Match Centre

Full Time

41 - 26

  • United Rugby Championship

  • Sat 25 Mar 2023 | 15:00

  • Dexcom Stadium

6
  • Forde 7'

  • Oliver 20'

  • Blade 39'

  • Butler 44'

  • Blade 61'

  • Blade 63'

Tries

4
  • Atalifo 33'

  • Mata 46'

  • Young 51'

  • Kinghorn 77'

1
  • Hawkshaw 16'

Penalties

0
4
  • Hawkshaw 21'

  • Hawkshaw 44'

  • Daly 61'

  • Daly 64'

Conversions

3
  • Boffelli 34'

  • Boffelli 47'

  • Boffelli 77'

2
  • Oliver 47'

  • Dowling 54'

Yellow Cards

1
  • Boffelli 58'

Peter

Dooley

1

Boan

Venter

Dylan

Tierney-Martin

2

Stuart

McInally

Jack

Aungier

3

Lee-Roy

Atalifo

Oisin

Dowling

4

Sam

Skinner

Niall

Murray

5

Grant

Gilchrist

Cian

Prendergast

6

Ben

Muncaster

Conor

Oliver

7

Connor

Boyle

Jarrad

Butler

8

Viliame

Mata

Caolin

Blade

9

Henry

Pyrgos

David

Hawkshaw

10

Blair

Kinghorn

John

Porch

11

Damien

Hoyland

Cathal

Forde

12

James

Lang

Tom

Farrell

13

Mark

Bennett

Diarmuid

Kilgallen

14

Darcy

Graham

Oran

McNulty

15

Emiliano

Boffelli

Replacements

Dave

Heffernan

16

Dave

Cherry

Jordan

Duggan

17

Luan

de Bruin

Dominic

Robertson-McCoy

18

WP

Nel

Darragh

Murray

19

Marshall

Sykes

Shamus

Hurley-Langton

20

Glen

Young

Kieran

Marmion

21

Ben

Vellacott

Tom

Daly

22

Chris

Dean

Shane

Jennings

23

Nathan

Sweeney

80

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

77

Emiliano Boffelli has kicked a conversion.

77

Blair Kinghorn goes on their own for a try.

76

This is dangerous for the defence as Viliame Mata bursts through to advance the Edinburgh Rugby attack.

74

Connacht Rugby decide to make a substitution, with Peter Dooley getting some game time.

74

Connacht Rugby decide to make a substitution, with Jordan Duggan being replaced.

73

A gap opened in the defence and Darcy Graham took full advantage.

67

Connacht Rugby make a substitution with Kieran Marmion coming on.

67

Connacht Rugby make a substitution with Caolin Blade coming off.

67

A gap opened in the defence and Darcy Graham took full advantage.

64

The Connacht Rugby supporters go wild as Tom Daly successfully kicks the conversion.

63

A stunning solo try from Caolin Blade

63

The defensive line has been broken as Caolin Blade goes through the gap.

62

Edinburgh Rugby sub Marshall Sykes comes onto the field.

62

Sam Skinner departs for Edinburgh Rugby.

62

Edinburgh Rugby sub Glen Young comes onto the field.

62

Marshall Sykes departs for Edinburgh Rugby.

61

Edinburgh Rugby sub Chris Dean comes onto the field.

61

James Lang departs for Edinburgh Rugby.

61

Edinburgh Rugby sub Nathan Sweeney comes onto the field.

61

Damien Hoyland departs for Edinburgh Rugby.

61

The Connacht Rugby supporters go wild as Tom Daly successfully kicks the conversion.

61

Connacht Rugby are only a few metres out, surely they must score! And they do with Caolin Blade touching down.

60

Edinburgh Rugby sub Luan de Bruin comes onto the field.

60

Boan Venter departs for Edinburgh Rugby.

60

Edinburgh Rugby sub Ben Vellacott comes onto the field.

60

Henry Pyrgos departs for Edinburgh Rugby.

60

Connacht Rugby sub Tom Daly comes onto the field.

60

David Hawkshaw departs for Connacht Rugby.

59

The defensive line has been broken as Tom Farrell goes through the gap.

58

Emiliano Boffelli (Edinburgh Rugby) is shown a yellow card

58

Jordan Duggan comes on for Connacht Rugby.

58

Peter Dooley leaves the field.

58

Shamus Hurley-Langton comes on for Connacht Rugby.

58

Jarrad Butler leaves the field.

54

Marshall Sykes comes on.

54

Glen Young comes off.

54

Dave Cherry comes on.

54

Stuart McInally comes off.

54

Dave Heffernan comes on.

54

Dylan Tierney-Martin comes off.

54

Oisin Dowling (Connacht Rugby) is shown a yellow card

54

Dominic Robertson-McCoy comes on.

54

Jack Aungier comes off.

54

Darragh Murray comes on.

54

Niall Murray comes off.

52

Emiliano Boffelli has hooked the conversion to the left of the posts.

51

Nothing was going to stop Glen Young from scoring as they record the try for Edinburgh Rugby.

48

Connacht Rugby decide to make a substitution, with Shane Jennings getting some game time.

48

Connacht Rugby decide to make a substitution, with Diarmuid Kilgallen being replaced.

48

Edinburgh Rugby decide to make a substitution, with Glen Young getting some game time.

48

Edinburgh Rugby decide to make a substitution, with Ben Muncaster being replaced.

47

Emiliano Boffelli adds the two points for Edinburgh Rugby.

47

Conor Oliver (Connacht Rugby) is shown a yellow card

46

Slick passing by Edinburgh Rugby leads to a try for Viliame Mata.

46

Spellbinding play by Henry Pyrgos is finished off with a try.

46

Mark Bennett makes the break as the defence re-enacts the parting of the red sea.

44

David Hawkshaw adds the two points for Connacht Rugby.

44

The defence are desperately trying to hold out here but it was to no avail as Jarrad Butler dots the ball down from close range.

44

Spellbinding play by Jack Aungier is finished off with a try.

40

The second half kicks off.

41

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

40

Connacht Rugby go for goal with David Hawkshaw taking the conversion but their aim is not up to scratch as the ball slides to the left of the post.

39

An interception for Connacht Rugby allows Caolin Blade to race clear for the try.

39

Fabulous play by Connacht Rugby has led to Caolin Blade being able to wriggle through a gap.

38

Edinburgh Rugby sub WP Nel comes onto the field.

38

Lee-Roy Atalifo departs for Edinburgh Rugby.

34

Emiliano Boffelli does the business as their conversion attempt goes over.

33

The pick and go results in a try for Edinburgh Rugby as Lee-Roy Atalifo goes over.

21

David Hawkshaw makes no mistake with that conversion attempt.

20

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

16

David Hawkshaw does the business as their penalty goal attempt goes over.

8

David Hawkshaw has hooked the conversion to the left of the posts.

7

A stunning solo try from Cathal Forde

7

The defensive line has been broken as Cathal Forde goes through the gap.

7

That's a great try assist by Caolin Blade.

0

We are underway as the referee blows their whistle.

Match Stats

42%

Possession

58%

33%

Territory

67%

Metres

421

578

Carries

81

157

Clean Breaks

4

4

Defenders Beaten

17

32

Passes

79

238

Offloads

2

6

Penalties Conceded

10

12

Turnovers Conceded

6

14

199/231 86%

Tackles won

85/102 83%

7/9 78%

Scrums won

3/4 75%

8/9 89%

Lineouts won

16/17 94%

Action Areas

5.2%

3.4%

9.1%

9.3%

7%

31.5%

11.9%

22.5%

Player Stats

Connacht Rugby

MP

M

C

P

T

MT

TW

TC

DB

LW

TS

PTS

Peter Dooley

65

0

4

1

11

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

Dylan Tierney-Martin

55

6

3

0

10

3

0

0

0

4

0

0

Jack Aungier

55

10

4

1

18

0

1

0

1

0

0

0

Oisin Dowling

70

4

5

2

10

2

1

0

0

0

0

0

Niall Murray

55

1

1

1

12

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

Cian Prendergast

80

17

7

4

16

1

1

0

1

0

0

0

Conor Oliver

69

14

6

3

14

4

0

0

0

0

1

5

Jarrad Butler

59

24

5

1

17

1

0

0

0

0

1

5

Caolin Blade

68

110

8

34

3

0

1

0

2

0

3

15

David Hawkshaw

61

14

1

1

8

1

0

0

0

0

0

7

John Porch

80

29

4

4

7

1

0

0

2

0

0

0

Cathal Forde

80

80

10

3

10

5

1

1

4

0

1

5

Tom Farrell

80

22

3

3

15

3

0

0

5

0

0

0

Diarmuid Kilgallen

49

27

2

1

6

2

0

0

0

0

0

0

Oran McNulty

80

29

3

2

4

0

0

0

1

0

0

0

Dave Heffernan

26

5

3

1

7

0

0

0

0

4

0

0

Jordan Duggan

16

1

1

1

3

3

0

0

0

0

0

0

Dominic Robertson-McCoy

26

0

0

0

5

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

Darragh Murray

26

0

2

1

10

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

Shamus Hurley-Langton

22

6

2

0

4

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

Kieran Marmion

13

1

2

11

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

Tom Daly

20

9

2

4

3

1

1

0

0

0

0

4

Shane Jennings

32

14

3

0

6

0

1

0

1

0

0

0

CONNACHT 41-26 EDINBURGH

Connacht made it 5 URC wins in a row – and 9 wins from 12 in all competitions – with an outstanding bonus point win over Edinburgh at The Sportsground this afternoon.

It was a perfect afternoon of rugby at Connacht HQ, with the 6,056 supporters treated to a rare afternoon of sunshine and a six-try display by Andy Friend’s side. The result puts Connacht in pole position for a playoff spot which could be secured at home to Cardiff in 3 weeks’ time.

Without the likes of Mack Hansen, Jack Carty, Finlay Bealham and Bundee Aki, it was a game in which Connacht’s young-guns stood up, with the likes of Cathal Forde, Oran McNulty and Shane Jennings all putting in strong performances.

Connacht went into the break 20-7 in front, which was built on a brilliant defensive performance with Edinburgh dominated possession and territory. A stunning solo effort from Cathal Forde set the tone for the rest of the day, with the Corinthians clubman breaking the Edinburgh defensive line on their 10’ to finish in the corner.

By the end of the 1st quarter Connacht led 15-0, with David Hawkshaw slotting over a penalty and the excellent Conor Oliver powering over for the second of the day. Edinburgh finally broke through for their first score on 33 minutes, but one of the key moments arrived just before half-time. With Edinburgh banging down the door, man-of-the-match Caolin Blade claimed the intercept for a 14 point swing, touching down for try number 3.

Third quarters have proved challenging for Connacht in recent games, so the supporters in attendance would’ve been particularly happy by a try from Jarrad Butler, and Connacht’s bonus, which came just minutes into the second half, stretching the lead to 20 points. However that marked the start of a significant period of dominance for the visitors who scored 12 unanswered points, coupled with two yellow cards for Connacht with Conor Oliver and Oisin Dowling both spending 10 minutes in the bin. Connacht’s defensive performance with those 13 men arguably was the winning of the game, and Oliver’s return came at the same time Edinburgh had a man in the bin themselves, meaning 13 v 15 became 14 v 14.

Blade’s second and third try soon followed, his third the pick of the bunch after brilliant work from Shane Jennings, and the game went beyond doubt.

Results elsewhere capped off a brilliant day for the province, who jump from 9th to 6th place and well in the hunt for both the playoffs and Champions Cup rugby next season with just two games to go.