Connacht are back in Dexcom Stadium looking for a second successive home win when Welsh outfit Scarlets arrive in Galway on Saturday for their URC second round (1.45pm ).
Buoyed by an opening day victory over Benetton, Connacht need to take advantage of a second home fixture at this early stage of the season. The Welsh outfit arrive having lost to Clayton McMillan’s Munster by 34-21 in Llanelli, and they will be more determined to seal a first away victory of the 2025/26 season.
Always a talented side, Scarlets finished in eighth position last season, winning 50 per cent of their fixtures. Connacht came 13th with six victories. Now under Stuart Lancaster, Connacht have started positively with a four-try bonus-point win over visitors Benetton.
"A lot of positives, still a lot to improve on, but a good start," Lancaster says. "We came out on the right end of the result when it was nip and tuck at one point."
Changes are expected with both outhalf Josh Ioane and centre Byron Ralston having suffered head knocks, but forwards Seamus Hurley-Langton and Dylan Tierney-Martin are expected to be available. However, Lancaster will not be shy to make changes if necessary.
"We have won a game, but we can still change the team and hopefully still get a good performance. Whether we will or we won't depends on how the week goes."
Despite having started on a high, Lancaster, accepts there is "more than enough to work on this week".
"We know Scarlets will be targeting us in certain areas, so we need to fix that up before we go into this weekend. They play a particular brand of rugby as well - that means you are going to be challenged defensively." Lancaster faces some selection headaches ahead, with those who missed selection last week chomping at the bit to impress their new coach.
"You have got a whole lot of lads who played last week who want to play again, and you have got a whole lot of lads who did not play who want to play. So, it is a tricky balance," he says.
"You base it on what you have seen in pre-season. Fortunately, we have had a good group of 40-odd players who have done lots of rugby in pre-season."
Lancaster paid tribute to last season’s playing foundation and coaching team, Scott Fardy, Mark Sexton, and Pete Wilkins - who now coach with Benetton and returned to Dexcom on Saturday. But the focus for Connacht's new head coach this season is top eight.
"While Connacht came 13th [last season], the margin of many defeats was three points here, two points there, but the other thing was the number of tries conceded," he says.
As a result, Lancaster has focused on defence, game management, and psychology - dealing with mistakes and moving on. Last week there were improvements which will be needed in the face of a Scarlets side that is not only solid up front, but also loves to find space and run.
Presentation for Pete Wilkins
Connacht welcomed former coach Pete Wilkins back to Dexcom Stadium last Saturday night.
Now backs coach with Benetton, Wilkins said the fixture was a good workout for both teams - "up there with one of the most physical encounters at Dexcom in recent times".
"Both teams were determined, but I think for us, the pace of the game, which Connacht were in control of, the speed they played at, and the relentless attack had the fingerprints of Stuart all over it.
"Both teams went at it hard. It was a proper work-out for both teams, but it was a well-deserved win for Connacht."
Wilkins also received a presentation from Connacht Rugby and CEO Willie Ruane for his time spent in Galway.
"To have round one here, as much as there were mixed feelings, it was a blessing to get back and see some familiar faces. It meant an awful lot to me. I had that period here when obviously I was not well and was off for those few weeks, and at the end of that period - seven or eight weeks - I sat down with Willie and told him I had made the decision to step back from the head coach role.
"Both of those things, the illness and the decision to step back took some processing. What I struggled with was not having the chance to come and see the players and staff, and tell them in person."
