Knock On

Connacht 14
Llanelli 17

By Rob Murphy

This was a heartbreaking and horrible defeat that will stick deep in the gut for many days to come. It should have been a ground-breaking victory, a result that would have acted as a frame highlighting Connacht’s recent revival and a catalyst to some progress up the Magners league table.

Connacht did everything right at a dry and windy Sportsground for the first hour at least. They shook off some early lethargy, dug their heels in after the concession of an early penalty and slowly but surely began to stamp their authority on the contest with a brilliant brand of open, adventurous, heads up rugby.

It was as if Conancht had come face to face with a wall before Christmas with the victory over Munster and the battling display against Leinster representing the tunnelling under and now free from those shackles of underachievement they had abandoned the safety first policy and were running free in their new surroundings.

This time last year they beat the Scarlets but that was through a more traditional dogged game plan. This would have meant that bit more as it was a follow on from their inter-pro form and it was backed up by a brand of open aggressive play. They were beating the Welshman at their own game and that would have really hurt the visitors and made others it up and take note.

The first five minutes were eerily familiar as Connacht looked a little under motivated and lacked some focus but they hung tough conceding just three points and the spark for change came on seven minutes from Colm Rigney who broke from the base of a scrum which Connacht had won against the head deep in their own territory and made 30 metres lifting the siege and energising the atmosphere.

The crowd was 2063, not bad for half six on a Friday against a Welsh province. The first time in three years that a Magners league game outside of the inter-pros has broken the two thousand threshold. The good will and positive vibes from recent weeks had clearly brought out the masses and boy did it add to the atmosphere.

Connacht’s best rugby came in the second quarter but crucially all they had to show for it by half time was two Ian Keatley penalties. Still though, the crowd were happy and the players had an evident pep as they jogged in at the break.

John Muldoon’s work at the breakdown sparked a turnover that ultimately led to the first penalty. The captain was very much leading by example. From a subsequent break Fionn Carr, Niva Ta’auso and Liam Bibo linked well to make further gains before Connacht had their penalty which Ian Keatley slotted over.

The tempo was up and the visiting Scarlets were on the back foot constantly. Keith Matthews was demonstrating how he is back to his very best at inside centre making the type of hard running breaks that can spark so much and Ta’auso was almost through on two occasions but for the bounce of the ball.  Keatley kicked his second penalty on the half hour and it was all Connacht at this stage.

Ominously just before the break the young Connacht out half shanked a kick directly in front of the post but as much as that could have put Connacht ahead they had Gavin Duffy and particularly Fionn Carr to thank for try saving wrap tackles late in the half. Carr’s stopped Regan King releasing a two-man overlap.

Connacht weren’t deterred after half time and most impressively kept up the tempo lighting up the contest on five minutes with a truly brilliant try. Gavin Duffy came into the line in his own half round his man and made 15 metres before off-loading out of the tackle to the ever alert Mike McCarthy.

The big lock took three defenders with him for another major gain before the ball was whipped wide and the dynamic Keatley demonstrated his running ability beating half time replacement Stephen Jones on the outside and sprinting home for a memorable try.

His conversion tailed wide but on 53 minutes the Connacht number ten had made amends with a sweetly struck drop goal and at 14-3 the men in green were very much heading for a victory that really would have confirmed their revival as a force in the league.

What followed was a nightmare finale. Loss of composure and discipline at key junctures opened the door for the Scarletts and as the visitors upped the tempo with seven replacements entering the fray in the second half, the home side wilted. Incidentally the average number of replacements used by the other nine teams in the league last weekend was five, Connacht used just one.

Mike McCarthy’s off side penalty was unnecessary and costly coming just minutes after a poor clearance from Frank Murphy. The Scarlets kicked to the corner and from the subsequent lineout scored all too easily through Decan Manu who had two tries in the 48-3 victory over Connacht back in October.

Llanelli grew in confidence as Connacht began to cave in ever so slightly the set piece play remained excellent but in open play they were giving away yards. Stephen Jones got the match winning score with six minutes left but there was still time for Keatley to have a very kickable shot at goal to level it.  It tailed wide to his exasperation and Connacht were beaten in the most depressing manner.

Connacht: G Duffy; F Carr; N Ta’auso, K Matthews, L Bibo; I Keatley, F Murphy; B Wilkinson, S Cronin, R Morris; M McCarthy, A Farley; J Muldoon, R Ofisa, C Rigney.

Replacements: M Swift for McCarthy, 68 mins.

Scarlets: M Stoddart, D Daniel, R King, J Davies, G Morris, R Priestland, M Roberts; P John, M Rees, D Manu, D Day, V Cooper, S Easterby, J Edwards, D Lyons.

Replacements: I Thomas for John, half-time; S Jones for Stoddart, half-time; L Reed for Day, 46 mins; K Owens for Rees, 68 mins; Y N’Gog for Morris, 74 mins; D Jones for Easterby, 74 mins; G Cattle for Priestland, 79 mins.

Referee: J Jones (WRU).