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Connacht Give Themselves The Best Possible Start

Connacht Give Themselves The Best Possible Start

A little like Leicester in Ravenhill the following day, the French players of Pau came, they saw and were easily conquered by a Connacht side who now bring a 22 point lead to France

A little like Leicester in Ravenhill the following day, the French players of Pau came, they saw and were easily conquered by a Connacht side who now bring a 22 point lead to France next weekend following their highly impressive, effecient, 29-7 victory in the Sportsground on Saturday.

The French side may have left their leading lights at home but they still had internationals like Jean-Marc Souverbie and Damien Traille on the bench while Connacht lost the influential Bernard Jackman after just 33 minutes of play with Johnny O’Sullivan departing with a full quarter of the game to go.

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The French looked awesome for all of ten minutes in which time they scored a try through winger Rida Joauher but from then on it was Mick Bradley’s side who bossed the rest of the contest.

David Hewett landed two penalties to steady Connacht nerves and tries from Mike Swift and Dan McFarland left them 16-7 up at the break.

The French were reduced to 14 when Bruno Bordenave was sin-binned in the 48th minute and ten minutes later O’Sullivan scored their third try. – Game over.

There was a fourth try from Matt Mostyn created when Conor O’Loughlin made a lovely break on his own 10 metre line and in the closing stages the French came hunting for a consolation score but tired Connacht limbs refused to yield the smallest crumb.

Connacht:M Moystn; C McPhillips, D Yapp, T Allnutt, W Munn; D Hewitt, M Walls; D McFarland, B Jackman, A Clarke, A Farley, M Swift, M McCarthy, T Carter, J O’Sullivan. Replacements: J Fogarty for Jackman (33 mins), M Lacey for Carter (61 mins), C O’Loughlin for Walls (63 mins), M Carroll for O’Sullivan (72 mins).

Pau: JB Peyras; R Jaouher, J Cistacq, R Cabannen, P-A Negre Gauthier; D Aucagne, N Cabannes; D Laperne, M Tincu, Y Lacrouts; L Faure, F Galardi; L Souverbie, B Bordenave, A Mockford. Replacements: R McDonald for Jaouher (40 mins), R Terrain for Galardi (59 mins), E Ariguste for Cistacq (71 mins), L Petrac for Laperne (72 mins); JM Souverbie for Peyras (72 mins).

Referee: R Maybank.

Full Details at: www.connachtrugby.ie