Knock On

Connacht 49
Dax 3

By Rob Murphy

Another notch on the wall, another success and some much needed momentum for the spring. Connacht steamrolled their hapless French opponents on Friday night as their inspired backline helped them romp to a seven try victory setting up a quarter final date with Northampton in April.

The home side scored early at a cold but dry Sportsground and slowly built on that lead in a scrappy first half that was lit up only up by some brilliant backline play. It really was a night when Connacht stepped up a gear behind the scrum and inspired by new signing Niva Ta’auso, the off loads were sharp and the lines of running were explosive leaving the Dax backline chasing shadows for long periods.

Gavin Duffy dives over for Connacht’s second try. Pic: Johnathan Curran of Sporting Occasions

Connacht have a fine pedigree of reaching the knock out stages of this event, they did so for four consecutive years up until two season ago but after recent failures at the pool stages there was a clear determination among all involved to get back to the business end of this competition.

The evidence of that ambition was in the tactics implemented over the past fortnight as Michael Bradley rested almost his entire first team for their trip to London taking no chances in ensuring victory against a Dax side who they had already beaten 30-12 in the south of France back in October. The outcome of all this was a positive one as Connacht had advanced for the fourth time in his six year reign.

Some will point out that Dax were way off the standard but they took to the field with internationals in the shape of full back David Bortolussi, Argentinean centre Frederic Martin Aramburu and Samoan prop Kas Lealamaanua. Sure enough Connacht have faced much more in the Magners League this year but this Dax team had seven first team regulars and were made look ordinary in part by their own lack of fight but more so by some tenacious defending from Connacht.

The positives were endless and the encouraging signs for the coming months clear for all to see. Andrew Browne again excelled around the park, Last week he was called in at blindside flanker and really didn’t waver in testing conditions, this week he took it up a notch back in his natural lock birth. The Galwegians man is one of the stories of the season and rapidly becoming a fixture in the starting line up.

In the backline the man who has played more minutes than any other Connacht player this season, Fionn Carr, scored two brilliant tries on the night to bring his tally to six for the season. That is the kind of finisher not seen in these parts since Conor McPhillips was at his very best on the wing four years ago. Carr is another success story to highlight why a move west is beneficial for young Irish talents.

The rare introduction of Andy Dunne after half time demonstrated why the experienced out half should be used more and more to back up Ian Keatley’s efforts. At times there has been a reluctance to introduce the former Leinster and Leicester player when Connacht’s young prodigy’s form has inevitably wavered and what Dunne clearly highlighted on Friday was his ability to change the focus of attacks and introduce a totally different dynamic to the contest.

Kieran Campbell too showed his worth, he has spent seven of ten Magners League games on the bench as an unused replacement second in the pecking order to Frank Murphy who, by the way, was brilliant once more in this contest, Campbell however has plenty to offer on the evidence of what we have seen so far.

Since we’re talking about players who sometimes miss out on the limelight why not mention Connacht’s front row. The scrum has been superb in the recent weeks thanks to the inspired Robbie Morris and the electric Brett Wilkinson. Morris has been on top of his game defensively and he created a stone wall around the fringe on Friday night while Wilkinson again showed flashes of his brilliant all round ability with ball in hand.

Those were just a few of the positives on the night. Connacht scored early through Fionn Carr after the quick tempo attack stretched the Dax defence and Ta’auso set the winger up in the corner. The Samoan centre’s superb pop off the ground on 15 minutes instigated try number two, he was involved again on the next phase with Gavin Duffy finishing in the corner.

Niva Ta’auso scores his first try. Pic: Jonathan Curran Sporting Occasions           

Connacht were 13-0 up at that stage and didn’t rest on their laurels, instigating another series of attacks after Maxime Petitjean had responded with a penalty for the visitors. Try number three was created by a brilliant flat pass from Murphy and a superb line from influential full back Duffy who burst through and released Liam Bibo for the score, Keatley added a conversion and a penalty.

Connacht led 23-3 at half time and started the second half in sluggish fashion with Sean Cronin being sent to the sin bin, Ian Keatley wasn’t at his enigmatic best on the night so Dunne was promptly introduced and he changed the focus and demonstrated some deft hands in the lead up to Carr’s second try and Connacht’s fourth.

It was all plain sailing from there as the handling errors disappeared and Connacht ran free with Ta’auso crowning a majestic afternoons work with two tries of his own either side of Cronin’s first for his province. The contest wasn’t riveting and the rugby was at times scrappy but when Connacht clicked they looked irresistible and that all bodes well for furture. Mark April 10th down on the calendar as Connacht head to Northampton for the first time since their great victory of eleven years ago.

Connacht: G Duffy; F Carr, K Matthews (T Nathan61), N Ta’auso, L Bibo; I Keatley (A Dunne 61), F Murphy (K Campbell 67); B Wilkinson (R Loughney 67), S Cronin (A Flavin 67), R Morris (B Wilkinson 77); A Browne, A Farley (M Swift 67); M McCarthy (C Rigney 67), R Ofisa, J Muldoon.

Dax:D Bortolussi; L Diaz, F Argel, F Martin Aramburu (G Williams 60), B Hiriart; M Petitjean (N Nanuku 71), JB Pezet (N Morlaes 77); K Lealamaanua (N Decamps 66), J Jaen, N Decamps (J Castex 32, J Brugnaut 71); A Mazel, JB Cros; B Adrillon, J Pendanx, J Bornman.

Ref — N Patterson (Scotland).

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