The best game in Connacht's European history? Not since Warren Gatland took Connacht to Agen in the 1990s have the province progressed to the European quarter-finals, but yesterday in Galway's Corinthian Park, Connacht did it the hard way, by overcoming a 15-point first-leg deficit to French side Narbonne.
The 50-49 aggregate win over the two games ensured Connacht now face another two-leg meeting against Pontypridd in January.
This was a performance carved from utter willpower, but there was also the matter of motivation, no doubt courtesy of the heads at Lansdowne Road seemingly threatening the province with the axe.
Connacht had reduced the first-leg arrears to just one by the break, went ahead by two soon after half time, went behind by the same margin when Narbonne scored their only try of the game, but recovered the lead by the 68th minute.
Once restored, Connacht only once wavered, watching agonisingly in the fifth minute of injury time as replacement outhalf Cedric Rosalen's 45 metre penalty from the right touchline fell short and Eric Elwood's clearance paved the way to celebrations for Irelands's fourth province.
Narbonne's 15-point advantage was wiped out by the eighth minute of the second half, courtesy of two well-worked tries after a difficult opening 20 minutes. Narbonne had dominated territorially in that early period, but had nothing to show. Outhalf Jerome Gendre missed two relatively simple penalty attempts.
Connacht were first off the mark when Narbonne fullback Pascal Bazani, the scorer of three tries last week, fumbled Elwood's long kick, conceding territory to the home side. They made full use of it, as first Elwood set up quick rucked ball from the scrum before scrumhalf Eoin Reddan, on a lateral run, released to centre Darren Yapp, who could not be stopped on a straight burst to score. Elwood's conversion narrowed the aggregate gap to seven points.
Six minutes later hooker Marnus Uijs finished off a counter-attack started by Yapp in Connacht's own half. Wayne Munn, Colm Rigney, Rowan Frost, and Michael Swift all broke through the first line of defence before Reddan released to Uijs from the ruck. The hooker, with two players outside him, raced in for the second try, converted by Elwood.
Elwood's 48th minute penalty put Connacht in front for the first time, and the real battle began.
Narbonne missed a 55th minute penalty from 35 metres. When replacement Johnny O'Connor was deliberately held back, Narbonne's Oliver Olibeau was sin-binned and Elwood kicked the resulting penalty to stretch the aggregate to five.
However, the duel sin-binning of Connacht's Peter Bracken and Guy Shannon presented Narbonne with their first chance to attack from a penalty kick to touch. Securing the line-out Narbonne drove to the line and replacement number eight Xavier Guillemet rounded the line on the blind to score and Rosalen's conversion restored Narbonne's lead to two.
With 10 minutes left, the urgency in Connacht's game overwhelmed the French and Elwood restored the lead.
The draw for home and away status in the quarter-finals of the Challenge Cup will be made tomorrow. The games will be played on the weekend of January 10th-12th.
CONNACHT: M McHugh; T Robinson, D Yapp, S Moore, W Munn; E Elwood, E Reddan; R McCormack, M Uijs, P Bracken, D Browne, R Frost, M Swift, J O'Sullilvan, C Rigney. Replacements: O'Connor for Browne (51 mins), J Flannery for Uij (62 mins).
NARBONNE: P Bazani; S Hunt, D Douy, J Gillingham, G Tutard; J Gendre, L Balue; A Martinez, S Petit, S Guy, D Hunter, O Olibeau, G Belzons (cpt), L Bauc Rittener, A Hill. Replacements: C Rosalen for Gendre (28 mins), X Guillemet for Hill (50 mins), Stortoni for Tutard (52 mins), M Siro for L Balue (60 mins).
Scoring sequence: 22 mins: Yapp try, Elwood conversion 7-0; 27mins: Uijs try, Elwood conversion 14-0 Half time 14-0. 48 mins: Elwood penalty 17-0; 57 mins: Elwood penalty 20-0; 65 mins: Guillemet try, Rosalen conversion 20-7; 68 mins: Elwood penalty 23-7. Full time 23-7 (50 -49 on aggregate).
