Four years have passed since New Zealand were crowned champions at the last Rugby World Cup and excitement is reaching fever pitch as the 2019 edition in Japan fast approaches.

But while the All Blacks are serial winners, less than seven months after their third World Cup victory, an underdog triumphed as Connacht claimed a first trophy in the club’s 121-year history in spectacular fashion.

Led by head coach Pat Lam, the Irish province sealed what was then the Guinness PRO12 by toppling rivals Leinster 20-10 in the Grand Final at BT Murrayfield.

And as many an underdog will be looking to follow the Westerners’ lead, what better time to throwback to Connacht’s feat from four years ago when they finished at the summit of the Championship.

QUICK OUT OF THE BLOCKS

Despite narrowly losing their second game of the campaign against defending champions Glasgow Warriors, Connacht came out of the blocks quickly at the start of the ²⁰¹⁵⁄₁₆ season.

They won seven of their opening eight games, including victories over Dragons, Cardiff Blues, Ospreys and Edinburgh, to put themselves in prime position going into the second half of the season.

Four consecutive defeats to the Blues, Ulster Leinster and Scarlets stalled their momentum, but they soon regrouped and ultimately powered into the knockout stages by finishing the regular season in second spot.

A narrow 7-6 victory over Leinster in Round 18 also showcased their potential, with Lam’s men picking up just as many points as the league leaders despite losing one more game.