Connacht had defended with far more vigor and determination than
the previous week’s defeat to Harlequins but the penalty count was high
and a the point of the opening try it read six one in favor of the
visitors.
After half time Saracens started well and had a second try on the
board when a third successive five metre scrum led to a penalty try
which still seemed a little harsh. Derick Hougaard’s conversion made it
12-0 at that point.
Connacht’s response was uplifting for the home support as they
began a ten minute assault on the visitors line. Eoin Griffin and
Tiernan O’Halloran almost combined to get over initially but it took a
series of penalties and lineouts to break down a resolute Saracens
defense.
Eventually a lineout 10 metros out yielded the score with a
powerful drive paving the way for Adrian Flavin to get the touchdown,
the conversion was missed but Connacht were back in it.
Alas, the revival lasted less than a minute, Saracens won the
restart, recycled and replacement scrum half Richard Wigglesworth made
the break setting up Kameli Ratuou for a fine try.
Saracens added a fourth late on, with Kelly Brown crashing over
after the ball was nabbed from a Connacht lineout. A positive finish
although a serious looking first half injury to Alex Goode will be a
worry for Brendan Venter’s men.
For Connacht, the improvements will be encouraging and the injury
count is a mitigating factor with the likes of Ian Keatley, Keith
Matthews, Mike McCarthy and Johnny O’Connor all unavailable this week.
They kick off their Magners League campaign in two weeks time at home
to the Dragons.
Connacht: T Halloran; T Nathan, N Taauso, E Griffin, F Carr; M
Nikora, F Murphy; R Loughney, A Flavin, J Hagan; M Swift, B Upton; A
Browne, R Ofisa, E Taylor.
Replacements R Sweeney, B Wilkinson, D Nolan, D Buckley, M
McComish, S Conneely, C Willis, I Keatley, S Monahan, D Fanning, A
Kennedy, A Wynne
B Wilkinson for Loughney h/t; M
McComish for Ofisa 43 mins; S Conneely for Brown 67 mins; D Fanning for
Nikora 68 mins; R Sweeney for Hagen 74 mins; D Nolan for Swift 78 mins.
Saracens: A Goode; C Wyles, A Powell, B Barritt, N
Cato, D Hoygaard, N De Kock; D Carstens, S Brits, R Skuse; H Vyvyn, M
Botha, K Brown, J Burger, E Joubert.
Replacements: R Penny for Goode (inj) 36 mins; R
Gill for Carstens h/t; P Du Plessis for Skuse h/t; R Wigglesworth for
De Kock h/t; K Ratouvu for Powell h/t; J Melck for Joubert 47 mins; D
Barrell, for Burger 51 mins; N Mordt for Barritt 51 mins; G Kruis for
Vyvyn 51 mins; H Smith for Botha 62 mins; E Reynecke for Brits 62 mins;
M Parr for Gill 73 mins.
Ref Peter Fitzgibbon.
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