By LDTT
September 18 2006

Connacht's 100% record in the Magners League came to an end on Friday in the Sportsground, as Llanelli ran away victorious scoring four tries to Connacht's two. Connacht will look back at the 37-15 scoreline, and think, when did this one get away?

At half time Llanelli lead 8-20 but the home crowd knew that 12 points isn't a huge difference with 40-odd minutes still to go at the Sportsground. Uncharacteristically, McHugh had missed an early penalty and later a conversion, as Mostyn crossed to put Connacht into an 5-3 lead. Llanelli replied almost immediately with a try from winger Darren Daniel almost from the restart.

 

As the half wore on, Connacht were kept pegged in their own half by the Llanelli defence while never really showing much of a spark. The Welsh men on the other hand were playing some great rugby, and their slick hands were dragging the Connacht defence around the pitch. It came as some surprise then that with a man overlap and the try line beckoning, Matthew Watkins knocked on to let Connacht of the hook. Not so however, as the ensuing scrum went 90 degrees, Llanelli had the put in to the reset, and shortly thereafter, Easterby barged his way over the line. There were calls of both a forward pass in the build up, and a double movement for the score, but the ref awarded the try. Stephen Jones was kicking everything at this stage and the ref blew his whistle for the half time break shortly after McHugh had added a penalty of his own from under the posts.

 

While on the scoreboard, the second half seems just as bad as the first, Connacht had a huge number of line breaks, including an almost certain try for Keith Matthews, when he bizarrely tried to pass inside to a team mate. (He was subbed shortly afterwards for Dan Riordan) On another occasion, John Hearty tore through the Llanelli defence to race the length of the field. He was pulled down on the twenty-two, and when the support arrived he found himself released by the tackler. Getting to his feet to take the ball on, the ref blew for a double movement. (Mr. Hannah incidentally was clearly making up rules as he went along. He won't want a performance review to be based on his performance last friday).

 

Connacht were making chances, and McHugh took his when he incepted a pass in his own half to score under the posts. However the deficit down to just 8, Connacht fell to pieces. Two tries from the Kiwi Regan King seal the game as Gavin Williams was handed off far too easily. As the crowd ebbed away from the Stadium, I was reflecting on what positives Connacht can take from this game. In reality, though the scoreline suggests otherwise, they were quite close to Llanelli.

 

Take away Regan King's two tries and you have a fairer reflection of the scoreline. (23-15). Considering more organisation in defence and the concession of fewer kickable penalties, Connacht could have come out of the game with something. Instead, Llanelli top the table, and we come out with nothing.

 

Still, on the positive side, there was a much bigger turn out in Garveys bar this week. And hopefully next week after the Edinburgh game we can toast our very own bonus point win.

 

Connacht man of the match: Matt Lacey was out there putting in the huge hits and he worked his socks off, as did Colm Rigney who was carrying the ball through anything in front of him. However the award has to go to Andrew Farley. The man dragged us through the game. When some players weren't interested, he barrelled though defenders and kept us going forward. Some of his team mates, who usually lead by example themselves, will have to look to Farley for leadership next week.