By John Fallon

Connacht will hope to make it three wins from six in the URC this season heading into the November break when they host the Dragons tomorrow (7.35pm, TG4, Premier Sports), with Mack Hansen expected to be back from a hip injury for the game.

It’s a big game for Connacht, and while head coach, Pete Wilkins, has been talking up the Dragons, they come to Galway on the back of three successive home losses to the Sharks, Lions and Benetton, along with a trimming from Leinster in Lansdowne Road.

They would be bottom of the pile were it not for a 23-21 home win over Ospreys achieved by scoring 10 points from the 77th minute of their opening match.

A home loss to the Dragons, making it four defeats from the opening six matches, would set the alarm bells ringing on College Road.

It’s unlikely to happen and the expected home bonus point win would leave Connacht on 18 points out of a possible 30, marginally ahead of the 50% strike rate they had last season but probably needing to improve if they are to finish in the top half of the table and reach the knockout stages of the league and qualify for next season’s Champions Cup.

Speaking ahead of the game, Wilkins has urged new out-half Josh Ioane to keep going for the jugular despite missing touch with penalties in three of their five games this season.

The 29-years-old, capped once by the All Blacks, has started four of Connacht’s five URC games this season, but while he kicked penalties dead against Munster, Ulster and Leinster after going for maximum distance, Wilkins said he wants the new signing to continue to brave when going for touch.

“That whole kicking game, Josh is having to adapt to in terms of the weather conditions up here,” said Wilkins.

“It’s not simply the wind that affects how far you can kick the ball or kicking across the wind, but it affects the drop of the ball onto your foot. For kickers, it’s such a small margin for error. Depending on the type of ball drop you have, you can leave yourself more exposed to the conditions.

Pictured: Connacht are hopeful that Mack Hansen will return for tomorrow’s game.