Challenge Cup: Connacht 52 Lyon 24
European rugby is once again proving a happy hunting ground for Connacht. With a final game against Cardiff to come, Connacht sit atop pool one of the Challenge Cup and have already qualified for the round of 16. However, Pete Wilkins’s men are now looking to claim a difficult win in Wales to secure the best possible seeding for the knock-out stages and a possible home fixture.
Hailing it as a “significant” win, Wilkins said: “Cardiff will come around quick, and that’s still important in the context of the Challenge Cup for us and the seedings as we go into the knock-out stages. Inconsistency has been something that’s been thrown at us before, and we’ve got to back it up again. We’ve got to step up and deliver another good performance over there.”
After Connacht’s 17-7 loss to Ulster in the URC, Wilkins says there were many “real, heartfelt conversations”.
“Yes, there’s rugby we needed to improve, and we worked really hard on the training field. But at the same time, what sort of energy were we giving out to the people who are there cheering us on as ever?
“That’s been done undying, but what kind of impression are we giving about how much it means to us and repaying the energy they’ve given us home and away for so long? So there was a lot of real heartfelt conversations, and tonight was significant.”
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Connacht did have the slight edge before kick-off against Lyon, having picked up the full 10 points. But the French outfit, with some serious firepower in their starting XV, had also won their opening two games and were expected to be a serious threat to the home side’s ambitions.
However it was Connacht who dominated with a performance of real intent, led by man of the match Ben Murphy, and by half-time they had firmly established their superiority, having taken control for long periods.
They had bagged the bonus-point fourth try by the break, dominated both territory and possession, and were quickest off the mark, taking a 7-0 lead after just three minutes. It came courtesy of an intercept by Cian Prendergast, and scrumhalf Ben Murphy had the legs and pace to race in from 60 metres to score, with outhalf Josh Ioane adding the extras.
The home side continued to show greater enterprise with ball in hand, but did not have all their own way with the French side packing some power up front, and it was that domination which provided them with opportunities before Martin Page-Relo opted to kick a penalty to open their scoring after 12 minutes.
However, within minutes the French side had conceded a second try after fullback Allan Tchaptchet was caught offside. Connacht went to touch eight metres from the try line, a solid set piece led by captain Cian Prendergast ensued, and when the backs joined the assault, it resulted in a try for number eight Sean Jansen after 14 minutes, a missed conversion giving them a 12-3 lead .
Within four minutes and with all the momentum, they had bagged their third with Finlay Bealham touching down, kick-started by a superb 50:22 kick from Santiago Cordero before the pack took control from the lineout.
However, a yellow card to Oisín Dowling helped Lyon bag a 25th-minute try through a lineout and drive through Sam Matevasi, and Page-Relo’s conversion closed to gap to nine points.
After failing to take advantage of another penalty opportunity, an overcooked kick from Fletcher Smith not helping their chase, Connacht regained control and reaped the rewards.
An Ioane penalty and a fourth try and bonus point followed through scrumhalf Ben Murphy, while second-half replacement Josh Murphy delivered his first try for Connacht.
The influential Bundee Aki, revelling in this cup fixture, made the incisive outside break that led to the sixth try. Chay Mullins added the necessary pace and impetus, and the final pass found the supporting Ben Murphy who finished off – his seventh try in 10 games.
With Connacht enjoying a 37-10 lead, Lyon’s challenge faded, the the home side’s try fest continued with a seventh try through replacement Jack Aungier.
Although replacement Lyon hooker Guillaume Marchand grabbed a try in the 68th minute from a rolling maul, it was of little consequence to the final score. That ended with Dylan Tierney Martin and Shamus Hurley-Langton adding their names to the try sheet to extend Connacht’s winning margin.
SCORING SEQUENCE – 2 mins: Murphy try, Ioane con, 7-0; 11: Page-Relo pen , 7-3; 14: Jansen try, 12-3; 17: Bealham try, Ioane con, 19-3; 23: S Matevasi try, Page-Relo con, 19-10; 34: Ioane pen, 22-10; 38: B Murphy try, 27-10; 41: J Murphy try, 32-10; 45: B Murphy try, 37-10; 48: Regard try, Meiland con, 37-17; 53: J Aungier try, 42-17; 69: Marchand try, con, 42-24; 72: Tierney-Martin try, 47-24; 83: Hurley-Langton try, 52-24
CONNACHT: S Cordero; C Mullins, P O’Conor, B Aki, S Jennings; J Ioane, B Murphy; P Dooley, D Heffernan, F Bealham; O Dowling, J Joyce; C Prendergast (capt), S Hurley-Langton, S Jansen.
Replacements: J Murphy for Dowling (41 mins); D Tierney-Martin for Heffernan, J Aungier for Bealham, D Hawkshaw for Jennings (all 52); J Duggan for Dooley (58), P Boyle for Prendergast, C Blade for Murphy (both 58), C Forde for Aki (72).
Yellow card: O Dowling (22 mins).
LYON: A Tchaptchet; S Radradra, J Maraku, T Regard, V Rattez; F Smith, M Page-Relo; H Kaabeche, S Matavesi, I Aptsiauri; F Lambey (capt), T Lavanini; S Blanc-Mappaz, M Okuya, M Gouzou.
Replacements: M Meliande for Fletcher-Smith (40 mins); G Marchand for Matavesi, J Ainsley for Kaabeche (both 47); L Pakihivatau for Aptsiauri (52); A Parisien for Regard (54); P Pacheco for Okuya (55); K Geraci for Lambey, C Cassang for Page-Relo (both 61).
Yellow card: S Radradra (38 mins).
Referee: Hollie Davidson (Scotland).
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