Benetton 17 Connacht 19
Connacht used up their get out of jail card on Friday night in Italy, securing a victory with the last play of the game.
It was a sickener for Benetton who had looked like securing their first win of the season until Connacht produced a rare clinical lineout and maul with Bundee Aki touching down in the right corner. It was enough to take the four points, maintain their second spot in Conference B, and stretch their lead over Scarlets by 11 points.
Connacht had gone into the break 14-7 down having struggled to impose themselves in a scrappy first-half. A single try was all they could offer, and that came on 17 minutes. Paul Boyle had made the initial surge to the line before loosehead prop Finlay Bealham touched down, and outhalf Conor Fitzgerald added the extras.
However the hosts capitalised when visiting hooker Shane Delahunt was sent to the bin after a tip tackle on fullback Jayden Hayward, and they bagged two tries in five minutes.
The first came via the pack from a lineout which landed within five metres from the try line, and when they rumbled to the line, 21-year-old flanker Davide Ruggeri touched down with Edoardo Padovani adding the extras. Within minutes the home side added their second, winning a crossfield kick inside their own 22 before left wing Leonardo Sarto cut inside Peter Sullivan and scorched down the left wing to score with Padovanni again converting.
Connacht’s initial response after the break was swift and clinical. Paul Boyle made the hard yards following a lineout, and with strong support play from Kieran Marmion, Oisin Dowling and ealham, prop Paddy McAllister claimed the much-needed try, with Fitzgerald again converting to level the game.
However Connacht failed to kick on and were instead pushed back by a dogged Benetton. With their confidence high, Kieran Crowley’s side were content to mop up possession kicked away by Connacht, dominating both both territory and possession in the second-half.
When Benetton eventually won a penalty after Connacht’s Aki was penalised for going off his feet at the breakdown, it was an easy kick for Padovani to convert, putting the home side into the lead once again with five minutes remaining.
Somehow Connacht mustered a last stand as Aki turned hero. Winning a penalty on the ground, Connacht butchered the first lineout, but were given a lifeline with a second penalty.
This time Dowling set up the maul, and as it rolled towards the line Aki added his weight to the back, and touched down to secure a hard-fought win. It consigned an unlucky Benetton to their 12th successive defeat this season, while Andy Friend’s side maintains second place behind Munster.
Scoring sequence: 17m Bealham try, Fitzgerald con 0-7; 35m Ruggeri try Padovani con 7-7; 37m Sarto try, Padovani con 14-7; HT 14-7; 41m McAllister try, Fitzgerald con 14-14; 76m Padovani pen 17-14; 79m Aki try 17-19.
Benetton: J Hayward; A Esposito, J Riera, L Morisi, L Sarto; E Padovani, D Duvenage (capt); T Gallo, C Els, I Nemer; I Herbst, E Snyman; D Ruggeri, M Zuliani, R Favretto. Replacements: T Baravelle for Els and M Canali for Herbst (both 61m), N Quaglio for Gallo and Z Nearchou for Nemer (both 63), I Tavuyara for Rierra (69)., G Pettinelli for Zuliani (71).
Connacht: T O'Halloran; P Sullivan, T Daly, B Aki, A Wootton; C Fitzgerald, K Marmion; P McAllister, S Delahunt, F Bealham; O Dowling, G Thornbury; E Masterson, J Butler (capt), P Boyle. Replacements: D Buckley for McAllister and D Robertson-McCoy for Bealham (both 55), C Blade for Marmion (64), J Porch for Sullivan (58), N Murray for Thornbury and J Murphy for Delahunt (both 65), S Masterson for E Masterson (68). Yellow card: Shane Delahunt (Connacht) 33m.
Referee: Marius Mitrea (FIR).
