Connacht, taking heart from the growing number of players featuring for Ireland, now need to produce in the URC to maintain any hopes of making the top eight and Champions Cup qualification next season.
Connacht return to league action on Saturday against Cardiff, knowing a run of wins is urgently needed.
Currently in 14th position, following a disappointing 22-19 defeat to Glasgow, and with no leeway for error, head coach Pete Wilkins accepts there is more work to do to achieve those seasonal ambitions, despite his charges enjoying a strong run of form in the European Challenge Cup.
However, the number of Connacht players gaining national recognition in the Ireland set-up, particularly Mack Hansen and Finlay Bealham, shows the province is “moving in the right direction,” says Wilkins.
“But it also shows, from our recent URC form that we’ve got a lot more work still to do.”
“I’d love to be further down the track than we are, but it adds to the motivation – wanting to do well for the province – but the pressure will always be there. That’s professional sport, and as it should be, because we’re representing a lot of people. It comes with the territory, and we’ll keep working.”
However, he believes it’s a “huge statement” that the western province has its biggest representation involved in recent Ireland training camps, which include Cian Prendergast, Caolin Blade, Hansen, Bundee Aki, Bealham, Cathal Forde, Ben Murphy, Jack Aungier and Shayne Bolton.
“I’d like to think it’s testament to everyone involved. Certainly the players have earned the right to get those opportunities. I like to think the quality of coaching and player development has played its part too – and all the support around the club for these guys as they’re trying to improve and trying to climb the representative ladder.
“Everyone’s got a stake in it. It shows that players are getting better in this programme, but also that we’re playing a type of rugby – albeit a little inconsistently – and it has contributed.”
But the one major hiccup is Connacht’s form – the “final bit of the jigsaw”, he says, which is to turn improved team performances into victories.
“We’ve got individuals who are improving, and you would hope that the collective bit is not far behind. But again . . . we’ve got to deliver, and these next two games will show if that’s the case.”
Connacht cannot be satisfied with “just churning out representative players”, he says.
“It’s a brilliant recognition for the club, and it’s where we want to be. But we want to be getting the team’s collective performances on the back of that. So that’s where our focus is now, and especially over this next block [of games].”
However, Wilkins will have to plan without five players this weekend as included on the injury list are Hugh Gavin (ankle), Andrew Smith (thumb), Denis Buckley (thigh), Darragh Murray (Achilles) and Shane Jennings (ankle).
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