Matt Sherratt was delighted with Cardiff Blues' willingness to attack during the crucial final stages of Saturday's two-point victory over Connacht.
Despite a late Shane Delahunt try, minutes later a fine backs move saw Willis Halaholo slice through the defence to bring the scores level, before Jarrod Evans slotted the conversion to give Danny Wilson’s side the win.
Sherratt insists the attitude of looking to play positive, free-flowing rugby proved the difference and will reap rewards in the long-term.
“After the manner of the defeat the week before, it was one of those where you sit there in the stands thinking, surely not two weeks on the trot,” said Sherratt.
“But it was good. Jarrod trains well and has been working hard on his kicking game.
“The last 10 minutes of Connacht were quite nerve-wrecking to be honest, because we always needed another score to win.
“The really pleasing part was, it would’ve been easy in that final five to tighten up when we made a line-break through Willis and gone a little bit more blunt and get the forwards more involved.
“But credit to Jarrod and to Willis for calling the play and we managed to put three or four passes together to score.
“I was pleased with our mentality there. Obviously, defensively we were excellent, but 77 minutes in, to back ourselves to put the ball through the hands and get some decent running lines is the manner we need to play.
“A bit more wide and more passes, we’re not a team that’s going to outmuscle the opposition.
“We’ve got to keep trying to get better each week but certainly having a win gives you a spring in your step at the start of the week and makes you look forward to the next game a bit more.
“We tried to win the game rather than relying on Connacht losing the game. It would’ve been easy in that final three or four minutes to have tightened up and keep the ball, hoping for a Connacht mistake.
“What we did is what we're good at - make the passes and moved the ball.
“The message to the players is sometimes it will work, sometimes it won’t, but we’re better at that so lets stay positive and try to win games rather than rely on the opposition.”
The Blues return to Ireland to face Munster on Saturday, in what promises to be a formidable challenge.
Sherratt admits it will be a tough test but he believes his team can look to a thrilling win in Cork last season and can go into the encounter with a positive attitude.
“It’s as tough as it gets really. We’ve had a good session yesterday and today, but we can allude back to last year.
“It will be a different game from last year, but we went there not being favourites and came away with a good win.
“We have to go there, be positive and try to build on the Connacht performance.”