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Opportunity knocks for Connacht to secure a valuable home victory over Conference A leaders Toyota Cheetahs when they visit the Sportsground on Saturday.

Last Saturday, like many of our readers, I put aside to watch two main items on television : 1) the rugby quarter-final, Ireland versus the All Blacks, and 2) the proceedings in Westminster when Boris Johnson would endeavour to bring in his settlement with Europe.

Opportunity knocks for Connacht to secure a valuable home victory over Conference A leaders Toyota Cheetahs when they visit the Sportsground on Saturday.

The new Connacht Rugby Junior League season kicks off in earnest this Sunday with Mayo sides in action in both of the top two divisions.

Three Buccaneers touch rugby players have just returned from last week’s World Cup in Putrajaya, Malaysia. Rory Silke, Nigel So and Denis O’Connor were part of the Ireland Men’s over 40s team (M40s) which were one of five Irish teams to take part in the competition.

Three Buccaneers touch rugby players have departed for Malaysia this week ahead of the World Cup after being named in the Ireland Mens’ over 40s squad. Rory Silke, Nigel (Jiang Han) So and Denis O’Connor have been in tournament preparation mode for six months and jetted east with their playing colleagues on Wednesday.

Well, what do we make of the weather? Last week it was completely spring-like, mild temperatures, lots of sunshine, and one would really think that spring had arrived. In contrast, this week started off with cold, showery, shivery type of weather and low temperatures. So it is the old story; we think spring has come but really it hasn’t. And yet, the daffodils are out, not quite in abundance yet but they are out with their yellow blooms. In my back garden I have a small magnolia tree. Now, it is called a dwarf magnolia, but because of political correctness you are not allowed any more to say that word with regard to anything, and so it is a small magnolia. The buds are already on all of the branches of that magnolia tree, which would indicate that it is soon going to flower. But somehow I don’t think so if this weather continues. Be that as it may, well at least so far we’ve been spared the snow and wild winds which were very much the climate of 12 months ago. So let’s hope the benign days continue – and more daffodils please, and more buds turning to flower please, in everyone’s garden!

Fresh from a two-week break, Connacht return to league action in what will be a defining period in this season's campaign.

I hope you are wrapped up well and fit for the rigours of the late January cold spell which we are having. As I write this column, it appears that this Thursday and Friday will be the crunch days when there could well be accumulated snow. All we can do is prepare ourselves, expect the worst and be glad if it doesn’t turn out as severe as has been forecast.

Connacht coach Andy Friend says his players are ready for whatever the Cheetahs and the conditions of Bloemfontein will throw at them whenever kick-off comes around on Saturday at the Toyota Stadium.