European Challenge Cup Second round, first leg/Connacht - 56 Montpelier - 3: It may have been a dank December Saturday at the Sportsground, it may only have been round two in the more humble of the European competitions. But whatever the context, the utter destruction of the visiting Montpellier team by Connacht represented an extraordinary afternoon in Irish rugby.
With virtually no fuss, Michael Bradley's side killed off whatever sense of team Montpellier possessed coming out onto the field. They did not dominate in terms of possession or territory or in the lineout - but with the by now characteristic foundation of trenchant defence and stern discipline, they ran in tries with an ease that must have bewildered the visitors as much as it thrilled the 2,500 local crowd.
It was an afternoon when veteran outhalf Gregor Townsend must have studied his opposite number Eric Elwood with some awe. In another lifetime, these men locked eyeballs in the winter internationals in Edinburgh and Dublin. Yesterday, meeting in a match late into their sporting lives, it was clear the Galway man is reaping a richer harvest.
It is probably time to acknowledge there is a certain magnificence about Elwood's consistently model approach and commitment to his home province, his readiness to turn up and play, whatever the conditions, whatever the odds.
He kicked with bold precision yesterday and even scrambled through the Montpellier defence on a couple of occasions. Elwood was the most authoritative figure on the field and, not for the first time this season, Paul Warwick the most dangerous. He landed nine successful kicks at goal yesterday but it was the bullet-like trajectory of his attacks that felled the Montpellier cover, crashing onto Elwood's flat pass to score a try on seven minutes that foretold of what was to come.
Afterwards, the understated Bradley said they had anticipated Montpellier's physical size meant they would not shift across to cover the first line of defence. Puncturing holes through midfield would, he believed, yield scores.
"We thought as well that Townsend would probably look to kick to the corners and that they would try and get their maul going from there, so if we could prevent that, we felt they would not have much more to offer."
For the first 15 minutes the game was loose and open but when gaps appeared, it was Connacht that exploited them.
As ever, Bernard Jackman was on Elwood's shoulder to take the ball into contact and with the three-quarter line pushing forward, Montpellier simply had too many problems to cope with.
Conor McPhillips, the fastest player on the field, was a constant worry on the left wing and the Connacht back row clearly relished the physical exchanges.
The home team put in some ferocious tackles - one hit by James Downey on Townsend provoked a memorable reaction from the crowd and even before McPhillips dashed in for the second try on 14 minutes, Connacht had a formidably solid look about them.
After that the floodgates opened with Ted Robinson running in the third try before Matt Mostyn managed to hoof the ball on from the half-way line, controlling it three times with his feet before crashing over on 29 minutes to leave it 24-0.
Warwick dispatched the conversions with ease despite the traditional cross-field breeze that can make the Sportsground a nightmare for kickers.
If the French realised the sudden gravity of their predicament, they continued to go about their business with almost cheerful resignation.
Federic Benazech landed a penalty on 31 minutes, a score that would stand naked and lonely on the electronic board by four o'clock.
Warwick set the ball rolling with a penalty seven minutes into the second half. At this stage, the French side were seriously bereft of ideas and their attempts to create began to backfire.
Townsend flicked a little grubber kick that deflected off Elwood's shins and with Montpellier back-pedalling, Warwick hoofed the ball into open country. McPhillips won the race and scampered over. 36-3. A disastrous pass by full back Benazech, who flung the ball across his own posts instead of kicking to touch, handed Connacht another opportunity.
John O'Sullivan and Jackman did the damage, driving towards the try line before John Muldoon banged his way over. Bradley made liberal use of his bench without altering the machine and Conor O'Loughlin ran in the last try of the afternoon, a score that was fittingly laid on by Warwick.
By that stage, Connacht looked likely to work a score every time they attacked while the French played the minutes out in the failing light as if they had come expecting this sort of result.
"You will probably find they will give a very different performance at home," said Bradley. "That's the way the French are."
It is hard to imagine Montpellier have hopes of saving their skins in the return game. As Connacht demonstrated last season, they give nothing away cheaply and although they continue to operate in the shadow of the other three provinces, their torch burns just as bright.
CONNACHT: M Moystyn (O'Loughlin 51 mins); T Robinson, P Warwick, J Downey, C McPhillips; E Elwood, C Keane ( M Walls 78 mins); R Hogan ( D McFarland 62 mins), B Jackman (J Fogarty 63 mins), S Knoop (P Bracken 68 mins), C Short (P Myburgh 63 mins), A Farley, M Swift, J O'Sullivan, J Muldoon (B O'Connor 69 mins).
MONTPELLIER: F Benazech: A Koko,F Charrier (B Guillous 57 mins), M Taele, L Arbo; G Townwend, Y Saladie; J Brugnaut, J Caudullo, C Baiocco (P Tachella 64 mins), M Bert, J Daniell (S Nouchi 58 mins), C Mathieu, J Vallee (S Buada 68 mins), M Macurdy. Referee: D Rose (England).
