Wilkins says the break has given players a chance to refresh for tough challenges against Benetton, and Pau in the European campaign.
“The outside world may be expecting us to get the job done this weekend, but we are really aware how big a challenge it is for us. Nothing will be taken for granted and they will be as strong as they were last year.”
Connacht have also confirmed Liam McNamara has been granted an early release from his contract to allow him to return home to Australia. McNamara, who joined Connacht last summer, made just two appearances for the club. In the pack Dylan Tierney-Martin has a consultant’s review this week on a neck injury and his return will be assessed in the coming week.
Injured Argentinian Santiago Cordero, who could see a possible return to action in May, has been running for the last couple of weeks.
“He’s absolutely on target, but you get down to the last two months and you either know you are going to be right or not – physically and mentally. He was out there today doing some ball in hand and change of direction stuff, but with major knee injuries some guys come back at nine months, some at 12, and it does come down to the last period.”
