Connacht get few breaks in tough assignment

Newcastle 29

Connacht 5

There’s a story to be told here and it’s not directly related to the outcome. For sure, a 29-5 loss should be no great surprise, a Newcastle team back to close to full strength administering revenge on a Connacht side that were heavily depleted after another spree of knocks, bumps and bruises.

Yet that can’t be the only tale that permeates from a blustery Kingston Park on Sunday. This result, the first half and yet another example of sub standard officiating from leading officials might be nothing more than a tiny footnote in Connacht’s season but it is worth starting the report at half time to at least ensure that the mood at that very moment isn’t completely lost from the memory banks.

The sides were locked at five points apiece as Ben Whitehouse blew for halftime. With the wind at their backs Newcastle had offered little or nothing to indicate they were going to have enough to win this game, Connacht were the dominant force. A west of Ireland team jam packed full of emerging players but shorn of some of the key components of this hugely successful start to the season.

It was hair raising stuff from the get go. Where Connacht of old would feel their way into a contest after making this many changes and missing that many experienced leaders, the Connacht of new arrived with a familiar ‘why not have a go’ attitude. So in the manner of what was on show at Thomond Park, the Liberty Stadium or Krasnoyarsk before, the westerners served up more ball in hand, heads up, expansive rugby from the first phase and it barely let up until half time.

Now there were mistakes too. A lack of direct runners was a key omission, some ponderous phases when they reached the edge of the 22 and a couple of other misfires in the 22 including a lineout and maul that was well read by the home pack and a bad defensive mix up, with more than a hint of blocking,  that allowed the twinkle toed Marcus Watson to dance through a gap on the ten metre line and sprint home for a soft try.

All untidy and frustrating for sure but they were just a handful of negatives from a half that was brim full of positives for the young Connacht side. Eoghan Masterson seemed to have scored a perfectly legitimate try in the opening minutes after a barnstorming break but Whitehouse felt he had been held and executed a double movement and his seemingly lifeless assistant referees showed no interest in helping.

The evidence was far from compelling on first view and the lack of a TMO meant there was no second glimpse. Connacht were denied but not deterred. Caolin Blade was getting good front foot ball and using it well, any Newcastle attacks were foiled by strong counter rucking and turnovers, Eoghan Masterson and Rory Parata had two stand out ones along the way.

Full match report in this week’s Connacht Tribune.