Connacht’s mixed bag is not enough in try-scoring feast

Scarlets 41

Connacht 36

ON a breathtaking Monday evening of rugby, Connacht concluded their PRO14 campaign with a performance that oscillated between exhilarating and farcical. A five try first half blitz from Andy Friend’s side was followed by a humiliating second half collapse at the Parc Y Scarlets as the home side from Llanelli staged a remarkable fightback to secure a vital victory.

The Scarlets came into the game needing a win to secure Champions Cup rugby next year, while Connacht, as we know, were locked into their position of second. Aaron Shingler’s try after less than 100 seconds had the visitors reeling early. A sloppy penalty from Ben O’Donnell had set the tone, Connacht were pushed back into their own 22 and after a quick series of attacks from the lineout, Shingler scored in the corner with minimal fuss. The visitors were missing tackles from the off.

That was alarming and seemed to suggest that the Scarlets were going to be far too powerful and far too focused on the day that was in it. Yet within minutes, Connacht were on the front foot, with some high energy all action running rugby. The initial break involved John Porch and Sean O’Brien and was stopped just short, but that set Connacht up for a spell of sustained pressure in the home 22.

The Scarlets defended desperately as the Connacht forwards probed but when Marc Jones was sent to the sin bin for a transgression in the ruck, the defence wilted with Porch scoring the visitors’ first try off a nicely crafted backline move. The sin bin led to further Connacht dominance and another try, this time Abraham Papali’i scored in the corner after another spell of attacks in the home 22. Conor Fitzgerald’s brilliant pass, out to the big number eight who was lurking on the wing under pressure, made that try for a 12-5 lead.

Not long after Jones returned, the Scarlets threatened and then easily scored a second try only for the score to be disallowed on video review. Prop Pieter Scholtz had led with the elbow while carrying the ball. Incredibly and inexplicably, TMO Ian Davies told referee Ben Whitehouse that the first point of contact had been to the chest even as we all watched the slow motion replay of the elbow striking tackler Porch on the chin. That should have been a red card, but was deemed a yellow and only serves to underline the continuing inconsistency in officiating.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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