Connacht Rugby Beaten in Wales
Dragons 23 - Connacht 10

Rob Murphy of Knockon.ie reviews the match action. 

Over the past number of seasons Connacht have shown a propensity for conjuring up surprise results when at their lowest ebb and on Saturday they certainly were in with a shout of another such victory in the dying minutes but in the end they didn't even get a bonus point for their efforts.

In a poor and scrappy contest in wet conditions it's hard to feel that Connacht didn't deserve a bonus point even if just for the fact that this huge improvement on their last away performance but you got to earn every point in this league and a sloppy late turnover gave away one in east Wales.

What will also worry Connacht supporters is the obvious signs of a blunt attacking threat. Long periods of second half possession led to very little in the way of clear cut try scoring chances and more yards lost than gained with ball in hand.

Connacht had changed more than half their team for this contest with the likes of Fionn Carr, Mike McComish, Frank Murphy, Ian Keatley and Brian Tuohy all missing out after the poor Ulster defeat although Tuohy did get called in to replace the injured Niva Ta'auso.

Losing Ta'auso for another game was a harsh blow for the management who have a back line well short of the required zest to unlock any of the Magners League defences. It's not all down to personnel though, or the loss of one player, confidence seems to be a problem as well.

Despite the changes, it was the home side who started well and they deserved their 10-0 lead thanks to a third minute penalty from James Arlidge and a try on 15 minutes from James Harris after a five metre scrum move where Danny Lee broke from the base before executing a superb behind the back pass for Harris on the inside. Connacht were caught cold.

The visitors fought back however and Conor O'Loughlin, on a rare start, had a try disallowed before setting up Miah Nikora for a try before half time. That score was converted by Nikora and no more than the men in green deserved at that stage

The Dragons scored again through the boot of Arlidge just before half time only for Nikora to answer with a late penalty to make it 13-10 at the break.

The third quarter was fairly even with no score from either side, a 65 minute penalty from replacement Shaun Connor proved important for the Dragons however as it stretched their lead to six and meant Connacht had to go for the try.

Despite some half breaks, they rarely looked capable of scoring however and with the game stretched in the dying seconds a loose pass hit the ground and was scooped up by Joe Beaman who cantered home for his sides second try which denied Connacht a much needed consolation bonus point. When it rains and all that.

Newport Gwent Dragons: M Thomas; A Brew, T Riley, A Smith, R Fussell; J Arlidge, D Lee; H Gustafson, S Jones, G Robinson; A Jones, L Charteris; D Lydiate, J Harris, J Bearman.
Replacements: N Hall for Robinson, 46 mins; H McDonald for Harris, 50 mins; S Connor for Arlidge, 51 mins; W Evans for Lee, 60 mins.

Connacht: G Duffy; B Tuohy, T Nathan, K Matthews, L Bibo; M Nikora, C O'Loughlin; R Loughney, S Cronin, J Hagan; M Swift, B Upton; M McCarthy, J O'Connor, J Muldoon.
Replacements: B Wilkinson for Loughney, 53 mins; F Murphy for O'Loughlin, 60 mins; I Keatley for Nikora, 70 mins; A Browne for Swift, 77 mins.

Referee: P Fitzgibbon (IRFU).

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