Connacht 49 Dax 3:CONNACHT WILL carry their European ambitions into April with a handsome win against a young and ultimately shattered Dax team last night.
After last week’s crushing experience at the hands of London Irish, this was a rehabilitative evening for Connacht and once again, Michael Bradley’s squad have demonstrated that they are a tough team to beat in the Sportsground.
They were perhaps aided by the fact that Dax came to Galway more preoccupied with the relegation worries they face in the domestic league than in furthering their interests in this competition. They lined out with a number of inexperienced players and were out muscled and out foxed by a home performance that yielded seven home tries.
The most pleasing aspect of the game for the home crowd was the sharpness, imagination and the finishing power of the three-quarters line. From Fionn Carr’s fifth minute dive to the corner, it was clear that Connacht were in a mood to play an expansive game. Keith Matthews made a strong, straight line break from a Murphy pass and then Ian Keatley set up Niva Ta’auso, who rumbled into the heart of the Dax defence before off-loading for the winger. On 18 minutes, Gavin Duffy touched down on the same corner after another convincing attack in which Carr did well to retrieve the ball from behind his back without breaking stride. Connacht were 16-0 up after 20 minutes without playing particularly well.
Their best try came on 35 minutes, with a scintillating burst from Gavin Duffy and a textbook pass for Bibo to run in. It was the opposite to so many nights at the Sportsground, when the home side made few fundamental mistakes but simply could not get the scoring breaks. Here, they were downright untidy at times, coughing up two early line-outs and knocking forward under relatively little pressure.
And it was ironic that, when the Connacht back line clicked in such flamboyant style, Ian Keatley should experience a flat night at number-10. The young outhalf has been a leading light for Connacht this season and may possibly have been disappointed at being overlooked for the Irish squads named this week.
His first two conversion attempts were wide off the mark and he struggled to impose himself on what was a relatively comfortable match.
Connacht’s traditional winter hiatus – they have no match now until February 22nd – may have come at the perfect time for the promising number 10 to recharge for the next part of the season.
Keatley’s departure after 48 minutes gave Andy Dunne an opportunity to remind the public of his skills and he put in a lively half hour, slipping a pass for Liam Bibo to set up Carr for his second try on just 50 minutes. At 28-3, the contest was decided at this point but Connacht pressed on in the same ruthless manner that other teams have treated them when the situation has been reversed.
Ta’uso powered over for two tries in the last quarter of the match and hooker Sean Cronin, revivified after spending 10 minutes in the sin bin, enjoyed the luxury of scampering unopposed under the posts upon his return.
Dax kept on pushing, looking for a score, but Connacht were anxious to stay stingy on the defensive end. Michael McCarthy, Andrew Farley and John Muldoon led the way in heavy hits, Adrian Flavin enjoyed a lively second-half performance and Brett Wilkinson had a storming hour of productive aggression for Connacht.But Connacht expects blue collar toughness and professionalism from the pack: it has become their calling card. The most encouraging signs here came from the backs.
Even allowing for the increasingly demoralised opposition, the lines that the Connacht backs ran and the confidence of their handling bodes well.
Since coming west, Fionn Carr has given Connacht the blade-edge finish that they might have lacked in other years but the sheer power of Nivan Ta’auso at outside centre has also added a crucial dimension to Connacht’s back play.
For once, Bradley had the opportunity to run his bench liberally and some of the players who endured such misery in London last week enjoyed a redemptive experience here.
As ever, it has been a topsy-turvy season for Connacht, with splashes of wonderfully defiant results, the occasional thumping, plenty of near misses and now the rare comfort of a stroll into the last eight of the Challenge Cup.
It keeps the rugby season alive in the West.
CONNACHT: G Duffy; F Carr, A Ta’auso, K Matthews (T Nathan, 58 mins), L Bibo; I Keatley (A Dunne, 48 mins), F Murphy (K Campbell, 64 mins); B Wilkinson (R Loughney, 64 mins), S Cronin, R Morris; A Browne, A Farley (M Swift, 64 mins); M McCarthy, R Ofisa; J Muldoon (C Rigney, 64 mins).
DAX: D Bortolussi; L Diaz, F Argel, F Aramburu (G Williams, 38 mins), B Hiriart (N Nanuku, 66 mins); M Petit-Jean, J Pezet; K Lealamanua, J Jaen, N Decamps (J Castex, 34 mins); A Mazel, J Cros; B Adrillon, J Pendanx; J Bornman.
Referee: N Patterson (Scotland).
Attendance: 1,890
