Dragons 27-34 Connacht
CONNACHT’S TENTH SUCCESSIVE win over Welsh opposition keeps them in the hunt for a knockout place in the URC after they survived a big test from the Dragons in Rodney Parade.
Connacht were never behind in the contest but yet they were never safe, even when Dragons had a man sent off eleven minutes from the end.
But Connacht held on for a priceless bonus point which keeps them in contention for a top eight finish with three games left.
Connacht enjoyed 71% possession in the opening half but had to be content with a 19-14 interval advantage after the Dragons struck for their second try deep into stoppage time to stay in the contest despite a tackle count of 110 from the Dragons to 21 for the visitors.
Pete Wilkins knew the value of laying down an early marker at Rodney Parade and Shamus Hurley-Langton duly obliged when he got over in just two minutes after sustained early pressure.
JJ Hanrahan could hardly have hoped for an easier kick to mark his return to a club where he spent last season as he tapped over the simple conversion.
But Dragons hit back and got back on level terms three minutes later when outside centre Steff Hughes spotted a gap in the Connacht defence and raced through to score a converted a try.
Connacht, though, were on top in most key areas and that was reflected on the scoreboard at the end of the opening quarter when Matthew Devine, fresh from his man of the match performance on his first start last week, almost made the line but from the recycle tighthead Finlay Bealham got over and Hanrahan converted.
Further good pressure yielded a third try after 25 minutes when Bundee Aki went wide to send John Porch over in the left corner.
But Dragons hit back just before the break and scrum-half Rhodri Williams scored in the left corner and Cai Evans converted to cut the gap to 19-14 at the interval.
Dragons went on the offensive after the restart but flanker Sean Lonsdale was pinged for a high tackle on Devine and Connacht worked their way from the 22 to within five metres with a couple of penalties before hooker Dave Heffernan scored the bonus point off a line after Welsh hooker Elliot Dee, on his 150th appearance for the Dragons, was binned for conceding a couple of penalties.
But Dragons hit back. Evans reduced the margin with a penalty and then a good move after a crooked Connacht lineout on halfway ended with full-back Jordan Williams treading a neat grubber which Rio Dyer chased down the right to score. Evans landed a superb conversion from the right touchline to tie the sides at 22-22 while still down a man.
Connacht responded with a penalty from Hanrahan after 59 minutes but then made a mess of the restart and Dragons levelled through a penalty from Evans after going through 23 attacking phases inside the 22.
Hanrahan’s night ended with a knee injury which saw him stretchered off after he was checked by Williams off the ball as Dragons pressed forward and the game restart with a clearance penalty to Connacht rather than a home put-in.
Cathal Forde took over at out-half and from his penalty Connacht worked 13 phases before a high tackle by lock Ben Carter on Shane Jennings resulted in a red card for the Dragons player.
Forde opted to kick to touch from 30 metres and with an advantage for another offside, replacement hooker Dylan Tierney-Martin got over for the try to put them in front, with Forde’s conversion making it 34-27 with nine minutes left and they survived a nervous finish from there to the end but held out.
Scorers for Dragons:
Tries: S Hughes, R Williams, R Dyer
Conversions: C Evans (3 from 3)
Penalties: Evans (2 from 2)
Scorers for Connacht:
Tries: S Hurley-Langton, F Bealham, J Porch, D Heffernan, D Tierney-Martin
Conversions: JJ Hanrahan (2 from 4), C Forde (1 from 1)
Penalty: Hanrahan (1 from 1)
Dragons: Jordan Williams; Rio Dyer, Steff Hughes (c), Aneurin Owen (Joe Westwood ’75), Ewan Rosser (James Benjamin ’52-’54); Cai Evans, Rhodri Williams (Che Hope ’75); Rhodri Jones (Rodrigo Martinez ’59), Elliot Dee, Chris Coleman; Ben Carter, Matthew Screech; Harri Keddie, Taine Basham, Aaron Wainwright (Georhge Nott ’41).
Connacht: Tiernan O’Halloran; Shane Jennings, Tom Farrell, Bundee Aki, John Porch; JJ Hanrahan (Cathal Forde ’66), Matthew Devine (Caolin Blade ’63); Denis Buckley (Peter Dooley ‘5), Dave Heffernan (c) (Dylan Tierney-Martin ’66), Finlay Bealham (Sam Illo ’63); Joe Joyce, Gavin Thornbury (Oisin Dowling ’50); Shamus Hurley-Langton, Conor Oliver (Jarrad Butler ’63), Cian Prendergast (Paul Boyle ’14).
Referee: Federico Vedovelli (Italy)
