What a difference a couple of weeks, and wins, have made for Connacht.
The Westerners' season was on the brink following the festive defeats to Ulster and Leinster, but bonus-point wins over the Cell C Sharks and Brive's second strings means they are back fighting on two fronts.
Connacht sit five points off the play-offs in the BKT United Rugby Championship and travel to Newcastle Falcons on Saturday knowing another bonus-point success could clinch home advantage in the Challenge Cup knockout stages.
"To be at this point now at a crucial time of the year, still in contention in both competitions, it’s exciting," said Jarrad Butler. "We’ve got something to play for now and we still feel like we can build. There’s a good feeling among the group, for sure."
Butler is feeling the benefits of the rotation policy employed by Andy Friend and Pete Wilkins. While still a key cog in the Connacht back row, the 31-year-old is playing less minutes, with other players stepping up while he recharges the batteries.
"It’s been great. I speak about the back row but it’s been all across the park, the depth and competition we’re getting in positions has been awesome," he said.
"Boyler [Paul Boyle] had been playing really good footy until he got his injury, and I know he’s going to come back raring to go soon. I’m trying to put my best foot forward before he starts running over people again.
"It has been good to be able to refresh and try and come back and add value as best I can. I imagine a lot of the guys would be saying the same."
Now in his sixth season with Connacht, all but two of Butler’s starts this campaign have come at No 8. He has also provided impact off the bench when required, coming on to score a try in that late rally against Ulster before Christmas.
He and his fellow back rows are thriving on the competition for places, but a strong team ethic remains.
"We do a lot of 15-on-15 stuff but in saying that, once you finish those team runs everyone is trying to help each other as best they can," he said.
"They’re in the computer room trying to nail their detail, see where they can get better. There is that driving to get better on the pitch, and there’s a driving to get better off it as well.
"No-one is trying to hide anything or take away from anybody else. There’s a real sense of wanting the group to better as a whole, which I think is great.
"That comes down to the coaches not being afraid to rotate the group and give everyone those opportunities. We’re seeing the benefits of that. We’re seeing fresher, more engaged bodies."
Connacht registered their biggest victory of the season last weekend, running in nine tries against an understrength Brive in Galway to make it three wins from three in the Challenge Cup.
Newcastle, by contrast, have lost all three games to date, including a 22-8 defeat at the Sportsground in round one, but the ludicrous format of the pool stages means they still stand a chance of progressing to the last 16.
"There is no team that’s out of it in our side of the pool," said Butler. "Everyone has something to play for.
"The last time we played Newcastle they were a very physical team and we kind of played into that a little bit, running at big bodies. To go over there and play, I imagine they’ll be even more ready for that.
"They haven’t had the results they’d have wanted in the competition but they’re alive in it. I’m sure they’ll still be wanting to build some momentum into the Premiership the following weekend.
"The main thing for us is to build some momentum and play some positive rugby. That’s been the most exciting part about last weekend when reviewing the Brive game and seeing all the work that we’ve been trying to put in place on the training paddock come out on the field. The crowd got to see that as well and enjoy themselves in pretty cold conditions.
"This week against Newcastle, to potentially lock up a top-two spot where we can play knockout rugby at the Sportsground, is pretty exciting."
Watch Leinster v Racing 92 in the Heineken Champions Cup live on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player from 2.30pm on Saturday. Listen to live commentary on RTÉ Radio 1.
