Montpellier 33
Connacht 31
Montpellier, pool one leaders going into this fixture, retained their stranglehold on their European Challenge Cup hopes with a dominant last quarter to erase Connacht’s lead and take the honours.
A bitter pill for Stuart Lancaster’s side to swallow. Connacht were simply outplayed in the last 20 minutes as the home side delivered three tries to ensure Connacht left Septeo Stadium with their confidence dented, but still with hopes of qualifying for the knockout stages.
“Very disappointed to have lost the game, but very proud of the first 60 minutes,” says Lancaster. “ We were excellent - not mistake free - but against a very good team, we played some excellent rugby and [ahead] 31-14, we put ourselves in an excellent position to win the game.
“I know from experience in France that when a side gets momentum, the French teams become hard to handle and we contributed to that, which is the most frustrating thing - not managing an exit, not managing restarts, and then giving the ball back too easily which led to that momentum and belief building.”
Despite the defeat, Lancaster says it felt like taking two paces forward, and one back.
“It’s still one pace forward, but a painful one because we felt we played well, learned lessons from Leinster, and put a huge amount of effort into the preparation. We had great support there, so really disappointed.”
However with two points, Connacht are still alive in the competition, but the going will be tougher with a likely away fixture for the quarter-finals. First, however, they need to win next week against French visitors Montauban at Dexcom Stadium.
It had looked promising in the opening half - Connacht leading 14-24 after fullback Sam Gilbert struck a penalty on the cusp of the half-time whistle. It was due reward for what was Connacht’s best first 40 minutes of season, making their 57 per cent possession count.
Having leaked an early try when Thomas Darmon capitalised on a turnover, courtesy of this pack’s counter-rucking, Connacht delivered within four minutes. Ben Murphy finished a move, which outhalf Josh Ioane created, before Finn Treacy delivered to the scrumhalf to open the scoring after 12 minutes and fullback Sam Gilbert added the extras.
However Connacht were always going to struggle against the might of Montpellier’s pack, and a 17th minute penalty paved the way for their opening try - Connacht unable to stop their forward momentum.
An improved defence certainly helped Connacht’s cause, and from a penalty to touch the pack delivered. Captain Cian Prendergast was crucial in the build up, and with Cahill Forde and Murphy involved, Dylan Tierney Martin grabbed the second try, with Gilbert converting.
Competing well against a physically dominant outfit, Connacht displayed real grit, not only to hold their opponents out, but adding to their score when Shane Jennings linked with Finn Treacy who delivered a third try after 30 minutes. Gilbert converted and added a penalty to push his side 14-24 ahead. When he provided the finish to a superb move involving Ioane and debutant Harry West after the restart, Connacht were 14-31 in front.
At that stage the game looked like Connacht’s to win, particularly having stymied a Montpellier attack from two penalties, courtesy of Prendergast’s athleticism. And when Gilbert was instrumental in denying Stuart Hogg, while Finn Treacy won the kick-chase to touch down, Connacht looked to be flying towards a win in France.
However, the try was denied after TMO for an offside - it was enough to give the home side hope, and with a raft of replacements, they regained the initiative. Thereafter it was pretty much one-way traffic. In nine minutes the home side scored three tries through left wing Melvyn Rates, replacement scrumhalf Alex Bernadet, and prop Valentin Welsch. Hogg, having missed one conversion, delivered with his final kick to bag his side a two-point victory.
Scoring sequence: 7m Darmon try, Coly con 7-0; 12m Murphy try, Gilbert con 7-7; 17m Akrab try, Coley con 14-7; 12m Murphy try, Gilbert con 14-14; 21n Tierney-Martin try, Gilbert con 14-21; 42m Gilbert pen 14-24; HT 14-24; 46m Gilbert try and con 14-31; 65m Rates try, Hogg con 21-31; 68m Bernadet try, Hogg con 26-3; 74m Welsch try, Hogg con 33-31.
MONTPELLIER HÉRAULT RUGBY: T Vincent, D Taofifenua, T Darmon, J J Piccardo, M Rates, S Hogg, L Coly, B Erdocio, L Akrab, L Japaridze, F Verhaeghe, B Chalureau, M Tauleigne, A Becognee (C ), AMasibaka Replacements: R Riccitelli, N Abuladze, V Welsch, M Uhila, L Gleeson, A Bernadet, A Vincent, J Ducros.
CONNACHT RUGBY: S Gilbert, S Jennings, H West, C Forde, F Treacy, J Ioane, B Murphy, B Bohan, D Tierney-Martin, S Illo, D Murray, J Murphy, C Prendergast (C ), P Boyle, S Jansen. Replacements: M Victory, P Dooley, F Barrett, N Murray, S O'Brien, A Lindner, S Walsh, J Devine.
Referee: Griffin Colby (SA ).
