On the 28th of November things had never looked better for Connacht rugby. They had just won at Thomond Park for the first time in 29 years, were top of the Pro12 and what's more, they achieved those feats playing high-tempo rugby based on moving the ball into space at pace.
Conversely, the other three provinces appeared to be going through seasons of transition. The centre partnership of Robbie Henshaw/Bundee Aki encapsulated everything that was exciting about the team.
It was Connacht's time. THEY were the coming team. THEY were the side with the promising young players.
But immediately after ending their Limerick curse, a fresh one ensconced itself within the squad. It emerged that Robbie Henshaw fractured his hand during that sumptuous offload to Bundee Aki while Denis Buckley soon followed him into the treatment room.
The loss of Buckley through an ankle injury was a big blow, the loosehead was scrummaging well but also forcing a massive amount of turnovers for a prop. Suddenly the results started to trend in the same direction as the squad's health.
For the second season in-a-row, the westerners blew a winnable game away to Cardiff. At least this time Pat Lam didn't liken the referee's behaviour to 'saying bomb in an airport' but the New Zealander was left disappointed nonetheless despite scoring two first half tries.
Losing Craig Ronaldson, Ian Porter, Kieran Marmion, Quinn Roux and Eoin McKeon over the course of the game compounded the frustration.
Overall, Connacht have played seven games since the Munster win. In the seven games prior to that victory they had won all seven. Since, they've recorded one win.
What points to there being some sort of Indian burial ground curse on the side is the manner they lost some of those games as well as the ridiculous injury list.
Before playing Newcastle on December 20, this is the list of unavailable players released by Connacht.
Unavailable from European registered Squad: Tom McCartney, Denis Buckley, Ronan Loughney, Nathan White, Ben Marshall, Quinn Roux, Nepia Fox-Matamua, John Muldoon, James Connolly, Eoin McKeon, John Cooney, Kieran Marmion, AJ MacGinty, Bundee Aki, Dave McSharry, Robbie Henshaw, Fionn Carr, Matt Healy, Darragh Leader, Tiernan O’Halloran.
Whereas earlier in the season - when they were at full strength - Connacht were seeing out games with powerful final quarters, they have been caught out at the death many times since storming Thomond Park.
Three of the last four games, against Ulster, Scarlets and Brive, have seen Pat Lam's men concede a late score to lose. Last night's defeat to Brive cost Connacht a place in the Challenge Cup quarter-final, although a win against Russian outfit Enisei-STM could still see them into the last eight.
There is some good news on the horizon though, with Henshaw and Buckley expected to return to the line-up very soon. They are badly needed because as it stands, Connacht are in danger of slipping out of a promising league position for the second season in succession.
They should probably bring this guy into the dressing room before their next game to see if he can help.
