IT’S A CRACKER!
Blues grab late victory to deny Connacht in festive feast
RUGBY UNION
Caolin Blade (right) to bag the Westerners’ 47th-minute bonus point and Carty added a penalty.
However, Leinster’s bench eventually had the bigger say with that breathtaking three-try finish.
Tiernan O’halloran’s late cry-off brought Bundee Aki into the visitors’ line-up, fresh from his wedding to long-time partner Kayla.
Winger Kelleher’s pace took him over in the far right corner with five minutes gone but the Blues built pressure from a Hugo Keenan and Caelan Doris-led break before Jamison Gibson-park sniped around the side of an 11th-minute ruck and sent the supporting O’brien in under the posts. The momentum swung back to Connacht with Tom Farrell’s inviting offload sending pacy full-back Leader scything through for a 22nd-minute seven-pointer.
It was Blade’s rip in the tackle which launched Connacht forward for Carty’s 33rdminute try, captain Jarrad Butler’s bulldozing carry gobbling up further yards before the fly-half ’s clever chip and collect saw him nip over beside the posts.
Leo Cullen’s men were over the whitewash within three minutes of the restart, a 17phase attack ending with Kearney muscling over from close range. However, barely three minutes later, Carty’s burst through midfield saw him set up Blade for a deserved converted try. Connacht were on the cusp of a famous win – their sixth in a row under Andy Friend – when Carty nailed a 63rd-minute penalty. The hosts had 10 internationals on the pitch in the closing stages, that experience proving telling as a scrum penalty and maul powered Cronin over in the 69th minute. Byrne converted and also brilliantly added the extras to Leavy’s try two minutes later. What had seemed a unlikely win was now within Leinster’s reach and Porter provided a stunning ending. LEINSTER:
CONNACHT:
Newcastle v Gloucester Sale 27 Bristol
DIRECTOR of rugby Steve Diamond said “negotiations are going well” as Sale pursue Rob du Preez. Du Preez, on loan from Super Rugby side the Sharks, kicked 17 points as Sale beat Bristol Bears. “We will probably be making around 10 to 12 announcements in the new year of people who have signed and people who have re-signed, and Rob will hopefully be one,” he said.