Rugby

URC: Late show by Connacht sees off 14-man Cardiff

Western province escape Wales with victory despite error-ridden display

Michael McDonald and Cian Prendergast of Connacht Rugby celebrate after the game. Photograph: Andy Watts/Inpho

Linley Mackenzie
Sun Feb 18 2024 - 12:34

URC: Cardiff 12 Connacht 14

Connacht delivered a rare win against Cardiff in Arms Park on a miserably wet night in front of a full house of Welsh fans - an achievement head coach Pete Wilkins believes is a “real sign of Connacht’s growth”.

That it did not change the pecking order in the URC table, as they still remain just out of the top eight, is frustrating, but they have closed the gap on Ulster, with both now sharing 28 points.

Yet it was a significant win - only their fourth at the venue on a night when Arms Park was a sell-out, celebrating its annual regional clubs day and the life of rugby great, the late Barry John. It was also Wilkins’ first at the venue.

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“In seven years I have never won here with Connacht,” he says. “It’s a tough place to come, and I think the spirit shown by the Cardiff side, with the occasion, the red card which added even more fire to their belly, and the conditions, it was an incredibly tough game, so to come out on the right side of it, delighted.

“They played well in the first half, but we believed if we were in the hunt at half-time, we’d be able to accelerate from there. Our intensity lifted and some of the outcomes were favourable. It was the best atmosphere I have ever experienced in the Arms Park, it was tremendous.”

Caolin Blade against Cardiff. Photograph: Andy Watts/Inpho

For some 50 minutes Connacht struggled to execute in an error-ridden display, but the replacements made the required impact, adding impetus and control that was necessary to get over the line after an opening half which the hosts led by 7-6.

Jack Aungier provided the opening penalty opportunity with outhalf JJ Hanrahan converting, but when centre Rey Lee-Lo was red carded for a head clash on Shane Bolton, who was replaced by Tom Farrell, it fuelled the home side’s appetite. The result was a try after 18 minutes when a defensive error allowed Cardiff wing-forward Thomas Young to score and Tinus de Beer converted

When a second Cardiff try was ruled out for a forward pass, it provided Connacht with some much-needed breathing space.

Connacht, however, continued to struggled to make headway, and even after Cardiff’s number 8 Lopeti Timani was yellow carded for a high tackle on Blade, Connacht still could not get over the line. Eventually Hanrahan closed the gap with a penalty.

The second half began with in similar vein, requiring much-needed try-saving tackles from Dave Heffernan and Shamus Hurley-Langton. But Cardiff, from another penalty to touch, delivered through Timani, De Beer wide with the conversion.

Connacht did grab the initiative with a penalty, working their way to the line, but on this occasion Cathal Forde, acting as scrumhalf, lost possession just five metres out.

However, the introduction of Connacht replacements added much-needed inpetus. Peter Dooley secured a crucial 62nd minute try, converted by Hanrahan. And although another opportunity was butchered close the line, Connacht maintained their stranglehold, adding a 66th minute Hanrahan penalty. It proved just enough to take the spoils.

Scoring sequence: 4m Hanrahan pen 0-3; 17m Thomas try, de Beer con 7-3; 40m Hanrahan penalty 7-6; HT 7-6; 46m Timani try 12-6; 62m P Dooley try, Hanrahan con 12-13; 66m Hanrahan pen 12-16.

Cardiff: Red card, 14m Rey Lee-Lo; Yellow card, 36m Lopeti Timani.

Cardiff: J Bertram, O Lane, R Lee-Lo, B Thomas, A Summerhill, T De Beer, E Bevan, R Carre, L Belcher, W Davies-King, S Lewis-Hughes, S Davies, B Donnell, L Timani, T Young. Replacements, M Martin for Donnell (17m) C Parker for Davies-King (57m), E Daniel for Belcher 66, A Robson for de Beer and J Hill for Bevan (both 67), U Halaholo for Beetham (74m).

Connacht: T O’Halloran, S Bolton, D Hawkshaw, C Forde, A Smith, JJ Hanrahan, C Blade, D Buckley, D Heffernan, J Aungier, N Murray, J Joyce, S Hurley-Langton, C Oliver, C Prendergast. Replacements, T McElroy for Heffernan, O Dowling for Joyce,S Illo for Angier (all 51m), J Butler for Oliver, (59), M McDonald for Blade and J Carty for Hanrahan (71m)

Referee: Andrea Picardi (Italy)

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