A month and three games later, Connacht’s victory in Toulouse looks like a one-off. A heroic, never-to-be-forgotten one-off but a yet-to-be-repeated one.
It immediately followed an extremely concerning 43-10 defeat to Edinburgh in Murrayfield, bringing their record in all competitions to just two victories from 11 outings, before what seemed Pat Lam’s eureka moment.
Then the angry French aristocrats travelled to the western outpost and snatched a 37-9 victory. Connacht did manage to squeeze the Dragons at the Sportsground before Thomond Park saw them embroiled in a spate of fights before another beating.
Tonight Leinster, of all the opposition, arrive in Galway intent on avenging an equally-jarring result to what Toulouse experienced. It was early last season when Connacht put up 34 to Leinster's six points.
So, when Lam stared down the barrel of December and January fixtures he would have been forgiven for exhaling an audible groan.
Overshadowed
The respite that is Zebre next weekend is immediately overshadowed by the might of Saracens away.
"Mathematically we're still alive," Lam said of their Heineken Cup pool. "If we can beat Zebre next week and Toulouse win at home against Saracens then we will go to London with everything on the line. We are not ruled out of Europe yet but that's next week . . ."
After Robbie Henshaw, their most impressive performer this season, young Kiwi flanker Jake Heenan joins an already 11-strong wounded list.
So, Leinster will be welcomed by the wind, rain and six of their academy graduates this evening. Nathan White also moved west two seasons ago while Denis Buckley was on the same Blackrock schools’ side as Jordi Murphy. Dave McSharry, Kyle Tonetti and Craig Ronaldson are others who would be relishing this fixture above all others if they were fit.
It gets worse. Miah Nikora and Ronaldson injuries mean Jack Carty, another local produce, starts at outhalf ahead of Dan Parks. Then again Carty is a talented footballer and shouldn't weaken the offence.
“I said it right from the very beginning we don’t have the same depth as everyone else but the key thing is, with the Connacht heart, we can only focus on our own process,” said Lam. “We can only focus on putting in place the means to winning.”
Coaches and players always revert to mantras. The process. Little things that always matter.
Mind drifts
The mind drifts to back this week's RTÉ documentary on Ronan O'Gara. There was the young Munster outhalf lining up a kick to win the 2000 Heineken Cup when Lam, the Northampton captain, drifted into his eye line to have a brief discussion with the referee.
A clever on-field leader, victory in Toulouse ensured the constant flying shrapnel won’t pierce the Connacht bunker for the time being.
“We feel in nearly all the games we’ve gone through we’ve had a chance to win all of them. Little things let us down. When we focus on them, rather than the outcome, it’s made a big difference,” said Lam.
“We just felt we were so close but just kept making these small errors. Like turnovers.
“Then came the Toulouse game. There was obviously belief based on the culture too because what we are doing behind the scenes, the boys do a massive amount of work off the field, building relationships, so we just knew it was only a matter of time.
“In all our good games we stayed within our systems and did the things we train to do for a longer period of time.
“Toulouse was obviously the ultimate example of that.
"We are a team," Lam continued. "We live by the sword, we die by the sword. If everyone does their job, we put teams we play under serious pressure.
'Ultimate team rugby'
"Although they have been few and far between I've enjoyed the wins this season more than any other as a coach because, man, we've had to work hard as a unit. That's the ultimate team rugby."
Yet one individual who springs from every Connacht side of late is Henshaw. The Athlone 20-year-old is maturing into a Test match performer.
The ongoing interest in Henshaw – just one durable veteran’s injury away from wearing number 13 jersey against the All Blacks last November – is his position.
Joe Schmidt wants him at outside centre but his most inspirational Connacht moments these past 18 months have been at fullback.
Like in Toulouse.
Tonight he runs at 13, not great news for Darren Cave, probably with a view to testing his midfield defence and attack against the greatest.
That’s probably the only player Connacht will lose to national duty next month.
"Look, it's the same in Connacht as when I coached back in New Zealand, when the job was to produce genuine All Blacks. If Joe was to take five of our guys for the Six Nations we'd be delighted.
“That’s what we want to do in Connacht, that’s the job.”
With double figures from the Leinster XV certain to be in Ireland camp, here comes the ideal trial.
Succeed tonight and the Toulouse victory suddenly becomes a watershed with all sorts of possibilities laid out before them.
