Defeat In Treviso Ends Connacht’s Rainbow Cup Hopes

Connacht were beaten 20-12 by in-form Benetton Rugby in a physical Guinness PRO14 Rainbow Cup affair at Stadio di Monigo this evening.

Despite scoring more tries than the hosts, thanks to Shane Delahunt and Paul Boyle dotting down, one of which Tom Daly converted, the westerners could not eke out a victory to keep them in title contention.

Unbeaten Benetton, who led 11-7 at half-time, scored a try of their own through centre Juan Ignacio Brex, and out-half Paolo Garbisi fired over five penalties to seal the Italians’ fourth straight Rainbow Cup triumph.

Giving his reaction after the game, Connacht head coach Andy Friend said: “It has been a long old season, but we wanted to be better than that and we have been better. I’ll put it down to ‘that’s sport’.

“Sometimes things fall your way, sometimes they make the right decisions, and sometimes they don’t.

“We knew the set piece was going to be tough, so to lose him (Denis Buckley) after 32 seconds throws a bit of a curve ball at you. But my biggest disappointment was for Denis – only the third man in Connacht to get to 200 games and to come off after 32 seconds was hugely unjust for him.”

He added: “Benetton had a lot of things that did not go their way in the PRO14 league. They didn’t get a win there, but there were times they should have, luck didn’t go their way.

“But they stayed together, fought hard, and are now sitting four-from-four, and it was announced during the week the final will be here, so they have everything to play for.”

As Friend referenced, it was a milestone occasion for loosehead Buckley, who made his 200th appearance for the province at the same stadium in which he made his debut in 2011.

With a dry track, both teams attacked in determined fashion early on and it was Connacht who struck first. A powerful second-minute maul surged through and it was hooker Delahunt who dived over for centre Daly to convert.

To their credit, Benetton responded well and Brex, the former Argentinian underage international, ran an excellent arching line to collect a pass and crash over in the right corner.

Garbisi was wide with his conversion attempt, but Kieran Crowley’s charges, who knew a win would keep them on course for next month’s final berth, were happy to make it one try apiece.

The contest became more physical and broken up after the exciting open ten minutes, and it was the Italians who scored next. Italy number 10 Garbisi landed successive penalties to give his side an 11-7 interval lead.

Connacht immediately set about wrestling back the momentum, and they were rewarded for their endeavour when a second rolling maul bore try-scoring fruit.

This time it was back rower Boyle, following a transfer of possession from Delahunt, who crossed the whitewash and the province led by the narrowest of margins – 12-11.

It proved to be Connacht’s last score, however, as the excellent Garbisi kicked the Treviso outfit back in front in the 47th minute.

The Benetton half-back added two more during a hard-fought final quarter, as Connacht’s error count increased and their chances of winning on the road fell away.

Having already lost Buckley to injury, Paddy McAllister also picked up a knock and brought Finlay Bealham on at loosehead. Benetton’s sustained power at scrum time was a key factor on the day, and Bealham duly saw yellow on the hour mark.

A frustrating loss for Connacht was effectively confirmed in the 73rd minute when replacement Abraham Papali’i was sent off for a tackle which saw his shoulder make contact with Niccolo Cannone’s head.