Win or lose, it will matter little to Connacht‘s unrealised ambitions to make the top eight when they sign off a disappointing URC campaign with a final fling in Italy against Zebre Parma on Saturday (5pm Irish time).
In a difficult season, with the early departure of Pete Wilkins and just five wins to date, interim head coach Cullie Tucker is still seeking that winning performance.
With no fresh injuries, Tucker is looking to “finish strong”.
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In what has been a frustrating season, Tucker says Connacht still want to finish on a high, “and as high up the table as we can”.
“The playoffs were what we had been building towards, but ultimately, despite the 15 bonus points we picked up, we needed more to be in the top eight.
“Those bonus points show that we’ve been close in so many games. So it has been frustrating, but it is important to finish the season with five points and a win, and for everyone in the club to get some belief back.
“You don’t want to be sitting for two months on a loss in Italy to finish the season, so it’s important. We’ve prepared very hard over the last two games for it, taken the learnings, and we’re looking to finish the season strong.”
Having been thrust into the head coach role following the unexpected departure of Wilkins, who this week has been named attack coach for Benetton Treviso next season, Tucker admits it has been “challenging” going from breakdown and scrum coach to an expanded role “by 200 per cent”.
“I’ve learned loads, lots about myself, about coaching – a massive challenge. Brilliant, but also frustrating – that we’ve been so close.”
“Results have been disappointing, but we’ve been close, and I think I’ve had the team in the right frame of mind to play as well. So I reflect hard and take my learnings off it.”
“I’ve had a nice bite into what it feels like to be head coach, and we will see what the future holds.
