Way out west not daunting for Leinster with Connacht aiming to break losing derby streak

Teams often talk about making their home ground a "fortress" but when it comes to Connacht's record against Leinster at the Sportsground, it just doesn’t apply.

Pete Wilkins’ men have a fine recent home record, winning their last eight matches here, but Leinster love coming to Galway.

How could they not?

They have won on their last six visits west, and in just one of those ties, the Champions Cup last-16 clash in April 2022, the margin of victory was by less than a score, 26-21.

They’ve hit Connacht for 37, 42, 50, 45 points in four of the six wins. Even when the wind and rain is howling in from the Atlantic, it’s simply not a daunting place for them to come.

Connacht have conceded 22 tries already this season, which is the highest tally of a top-eight team ahead of this evening's BKT URC round seven clash (7.35pm, live on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player).

Their last success over Leinster here came in April 2018 when they ran in seven tries in a 47-10 league victory.

But they began the season with three straight wins at the Sportsground, including a 34-26 success over current league leaders Glasgow, and will be loath to break that run without a hell of a fight this evening.

How they have rocked up this week in training following the trip back from South Africa, where they beat Sharks narrowly and lost heavily to Bulls, will be important.

"Everything we do in terms of travel is tailored towards getting everything right as soon as we can," said winger Diarmuid Kilgallen (above), who scored his fourth try of the season in the 53-27 defeat last Saturday.

"We’re not talking about fatigue. It’s not on the agenda for us. We’re professional athletes."

Including their trip to Edinburgh in round four, they’ve come off their mini tour with five points.

It