‘We are not going over there to get our bellies tickled’ – Connacht’s John Muldoon relishing first trip to Pau
Connacht lineout and maul coach John Muldoon. Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile
John Muldoon wasn’t in the matchday squad when Connacht last played in Pau but he heard all about it when the players returned from the Pyrenees having lost the game but having advanced on the aggregate score over the two legs.
Connacht all but wrapped up that Parker Pen Challenge Cup tie when they won the first leg at the Sportsground 29-7 the previous but the second leg was played in a downpour at Stade du Hameau on a pitch that really wasn’t playable after non-stop rain.
But with Connacht due to return to France the following week to play Narbonne in the first leg of the next round and Pau keen to return to domestic duties in France, the teams decided to have a go.
The rain was so bad that Connacht did their warm-up in the dressing room.
The pitch was covered in water and it was just a relief for both sides that nobody got injured. Pau won the game 10-6, Connacht won the tie 35-17 and everybody just moved on.
Muldoon had made his debut earlier that season off the bench against Borders and was trying to break into the side when the lads returned from Pau, did a quick turnaround and headed back out to Narbonne the following Thursday.
“It’s my first time going there. I was in the squad back then and heard all about it when they got back, but this will be my first time there,” he said.
Connacht return to Pau this Sunday looking for a place in this season's Challenge Cup quarter-final against either Benetton or the Lions and Muldoon, who returned to the Sportsground this season as scrum and lineout coach, reckons they can advance
Connacht have played more games than any other side in Europe in the Challenge Cup and while Muldoon got to a couple of semi-finals with his native province, he went all the way and won it as forwards coach with Pat Lam’s Bristol Bears in 2020.
So, having skippered Connacht to their only trophy when they won the Pro12 in 2016 and guided Bristol to their biggest success when they defeated Toulon in the Challenge Cup final, does he believe the side he is now coaching can go all the way this season in Europe?
“Absolutely,” said Muldoon when asked if it was within Connacht’s grasp to win this tournament. “We have got some players coming back. They are going to be hungry for games.
“We have players who have not played for a couple of weeks. We will pick the best team available and if that’s good enough that’s good enough.
“Certainly we are not going over there to get our bellies tickled. They are a quality team at home. I was flicking through their squad list the other night and they seem to pick a home and away team,” he added.
