Lions 26

Connacht 7

By JOHN FALLON

INTERIM head coach Cullie Tucker admitted Connacht now face an uphill battle if they are to somehow snatch a top half finish after their hopes of qualifying for the knockout stages of the league suffered a massive setback when they went down to a Lions side on a five-match losing run.

They will need maximum points from their remaining games at home to Edinburgh and away to Zebre and hope a series of other results go their way if they are to make it to the knockout stages and into next season’s Champions Cup.

“The result is a big blow,” said Tucker. “We were aiming to get four or five points here and then we would be right back in the hunt. Technically we are still in the running, but we’re going to have to rely on other teams now as well.”

He and his management now have to contend with a plethora of injuries from this contest. But with just five league wins all season and failing to get a single point in Ellis Park on Saturday after having to settle for two bonus points a week earlier in Cape Town, a frustrating campaign looks set to come up short.

Skipper Cian Prendergast said they would battle to the end but he knows this loss leaves them needing an awful lot to go their way at this stage.

“I think this tour probably sums up how the season has been for us,” said Prendergast. “We’ll always battle for each other, we’ll always battle for the coaching group that’s here with us and look, it’s just disappointing.

“We didn’t show the best side of ourselves and started too slow, the Lions are too good a side to give them that many opportunities.”

Connacht have had grievances with the way several games worked out this season but they could have no complaints about the outcome in Ellis Park, although the dreadful surface at the iconic stadium did neither side any favours.

For a time it looked like Connacht would fail to score for the first time in three years but replacement hooker Eoin de Buitléar finished a rare good move that didn’t break down.

Bonus points have kept Connacht’s league season alive up to now but having only won five games throughout they really needed to carve out a win and give themselves something tangible to play for in their remaining games at home to Edinburgh and away to Zebre.

Pictured: Connacht’s Hugh Gavin is tackled by Renzo Du Plessis of the Lions during Saturday’s URC encounter at Airlines Park, Johannesburg.