The West’s Awake

So Connacht did it, they are the 2016 Pro 12 winners after defeating Leinster 20-10 in a cracking final in Edinburgh yesterday. John Muldoon a veteran of 275 appearances for Connacht was the man entrusted with the most important job in Connacht Rugby history and that was lifting the Pro 12 trophy.

 Connacht stuck to the plan that has served them so well since Pat Lam took over and that was to attack with precision and dominate the breakdown both of which they did extremely well. This Province has had it all since Professionalism came in 1995 , they have been the poor relation with small amounts of funding and also they were threatened with expulsion by the IRFU “suits” in 2003. There was a proposal to remove them as the fourth province but that was defeated and I am sure that some of those “Suits” that wanted them gone were “cheering “ them on yesterday.

Yesterday was about much more than just the final , it was the culmination of many years of work by many coaches and players along with hard work executives. There of course is a Tarbert connection with yesterday’s win , Louise Creedon is Connacht PRO and is the grand daughter of the late Mrs Eithne  Creedon , a proud Galway women who I am sure was watching over Murrayfield yesterday.

Guys like Eddie O Sullivan , Warren Gatland , Micheal Bradley and Eric Elwood who were coaches during the 21 years of professionalism can take some credit for the win yesterday. They all had a hand in the development of the game out West.

Some players will depart the Connacht cause this summer with Robbie Henshaw , Aly Muldowney and AJ Mc Ginty will move to pastures new Henshaw will pitch up at the RDS next season with a Pro 12 winners medal safely tucked away in his back pocket , Muldowney will move to the Top 14 to join Grenoble while Mc Ginty will join the ever improving Sale Sharks , with Moritz Boshoff linking up with Connacht from next season there is no room at the Inn for Mc Ginty because of IRFU regulations that means only one non-qualified player can be in any one position within the 4 Provinces.

He will find a new home at the AJ Bell next season , of course next year Bundee Aki will become Irish qualified due to the three year residency rule or will Steve Hansen put a call in to bring him home , only time will tell !!

To sum up , yesterday was a watershed moment for rugby in Connacht. I have no doubt they will push on from this win as I have always said it all they ever needed was a trophy to go with all the good work they have put in. Yesterday they got the reward for well over 100 years of toil. Good things come to those who wait. Congratulations to all out West , To Pat Lam for filling this group with the confidence that anything is possible….. Ill sum up Connacht  like this Hunger , Hard Work , determination and Skill.

By

Cian Mc Gibney

29/05/2016