Rugby

Connacht head coach Pete Wilkins refuses to panic despite damaging URC defeat to Benetton

Alexander Izekor scores in the corner on the last play of the game to hand Pete Wilkins’ side another defeat on their travels

Connacht’s Paul Boyle and Cian Prendergast after the losing to Benetton in the URC. Photograph: Luca Sighinolfi/Inpho

Linley MacKenzie
Sun Mar 31 2024 - 12:40
URC: Benetton 18 Connacht 14

European rugby will provide a timely distraction for Connacht this week, having lost to Benetton on Saturday in what was a blow to their bid to make the URC play-offs.

In a game that was considered crucial to those ambitions, Connacht succumbed to the battling Italians in the final minute of play. But head coach Pete Wilkins says the loss in Treviso “will not cause any panic, but it will certainly make the next few weeks clear in what we need to do”.

“There will certainly be a ripple effect from the game,” he says. “One or two moments we will certainly review and hold players to account on, but the effort and fight within the team is exactly what this club is about and that is our benchmark - that is the reminder of what we are about.

“We can always layer the rugby on top of that, but we don’t drop from that type of work ethic and intensity. If we ensure that is the case between here and the end of the season, we will be in those play-offs and be in control of our destiny.”

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With the game on the line in Italy, Connacht looked to have secured victory, having taken the lead in the 73rd minute for the first time. But one last thrust from the home side and one piece of poor defence out wide proved costly, as flanker Alessandro Izekor delivered the final blow.

Evenly balanced for the entire game, neither side was convincing, but with 11 teams bidding for the top eight spots, this is one result Connacht could well regret.

All the early pressure came from the home side, prompted by two scrum reversals for Connacht, and within eight minutes they had delivered a try. A skip pass from outhalf Jacob Umaga found right wing and Argentinian international Ignacio Mendy, who finished off before Umaga added three points from a penalty.

Despite enjoying more territory and possession, Connacht struggled to break down the Italian defence until late in the half when they produced two strong passages. Eventually, from a penalty to touch, Niall Murray secured possession, and delayed pass from scrumhalf McDonald sent Murray over, with Jack Carty converting for a 10-7 half-time score.

Both sides spurned chances in the second half with Carty missing a penalty, but when Umaga stretched the lead to 13-7 after Connacht were pinged for not releasing, it kick-started one of Connacht’s best attacks of the game with Cian Prendergast scoring what looked like the winning try.

Yet it was Benetton who produced the perfect finish when Izekor found space out wide to damage Connacht’s play-off hopes.

Benetton: R Smith; I Mendy, T Menoncello, I Brex, O Ratave; J Umaga, A Garbisi; T Gallo, G Nicotera, G Zilocchi; N Cannone, E Snyman (capt); A Izekor, M Lamaro, T Halafihi.

Replacements: L Cannone for Lamaro (25 mins), A Uren for Garbisi (45 mins), B Bernasconi for  Nicotera (48 mins), M Spagnolo for Gallo (55 mins), T Pasquali for Zilocchi (59 mins), F Ruzza Cannone (64 mins), M Fekitoa for Menoncello (71 mins), T Albornoz for Smith (76 mins).

Connacht: T O’Halloran; D Kilgallen, D Hawkshaw, C Forde, A Smith; J Carty (capt), M McDonald; J Duggan, D Heffernan, J Aungier; N Murray, J Joyce; C Prendergast, S Hurley-Langton, P Boyle.

Replacements: S Bolton for Kilgallen (16 mins), C Reilly for McDonald (45 mins), S Jennings for Forde, S Illo for Aungier, D Buckley for Duggan and D Murray for Joyce (all 53 mins), J Butler for Boyle (59 mins), E de Buitléar for Heffernan (68 mins).

Referee: M Ferrari (SA).

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