Connacht 30
Scarlets 17
CONNACHT SECURED A vital bonus point win over Pro12 leaders Scarlets in Galway this afternoon to boost their hopes of qualifying for next season’s Champions Cup.
This was a huge victory for Lam’s men as they continued their drive for a top six finish to bring Champions Cup rugby back to the Sportsgrounds.
But they make be upping their ambition after this one and bid for a play-off place in the Pro12 for the first time after a superb display by the Connacht pack laid the foundation for victory.
And with Robbie Henshaw impressing as he chalked up game-time ahead of the Six Nations, the home side had more than enough firepower to score a massive win.
Connacht’s early dominance came from a dominant scrum which destroyed Scarlets in the early exchanges and forced the Welsh side on the back foot.
Jack Carty gave Connacht the lead after nine minutes with a penalty from the right after Lam’s men had strung a dozen phases together.
The return of Liam Williams, back from injury for the first time since the World Cup, added impetus to Scarlets and he almost got over in their first attack after 16 minutes.
But it was Connacht who deservedly got over for the opening try. Carty found a superb touch in the left corner from inside his own half after they won another penalty in the scrum.
Aly Muldowney collected the lineout and they got the drive on for Jake Heenan to get his first try of the campaign.
Carty, having hit the right post with an earlier penalty, this time saw his effort bounce back into play off the left upright so it remained 8-0 after 22 minutes.
Connacht extended their lead two minutes from the break when they again won a penalty on a Scarlets scrum deep inside the visitors’ 22.
They went to the corner and repeated the earlier score, with Muldowney taking the lineout and Heenan getting the touchdown.
Carty was again off target with the conversion from the right and Connacht went in leading by 13-0 at the break.
Scarlets hit back after the restart and after Aled Thomas got them off the mark, they turned over possession in midfield and punished Connacht with a try from DTH Van der Merwe, which Thomas converted to make it 13-10 after 45 minutes.
But then the complexion of the game changed when Scarlets prop Phil John was sin-binned for a scrum infringement and after Carty converted the resultant penalty, the Welsh lost lock Tom Price for a high tackle on scrum-half Caolin Blade.
Connacht made them pay, once again going to the corner and this time it was prop Denis Buckley, who scored his first European try last week, who got the touchdown, with Carty converting to restore their interval advantage to lead by 23-10 after 52 minutes.
They sealed the bonus point 16 minutes from the end. Once again a penalty won in the scrum was sent to the corner and six phases later replacement tighthead Rodney Ah You got over for his first try of the season. Carty converted to push 30-10 ahead.
Scarlets did not give up and Owen grabbed their second try six minutes from time when he finished in the right corner, with Thomas landing an excellent conversion to cut the gap to 30-17, but Connacht prevented them from scoring from 11 phases at the death.
Connacht scorers:Tries: Jake Heenan (2), D Buckley, R Ah You
Penalties: Jack Carty (2)
Conversions: Jack Carty (2)Scarlets scorers:
Try: DTH van der Merwe, G Owen
Penalty: A Thomas
Conversions: A Thomas (2)
Connacht: Tiernan O’Halloran; Danie Poolman, Robbie Henshaw, Bundee Aki, Matt Healy (Rory Parata ’30); Jack Carty (Craig Ronaldson ’65), Caolin Blade (Ian Porter ’74); Denis Buckley (Ronan Loughney ’67), Tom McCartney (Dave Heffernan ’67), Finlay Bealham (Rodney Ah You ’62); George Naoupu (Ultan Dillane ’58), Aly Muldowney; John Muldoon, Jake Heenan (James Connolly ’65), Eoghan Masterson.
Scarlets: Liam Williams (Michael Collins ’62); Tom Williams (Steven Shingler ’67), Gareth Owen, Hadleigh Parkes, DTH van der Merwe; Aled Thomas, Rhodri Williams; Phil John (Dylan Evans ’66), Ryan Elias (Kirby Myhill ’66), Rhodri Jones (Peter Edwards ’36); Tom Price, Lewis Rawlins (Jack Jones ’74); Aaron Shingler, Will Boyde, Morgan Allen (Dylan Evans ’54-58).
Referee: Ben Whitehouse (WRU).
