Victory marred by fresh injuries

PAT Lam bemoaned fresh injury concerns despite a bonus-point win ahead of a crucial Champions Cup double-header with Wasps.

Returning wing Matt Healy was a late withdrawal, replaced before kick-off by try-scorer Danie Poolman, while Springbok Marnitz Boshoff, who was making his first start, went off injured late on.

Connacht scored seven tries in all, with two from Tom McCartney and one from Poolman, Denis Buckley, John Cooney, Dave Heffernan and Jack Carty.

But a week out from a trip to Coventry to face Wasps all talk was of the injuries to Lam’s star duo.

Lam said: “Matt Healy had a false start today, he felt his knee in the warm-up so it is disappointing. With Marnitz, it looks like his shoulder, but we’ll see over the next 48 hours.”

Connacht led 28-3 at halftime and already had the bonus point sown up before the break, despite Cian Kelleher being yellowcarded for a tackle in the air and Treviso’s Simone Ferrari also saw yellow for repeated infringements.