Connacht extended the frontiers of their achievements by adding to their list of recent conquests at the Sportsground, Galway, on Saturday. In doing so, Connacht maintained their challenge for a place in the knock-out stages in the European Conference by defeating French challengers Nice 28 points to 25. Thus a narrow defeat in Nice a fortnight ago, sustained in unfortunate circumstances, was avenged as Connacht recorded the third win from four outings in the Conference.
These are heady and productive days for Connacht rugby and this win was invaluable in the quest for that cherished place in the quarter-finals. In the not so long ago, such a win for Connacht would be greeted with little short of euphoria. But changed times have been the by-product of a much altered approach. It is a measure of their attitude and their commitment that, although the primary object was attained, this win, important and welcome though it was, brought in its wake critical self-analysis.
That was expressed succinctly by outside half Eric Elwood, a key man in the new order - he scored 18 points in the match - and one who has served the Connacht cause so well for so long. "We did not play anything as well as we can," said Elwood. "We seemed to play in fits and starts and without the necessary level of consistency. We made mistakes and made life more difficult for ourselves than was necessary. We went into the match as favourites and that is not something to which we have as yet grown accustomed. The fact that we won is obviously very important and satisfying. We have now won back-to-back matches in the competition and must try and go forward from that point."
Warren Gatland, the Connacht coach who has brought so effective a level of organisation to his side, endorsed Elwood's views and elaborated when he said: "We made mistakes and are capable of much better. We built up a lead, then seemed to go a bit flat and had to pick up the pace again. But we won without playing really well."
In the end Connacht had three points to spare and unquestionably deserved their victory. While they did make life difficult for themselves by failing to put a moderate team away after building up a 10-point lead with just over 20 minutes to go, they were able to offer the necessary response when Nice threatened to erase their deficit.
Connacht went in front in the fifth minute when Elwood kicked the first of his six penalty goals and never surrendered the lead. When second row Graham Heaslip, who did well in the lineout, scored a try in the 16th minute, Connacht led by eight points. The Connacht pack was the better unit, but failure to clear the ball out of defence gave Nice an attacking position near the Connacht line and left wing Saurent Giolitti got over for a try on the blind side. But as was the pattern of the match, each time Nice scored, Connacht had the will and capacity to put vital points on the board. Elwood kicked a penalty in the 36th minute and, after out half Deauze dropped a goal for Nice, Elwood kicked his third goal just on half time to leave his side 14-8 in front at the break.
A dropped pass by Connacht in midfield was punished in the 43rd minute when Giolitti got his second try and that left Connacht with a tenuous one-point lead after Deauze missed the conversion. Connacht applied enough pressure to force Nice into the concession of penalties and Elwood availed of three penalty chances in his own inimitable manner. Those kicks left Connacht 10 points clear at 23-13 and a comfortable win was in prospect. Elwood's experience was invaluable at the end of a rather tentative service from his partner Conor McGuinness, whose kicking out of defence at times was short and ill-directed. Willie Ruane, at full back for Connacht, had a fine match.
With 17 minutes remaining Nice cut the Connacht lead to three points when second row Rachid Bekkal got over for a try after a line-out. Deauze converted, but Connacht responded with the best try of the match. Elwood provided the platform, before left wing Nigel Carolan came in from the blind-side wing to play a major role in a try scored by Mervyn Murphy. That came in the 70th minute. Elwood failed to convert but Connacht held an eight-point lead.
While the Connacht pack did not sustain a consistent level of superiority, Billy Mulcahy, Shane McEntee and his back row colleagues, Junior Charlie and Barry Gavin, did some fine work in the Connacht cause.
A vigorous Nice attack was repulsed in the closing minutes, but Nice did crack the Connacht defence with a try in the fourth minute of injury time from full back Eric Berdeu that cut Connacht's lead to three points. But Nice should not have been that close. However after Deauze missed the conversion, the final whistle went and Connacht had recorded another notable win.
