Russia 14-42 Connacht

CONNACHT RAN IN three tries in the final 15 minutes to hand Russia a defeat in their final World Cup warm-up match.

Lyn Jones’s side open their tournament against hosts Japan on 20 September, and the magnitude of the challenge facing them was underscored by Saturday’s game in Moscow.

Tries from Tom Daly and Darragh Leader helped Andy Friend’s side into an early 14-0 lead before Russian captain Vasily Artemyev, who played schools rugby in Ireland with Blackrock College as a youngster, got the hosts on the board.

Connacht stretched their lead to 21-7 two minutes after the restart when Jonny Murphy touched down but Russia kept in touch with their second try coming off the back of a five-metre scrum.

The visitors introduced Niyi Adeolokun, Eoghan Masterson and Ultan Dillane from the bench for the final quarter as both sides made wholesale changes.

And with Russian eyes looking ahead to Japan, Stephen Fitzgerald dotted down twice before Paul Boyle crossed for Connacht’s sixth and final try.

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