Pretoria pain has Connacht primed for Munster visit

Three games, three defeats, five tries scored, 13 conceded, bottom of the table and without a point to show for their efforts.

The quick numbers from Connacht's start to the BKT United Rugby Championship season make for grim reading, but you wouldn't think that was the case if you listened to Finlay Bealham speaking this week.

Whether it's the fact that Munster are coming to town tonight, or that it's their first home game of the season, or the debut of their new, glossy, 4G playing surface, the mood around Galway seems more optimistic than pessimistic.

They can point to some extenuating circumstances for their poor start to the season; they're the only side in the league yet to play a home game in the opening three rounds, while their fixtures against Ulster, Stormers and Bulls - as well their next two games against Munster and Leinster - amount to arguably the toughest opening run of games any team has had to endure, in any competition.

And while Bundee Aki's absence is self-inflicted after his red card and suspension against the Stormers, they've also been without their captain Jack Carty for the opening games, as he recovers from wrist surgery in the off-season.

They faded badly in the first two defeats to Ulster and Stormers, but last Friday against the Bulls provided some cause for optimism, fighting back from 28-0 down early in the second half to eventually lose 28-14 after their best 40 minutes of the campaign.

"We definitely weren't clinical enough. We had enough opportunities to win that game and get points on the board," says Bealham, as he looks back on last week's defeat in Pretoria (below).

"A few passes went astray and then they're halfway down the pitch. The work-rate and energy was outstanding, it is just