It’s just short of 12 months since Jack Carty started for the first time in a Connacht jersey.
It was January 2014 at the Sportsground, and a 16-8 defeat to the eventual champions Leinster, but fast forward nine months to September, and Carty was again lining out at out-half against the same opposition. This time Connacht ground out a victory – a 10-9 arm wrestle – that made it three wins from three in the Guinness PRO12.
They’ve maintained their impressive start since that victory against the champions, with Carty playing a starring role along the way.
They sit sixth in a very tight PRO12 table, and after wins in the back-to-back European fixtures, are well poised to progress in this season’s European Challenge Cup.
Domestically, they have picked up six wins so far this season, already matching their total number of PRO12 wins for the whole of the last campaign.
On the face of it, there have been drastic improvements, but Carty maintains that it’s just a case of a young squad being another year older, and another year wiser.
“If you look at a lot of the games we lost last year, we lost but we were picking up losing bonus points. Last year we put ourselves in situations where we could have come away with a win but because of a lack of experience we didn’t get the result we wanted,” he says.
“We have a smaller squad than the other provinces, so a lot of players are getting blooded earlier than anticipated, and you’ve Caolin Blade who scored two tries at the weekend and was phenomenal.
“It’s great that we’re getting the game time, and the more game time we’re getting the more we grow and build our experience.”
Last Saturday’s win in Bayonne, Carty says, is a perfect example of what the extra bit of experience is doing for the province.
Connacht rallied to a dramatic 29-27 win with a fully changed 15 from the previous week’s win at the Sportsground. Carty rested a niggling groin injury at home in Westmeath but says the final few minutes was as tense as he can remember.
“I was watching it in Athlone, and the internet feed went down as we were kicking to the corner, so I was following the tweets online, but it was a great result.
“It just shows how far we’ve come in 12 months that we were able to send over what was perceived to be a weaker team, and come away with a result.”
The Connacht players, Carty included took time out during the week to visit the children’s ward of the University College Hospital in Galway, as they kicked off a busy Christmas period by bringing the smiles to some very special children.
Saturday’s trip to the RDS will be a first for Carty, and with three derby games ahead between now and New Year’s Day, the out-half says it’s an incredibly exciting time of the season.
“Leinster are a completely different opposition when they play at home, I suppose very few teams get away with a result at the RDS. Obviously it’s going to be a huge challenge but it’s one that we’ll relish.
“It’s a very different one I suppose in terms of preparation. The whole Christmas period, we’re ind of watching what we eat. It’s great having those games, because it adds even more spice to a derby game, especially the ones at home.
“And even going up to the RDS, where you’re going to be playing against 23 or so internationals, it’s a great challenge for all of us.
“We set the goal out at the start of the season that top six was what we were aspiring towards, and if that’s the aim you need to keep picking up points, on the road as well as home.
“We think we can win every game we play, and if we go in with that attitude at the good weekend we’ve a good chance.”
From lurking at the basement of the table to vying for the top six, it’s been 12 months of change at the Sportsground, and Carty has been at the forefront of it.
“We beat the PRO12 champions, and we’re be vying for silverware on the European front and domestically, so obviously it’s a big change in the space a year from playing with Buccaneers and the Eagles week-in and week-out, but I’m just taking it every game as it comes and just trying to be more consistent with my performances.”
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