Connacht 75

Montauban 14

By JOHN FALLON AT DEXCOM STADIUM

CONNACHT ran in eleven tries agaiunst a second string Montauban side at Dexcom Stadium on Saturday night to book their place in the knockout stages of the Challenge Cup.

Head coach Stuart Lancaster said it was a very workmanlike performance which has secured them home advantage against the Sharks in April.

“It was a real banana-skin game where you are expected to win, but I’m delighted with it,” said Lancaster. “Obviously, there were some moments of frustration as there are in every game, but generally, our multi-phase attack was excellent.

“I was looking at the age of the backline that finished. It must have been an average age of around 22-23 years old, which I think for the club is hugely exciting. A lot of lessons were learned in Montpellier, and I thought we played some really good rugby for 65 minutes.

“Overall, we’ve achieved our objective. We’ve got a home last 16 game. We will park this competition now and come back to it in April.”

Connacht led 56-7 at the break having run in eight tries and they continued to dominate after the restart when they scored another three tries on their way to a record win.

The eleven tries they scored is two short of their record haul against Cetransa El Salvador from Spain, while their record winning margin remains the 83-7 victory over Italian side Cavalieri Prato a decade and a half ago.

But this win is a timely boost for Connacht who host Leinster on Saturday when the €40m redevelopment of the former Sportsground is officially opened. The dressing rooms, dugouts and coaches’ boxes were in use for this encounter on a benign night in Galway.

Connacht had to saturate early pressure from Montauban but they made their first attack count after eight minutes when a looping pass from Jack Carty put Paul Boyle over in the right corner.

Sam Gilbert added the touchline conversion but play was held up for several minutes as 20-year-old Montauban hooker Maixent da Costa, who only made his debut last weekend, was stretchered off after suffering a serious injury in the build-up.

Connacht had the bonus point in the bag by the 30th minute when they were awarded a penalty try and Montauban winger Gade Asaeli was binned for offside just a minute after replacement hooker Ru-Hann Greyling was given a 20-minute red card for a dangerous hit in the clearout on Cathal Forde.

Connacht hit them for four more tries before the break with skipper Cian Prendergast adding to his 14th minute score as Harry West from Ballina scored his first Connacht try, while Matthew Devine also crossed and Boyle got his second.

Gilbert, who scored their third try in the opening quarter, landed all seven conversions in the opening half as Connacht led 56-7 at the break with the only respite for the ProD2 champions coming in the form of a 22nd minute try by debutant full-back Jean Seux.

Montauban had to remain at 13 men until the 49th minute of the game as they didn’t have another hooker to come on, with winger Gade Asaeli, who had been binned for the penalty try, remaining off.

Sean Jansen got in for Connacht’s ninth try four minutes after the restart after going to the right corner but the game became more disjointed as both sides emptied their benches with only the margin of victory to be decided.

Montauban were again reduced to 14 men when replacement Facundo Pomponio was binned after 65 minutes and Connacht ended a 20-minute scoreless period directly afterwards when Ben Murphy put Shane Jennings over for a try converted by Sean Naughton.

Connacht finished the game with 13 men when replacement full-back Sean Walsh had to go off injured ten minutes from time and then replacement tighthead Jack Aungier was binned for a head tackle.

That came in the build-up to Montauban’s second try when winger Paul Vallee scored after a good crosskick.

But Connacht finished on a high when replacement Dylan Tierney Martin scored in the final play after going to the right corner with a penalty.

Connacht: S Gilbert (S Walsh 41); S Jennings, H West, C Forde, F Treacy; J Carty (S Naughton 52), M Devine (B Murphy 52); B Bohan (D Buckley 46), D Heffernan (D Tierney-Martin 25), S Illo (J Aungier 46); D Murray, J Murphy (J Joyce 46); C Prendergast (c) (S O’Brien 41), P Boyle, S Jansen (Illo 77).

Montauban: J Seux; G Asaeli (L Aouf 42), S Renda, M Mathy (G Popoali’i 54), P Vallee; J Bosviel (T Fortunel 46), H Zabalza (M Castel 54); L Seyrolle (L Aouf 54), M da Costa (RH Greyling 9), S Mafileo (N Kanika 46); C Bitz, L Bean (K Wilkins 48); F Quercy (c), T Uanivi, N Ma’afu (F Pomponio 53).

Referee: Ben Connor (Wales).

Pictured: Connacht’s Cian Prendergast prepares to lay off the ball to Paul Boyle against Simon Renda of Montauban during Saturday’s European Challenge Cup encounter at Dexcom Stadium. Photos: Joe O’Shaughnessy.