Stuart Lancaster and Cian Prendergast reveal how Connacht earned last-ditch URC play-off spot

A 26-5 bonus-point win over Edinburgh at the Hive Stadium confirmed their eighth placed finish in the table, leapfrogging over Ulster to send their Irish rivals out of the play-offs. This end to the regular season capped off a dramatic turnaround, as Stuart Lancaster’s side recovered from a difficult early campaign to peak at exactly the right time.

Once outside contenders for qualification after a slow start, Connacht have transformed their season, and will return to Scotland for a quarter-final clash with Glasgow Warriors. But even in victory in Edinburgh, head coach Lancaster was quick to underline that the performance was far from perfect, instead highlighting the character of his side under sustained pressure.

“It wasn’t our greatest by a long way. It felt like we defended for 70 per cent of the game, to be honest. But we managed to hang in there and the determination and grit we have developed during the season paid off, particularly in the second half. We do a lot of work on our defence and to restrict Edinburgh to the one try was amazing really.”

That defensive resilience has become a defining feature of Connacht’s recent form. In games where attacking fluency has not always been at its best, their ability to stay in contests and win key moments has carried them through tight encounters that earlier in the season may have slipped away.

Lancaster has previously pointed to a handful of key fixtures as turning points in their campaign, moments that shifted belief within the squad and created momentum at a crucial stage of the season.

“One was the Zebre game. We got a bonus point in the last play, in the 90th minute. Then the Glasgow game at the Dexcom was huge, getting a try in the last play again, and also up in Ulster. Those are probably the three standout games for me.

“But probably another one was Montpellier away in the Challenge Cup where a lot of the young lads played and really stood up. There are a lot of different stages to it, but they were the pivotal games that gave us the belief on the back of the training we were doing.”

That belief is now fully embedded in a Connacht squad that has rediscovered confidence in its systems, even when under pressure for long spells. The win in Edinburgh was another example of a team willing to absorb pressure, stay composed, and strike when opportunities arise.

Player of the match and Connacht captain Cian Prendergast echoed that sentiment, reflecting on the collective effort that has underpinned Connacht’s late-season charge.

“You can’t doubt the lads for endeavour, physicality and effort. I am really proud of that. We’ve just worked so hard for this and, with some of the results we’ve got, I think the group deserves it and we are looking forward to it now. We have a brilliant coaching staff, a brilliant group of players and belief is building. We will just take it week by week and see what happens.”

That sense of steady progression has been central to Connacht’s identity throughout the campaign. After early inconsistencies, the squad has developed a more complete edge to its performances, combining physical intensity with a growing maturity in decision-making during key passages of play.

The shift has been particularly evident in how Connacht have closed out tight matches. Where previously they may have fallen short in decisive moments, they are now finding ways to control territory, defend phases under pressure, and capitalise when opponents begin to tire.

Prendergast’s influence in the forward pack has mirrored that evolution. His work rate, defensive contribution, and ability to compete at the breakdown have made him one of the standout performers in Connacht’s late-season surge.

Lancaster, meanwhile, has remained consistent in his messaging, stressing incremental improvement and long-term growth rather than short-term reaction. That approach has clearly resonated within the squad, particularly among younger players who have been given opportunities in key fixtures across the season.

Now, attention turns to Glasgow Warriors in the quarter-finals, a rematch that brings added significance given their previous encounters this season. For Connacht, the challenge is clear: carry their momentum into knock-out rugby and continue a run that has already defied earlier expectations.

With belief growing and performances stabilising, Connacht arrive in the play-offs as one of the form sides in the competition — and, as Lancaster and Prendergast both suggest, a group that is still very much building towards something bigger.