Connacht 48
La Rochelle 12
CONNACHT SCORED SEVEN tries on their way to a comfortable bonus point win over La Rochelle in the opening fixture of Challenge Cup Pool 2 in the Sportsground.
Robbie Henshaw touched down either side of the half-time break, but in truth everything that came after the interval was mere filler after the hosts good the job done within 39 minutes in Galway.
Pat Lam was rewarded for naming a strong starting line-up for this tie as his young backs quickly lapped up the opportunities afforded them by the Top 14 club’s second string.
Connacht scored the opening try through Jack Carty after four minutes and before 10 minutes had elapsed, Darragh Leader had offloaded to Kieran Marmion who ran in try number two.
There was a brief drop-off in intensity from Lam’s side, but after Craig Ronaldson kicked a penalty to keep the scoreboard ticking over, the bonus point was the sole focus for the young men of the west.
On the back of a powerful maul, Henshaw ran in Connacht’s third try on 31 minutes a minute before the interval, Ronan Loughney sealed the bonus point and an unassailable 29 – 0 half-time lead for Connacht.
Beating
The visitors mustered a score early in the second half, but normal service was quickly resumed as Leader again was the supplier, this time for Henshaw, after breaking the line.
The wingers combined for the sixth try of the night, Matt Healy beating a path to the line and offloading to give Danie Poolman the easy finish and Healy claimed his own score, Connacht’s seventh, with 15 minutes remaining.
With the contest long over Charles Bouldoire scored the visitors’ second try to put some sort of respectability on the scoreboard, even if the side showing 13 changes from last week’s Top14 win, had little remaining on the pitch.
Scorers
Connacht:
Tries: J Carty, K Marmion, R Henshaw (2), R Loughney, D Poolman M Healy
Conversions: C Ronaldson (4), I Porter
Penalty: C Ronaldon
La Rochelle
Tries: TBC, C Bouldoire
Conversion: J Lebai
