Connacht 23
Bourgoin 20

By Rob Murphy

Let the good times roll. This particular chapter of Connacht rugby history is far from finished but on a glorious afternoon last Saturday, new heights were reached and the years of torment must have seemed like a distant memory to supporters of the western province.

Rugby in the west is alive with anticipation. The superstars from Toulon are booking their flights as we speak, Galway is bracing itself for a rugby mad May bank holiday weekend as this incredibly defiant young team continue to defy the odds.

Unbeaten in Galway since September, unbeaten in Europe this season, winning games in the last ten minutes, punching holes at will in the best defenses in the northern hemisphere, nailing clutch drop goals, bulldozing experienced packs and out-sprinting back lines. The quality of rugby is merely adding to the whole excitement.

This was as hard fought as you get. Connacht could have stormed to victory had they nailed their chances before half time but as with all French sides, when Bourgoin were allowed a route back into the contest they took it and perked up their intensity as a result.

In the second half they turned the game on its head and led by six. The energy was with them, Connacht were slumping and like so often before, the brave effort appeared to be coming up short. Then came that defiance, it’s a sort of confidence that even when things are going awry they can still find away to win.

The final 20 minutes of the contest saw Connacht wrestle their way back into a proceedings. Their incisive attacks turned the tide and Miah Nikora came on to notch the scores to level matters and than held his nerve to win the contest with a never to be forgotten drop goal.

The diminutive kiwi has is own little corner in the hall of Connacht rugby folklore now. The elation that swept around the 3,500 crowd would move even the stiffest neck hairs. The sea of green that greeted the players must have been uplifting from the outset but it was at its brightest at that stage.

Connacht deserved this victory. Tough calls had been made in selection with four of their recent walking wounded returning. Keith Matthews and Niva Ta’auso in the centres and the back row pair of captain John Muldoon and George Naoupu. All were touch and go last week but they couldn’t have been more influential on proceedings.

Let’s start with the monstrous Naoupu. He hit every moveable object within reach during the contest. He carried with immense success, his ball presentation and off-loads were on a different level to Bourgoin. Two knock-ons were his only negative points in an otherwise flawless display.

Add to that the efforts of John Muldoon who scored the second try and showed no signs of the injury which has held him out for two weeks. He was once again the great leader he has been all season and with Johnny O’Connor in the form of his life for the province and Naoupu, Connacht dominated the back row.

Set piece play again worked well, Michael Swift and Sean Cronin carried superbly in the tight, Swift hit rucks as hard as ever and the back line were feeding off this. While Ian Keatley was called ashore at just the right time he contributed enormously to the contest in the first half.

Connacht led through Swift’s early try. That came from a sustained attack on the visitors line and patient yard gaining from the pack. Connacht would have been 14-0 clear and cruising had Frank Murphy’s break led to a try with a four on one situation going awry when Mike McCarthy knocked on. The wrong options had been taken before that.

Bourgoin then notched the softest of tries through hooker Kopalani who burst through a gap in the ruck but crucially their response was to regain the tempo straight away. Muldoon’s try came from another rock solid lineout and a deft and intelligent move in midfield where Naoupu set for a maul but popped the ball out the backdoor to Matthews.

Bourgoin trained 14-10 at the break but in Benjamin Boyet they had a real match winner, he had kicked a conversion and penalty before the break and added another penalty before scrum half John Seino scored his side’s second try midway through the half to edge them in front by six points.

Connacht got a break with a Nikora penalty straight after that and then Troy Nathan stepped up to the mark with a barnstorming break that paved the way for penalty number two for the replacement out half. The roar swept across the city as the home support sensed a sea change and their team duly delivered. Again.

The green flags will be popping up all over the provinces in the coming weeks. Galway will hopefully turn into a sea of Connacht colours before the Toulon visit. In the meantime there is the small matter of a Heineken Cup place at stake in the Magners League.

Next up, Munster in Galway on Sunday. No rest but these are wicked times all the same.

Connacht: G Duffy; T Nathan, N Taauso (C O’Loughlin 78 mins), K Matthews, D Carr (A Wynne 67 mins); I Keatley (M Nikora 61 mins), F Murphy; B Wilkinson, S Cronin (A Flavin 71 mins), J Hagan (R Morris 66 mins); M Swift, M McCarthy ( B Upton 65 mins); J Muldoon, J O’Connor; G Nauopu.

Bourgoin: M Moinot; R Coetzee, W Van Zyl (N Viazzo half-time), A Demoulin (S Lahoo half time) JF Coux; B Boyet, J Senio; O Milloud (P Cardinale 72 mins), TA Kopelani (JP Genevois half-time), A Tchougong (V Pelo 73 mins); B Williams, C Basson; J Frier, T Cowley; C Levast ( B Leoute half-time).

Referee: A Small (England).