RUGBY CHALLENGE CUP:CONNACHT AND Harlequins have been occasional bedfellows in the Amlin Challenge Cup and its previous incarnations, a rivalry which will be renewed once again on Sunday in London and captured for posterity by the Sky Sports cameras. Their shared history in the European tournament suggests an entertaining encounter.
The occasion will have an added poignancy for Gavin Duffy. During his career he has worn the famous quartered jersey of the English club against Connacht and coincidentally the green of his native province against the London aristocrats in European competition.
He’s slung his kitbag over his shoulder and walked to work at The Stoop on match days to beat the London traffic so travelling by coach to the ground will be a relatively novel experience. “There was a warm family atmosphere at the club,” he said recalling his time at Harlequins (2003-2006) during which he made 110 appearances for the club.
The highlight of his time there was a European Challenge Cup (Parker Pen) final victory – they beat Connacht by a four-point aggregate in the semi-final over two legs – over Montferrand in 2004 when a couple of Irishman combined to eke out a 27-26 victory at the Madejski Stadium. “Simon Keogh scored a last-gasp try and Andy Dunne kicked the conversion,” Duffy recalled.
“When I first went to Harlequins we would have had crowds of about 4,000-5,000 but the development of the south stand saw attendances grow to about 11,000 by the time I left. There’s been a big turnover in the squad but I would have played with the likes of Ugo Monye, Tom Williams, Nick Easter, Ceri Jones, Danny Care, Jordan Turner Hall and Ollie Kohn.”
The Irish province go into Sunday’s game knowing they have given themselves a sizeable handicap by losing their opening fixture in the pool to Italian side I Calvieri Estra. Duffy admitted: “That was a shockingly bad result; I could use stronger language but we took the first step towards redemption by beating Bayonne – the French side beat Harlequins at home – at the Sportsground.
“Everything is on the line and that brings pressure, which on a personal level provides added motivation. We know what’s required and that we have the capacity to get ourselves right back in the mix.”
Connacht, under the baton of coach Eric Elwood and backs’ guru Brian “Billy” Melrose, have developed their patterns. Duffy is playing beautifully in that environment. “There is an emphasis on counter-attacking and looking to keep possession of the ball. The new rules lend themselves to this approach and with that focus there has been a shift in the way we play. In previous years we looked to stop teams playing a little bit but now we’re looking to outscore them. Our defence has improved too.
“We have left a few close games behind us – Ospreys, Edinburgh, Scarlets – but our style is evolving. We have to cut down on the mistakes but from a player’s perspective it’s a hugely enjoyable way to play the game. In the last couple of matches we might have drifted away from that a little bit and it’s important we rectify that.
“It’s about the whole team buying into it, not just the back three. If you look at New Zealand as the benchmark, they have six or seven players back in position to counter-attack, rather than simply the back three. Mind you I still get the occasional shout after six or seven phases from some of the forwards to kick it, or go for territory,” he laughed.
