In his post-game reaction, coach Michael Cheika claimed we performed poorly on the night because “we lacked the correct attitude”.
Of course he was right, though the attitude had to come from both sides to produce this incredible result.
The home side were amazing, and they’ve proven first hand that this whole “turnaround” factor is disappearing more and more with every day.
Since rugby’s year dot, pundits have factored in turnaround time when judging how a squad is going to perform in a given match. Using that yardstick (our last game was Friday while theirs was Sunday)together with the Magners League table yesterday morning, this should have been a comfortable victory for the visitors.
But from 1 to 22 throughout the Connacht squad last night, they wanted this game for the entire 80 minutes. They were tenacious in the tackle and breakdown, they pinpointed every little chink in our defence (not to mention the gaping ones) and they ran at us like they had the wind at their backs whichever way they were facing.
And why shouldn’t they, since the westerners have a realistic chance of bringing Heineken Cup rugby to Galway for the first time ever. And with the likes of Toulon, Wasps and a resurgent Cardiff Blues to overcome in the Amlin Challenge Cup, surely they must feel their best chance is through the Magners League.
On Leinster’s side, we seemed to think that naming a strong 22 ourselves was enough to bag the four points before a ball was kicked. One more theory shot down by attitude.
Brian O’Driscoll’s first outing in Galway in a gagillion years will be remembered as the night he was outshone by rookies like Kyle Tonetti and Eoin O’Malley. And as for our abilities when Connacht had the ball, well Troy Nathan’s match-clinching try (see pic) said it all, what with the way he was able to just scoop the ball from a red zone ruck and dive over the line with comparative ease. Not sure if Kurt McQuilkin would’ve been able to watch.
The same goes in any sport. You play the game you’re in, not the one that’s coming up, and to a man last night Leinster were guilty of letting the upcoming trip to Toulouse cloud their focus.
Attitude of course can also apply to the supporters. Scanning over the Babbling Brook forum I see a lot of criticism directed at referee Peter Fitzgibbon. Again I say this is poor show.
True, the pass that led to the first Connacht try was clearly forward. True, he could have gone to the TMO to see if Hines’ touchdown was really held up. True, he was slow going to his yellow card for the home side’s breakdown transgressions. But no doubt also true was that he missed a few Leinster no-nos as well, and even if he didn’t, his contribution definitely did not account for all 14 points of the winning margin.
Another attitude of fans I don’t quite get is that of the Munster faithful. As I stared at my Tweetdeck last night during the match, the southern taunts were coming in thick and fast as the result looked more and more likely. Some were quality sledges, some were downright childish, but either way they had more hope of getting a rise out of the Titanic than this Leinster fan.
Sure, they’re delighting in their Auld Enemy getting beaten, but are they REALLY that proud of the Magners League’s then-bottom side managing to do to us what their lot couldn’t? Made little sense to me.
The only rugby folks deserving of a positive attitude this Thursday morning are those from Connacht, from Michael Bradley to man-of-the-match John Muldoon right through their modestly-numbered squad and of course their loyal supporters.
With no disrespect to Ulster, I for one hope they can drink from the Heineken goblet next season and at very least we should have a cracking final-series matchup at Ravenhill on May 7th.
As for Leinster, I have no doubt Michael Cheika will be able to use the DVD of what happened in the Sportsgrounds to re-instil a match-winning attitude in his squad for the big battles to come.
