Head coach Pat Lam has turned them into the 'Leicester City' of the GUINNESS PRO12 as they have already won more matches during the current campaign and accumulated more points than ever before.
They are set to blow previous finishes of ninth, eighth, eighth, tenth and seventh out of the water this season having made the steepest climb of any team in any of Europe's three major leagues in the past six seasons.
Greatest season - Pat Lam's revolution
The Sportsground has been the key to Connacht's success over previous seasons, and this year has been no different with seven wins from eight home matches at their fortress in Galway.
But Lam's side have finally been able to take that show on the road, and with four victories at Ospreys, Munster, Newport Gwent Dragons and Zebre.
Having never made it into the top half of the GUINNESS PRO12 table before this campaign, the influence of Kiwi Lam cannot be underestimated.
Only a one-point reverse at defending champions Glasgow Warriors in round 2 stopped Connacht from a perfect eight wins from their opening eight games.
And despite a mid-season wobble, where they lost four on the bounce in the festive period, Connacht have now recovered and boast comfortably the best scoring record in the GUINNESS PRO12.
They currently sit a point clear of the in-form Leinster, but with a 12-point gap separating them from fifth place in the standings, it seems a near certainty that Connacht will be fighting in the GUINNESS PRO12 play-offs for the very first time.
One to watch: AJ MacGinty
The 26-year-old has been given a unique opportunity to shine as the GUINNESS PRO12 reaches its conclusion this term, with first-choice fly-half Jack Carty ruled out through injury.
MacGinty is in his first season at the Sportsground, but has played 80 minutes in each of Connacht's last three games and expect him to continue for the remainder of the campaign.
The USA Eagles No.10 broke onto the international scene last year, and after impressive performances at the Rugby World Cup was signed to his first professional contract by Lam - who will now be hoping his gamble pays dividends at the business end of the season.
All-time Connacht XV:
15. Gavin Duffy
In two spells in Galway, Duffy notched up 174 appearances for Connacht and was named captain for the 2011/12 season when Connacht finished eighth. Despite a successful stint at English side Harlequins, Duffy will best be remembered at the Sportsground and also represented Ireland at both XVs and Sevens level.
14. Matt Healy
Perhaps not yet a legend but should Connacht go on to claim an unlikely GUINNESS PRO12 triumph this season, he almost certainly will be. Five tries in his last three matches have taken his tally up to nine this season, and many are now calling for the 26-year-old to be called into the Ireland squad as a result. He currently has 21 tries in 53 Connacht appearances.
13. Robbie Henshaw
Still only 22 years old, Henshaw is undeniably one of the most talented players to come through Connacht's ranks and is set to be one of the greats for Ireland. But for injury he could have managed even more than his 65 appearances, and nine tries, for the province. A big part of Connacht's resurgence over the past two seasons, Henshaw's loss will be felt when he moves on to Leinster in the summer.
12. Paul Warwick
We're cheating a little bit by sticking him at No.12 as he mainly played at fly-half for Connacht, but the versatile Warwick was an instant hit after jetting in from Australia in 2004.
He left three years later for Munster but not before making his mark in Galway - topping 100 Celtic League points in his first season and going onto score nine tries in total in domestic competition.
11. Fionn Carr
Carr is another man in his second stint at the club, but was electric between 2008 and 2011 when he was the fastest winger in the GUINNESS PRO12 and scored 34 tries in just 73 appearances. He may not have hit the same heights since returning to the province in 2013 but has still managed another seven scores.
10. Eric Elwood
While playing for Connacht, Elwood made over 150 appearances and scored a record 318 points. His number of appearances for Connacht was the record until November 2009, when Michael Swift overtook him, but he is still number four on the all-time list of points scorers for Ireland with 296 from his 35 caps.
9. Kieran Marmion
Connacht's current first-choice No.9, Marmion is another man who could hit legendary status in Galway this season. He has missed just one of Connacht's GUINNESS PRO12 matches so far this term, and at just 24 years old has a bright future with the province. An ever-present since joining the club in 2012, Marmion has also played four times so far for Ireland, but could be the long-term challenger to Conor Murray.
1. Ray McLoughlin
The first former British and Irish Lion in our line-up, McLoughlin toured in 1966 and 1971, and played 40 times for Ireland. Sports columnist Bill Bridge named him as 'Ireland's best openside prop of the last 40 years' in 2008, and in his playing days he also turned out for the Barbarians.
2. Ciaran Fitzgerald
An Ireland legend, County Galway-born Fitzgerald cut his teeth at the province before captaining Ireland to the Triple Crown in 1982 and 1985, as well as the Five Nations Championship in 1983. He also also captained the British and Irish Lions on their 1983 tour to New Zealand, and coached Ireland for two years after he retired.
3. Tony Buckley
A genuine man-mountain, Buckley began his career at Connacht back in 2004. Despite moving on to Munster and Sale Sharks, Buckley will always be remembered at the Sportsground for his size. He was one of the heaviest men playing professional rugby, weighing in at 21st 10lbs, and wore size 16 boots which had to be custom made for him in Germany.
4. Mike McCarthy
Two spells brought McCarthy - who is still doing the business for Leinster at the age of 34 - 160 appearances for Connacht. McCarthy played every game in the club's run to the European Challenge Cup semi-finals, and in their first ever Champions Cup victory over Harlequins in 2011/12.
5. Michael Swift
The most capped Connacht player of all time, Swift holds the record for appearances in the GUINNESS PRO12 despite being an Englishman. He originally played both as a flanker and a lock, but Swift played almost exclusively in the second row towards the end of his career.
6. John O'Driscoll
While most would now associate the O'Driscoll name with Leinster, it was Brian's uncle John who really put the family on the map. He represented Ireland 26 times and was a member of the touring British and Irish Lions side in 1980 and 1983. His brothers, Frank (Brian's father) and Barry, also managed two and four caps for Ireland respectively, and both also played for Connacht.
7. Johnny O'Connor
In two spells at the Sportsground, O'Connor made 137 appearances scoring 11 tries. He made 12 appearances for Ireland, and was part of the 2006 team that won the Triple Crown. Upon calling time on his playing career, O'Connor completed a degree in strength and conditioning and currently works as an academy coach at Arsenal FC.
8. John Muldoon
With over 250 Connacht appearances to his name and two spells as club captain, Muldoon is arguably the first name on the teamsheet in a who's who of Connacht legends. Currently Connacht's longest-serving and most-capped player, lifting the GUINNESS PRO12 title this season would be a well-deserved reward for years of dedicated service.
To buy tickets for the GUINNESS PRO12 Grand Final click here. Also follow us on Facebook, join the conversation on Twitter, sign up to our YouTube channel for extensive match highlights and sign up for our newsletter for regular updates on the GUINNESS PRO12.
63x46.png){kind=logo}