Carty has Connacht in cruise control

JACK Carty maintained his 100 per cent record from the tee this season as tries from Tom Farrell, Eoghan Masterson, Ultan Dillane and Darragh Leader saw Connacht to victory.

After last weekend’s abject display at home to Glasgow, Connacht upped their quality with a bonus point win against an outclassed Kings side playing in Ireland for the first time.

“That’s a big step up from last week,” said Bundee Aki. “Last week we came out with a lot of disappointment and a lot of stuff to work on but some of the stuff we rectified today, but we still have a couple of things to work on which is a good thing.”

With Jarrad Butler impressing, Connacht bossed early on and after 15 minutes they hit the front when Farrell cruised under the posts four minutes after Sibusiso Sithole had been sin-binned for a tip tackle.

Carty converted for a 7-0 lead and soon added a penalty earned by the much improved Connacht scrum, but the Kings settled well and deserved their score when Berton Klaasen crossed eight minutes from the interval. But straight from the restart Masterson scored again, and with the time elapsed Connacht struck for a third try in added time when Dillane barrelled over with assistance from Denis Buckley and Butler.

A second Carty penalty after 47 minutes stretched their lead to 27-5, and they then lost Finlay Bealham on a yellow, but after Leader’s fourth they easily closed out the win, while John Muldoon was sin-binned for a shoulder charge late on.