Archive News
Sharp Exiles teach Connacht a lesson
Date Published: 21-Oct-2008
CONNACHT have released the shackles in recent weeks and found some pretty impressive form, the work ethic and skill levels have reached a new high and the character of the team is at a level where fight backs are not beyond them, yet there is still at least one tier firmly above them in European Rugby and London Irish belong to that family.
There was evidence of the new found character in their reaction to the visitors’ second try at the Sportsground on Friday night, which stemmed from a turnover by Connacht when a try seemed certain and amounted to a 14 point swing.
The manner in which they bounced back and scored a gem of try in the process was a clear example of the new approach. London Irish are a good side, a very good side. They are at least top six and probably top four in the Premiership. They reached the Heineken Cup semi-final last year and the starting XV in Galway was the same bar one from the side that pelted the mighty Sale at home two weeks earlier. So in a sense the final outcome can’t be looked upon as a surprise. Their broken field play was exceptional and three of their four tries came off turnovers while Connacht attacked.
The visitors won thanks to a combination of lethal counter attacking from a bulky and electric backline, a dominant scrum, and a disruptive lineout. Their scores came early in both halves and in truth the game swung completely in their favour early in the third quarter of the contest when Topsy Ojo got in for their third try to stretch the lead to 12.
In between that, Connacht …