Mauling dents Connacht hopes
calm and efficient when it came to the last five metres of the field.
By that stage France had broken the 30-points mark but on a 70-30 split of territory that’s the least they expected. Neither did they budget for conceding a second try but Dalton was rewarded for sticking to the task when getting over by the posts with two minutes left.
That was a bonus, and the reality is that losing heavily is not a setback for this group. Credit to the coaching staff, they have used their time well to paper over a few cracks, and will feel good about themselves ahead of round two against Italy.
France celebrated on the final whistle but they were well off the level they will need to trouble England. It will be interesting to see what Ireland look like by the time they are up against the champions.
You have to remember when looking at the women’s game that it’s all about the catch up. Not just are they miles behind the leaders but it is such a minority project that they can’t afford to chop and change as they go. It’s about making the most of what they have — using every minute spent together in camp to make small improvements.
Depending on who they are playing this will either look organised and competitive or a failed exercise in damage limitation. All involved know this result could have been a whole lot worse.
Connacht produced their worst performance of the season and duly paid the price as they were hammered by six tries to two by a Lions side who have never won in Ireland.
But the Johannesburg side were full value for their win despite playing three-quarters of the match with 14 men.
Connacht’s knockout hopes in the URC and qualification for the Champions Cup next season suffered a massive blow as they fell to a first defeat in ten games against South African sides in Galway.
The Lions lost huge 153kg tighthead Asenathi Ntlabakanye to a straight red card when he hit Conor Oliver high after 17 minutes just as the Connacht flanker was about to tap a penalty. But it turned out to be a double blow for the visitors as Cian Prendergast managed to squeeze over in the move and score with JJ Hanrahan converting.
That tied the game as it was the Lions who hit the front after seven minutes when they punished sloppy Connacht play. Hooker Tadhg McElroy was unable to connect with his jumper in a lineout around the 22 and Lions made the turnover count with Francke Horn getting in for his fifth try of the campaign after they wore down the home cover with loosehead JP Smith sending his No 8 over and Jordan Henrikse converting.
Andrew Smith should have responded but while he raced in from the left with none of the Lions laying a hand on him he failed to ground the ball when full-back Quan Horn tackled him as he went over.
Hanrahan failed to find touch when they won a scrum penalty, while he also kicked a restart dead after the Lions got their second try after 26 minutes when flanker JC Pretorious got over after a five-metre lineout.
The Johannesburg side extended their 12-7 interval lead nine minutes after the restart when winger Edwill van der Merwe scored from deep after intercepting Byron Ralston’s pass just as Connacht were building phases.
Henrikse’s conversion made it
19-7 but Connacht got back in contention when a neat pass from Cathal Forde put Hanrahan over by the posts, with the conversion leaving five between them. But Connacht were unable to complete the comeback and Lions secured the bonus point 17 minutes from time when centre Erish Cronje stepped inside replacement tighthead Sam Illo to score a converted try to lead 26-14.
They sealed the win ten minutes from time when a superb offload by Pretorious to Van der Merwe was fed back inside for Francke Horn to score his second try down the left.
And they turned the screw in the dying moments when they broke from deep for replacement Morne van den Berg to score just moments after coming on.