We use the world essentially because an unlikely combination of results could still ensure that they don't finish as one of the best three runners-up from the five pools, but the scenarios are so bizarre they hardly warrant an explanation. Basically if Connacht win their final two Challenge Cup games and gain one bonus point along the way, they'll qualify for the quarter-finals of the competition for the fourth year in succession. "Nine points should be enough to get to the knockout stages, " says the side's captain, Andrew Farley. "We'll be aiming for 10 points of course so there won't be any doubt about the matter but that could prove difficult, especially against Catania away. Worcester went there and only won by five points, while Montpellier were beaten over there. They may be bottom of the pool but they're tough at home."

Farley is right to fear that game down in Sicily on Friday week, a fixture that promises to be an entirely new experience for his side, who are probably one of the most travelled teams in Europe as it is.

Before all that, though, there's the small matter of Montpellier at the Sportsground on Saturday, a game that they simply need five points from.

"That's probably a fair enough statement to make, " admits the second-row, "although we won't be taking anything for granted.

Montpellier are a gritty side and over in France they've given us a couple of extremely tough games over the past two years. Sure, they're typically French in that they don't travel all that well but we'll still have to be awake to their capabilities."

You can understand his caution but there's probably no real need for it. Last season the westerners beat the side from the south of France 56-3 in Galway and with the visitors arriving without any hope of qualifying for the knockout stages, you'd have to imagine that they'll simply be going through the motions on Saturday, French style, a byword for complete and utter disinterest. Not only will Connacht be keen to win this game for the rewards it will bring, significant enough in its own right, but they'll also be keen to build on their improved form of late.

Their two games against Worcester before Christmas . . . which yielded one narrow victory and one tight defeat . . .

signalled that change in fortune, while the victory over Ulster last weekend, an emphatic win at that, appears to have changed the mood in the camp following a run of seven Celtic League defeats on the trot.

"We've been getting something out of performances in the past few weeks, " says the Australian. "I don't think we've played all that badly this season, but things have gone against us at vital times in games. I can't fault any of the guys for effort this year and hopefully the last few weeks are a sign of what's to come in the new year. Gavin Williams and Andrew Mailei have come into the backline to add more competition in that particular area, while our injury list has also cleared and Mark McHugh is back in line for a start and that's a big boost for everyone."

An even bigger boost for them, and for the whole of Irish rugby, would be qualification for the knockout stages of the Challenge Cup, where they're likely to face one from Newcastle, Gloucester and London Irish. Fingers crossed they do the business over the next couple of weekends, we may need some Irish province to divert our attention from April onwards.