WILKINS HAS WORK TO DO DESPITE WIN

CARDIFF

12

CONNACHT

16

JOHN FALLON

CONNACHT laboured to their first win in Cardiff in seven years with the home side down to 14 men for most of the game.

Four of their next five fixtures are against teams below them in the league but coach Pete Wilkins (inset) knows they have plenty to improve on.

“I think it will take a lot of analysis and the reason for that is that almost every element of our game from our kicking game to our set-piece, to our attack and to our defence, had some really positive moments,” said Wilkins.

“But there were also some very poor moments where we needed to be better and where we didn’t deliver in those game areas. One of the first things we talked about in the dressing room was the intensity of our defence, five metres out, 10 metres out from our own line, compared to what we were like in the first half compared to how we came out at the start of the second half.

“There was a huge difference in that and I think it is important for us to really dig into that and understand the reasons for that and make sure that when we go out against Scarlets in two weeks that we don’t take a while to warm into the game.”

Cardiff finished the first half with 13 men on the pitch but lead 7-6 at the interval after Connacht failed to exploit the dismissal of centre Ray Lee-lo for a head-tohead challenge on Shayne Bolton which ended the winger’s evening after 15 minutes.

Cardiff dominated after the red card and scored a good try from centre Ben Thomas before JJ Hanrahn kicked a second penalty after No.8 Lopeti Limani was binned.

Cardiff went on the offensive after the break with 13 men and went 12-6 clear when Tongan Limani scored on his return, but the impact of the Connacht bench, particularly Jarrad

Butler, Peter Dooley and Sam Illo, was huge and they took over.

Dooley drove over for his first Connacht try 18 minutes from the end. Hanrahan converted to edge them in front and two minutes later kicked them four clear and they held on.

Scorers: Cardiff: Tries: B Thomas, L Timani. Con: T de Beer.

Connacht: Try: P Dooley. Con: JJ Hanrahan. Pens: Hanrahan (3).