Pete Wilkins admits that Connacht fully deserve their “inconsistent” label but wants them to use it as motivation against Glasgow Warriors.
The province return to URC duty on Friday evening off the back of consecutive Challenge Cup wins over Lyon and Cardiff.
However, there was a similar scenario following the opening two rounds in Europe when they followed up victories against Zebre and Perpignan with derby defeats to Leinster and Ulster.
Connacht are 13th in the URC and Wilkins knows they must begin to pick up points soon, starting with the clash with defending champions Warriors, who are second in the table.
It was relatively easy to motivate the players last weekend, with a win guaranteeing the number one seed and a home run to the decider if they go that far.
But the trick is to prime the players for a mid-January trip to Scotland with no real jeopardy involved.
“Well, I think a few things play into that,” he said when asked about ensuring the players understand the importance of the game.
“First is the recognition that we have been inconsistent historically.
“And as I said, probably this time last year, consistency is being good really frequently.
“We’ve been good some of the time, but not frequently enough. The label’s fair.
“As coaches, as players addressing that and calling it out is a really important part.
“Each game becomes another challenge in terms of saying that we can be a team that that extends these runs of wins or extends these runs of good performances.
“So the label itself is motivation.
“The importance of the game in our URC standings is huge.
“It’s not a knockout game in name, but it’s going to have a huge impact on where we end up at the end of the season and also the type of feelings we take into this couple of weeks break with the Six Nations and how we restart the third and the final block of the season.
“There is so much in it for us.
“Ultimately, it’ll be the quality of rugby on Friday night that that determines whether we’ll be stuck with that label again or whether we can back up what we’ve done the last two weeks.”
While centre Bundee Aki and scrum-half Caolin Blade were likely to miss the game due to international call-ups, the form of ready-made replacements Cathal Forde (below) and Ben Murphy has seen the duo head off to camp as development players.
The tally of seven Connacht players, including Mack Hansen, Finlay Bealham and Cian Prendergast, in the wider squad is a record contingent for the Westerners.
“It’s great recognition for [Cathal and Ben],” added Wilkins.
“It’s a chance for them to experience that top level and the demands of that training environment, if not that playing environment immediately.
“The coaching exposure to the higher level of intensity, and jeopardy that that comes with training and performing and pushing for selection at international level so I think they’ll get an enormous amount of that.
“I’d like to think it would also give them a real boost around self-belief.
“Both of them are players who are quietly confident, but definitely not loud personalities, and nor do they need to be anything different than themselves.
“To experience that recognition and then that environment gives them a chance to prove that we’re on the right track and to have real belief in themselves and the journey that they’re taking.
“We’ve seen players in those development roles, end up getting game minutes in an Irish campaign.
“So, if you go there and you impress I think the Irish management are open-minded enough to look to reward that. Once you’re in the building, it’s a really great opportunity.
“Luckily, [centre is] one of our [strong] position groups with Piers O’Conor and Davy Hawkshaw, Byron Ralston at 13.
“We’ve still got a number of options there. So I’m confident for the guys coming in but delighted for Fordey.”
