It's been a good year and a bit for the men from out west. They won the Pro12, exploded onto the European stage and had a hugely dramatic last-gasp win against Wasps which had Keith Wood laughing. But this season it's all coming down to the wire in terms of getting through. What do Connacht need to do to qualify from their European Champions Cup pool?
As it stands
It looks pretty good so far. Connacht sit top of Pool 2 with 18 points. They have a one point lead over Wasps in second and a four point margin over Toulouse in third.
The final round of pool games sees Wasps go to Zebre, where it's expected they'll bring back five points. Connacht are off to France to face Toulouse in a huge game.
What Do Connacht Need To Do To Qualify From The Pool?
A win of any kind or a draw will see Connacht go through. It's as simple as that. However, if Toulouse manage to beat Pat Lam's side, it gets very messy
If both sides end up on the same amount of points following the result, second place in Pool 2 will be decided by match aggregate. As it stands, if it comes down to it Connacht would go through after they beat Toulouse 23-21 in the Sportsground back in October .
However, if their match aggregate is equal at the end of Sunday's encounter, points difference will decide which team advances. Connacht have an advantage in that column at the moment as well (+79 to +64)
But if that can't separate both sides it goes back to who has scored the most tries in the two matches between the teams. Connacht scored three at the Sportsground to Toulouse's two. But it's a dangerous situation, should it come down to that.
A win puts them through. A bonus point win would see them finish top of the table and get a home quarter final. A draw would put them through. But if they lose, particularly if it's a bonus point loss, they could be in big trouble.
Fair warning for Connacht is the fact that Toulouse have only lost twice at home in the last year. Both in the Top 14 (to Montpellier and Toulon).
SEE ALSO: All The Highlights From The Packers/Cowboys 4th Quarter, Including THAT Cook Catch
