Match Centre

Full Time

61 - 5

  • EPCR Challenge Cup

  • Sat 14 Jan 2023 | 17:30

  • Dexcom Stadium

9
  • Porch 2'

  • Bealham 7'

  • Forde 16'

  • Wootton 24'

  • Wootton 32'

  • Wootton 50'

  • Oliver 57'

  • Fitzgerald 72'

  • Marmion 77'

Tries

1
  • Fabien 35'

8
  • Carty 3'

  • Carty 8'

  • Carty 20'

  • Carty 33'

  • Carty 51'

  • Carty 58'

  • Carty 74'

  • Carty 79'

Conversions

0

Peter

Dooley

1

Hayden

Thompson-Stringer

Dave

Heffernan

2

Vano

Karkadze

Finlay

Bealham

3

Tietie

Tuimauga

Josh

Murphy

4

Andres

Zafra Tarazona

Niall

Murray

5

Oskar

Rixen

Cian

Prendergast

6

Matthieu

Voisin

Conor

Oliver

7

Sasha

Gue

Jarrad

Butler

8

Abraham

Papali'i

Colm

Reilly

9

Vasil

Lobzhanidze

Jack

Carty

10

Tom

Raffy

Alex

Wootton

11

Valentin

Tirefort

Cathal

Forde

12

Nico

Lee

Byron

Ralston

13

Wesley

Douglas

John

Porch

14

Kevin

Fabien

Mack

Hansen

15

Maxence

Biasotto

Replacements

Dylan

Tierney-Martin

16

Aymeric

Tronc

Jordan

Duggan

17

Nathan

Fraissenon

Jack

Aungier

18

Francisco

Coria

Leva

Fifita

19

Joeli

Matalaweru

Ciaran

Booth

20

Noe

Bedou

Kieran

Marmion

21

Leo

Carbonneau

Tom

Daly

22

Enzo

Herve

Conor

Fitzgerald

23

Tom

Danovaro

81

It's all over! The referee has blown their whistle to end the game.

79

Jack Carty has kicked a conversion.

77

Kieran Marmion goes on their own for a try.

77

This is dangerous for the defence as Kieran Marmion bursts through to advance the Connacht Rugby attack.

77

Spellbinding play by Ciaran Booth is finished off with a try.

74

Jack Carty has kicked a conversion.

72

A series of passes by Connacht Rugby results in a try for Conor Fitzgerald

72

A gap opened in the defence and Conor Fitzgerald took full advantage.

72

Alex Wootton played a key part in that try.

65

Connacht Rugby make a substitution with Kieran Marmion coming on.

65

Connacht Rugby make a substitution with Colm Reilly coming off.

62

Connacht Rugby sub Ciaran Booth comes onto the field.

62

Jarrad Butler departs for Connacht Rugby.

62

Connacht Rugby sub Dylan Tierney-Martin comes onto the field.

62

Dave Heffernan departs for Connacht Rugby.

61

The defensive line has been broken as Andres Zafra Tarazona goes through the gap.

60

CA Brive sub Aymeric Tronc comes onto the field.

60

Vano Karkadze departs for CA Brive.

59

Noe Bedou comes on for CA Brive.

59

Maxence Biasotto leaves the field.

58

Tom Daly comes on for Connacht Rugby.

58

Cathal Forde leaves the field.

58

Leva Fifita comes on for Connacht Rugby.

58

Niall Murray leaves the field.

58

Conor Fitzgerald comes on for Connacht Rugby.

58

John Porch leaves the field.

58

The touch judges raise their flags as Jack Carty kicks the conversion.

57

A penetrating move by Connacht Rugby results in a try for Conor Oliver.

56

Mack Hansen played a key part in that try.

56

What a run here by Mack Hansen as they get over the gainline!

55

What a run here by Francisco Coria as they get over the gainline!

53

What a run here by Colm Reilly as they get over the gainline!

52

Nathan Fraissenon comes on.

52

Hayden Thompson-Stringer comes off.

52

Joeli Matalaweru comes on.

52

Abraham Papali'i comes off.

52

Jordan Duggan comes on.

52

Peter Dooley comes off.

52

Jack Aungier comes on.

52

Finlay Bealham comes off.

51

The touch judges raise their flags as Jack Carty kicks the conversion.

50

Alex Wootton scores! That alone was worth the admission price!!!

50

What a run here by Alex Wootton as they get over the gainline!

50

Byron Ralston sets up the try.

46

CA Brive decide to make a substitution, with Enzo Herve getting some game time.

46

CA Brive decide to make a substitution, with Leo Carbonneau getting some game time.

46

CA Brive decide to make a substitution, with Nico Lee being replaced.

40

The second half kicks off.

40

The half-time whistle blows and both teams head for the dressing rooms.

38

CA Brive sub Francisco Coria comes onto the field.

46

CA Brive decide to make a substitution, with Vasil Lobzhanidze being replaced.

38

Tietie Tuimauga departs for CA Brive.

36

CA Brive go for goal with Tom Raffy taking the conversion but their aim is not up to scratch as the ball slides to the left of the post.

35

Incisive passing by CA Brive is finished off by Kevin Fabien, as they goes over for the try.

35

Tom Danovaro sets up the try.

35

Fabulous play by CA Brive has led to Tom Danovaro being able to wriggle through a gap.

33

Jack Carty does the business as their conversion attempt goes over.

32

Silky skills by Connacht Rugby ends with a try for Alex Wootton.

32

Cian Prendergast sets up the try.

32

Trouble here as Cian Prendergast breaches the defence.

27

Trouble here as Conor Oliver breaches the defence.

24

Jack Carty curls the ball too far, missing the posts to the right.

24

Connacht Rugby are stopped just a few metres from the try line but Alex Wootton picks up from the base of the ruck to score the try.

24

This is dangerous for the defence as Dave Heffernan bursts through to advance the Connacht Rugby attack.

23

This is dangerous for the defence as Mack Hansen bursts through to advance the Connacht Rugby attack.

22

CA Brive decide to make a substitution, with Tom Danovaro getting some game time.

22

CA Brive decide to make a substitution, with Valentin Tirefort being replaced.

22

This is dangerous for the defence as John Porch bursts through to advance the Connacht Rugby attack.

20

Jack Carty makes no mistake with that conversion attempt.

16

Cathal Forde goes on their own for a try.

16

This is dangerous for the defence as Cathal Forde bursts through to advance the Connacht Rugby attack.

16

Colm Reilly sets up the try.

8

Jack Carty has kicked a conversion.

7

Great hands by Connacht Rugby leads to a try for Finlay Bealham

7

That's a great try assist by Mack Hansen.

7

The defensive line has been broken as Mack Hansen goes through the gap.

3

Jack Carty has kicked a conversion.

2

The kick through from Connacht Rugby has allowed John Porch to touch down.

2

Jack Carty sets up the try.

1

The defensive line has been broken as Alex Wootton goes through the gap.

0

We are underway as the referee blows their whistle.

Match Stats

54%

Possession

46%

60%

Territory

40%

Metres

754

321

Carries

137

85

Clean Breaks

13

3

Defenders Beaten

52

26

Passes

182

139

Offloads

13

5

Penalties Conceded

7

10

Turnovers Conceded

14

12

104/130 80%

Tackles won

145/197 74%

6/6 100%

Scrums won

8/9 89%

12/16 75%

Lineouts won

7/14 50%

Action Areas

4.8%

6.2%

14.4%

14.3%

27.7%

13.2%

10.6%

8.7%

Player Stats

Connacht Rugby

MP

M

C

P

T

MT

TW

TC

DB

LW

TS

PTS

Peter Dooley

52

15

7

2

2

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

Dave Heffernan

62

38

11

5

4

1

0

0

1

12

0

0

Finlay Bealham

52

19

5

2

2

0

0

0

2

0

1

5

Josh Murphy

80

16

4

3

11

0

0

1

3

0

0

0

Niall Murray

58

16

7

8

3

1

0

0

1

0

0

0

Cian Prendergast

80

27

6

6

5

1

1

0

2

0

0

0

Conor Oliver

80

33

10

7

12

5

1

0

5

0

1

5

Jarrad Butler

62

14

7

4

11

0

1

0

1

0

0

0

Colm Reilly

65

64

9

63

4

3

0

0

2

0

0

0

Jack Carty

80

0

1

33

1

2

0

0

0

0

0

16

Alex Wootton

80

161

19

10

1

2

0

0

9

0

3

15

Cathal Forde

58

50

10

5

9

2

0

0

7

0

1

5

Byron Ralston

80

11

3

5

9

5

0

0

0

0

0

0

John Porch

58

34

9

2

2

1

0

0

3

0

1

5

Mack Hansen

80

189

19

16

1

2

0

0

10

0

0

0

Dylan Tierney-Martin

18

0

1

0

5

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

Jordan Duggan

28

0

0

0

5

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

Jack Aungier

28

0

2

1

3

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

Leva Fifita

22

0

1

0

4

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

Ciaran Booth

18

3

1

2

3

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

Kieran Marmion

15

47

2

8

0

0

0

0

4

0

1

5

Tom Daly

22

3

1

0

4

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

Conor Fitzgerald

22

15

2

0

3

0

0

0

2

0

1

5

Connacht are back in Challenge Cup action this weekend as French side Brive come to The Sportsground for Round 3.

This game won't be televised but you can purchase your tickets right HERE

In his first year with Connacht Rugby Byron Ralston has had to adapt to a lot of new things coming from Australia, one of those things being the weather here in the west of Ireland and particularly the recent wet weather we've been having.

"Every day I wake up and wonder is it going to be sunny but slowly I am getting used to it"

"It is taking a bit of time to adapt to it, I always turn to Mack or Porchy and say is it always like this"

Competition for places in the Connacht midfield is very competitive with the likes of Cathal Forde, David Hawkshaw and Tom Farrell to name a few.

"There's some serious energy around the group and when you look at the roster and see the names you know going into every training session you need to be on your game"

"There's real depth here and lads are pushing each other to improve"

"You've got Bundee, Tom Daly, Shayne Bolton and Shane Jennings as well"

"I think it puts us in a good position having all these players fighting for the two jersey"

The challenge now turns to Brive this Saturday after last weekends bonus point win over the Sharks. Coming into the game Byron sees a few similarities from the Sharks and Brive.

"It was good to see our forwards perform well against a strong South African side and Brive will be the same" said Ralston

"It was a tough encounter playing Brive over in France, it wasn't as hostile as we thought it might be but the main thing is we got the win leaving there"

"It was a really physical game and the Sharks brought that as well on Saturday so it was a good test coming into this one"

"We're just looking to play the Connacht brand of rugby so whatever Brive bring we'll be ready"

"We want to move the ball and play fast so let Brive work on us and we'll do our bit around them but the main thing for us is playing our type of game"

Questions marks may be around Brive as to how committed they are to the Challenge Cup but Byron knows Connacht can't go into the game with a mindset thinking they have to just show up.

"We're excited for Saturday'

"We want to get the five points as we know how important every point is as we get closer to the knockout stages"

"Playing on front of our fans adds to that excitement, last weekend conditions weren't great but they still came out to support us and no doubt they will do the same again"

"Fans play such an important part in every game and we're lucky we have great supporters"

"Whatever mindset Brive are in come Saturday is no concern of ours, we have to get our own house in order and do what we need to do"

The Connacht team for Saturday will be announced on Friday.