Connacht’s five-star show raises heat on Jackman

CONNACHT heaped futher pressure on their former player Bernard Jackman after his Dragons were blown away at the Sportsground yesterday, the home side claiming the bonus point before half time.

Second row James Cannon and flanker Colby Fainga’a scored their first tries for the province in an impressive performance where Andy Friend’s men showed a far greater capacity to cope with the tricky conditions.

Connacht touched down three times in a devastating sixminute first-half spell, with winger Darragh Leader crossing in between the pair’s efforts, and their bonus point was secured by hooker Tom McCartney’s 39th-minute score.

Trailing 26-0 at half-time, Hallam Amos lifted the Welshmen with a 56th-minute try and Taine Basham also scored late on, but Tom Farrell (above) sandwiched in Connacht’s fifth of the night.

Rebounding from last week’s final-play defeat at Ospreys, the well-earned victory has moved Connacht temporarily up to third in the Conference A table, with Dragons sitting second from bottom in Conference B.

Yesterday evening’s loss means the Dragons have now gone 37 away games in the Pro14 without a win, placing Jackman under intense scrutiny after he promised things would improve this season.