Connacht work for victory against Edinburgh

Pro 12 League

Connacht 14 Edinburgh 9

Sitting pretty in second spot after six games, Connacht continue to make hay during this opening period of the Guinness Pro 12. Edinburgh was the latest conquest for Pat Lam's squad, eking out a close victory at the Galway Sportsground, but Lam is preparing for tougher tests ahead, beginning with Treviso this Friday.

“Pretty satisfied,” says Lam.” It would have been the perfect start, but for the Glasgow game. It still hurts us, but the main thing is our home ground [record] is precious to us and we don’t want to lose it.

Strong chance

“We saw last year there’s such a long way to go. We know these games are crucial, and things change, but one more win in the Pro 12, and we stay minimum second, then go into Europe and then we come back to all the interpros, the colder weather, and we have to adjust.”

While there is a strong chance Robbie Henshaw will action next weekend, fellow World Cup player Nathan White made his appearance as a replacement against Edinburgh when fresh legs were needed against a physical Edinburgh outfit.

Although they led from start to finish, Connacht needed to put in huge defensive effort in the second half to see off Alan Solomon’s side which crashed to a second successive victory after a run of four wins.

Despite perfect weather, it was an error-ridden game marked by penalties, but a first-half training pitch try proved the difference.

Outhalf Jacky Carty opened the scoring after eight minutes with a straightforward penalty from 30 metres and within two minutes Connacht had struck again when Carty's deft inside pass allowed Matt Healy to carve open the Scottish defence, with fullback Tiernan O'Halloran crossing.

Edinburgh countered with a penalty in the 17th minute from scrumhalf Sam Hildago-Clyne, while the visitors' scrum provided a second before the break, which young fullback Blair Kinghorn kicked from half way to close the gap to 8-6 at the break.

But in the battle of the breakdown, led by captain John Muldoon, Connacht secured a crucial penalty within minutes of the restart which Carty converted before Edinburgh wrested control and replied with a 53rd minute Hidalgo-Clyne three-pointer.

However Nepia Fox-Matamua forced a penalty at the breakdown two minutes later which Carty converted.

Such was the stop-start nature of this game, it was not until the 76th minute that Connacht had another opportunity to add to their tally. Although Carty’s two long efforts were short.

CONNACHT: T O'Halloran, D Leader, B Aki, C Ronaldson, M Healy, J Carty, K Marmion, D Buckley, T McCartney, R Ah You, A Muldowney, A Browne, J Muldoon (capt), N Fox-Matamua, E Masterson. Replacements: N White for A You and Q Roux for Muldowney (47 mins), E McKeon for Masterson (62 mins), I Porter for Marmion (69 mins), D Heffernan for McCartney, N Adeolokin for O'Halloran (both 71 mins), F Bealham for Buckley (73 mins), Q Roux for Muldowney (74 mins).

EDINBURGH: B Kinghorn, D Hoyland, C Dean, S Beard, W Helu, P Burleigh, S Hidalgo-Clyne, R Sutherland, N Cochrane, J Andress, A Bresler, F McKenzie, M Coman (capt), R Grant, N Manu. Replacements: N McLennan for Kinghorn (h-t), C De Preez for Manu (47 mins), A Toolis for Brelser (62 mins), A Dell for Sutherland, G Turner for Cochrane, S Berghan for Andress, D Fife for Burleigh (all 66 mins). Yellow card: Fraser McKenzie (77 mins).

Referee: L Hodges (WRFU).