Connacht Rugby 44
Hollywoodbets Sharks 17
Stuart Lancaster’s Connacht gained added a much-needed second win from their opening five URC fixtures, delivering a 44-17 win over their South Africans visitors.
With just a single point between Connacht and Hollywoodbet Sharks prior to kick-off at Dexcom Stadium, the stakes were high - the winner could find themselves closing in on the top eight; the loser left struggling near the bottom. And while Connacht is still not be the ideal position on the URC table, Lancaster can breathe a brief sigh of relief knowing how important this new block will be in determining Connacht’s season.
The previous four fixtures may have been regarded as a bedding in period for Lancaster, but now the real business of climbing the URC table is at the forefront of Connacht’s ambitions. And Lancaster, who continues to put faith in a host of youngsters in the backline, has been rewarded.
Connacht were ahead 23-5 at the break, having dominated possession and territory after opening the scoring within eight minutes from a Sean Naughton penalAlthough the visitors were missing a number of notable players, they hit back with a try after 15 minutes - the power of their pack delivering from a line-out five metres out, with Fez Mbatha crossing to take the lead, with George Whitehead missing the conversion.
Yet within minutes Connacht delivered a second try - a well-executed backline move that started with Naughton. Josh Ioane, a key player throughout, was instrumental in creating the vital break, before Hugh Gavin provided supporting captain Paul Boyle who claimed the try, with Ioane adding the extras for an 10-5 lead.
The Sharks did not help themselves when losing lock Jason Jenkins to the sin bin, and Connacht were able to turn the screw. Fullback Sean Naughton knocked over a penalty to stretch the home side’s lead to 13 - 5 after 27 minutes.
Paul Boyle, leading from the front, and Sean Naughton, who kicked well, put the visitors on the back foot after capitalising on a yellow card for the Sharks. And from a line-out Connacht delivered before Chay Mullins bagged the try, while Naughton converted and added a penalty after the break to give Connacht a 23-5 lead.
As expected the Sharks grabbed control early in the second half, and although they were unable to capitalise, they upped their physicality in the contact area to halt the home side’s momentum.
However, Lancaster’s side was not to be stopped. Hugh Gavin, and replacements Matthew Devine and Sam Illo added their names to the try sheet in what was a workmanlike display and a much-needed boost. Although the visitors scored through Makezole Mapimpi and Jordan Hendrikse, it was not enough to deny Lancaster’s youngsters a well-deserved, and overdue URC win.
Connacht Rugby: S Naughton, C Mullins, H Gavin, C Forde, S Bolton, J Ioane, B Murphy, J Duggan, D Heffernan, J Aungier, N Murray, D Murray, J Murphy, P Boyle (C ), S Jansen.
Replacements: E de Buitlear, D Buckley for Duggan , S Illo for A Aungier (both 50m ), D O’Connor, S O’Brien, M Devine, B Aki, S Gilbert for Ioane (45m ), D Buckley for Duggan (50 ), S Illo for Aungier (50 ), Bundee Aki for Mullins and David O’Connor for N Murray (57 ), M Devine for Murphy (67m ) E de Buitlear for Heffernan (64 ), S O’Brien for Boyle (67,
Hollywoodbets Sharks: J Hendrikse, E van der Merwe, J Julius, F Venter, M Mapimpi, G Whitehead, J Hendrikse, P Ganyane, F Mbatha, H Jacobs, J Jenkins, M Orie, M Romao, V Tshituka (C ), E Tshituka.
Replacements: G Williams for Hendrikse and E Heerden for Oris (41 ) E Heerden for Orie (41m ), E Swart for Mbatha (52 ), P Buthelezi for Tshituka (57 ), LR Malan for Venter (57m, ), Mdanda for Jacobs (59 ), H Kunene for Whitehead (60 ), Mazibuko for Ganyhane (73 ), Mazibuko for Ganyhane (73 ).
Referee: Ben Breakspear (WRU ).
