Crucial tries from Eoghan Masterson (65 minutes) and Bundee Aki (68) earned Connacht a bonus point victory away to the Newport Gwent Dragons, as Pat Lam’s men moved to the top of the GUINNESS PRO12.
Connacht had to come from behind in both halves, with the Dragons edging an exciting opening 40 minutes by a single point (15-14) thanks to converted efforts from Adam Hughes and the in-form Ashton Hewitt.
The province’s hopes of a first win on the road since November’s famous triumph at Thomond Park took a further hit when replacement out-half Angus O’Brien landed two penalties for the men of the Gwent.
However, Connacht’s lineout maul which was so effective last time out against the Scarlets came to the fore again, as backs and forwards combined to help number 8 Eoghan Masterson crash over and reduce the arrears to 21-14.
The well-drilled visitors kept their foot on the gas, using their maul again as a rewarding attacking platform. Tiernan O’Halloran was held up before a neat show and go from the increasingly influential Bundee Aki notched try number four.
Aki’s centre partner Craig Ronaldson converted for a 26-21 scoreline and some robust defending late on saw the westerners maintain their lead, with a vital turnover from Eoin McKeon denying the Dragons as they pressed for a late try.
Pat Lam admitted afterwards that ‘it certainly wasn’t our best performance’, but his charges knuckled down when they had to and their hard graft was rewarded as they handed the Dragons only their second home defeat since early November.
“We didn’t play well at all, but to come away with five points – that’s three (bonus point wins) on the trot now – says a lot about their character,” admitted Lam.
“That game reflected our season. There was some really good stuff and some things we didn’t do quite well, but the adversity and problem solving out there when you consider some of the players who are missing, there was a mix of our whole season there.”
Ireland squad members Finlay Bealham, Ultan Dillane and Kieran Marmion, who turned 24 today, all came on early in the second half and made considerable impacts, while Connacht’s Player of the Month for January, Matt Healy, put in another try-scoring performance with his fifth score of the current league run.
Both sides showed good attacking intent from the off but it was not until the tenth minute that the first points were scored, Jason Tovey splitting the posts after Aki was pinged at the breakdown five metres out. Connacht should have cleared their lines beforehand but missed two kicks to touch.
The Dragons leaked a try just three minutes later, though, as Lam’s side were clinical in their first foray down the other end of the pitch. Off a lineout, captain John Muldoon’s inside pass saw winger Healy break free for a very well-taken touchdown which man-of-the-match Ronaldson converted.
But the Dragons responded straight away with a try of their own, Hughes charging down Caolin Blade’s attempted clearance before pouncing on his own hack forward to dot down. With Tovey coming off injured and being replaced by O’Brien, Geraint Rhys Jones lined up the conversion but sent his kick wide.
The nip and tuck nature of this contest continued as a solid shove at a scrum inside the hosts’ 22 earned a penalty which Ronaldson sent towards the corner flag. Muldoon won the lineout, the maul was set and possession was then spread wide in slick fashion for O’Halloran to go over on the left. Ronaldson nailed the touchline conversion for 14-8.
But the Dragons ensured they would lead at the break, using the scrum to good effect just as Connacht did. Off set piece ball, the Welsh region’s profited from loose Connacht defending as the hosts’ crisp handling created an overlap for winger Hewitt to finish off. O’Brien’s successful conversion saw his side lead by the minimum.
The Dragons held onto that momentum early in the second period, O’Brien punishing Rodney Ah You (who had fumbled a try-scoring opportunity before the half-time whistle) for a shoulder charge and then widening the margin to 21-14 with a scrum penalty approaching the hour mark.
Connacht had done well to defend their line following a couple of penalties which the men of Gwent kicked to the corner, but their error-strewn attack let them down when they failed to capitalise on an Aki break.
The play-off hopefuls reserved some of their best play for the final quarter, nonetheless, and there were ominous signs for the Dragons when Healy increased his threat out wide and the eager Dillane blocked an attempted clearance.
The home forwards gave way just moments later as they conceded a scrum penalty and Connacht’s well-oiled maul did the rest, setting up Masterson for his first PRO12 try of the season.
After Ronaldson’s missed conversion, Connacht repeated the trick with a penalty won and lineout maul set. This time the Dragons held them at bay five metres out, but Aki used his strength to make the line off a flat Marmion pass.
The extras were added by Ronaldson, making it a five-point game, and a show of gritty defence saw the province resist some intense Dragons pressure near their line at the end of a gripping encounter.
This website uses cookies.
Read More