Challenge Cup: Pau 30 Connacht 40
Connacht have advanced to the Challenge Cup quarter-finals after a thrilling dogfight with Pau in Stade du Hameau.
The game produced nine tries in total, and when birthday boy Bundee Aki scored his team’s fifth in the 63rd minute, it gave Pete Wilkins’s side the lead for the first time since the 36th minute.
Connacht then had enough in the tank to wrap up the victory with a sixth try a minute from full-time, ensuring they will meet fellow URC opponents Benetton next weekend in Italy.
In an enthralling contest, this was Connacht’s first win in a single knock-out away game in Europe. Wilkins described the performance as “exceptional”, not just for the evening’s display but also the way in which his players had applied themselves in recent weeks.
“We haven’t always played well enough to get the wins, but they stuck at it. At one stage the self-belief wavered, but there was huge amount of energy and physicality.
“We have always known the character was there, what we have been working on is greater consistency – consistency of mindset that when in the fight, we can hang in there. We might have negative moments, but we can regroup and go again.
“It really was an exceptional performance, not just in delivering this evening, but for the way they have applied themselves over the last few weeks and months.”
Connacht enjoyed an ideal start. Off the mark early on, they took advantage of three successive penalties to establish field position, and from a penalty to touch, Joe Joyce led the resulting drive
The home sides riposte was swift. Within four minutes they had levelled matters, content to go through the phases before Eliot Roudil delivered the perfect ball to number eight Sacha Zegueur, who had space to finish from eight metres out, with outhalf Joe Simmonds adding the extras.
As play continued to swing between both halves, Connacht’s Dave Heffernan played a key part in the second try, showing great acceleration. Finlay Bealham and Aki got in on the act before Jack Carty delivered a looping pass for Cian Prendergast, who scored in the corner for a 12-7 lead.
Connacht spent the remainder of the half on the back foot, not helped by losing Jarrad Butler to a possible concussion. The home side changed gears, dominating possession and territory, putting Wilkins’s side under the cosh for long periods. They reaped the reward with a 25th-minute penalty to close the gap to 10-12 before adding another in the 35th minute.
Connacht might have been grateful for a one-point deficit going into the break, but the home side had all the momentum, and they made it count. They showed their ability to up the gears inside the 22, and Pau centre Jale Vatubua opted for a long kick before Thomas Carol out-sprinted Carty and allowed Zegueur to finish off. Simmonds’s conversion ensured Pau enjoyed a 20-12 lead at half-time.
However, a superb effort from Shane Bolton in a replica of the try that had just been conceded narrowed the gap to a single point, but Connacht conceded again within two minutes when Ziggy Fisi’ihoi crashed over. Simmonds converted and then added a drop goal four minutes later.
It looked ominous for the visitors, now 11 points in arrears, 30-19.
But Connacht cut the deficit to four when Caolin Blade finished a multiphase attack in which Dave Heffernan played a key part. Although momentum continued to swing back and forth, Connacht with 20 minutes remaining looked the more likely to score next.
Both sides enjoyed a rest for a long TMO decision that resulted in a yellow card for Vatubua, and from the subsequent play Connacht eventually scored with Aki burrowing over, confirmed after a TMO review. Hanrahan’s conversion saw Connacht take 33-30 lead.
Both sides fought for every scrap, and a vital turnover from Prendergast provided relief for Connacht when they were under pressure just 10 metres from their own goalline. The flanker also delivered the killer blow after a superb multiphase attack. Hanrahan added the cherry on top with his conversion for a memorable victory.
Section Paloise: J Maddocks, T Carol, E Roudil, J Vatubua, A Tuimaba, J Simmonds, D Robson, Fisi’ihoi, Y Delhommel, S Tokolahi, G Ducat, L Tagitagivalu, M Puech (C), T Hamonou, S Zegueur. Replacements: R Hewat for Puech (32m), A Desperes for Tuimaba (HT), L Rey for Delhommel and H Parrou for Fisi’ihoi (both 5) m), G Papidze for Tokolahi (56m), S Cummins for Ducat (60m), F Metz for Tagitagivalu and T Daubagna for Carol (both 72m).
Connacht: T O’Halloran, S Bolton, D Hawkshaw, B Aki, S Jennings, J Carty (C), C Blade, D Buckley, D Heffernan, F Bealham, J Joyce, N Murray, C Prendergast, S Hurley-Langton, J Butler. Replacements: C Oliver for Butler (14m), T Farrell for Bolton (48m), JJ Hanrahan for Carty (49m), J Duggan for Buckley and D Murray for. Murray (both 55m), S Illo for Bealham (67m).
Referee: Andrea Piardi (Italy).
