URC: Connacht 14 Vodacom Bulls 28
Connacht suffered a 14-28 defeat to South African visitors Vodacom Bulls after a one-sided opening half in Dexcom Stadium.
The Bulls wrapped up this seventh round URC game with a 28-0 lead, helped by the loss of Connacht’s Sean Jansen to a red card after 21 minutes.
It turned the game in favour of the visitors and although Pete Wilkins’ side produced a fight back in the second half, the deficit was too much to overcome.
However the Bulls held all the aces – and with more than 60 per cent of possession, they held a 14-0 lead at the break. It could have been more, but for Connacht’s determined defence.
Forced to make some 73 tackles in the opening half, Connacht conceded an opening try from left wing Sebastian de Klerk after five minutes – the visitors’ superiority up front providing the platform.
Connacht did well to hold the Bulls out for long periods, but it was only a matter time before the visitors would reap the rewards for their dominance and after 35 minutes Ambrose Papier touched down, with Goosen adding the extras.
On the back foot for long periods, the home side was only able to create one try-scoring opportunity late in the half, courtesy of a superb break from Paul Boyle. But it was all over by the 42nd minute when centre David Kriel raced down the left wing to score his side’s third try, extending the visitors’ lead to 21-0.
Connacht did carve a real opportunity to score after a superb break from replacement Caolin Blade, but an intercepted pass by Moodie ensured the Bulls wrapped up their fourth try bonus point by the 54th minute, leading by 0-28.
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Jennings did well to stymie another possible score after Coetzee produced a superb break to bring play into the Connacht 22, and although the home side lost Cathal Forde to injury, they began to gain some possession. However, it was not until the 62nd minute they were able to breach the visitors’ defence, David Hawkshaw breaking through with Forde adding the extras.
It gave the home side a fighting chance, particularly after Bulls’ Gumede was red carded, but it was only in the dying embers of the game that Connacht bagged a second try through Blade, converted by Forde.
Their character showed as they continued fighting to the end and an 83rd minute penalty provided an opportunity to get something out of the game. However time was not on their side, Connacht left to rue a poor first-half display against a physically stronger South African side.
Scores: 5m De Klerk try, Goosen con 0-7; 35m Papier try, Goosen con, HT 0-14. 43m Kriel try, Goosen con 0-21; 54m Moodie try, Goosan con 0-28; 61m Hawkshaw try, Forde con 7-28; 74m Blade try, Forde con 14-28.
Red cards: Connacht, S Jansen 21; M Gumede 56.
Connacht: S Jennings, S Bolton, P O’Conor, C Forde, S Cordero, J Carty, B Murphy, D Buckley, D Heffernan, J Aungier, J Joyce (capt), N Murray, J Murphy, C Oliver, S Jansen. Replacements: D Tierney-Martin for Heffernan, J Duggan for Buckley, S Illo for Augier, D Murray, P Boyle for Cordero (24), C Blade, D Hawkshaw, S Hurley-Langton for Oliver (both 48m), D Tierney-Martin for Heffernan, J Duggan for Buckley, S Illo for Augier, S Hurley-Langton for Oliver (both 48m),
Vodacom Bulls: W le Roux, C Moodie, D Kriel, H Vorster, S de Klerk, J Goosen, E Papier, A Tshakweni, A van der Merwe, F Klopper, R Vermaak, JF van Heerden, M Coetzee (capt), C Wiese, C ka Gumede. Replacements: C Hanekom for Coetzee (29), G Steenekamp for Gumede (HT), A Dyantyi for Vorster (29), J Grobbelaar for van de Merwe (68), K Johannes for Papier (73),
Referee: Mike Adamson (Scotland).
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