Dec 16,2024
Connacht are the only side to have maximum points after two games in the Challenge Cup after they carved out a fine win in Perpignan.
Pete Wilkins' side never trailed and in the end held off a spirited rally from the Top 14 side to win by five tries to two.
Connacht built on a great start to lead 19-8 at the break and should really have had the bonus point in the bag such was their dominance in the opening half.
The lead was built despite losing two players to injury with No.8 Sean O'Brien going off after less than four minutes, while winger Andrew Smith saw his game of the season end after 22 minutes with a hand injury.
By then Connacht were 14-0 ahead in the winter sunshine at Stade Aimé Giral with Byron Ralston getting them off the mark after four minutes from second phase after a tapped penalty.
They opted for the corner from a penalty in front of the posts six minutes later and were rewarded for their ambition when they got the drive after a lineout take from Darragh Murray and hooker Eoin de Buitlear finished.
Jack Carty added his second conversion but Perpignan, understrength like Connacht, hit back and loosehead Lorencio Boyer-Gallardo scored after several drives. Aontoine Aucagne missed the conversion but cut the gap to 14-8 with a penalty from the 22 after 28 minutes.
But he was the guilty party as Connacht got their third try, dropping a long pass back inside his 22 and from the resultant scrum, half-backs Matthew Devine and Carty sent full-back Santiago Cordero away and the Argetine international put Chay Mullins over in the right corner.
That should have been the second try of the game from the Irish sevens international, who scored a hat-trick on his debut last weekend against Zebre, but moments earlier he dropped a superb cross-kick from Carty when he just needed to catch it and fall over the line.
Perpignan hit back after the restart with a penalty from Aucagne being followed by a try from winger Jefferson Joseph as Connacht were punished for a series of penalties. Aucagne converted from the right touchline to cut the gap to 19-18 after 52 minutes.
But Connacht responded well and the experienced Paul Boyle got over for the bonus point after 58 minutes after several drives, with the TMO ruling it wasn’t a double movement as the Wexford man, who scored twice last week, stretched to score. Carty pushed the lead out to eight with the conversion and that was crucial as Perpignan finished strongly.
However, Connacht defended superbly and countered from deep through Cordero and Hawkshaw, and after Murray took another lineout, they got the drive and replacement hooker Adam McBurney crowned his debut with their fifth try.
Perpignan: Ali Crossdale; Jefferson Joseph, Riko Buliruarua, Apisai Naqalevu, Maxim Granell; Antoine Aucagne, James Hall; Lorencio Boyer-Gallardo, Seilala Lam (c), Nemo Roelofse; Alessandro Ortombina, Adrien Warion; Noe Della Schiava, Max Hicks, Andro Dvali.
Replacements: So'otala Fa'aso'o (for Dvali 50), Gela Aprasidze (for Hall 55), Tommaso Allan (for Aucagne 55), Victor Montgaillard (for Lam 62), Kieran Brookes (for Boyer-Gallardo 62), Freddy Duguivalu (for Buliruarua 62), Bastien Chinarro (for Hicks 67), Johan Barcenilla D’Onghia (for Roelofse 78).
Connacht: Santiago Cordero; Chay Mullins, Byron Ralston, Cathal Forde, Andrew Smith; Jack Carty, Matthew Devine; Denis Buckley, Eoin de Buitlear, Sam Illo; Darragh Murray, Joe Joyce; Cian Prendergast (c), Shamus Hurley-Langton, Sean O'Brien.
Replacements: Paul Boyle (for O’Brien 3), David Hawkshaw (for Smith 22), Ben Murphy (for Devine 52), Jack Aungier (for Illo 52), Devine (for Cordero 58), Conor Oliver (for Hurley-Langton 59), Adam McBurney (for de Buitlear 62), Jordan Duggan (for Buckley 62).
Referee: Sara Cox (England).
