Connacht 21
Edinburgh 31
Connacht’s slim hopes of qualifying for the URC top eight was decided ahead of kick-off; their opponents Edinburgh’s still hanging by a thread.
It provided the Scottish side with a huge incentive to win, and they were rewarded with the five points necessary to continue their hopes of making the quarter-finals. Connacht, with nothing to lose, produced a worthy performance to sign off their home season before heading to Italy for their final fling.
Having arrived in Galway in bullish mood, the Scottish visitors were stacked with experience and some 300 international caps, led by Ali Price and Hamish Watson. Yet, they were made to work hard for the win before eventually being rewarded with maximum points.
They gave nothing away to Connacht in the first half, and were ahead by 14-0 after 27 minutes - Connacht not helping themselves with the concession of three penalties on the trot. Edinburgh’s pack capitalised - Ali Price influential in helping South African Pierre Schoeman to crash over after eight minutes, with outhalf RossThompson adding the extras.
Influential Hamish Watson, who led the aggressive Scottish back row, did considerable damage to Connacht’s ambitions every time the home side tried to make an impression. However led by Bundee Aki, the home side looked to have scored through Cian Prendergast, but for a forward pass in the build-up. And despite the best efforts of Sean Janson, Conor Oliver and Josh Murphy, Connacht continued to be stymied by the relentless Edinburgh defence.
By the half hour mark Hamish Watson, with a dynamic run down the left wing, added try number two, while Connacht did not help themselves with a lack of clinical composure, playing at a frantic pace.
That pressure was relieved with a scrum penalty, but Connacht’s failure to find touch did not help their cause. However, they turned out in the second half with a different mindset, giving the crowd in this final home game of the season something to cheer about. It came within two minutes of the restart after Shayne Bolton made a crucial break, and with a big carry from Prendergast, and Aki again influential, eventually wing Finn Treacy grabbed a try, with Hanrahan adding the extras.
Within minutes Treacy had bagged his second - Ben Murphy delivering to Treacy from the base of a ruck, and the left wing burst through untouched to level the scores.
However, Connacht, getting on the wrong side of the referee, continued to leak penalties, and the visitors made it count with a 57th minute converted try for Ben Muncaster. However, a missed Edinburgh penalty to touch produced a superb response from the home side and a collapsed scrum provided Connacht with another scoring opportunity. Kicking to touch, they were eventually rewarded. Peter Dooley and Josh Murphy were instrumental in the build-up before Cordero found Bolton had the pace to claim the third try, levelling the fixture at 21-21.
However, when Connacht were denied a fourth try despite the best efforts of Paul Boyle when Hamish Watson made his mark at ruck time, it gave Edinburgh renewed hope. A break-out try through replacement Charlie Shiel, converted by Healy delivered maximum points, despite the best efforts of Connacht’s departing Santiago Cordero. The visitors saw out the game with a late penalty; Connacht signed off a difficult home season, despite delivering one of their better displays.
Connacht: S Cordero, S Bolton, H Gavin, B Aki, F Treacy, JJ Hanrahan, B Murphy, D Buckley, D Heffernan, F Bealham, J Murphy, D Murray, C Prendergast (C ), C Oliver, S Jansen. Replacements: D Hawkshaw for Gavin (HT ), P Boyle for Jansen and O Dowling for Murray (both 54m ), P Dooley for Buckley, D Tierney Martin for Heffernan and J Aungier for Bealham (62m ), C Blade for Murphy (66m ), Murray for Dowling (71 ).
Edinburgh Rugby: W Goosen, D Graham, M Currie, M Tuipulotu, J Brown, R Thompson, A Price, P Schoeman, E Ashman, D Rae, M Sykes, S Skinner, B Muncaster, H Watson, M Bradbury (C ). Replacements: P Harrison, B Venter, J Sebastian for Rae (50m ), F Thompson for Tuipulotu (54 ), P Harrison for Ashman (66m ), G Young, L McConnell, C Shiel for Price (67m ), G Young for Sykes and B Healy for Thompson (both 71mL McConnell for Muncaster (73m ).
Referee: Ben Breakspear (WRU ).
