Match Centre
24 - 12
United Rugby Championship
Sat 7 Jan 2023 | 17:15
Dexcom Stadium
-
Oliver 19'
-
Forde 23'
-
O'Halloran 39'
-
Forde 55'
Tries
-
Janse van 60'
-
Bleuler 77'
-
Carty 24'
-
Carty 40'
Conversions
-
Cronje 61'
-
Delahunt 42'
Yellow Cards
Denis
Buckley
1
Ntuthuko
Mchunu
Shane
Delahunt
2
Fez
Mbatha
Finlay
Bealham
3
Carlu
Sadie
Oisin
Dowling
4
Thembelani
Bholi
Darragh
Murray
5
Reniel
Hugo
Josh
Murphy
6
James
Venter
Conor
Oliver
7
Henco
Venter
Shamus
Hurley-Langton
8
Celimpilo
Gumede
Kieran
Marmion
9
Cameron
Wright
Jack
Carty
10
Nevaldo
Fleurs
Mack
Hansen
11
Marnus
Potgieter
Cathal
Forde
12
Rohan
Janse van
Tom
Farrell
13
Murray
Koster
John
Porch
14
Yaw
Penxe
Tiernan
O'Halloran
15
Anthony
Volmink
Replacements
Dylan
Tierney-Martin
16
Kerron
van Vuuren
Jordan
Duggan
17
Dian
Bleuler
Dominic
Robertson-McCoy
18
Khutha
Mchunu
Leva
Fifita
19
Ockie
Barnard
Cian
Prendergast
20
Corne
Rahl
Caolin
Blade
21
Grant
Williams
Conor
Fitzgerald
22
Lionel
Cronje
Byron
Ralston
23
Ethan
Hooker
80
It's all over! The referee has blown their whistle to end the game.
78
Ockie Barnard comes on.
78
Thembelani Bholi comes off.
78
Ethan Hooker comes on.
78
Murray Koster comes off.
78
Sharks go for goal with Lionel Cronje taking the conversion but their aim is not up to scratch as the ball slides to the left of the post.
77
Sharks are stopped just a few metres from the try line but Dian Bleuler picks up from the base of the ruck to score the try.
76
This is dangerous for the defence as Lionel Cronje bursts through to advance the Sharks attack.
75
This is dangerous for the defence as Jack Carty bursts through to advance the Connacht Rugby attack.
71
Connacht Rugby decide to make a substitution, with Caolin Blade getting some game time.
71
Connacht Rugby decide to make a substitution, with Kieran Marmion being replaced.
68
Sharks make a substitution with Corne Rahl coming on.
68
Sharks make a substitution with Celimpilo Gumede coming off.
66
Connacht Rugby make a substitution with Conor Fitzgerald coming on.
66
Connacht Rugby make a substitution with Tiernan O'Halloran coming off.
64
Connacht Rugby sub Byron Ralston comes onto the field.
64
Tom Farrell departs for Connacht Rugby.
61
Connacht Rugby sub Jordan Duggan comes onto the field.
61
Denis Buckley departs for Connacht Rugby.
61
Connacht Rugby sub Dominic Robertson-McCoy comes onto the field.
61
Finlay Bealham departs for Connacht Rugby.
61
Connacht Rugby sub Leva Fifita comes onto the field.
61
Shamus Hurley-Langton departs for Connacht Rugby.
61
The Sharks supporters go wild as Lionel Cronje successfully kicks the conversion.
60
Great hands by Sharks leads to a try for Rohan Janse van Rensburg
60
Spellbinding play by Nevaldo Fleurs is finished off with a try.
58
Dian Bleuler comes on for Sharks.
58
Ntuthuko Mchunu leaves the field.
57
What a run here by Rohan Janse van Rensburg as they get over the gainline!
56
Jack Carty has hooked the conversion to the right of the posts.
55
Nothing was going to stop Cathal Forde from scoring as they record the try for Connacht Rugby.
55
What a run here by Cathal Forde as they get over the gainline!
53
Dylan Tierney-Martin comes on.
53
Shamus Hurley-Langton comes on.
53
Shane Delahunt comes off.
53
Dylan Tierney-Martin comes off.
53
What a run here by Tiernan O'Halloran as they get over the gainline!
50
Grant Williams comes on.
50
Cameron Wright comes off.
49
Sharks decide to make a substitution, with Khutha Mchunu getting some game time.
49
Sharks decide to make a substitution, with Carlu Sadie being replaced.
49
Sharks decide to make a substitution, with Kerron van Vuuren getting some game time.
49
Sharks decide to make a substitution, with Fez Mbatha being replaced.
46
Connacht Rugby decide to make a substitution, with Dylan Tierney-Martin getting some game time.
46
Connacht Rugby decide to make a substitution, with Shamus Hurley-Langton being replaced.
42
Shane Delahunt (Connacht Rugby) is shown a yellow card
40
The second half kicks off.
40
Sharks sub Lionel Cronje comes onto the field.
40
Anthony Volmink departs for Sharks.
40
The half-time whistle blows and both teams head for the dressing rooms.
40
Jack Carty adds the two points for Connacht Rugby.
39
Incisive passing by Connacht Rugby is finished off by Tiernan O'Halloran, as they goes over for the try.
39
Fabulous play by Connacht Rugby has led to Tiernan O'Halloran being able to wriggle through a gap.
39
That's a great try assist by Tom Farrell.
24
Connacht Rugby decide to make a substitution, with Cian Prendergast getting some game time.
24
Connacht Rugby decide to make a substitution, with Oisin Dowling being replaced.
24
Jack Carty makes no mistake with that conversion attempt.
23
A wonderful passing move by Connacht Rugby is finished off by Cathal Forde
23
That's a great try assist by Tom Farrell.
23
This is dangerous for the defence as Tom Farrell bursts through to advance the Connacht Rugby attack.
20
Jack Carty curls the ball too far, missing the posts to the left.
19
Great forward play by Connacht Rugby allows Conor Oliver to score the try.
18
This is dangerous for the defence as Kieran Marmion bursts through to advance the Connacht Rugby attack.
0
We are underway as the referee blows their whistle.
Match Stats
41%
Possession
59%
44%
Territory
56%
Metres
308
418
Carries
78
115
Clean Breaks
6
2
Defenders Beaten
12
16
Passes
123
123
Offloads
7
5
Penalties Conceded
11
8
Turnovers Conceded
14
17
171/187 91%
Tackles won
92/104 88%
10/12 83%
Scrums won
5/5 100%
10/16 63%
Lineouts won
10/16 63%
Action Areas
Player Stats
Connacht Rugby |
MP |
M |
C |
P |
T |
MT |
TW |
TC |
DB |
LW |
TS |
PTS |
Denis Buckley |
62 |
2 |
3 |
2 |
9 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Shane Delahunt |
43 |
7 |
3 |
1 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
5 |
0 |
0 |
Finlay Bealham |
62 |
5 |
1 |
1 |
5 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Oisin Dowling |
25 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
3 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Darragh Murray |
80 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
17 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Josh Murphy |
80 |
16 |
4 |
4 |
18 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Conor Oliver |
80 |
35 |
10 |
4 |
22 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
5 |
Shamus Hurley-Langton |
54 |
4 |
4 |
3 |
12 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Kieran Marmion |
71 |
9 |
4 |
50 |
7 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Jack Carty |
80 |
9 |
3 |
15 |
6 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
Mack Hansen |
80 |
53 |
8 |
5 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
5 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Cathal Forde |
80 |
25 |
10 |
4 |
9 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
2 |
10 |
Tom Farrell |
64 |
32 |
3 |
4 |
4 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
John Porch |
80 |
17 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
3 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Tiernan O'Halloran |
66 |
69 |
6 |
7 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
5 |
Dylan Tierney-Martin |
33 |
10 |
5 |
2 |
10 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
5 |
0 |
0 |
Jordan Duggan |
18 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
6 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Dominic Robertson-McCoy |
18 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
5 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Leva Fifita |
18 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Cian Prendergast |
55 |
6 |
4 |
2 |
13 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Caolin Blade |
9 |
0 |
1 |
10 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Conor Fitzgerald |
14 |
6 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Byron Ralston |
16 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Two tries from Cathal Forde, his first for the club, helped Connacht to a bonus point win over the Cell C Sharks on a wild night at The Sportsground.
On an evening in which the squad knew only five points would do in their quest for playoff rugby, Pete Wilkins’ side duly delivered with Conor Oliver and Tiernan O’Halloran also getting on the try sheet.
This was a game dominated by a wind that was strong even by Sportsground standards. With the wind going into the College Road, it was Connacht who enjoyed the advantage in the first half and knew the needed to take a lead of at least 10 to 15 points back into the dressing room.
The first quarter saw both sides get to grips with the conditions as Connacht expectedly possession. The breakthrough came from the ever reliant Connacht maul on 20 minutes – the pack shifting the point of focus in the corner to allow Conor Oliver to touch down. The second try and pick of the bunch followed just two minutes later, as Mack Hansen produced a wonderfully executed kick in behind the Sharks’ defence which was gathered by Tom Farrell, who then delivered his trademark offload to Cathal Forde for his first professional try.
The third was arguably the most important of the four as a 12 point lead turned into a 19 point lead before the break. With Connacht again deep in the Sharks’ half, the attack produced a well-worked sweeping move which was finished off by Tiernan O’Halloran under the sticks.
The second half expected saw the Sharks dominate territory as the winds picked up even further. However Connacht managed to take full advantage of the little possession they had in the Sharks half, and the bonus point try duly arrived on 55 minutes with a charge down from the player of the match Forde.
Thankfully for Connacht they had built up a 24 point lead before the Sharks began to start putting points on the scoreboard. The visitors put up two tries in the final quarter, and was very nearly three tries before a late TMO intervention, but Connacht never looked in real danger of coughing up the lead.
The win ensures that Andy Friend’s troops heading into the next round of Challenge Cup action with a win, and next up is the visit of Brive to The Sportsground a week from today.