2014–15 Connacht Rugby season

The 2014–15 season saw the Heineken Cup replaced by the 20 team Rugby Champions Cup and the creation of this competition meant the Pro12 standings would have a greater impact on European qualification. Under the previous format, the Pro12 provided a minimum of ten teams, with Scotland and Italy providing two teams each, and Ireland and Wales both providing three.

The new system saw one place now being reserved for the highest finishing Pro12 team from each of four participating countries, along with three other qualifiers based solely on league position, for a total of seven teams. The other teams were to be entered in the new second tier competition, the Rugby Challenge Cup. This meant Connacht were no longer required to finish ahead of another Irish province or rely on an Irish victory in a European tournament to qualify for the top tier of European rugby.

The final tournament spot in the 2015–16 Rugby Champions Cup was decided by a playoff involving the Pro12's highest finishing team that is not already qualified, along with the seventh highest finishing clubs from France's Top 14 and the English Premiership.[1]

On the player front, Connacht entered the season with a new captain following the forced retirement of Craig Clarke due to persistent concussions.[2] They will also be without the playing services of former captain and centurion Gavin Duffy, whose contract was not renewed the previous season. It was later announced that he was taking up a role with the province's commercial team.[3]

Due to their 10th-place finish in the 2013–14 Pro12, Connacht were entered into the 2014–15 Rugby Challenge Cup, which replaced the European Challenge Cup, a competition Connacht hadn't competed in since the 2010–11 season. The draw for the Challenge Cup pool stages took place on 10 June 2014, with Connacht named in the same group as Exeter Chiefs, Bayonne and La Rochelle.[4]

Connacht opened the season with victories at home against Newport Gwent Dragons and away to Edinburgh.[5][6] The team then beat provincial rivals Leinster at home, the 10–9 win giving Connacht their first inter-provincial victory since beating Leinster in the same fixture in the 2012–13 season.[7] Connacht experienced their first defeat of the season in the next round, losing to Glasgow Warriors in their final game of the month.[8][9]

Following their opening defeat of the season to Glasgow, Connacht opened the month of October with a draw at home to Cardiff Blues the following week,[9] but were able to return to winning ways before the first break for European matches, beating Benetton Treviso 6–9 in Italy.[10] Connacht opened their 2014–15 Challenge Cup campaign at the Sportsgrounds on 18 October with a 48–12 bonus point victory over Top 14 side La Rochelle.[11] The following week, however, saw the province beaten 33–13 away to Exeter Chiefs.[12] Connacht's first game after the European break saw them beaten 26–11 in Wales by the Ospreys on Halloween night.[13]

A break in the league for the November internationals meant that Connacht didn't play a competitive match in the month until 21 November. When they returned to action, Connacht picked up a comfortable bonus point victory over Zebre at home, posting a final score of 43–3.[14] The team followed this with a 14–8 win against 6th place rivals Scarlets at the Sportsgrounds to keep their unbeaten home record intact.[15]

Connacht opened the month of December with a crucial double-header against Bayonne in the Challenge Cup, and won the first of these games comfortably, picking up a bonus point in a 42–19 victory to narrow the gap to Exeter Chiefs.[16] Connacht named an entirely new team for the return leg, and despite being 11 points down in the second half, the team fought back to win 27–29, with academy scrum-half Caolin Blade scoring both tries.[17]

After the two European matches, Connacht finished 2015 with two provincial derbies in a row over the Christmas period. Connacht lost the first of these matches against Leinster in Dublin.[18] This loss was followed by a narrow away defeat to Ulster on St. Stephen's Day in the last match of the calendar year.[19]

On New Year's Day, Connacht picked up where they had left off in 2014, with another league match against Irish opposition. In the final derby of this period, Connacht managed to pick up a win, beating Munster 24–16.[20] Following this high however, Connacht were beaten at home for the first time in the season, losing 13–16 to Edinburgh.[21] The poor form was carried into Europe as Connacht lost another home match in quick succession, being beaten 24–33 by the Exeter Chiefs.[22] The team was able to recover the following week to beat La Rochelle and secure a place in the knock-out stage of the competition.[23]

There were no games in the opening weekend of the month as the 2015 Six Nations Championship was taking place. On 15 February Connacht returned to league action, suffering a 32–14 loss away to Scarlets.[24] The following week, Connacht were away to another Welsh side, this time facing Newport Gwent Dragons, and recovered from the previous week's disappointment to emerge 25–30 winners.[25]

Connacht opened the month of March with bonus point victory over Benetton Treviso, crushing the Italians 53–5.[26] On 6 March, Connacht faced Cardiff Blues away ahead of a tough series of matches against teams in the play-off places, making the game important in the qualification for the 2015–16 Rugby Champions Cup. Connacht were beaten 18–17 by a late try, after the referee controversially gave a penalty against Connacht with the game in overtime after Cardiff appeared to have knocked the ball on. In the aftermath of the game, Pat Lam criticised touch judge Leighton Hodges and lodged a complaint with the league.[27] Lam was later charged with misconduct for his comments.[28] In spite of Lam's comments and the misconduct charge, Hodges refereed Connacht's next match, away to Munster in Thomond Park, where Connacht were beaten 42–20.[29]

The team's first match in April was a Challenge Cup quarter-final against Gloucester in Kingsholm Stadium. After going in 14–0 down, Connacht held the hosts scoreless in the second half and pulled themselves back into the match with a penalty try. They couldn't make up the deficit however, and Connacht were knocked out of the Cup by 14–7.[30]

In their return to the Pro12, Connacht suffered their second home league defeat of the season, this time to Ulster. After another poor first half performance, Connacht went in 17–0 down, only to earn a losing bonus with a final score of 20–27.[31] Another home defeat followed, with the team shipping five tries against Glasgow Warriors in a 13–31 defeat, leaving the team in danger of finishing behind Edinburgh in 8th place and missing not only automatic qualification for the Champions Cup, but also the chance at a play-off for the final spot.[32]

Connacht were able to start the month with their first win since 1 March, beating Zebre 10–40 in Italy, to earn a try bonus and leave themselves with a chance of reaching the Champions Cup. In the final round of the regular season, on 16 May, Connacht faced Ospreys, while their rivals for the Champions Cup places, Scarlets and Edinburgh, faced Benetton Treviso and Leinster respectively. Connacht picked up a losing bonus, while Scarlets won and Edinburgh were beaten by 13, leaving Connacht in 7th place, their highest finish in a regular league season, but just short of qualification to the Champions Cup.

Connacht proceeded to a play-off involving Bordeaux Bègles, the 7th placed team in the 2014–15 Top 14 season, and Gloucester the 2014–15 Rugby Challenge Cup winners. Connacht played Gloucester away on 24 May for the chance to face Bordeaux. Connacht were leading 18–25 in the final minutes of the game, but a controversial penalty decision from Romain Poite gave Gloucester a try-scoring opportunity and sent the match to extra time, after which Gloucester emerged 40–32 victors.[33]

[38] Note: Flags indicate national union as has been defined under WR eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-WR nationality.

Player Position Union Jason Harris-Wright Hooker Ireland David Heffernan Hooker Ireland Seán Henry Hooker Ireland Tom McCartney Hooker New Zealand Rodney Ah You Prop Ireland Finlay Bealham Prop Ireland Denis Buckley Prop Ireland JP Cooney Prop Ireland Ronan Loughney Prop Ireland Nathan White* Prop New Zealand Mick Kearney Lock Ireland Aly Muldowney* Lock England Danny Qualter Lock Ireland Quinn Roux Lock South Africa Michael Swift* Lock England Andrew Browne Flanker Ireland Mata Fafita* Flanker Tonga Willie Faloon Flanker Ireland Jake Heenan Flanker New Zealand John Muldoon (c) Flanker Ireland Eoin McKeon Number 8 Ireland George Naoupu Number 8 New Zealand

Player Position Union John Cooney Scrum-half Ireland Kieran Marmion Scrum-half Ireland Ian Porter Scrum-half Ireland Jack Carty Fly-half Ireland Miah Nikora* Fly-half New Zealand Craig Ronaldson Fly-half Ireland Bundee Aki Centre New Zealand Conor Finn Centre Ireland Robbie Henshaw Centre Ireland Dave McSharry Centre Ireland Shane O'Leary* Centre Canada Niyi Adeolokun* Wing Nigeria Fionn Carr Wing Ireland Matt Healy Wing Ireland Tiernan O'Halloran Wing Ireland Danie Poolman Wing South Africa Shane Layden Fullback Ireland Darragh Leader Fullback Ireland Mils Muliaina Fullback New Zealand

• Players qualified to play for Ireland on dual nationality or residency grounds*
• Senior 15's internationally capped players in bold

[39] Note: Flags indicate national union as has been defined under WR eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-WR nationality.

Player Position Union Shane Delahunt Hooker Ireland year 1 Jack Dineen Hooker Ireland year 1 Jamie Dever Prop Ireland year 2 Saba Meunargia Prop Ireland year 2 Jacob Walshe Prop Ireland year 2 Ultan Dillane Lock Ireland year 3 Seán O'Brien Lock Ireland year 2 James Connolly Flanker Ireland year 2 Marc Kelly Flanker Ireland year 1 Rory Moloney Flanker Ireland year 2 Eoghan Masterson Number 8 Scotland year 2

Player Position Union Caolin Blade Scrum-half Ireland year 2 Conor McKeon Outside-half Ireland year 1 Rory Parata Centre Ireland year 2 Peter Robb Centre Ireland year 1 Ciaran Gaffney Wing Ireland year 1 David Panter Fullback England year 2