Pack powers Connacht to bonus-point win

Dragons 8
Connacht 24

Connacht's Pro 12 momentum continued in Rodney Parade on Sunday when they recorded a fourth successive win for the first time in 12 years.

In seeing off the Dragons with a dominant four-try performance, Pat Lam’s side has now overtaken the Newport outfit and Edinburgh to claim seventh place – four points off next week’s opponents Scarlets.

A try in each half from captain John Muldoon, allied with one each from Rodney Ah You and Michael Swift keeps Connacht's hopes of a top six place in this season's Pro 12 on target. Connacht took a 14-3 lead into the break before finishing strongly when replacement Swift grabbed the fourth two minutes from time.

Facing into the stiff breeze, Connacht did not enjoy the best start, conceding possession and two penalties in the open five minutes, one of which outhalf Jason Tovey kicked for a three-point lead.

It took Connacht 10 minutes before they were able to put together a sustained attack, but they spurned a certain try when, having shunted Dragons over the line, quick-thinking flanker Nic Cudd dived on the ball to deprive the visitors.

Clean break
However scrumhalf Kieran Marmion put them back into an attacking position with a clean break, and once again the scrum proved too much for the home side with John Muldoon grabbing the touchdown and outhalf Dan Parks adding the conversion.

Connacht's superiority in the set piece increasingly began to frustrate the Newport outfit, and a third penalty conceded in the lineout resulted in lock Robert Sidoli being sent to the bin. Connacht capitalised almost immediately with prop Ah You the beneficiary after another lineout and drive, and Parks tagged on the extras.

Dragons, in changing their entire frontrow, went some way to neutralising Connacht’s advantage, shoring up their scrum, and providing their backs with better go-forward ball, but a fine Parks touchfinder from a penalty provided the Connacht pack with another opportunity. From Browne’s catch and ensuing drive, Muldoon grabbed his second of the day to keep Connacht in the driving seat.

A yellow card for Connacht replacement Darragh Leader fuelled the Dragon’s hopes, and with Connacht’s defence stretched out wide, right wing Tom Prydie ran in for a 69th minute try.

Connacht crowned a solid display when Swift went over to give Connacht their fourth successive win for the first time since 2002.

DRAGONS: D Evans, T Prydie, R Wardle, J Dixon, W Harries, J Tovey, R Rees; O Evans, H Gustafson, B Douglas, A Coombs (c), R Sidoli, L Evans, N Cudd, N Talei. Replacements, E Lee for Gustafson, P Price for Evans and D Bell for Douglas (all 28m), A Smith for Dixon (47m), T Faletau f*or Talei (50m), W Evans for Rees (53m), M Screech for Sidoli (57m), Douglas for Bell (59m),
CONNACHT: R Henshaw, T O'Halloran, E Griffin, D McSharry, F Carr, D Parks, K Marmion, D Buckley, J Harris-Wright, R Ah You, A Muldowney, M Kearney, J Muldoon (cpt), E Masterson, E McKeon. Replacements, D Leader for McSharry (22m), D Heffernan for Harris-Wright 39m, N White for A You (47m), A Browne for Masterson (50m), M Nikora for Parks (66m), R Loughney fopr Buckley (74m),.
Referee: Geroge Clancy (IRFU).