Pete Wilkins was loath to look for silver linings in the immediate aftermath of an agonising BKT URC derby defeat but praising Mack Hansen's stunning return to action following Ireland's World Cup campaign brought something approaching a smile to the Connacht boss's face.
The 44-year-old rocked up to speak to reporters about an hour after seeing his team blow their shot at a first home win over Leinster in seven attempts thanks to Ciarán Frawley's last-gasp strike.
Hansen missed the opening six games of the season as he recovered from an ankle injury picked up during Ireland's 28-24 quarter-final loss to New Zealand.
"I've been frothing [at the mouth] to come back so to come back here at the Sportsground is very special," the 21-cap Ireland wing told RTÉ Sport ahead of the game.
"[The break] was great, it was needed after a pretty disappointing end to the World Cup. It was nice to have my family over and come back and watch [games] and enjoy it as a fan. It definitely helped."
It was like he'd never been away as the 25-year-old (above) racked up 130 metres, beat nine defenders, made three clean breaks, offloaded twice and had two try-assists.
"I thought Mack was fantastic," said Wilkins.
"I think not just the excitement of when he got on the ball and counter-attacked, which was a key bit of the damage I thought we did to Leinster at times, but also some of the calmness and control, of when to kick to touch, when to pass as opposed to when to run, a really important couple of tackles in the 22 when we were under a bit of pressure.
"I just thought his all-round game was really well balanced but with quality as well."
Meanwhile, Wilkins says Connacht can use the pain of defeat for their battle with Bordeaux next weekend.
It was a second loss in a row in the competition and a first home reverse in nine games. Bordeaux-Begles arrive are the guests next Friday night (8pm) in the Investec Champions Cup.
Wilkins (below) says they must channel the frustration of the 24-22 loss into a performance against the Top14 outfit, who beat Oyonnax away on Saturday and sit seventh in the table.
"I think it actually helps it," he said.
"I hate to paint a silver lining at this stage because I'm still processing the result and the outcome of that. But we talked in the changing room really frankly about what we’d done well.
"We talked about our frustration and probably a little bit of anger in terms of not coming away with the result.
"And what an opportunity, to have a Friday night game hopefully in front of another full house against Bordeaux, a massive French club in terms of resources and reputation, in the Champions Cup again?
"You couldn’t wish for a better platform to unleash all of that frustration and there’ll be some of it building across the week, there’s some of it there now, and we’ll channel it and channel it, and I hope we’ll make a really big statement on Friday night."
Bundee Aki (above), who has been recovering from a hamstring injury, may be fit for the game, added Wilkins.
"We're hopeful to have Bundee back next week," he said.
"If he ticks the boxes he’s meant to be ticking, he’ll be on track for that. So it’s not definite, but by Tuesday we’ll know either way."
Tiernan O'Halloran and Jack Aungier both "rolled an ankle, so they both need to get checked and Oisin Dowling was a shoulder ACT joint, so all of them are getting checked now."
Meanwhile, Leo Cullen (above) admitted that making selection calls always involved some measure of "experimentation" and that there was some relief to get over the line having made 14 changes to the side that beat Munster nine days ago.
Leinster came in for criticism last season when they rested a number of frontline players for their URC semi-final loss against Munster, one week before the Champions Cup final.
"We've lost a couple of play-off games last year and this time of year, there has to be a little bit of, I don’t necessarily like the word 'experimentation’ but it’s looking at certain things that you want to see," said the Leinster head coach, whose side went top of the table with the bonus-point win.
"Like, every week in theory, whether it’s your strongest team or your weakest team, it’s an experiment of sorts, isn’t it?
"But you want to see certain things for the bigger picture, and that's the great thing about being able to have come away from this period of seven games with six wins.
"A huge effort by everyone, players delivering on the field and in terms of the training piece as well, but the backroom team and everybody that’s working hard at the moment.
"We had some guys away during the World Cup, players and from a backroom point of view, Andrew Goodman and Brian Coakley as well, and obviously Jacques [Nienaber] coming in for the first time, he’s in the building less than a week, and it’s going to take a bit of time but it’s a start, so we’re up and running.
"We just try look to improve week on week now, and we’re moving in a direction, so hopefully it’s positive."
On the arrival of South Africa’s double World Cup-winning coach (above) last Monday, Cullen said: "He's great, as we talked about previously, character-wise.
"We'd three sessions in the week to have an impact in and the lads are enthused and excited. There's good energy around the place at the moment."
Watch highlights of the weekend's action on Against the Head, RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player, Monday 8pm
