Report: Connacht 27-28 Vodacom Bulls

 

Scorers: Connacht: Tries: Josh Ioane, Caolin Blade, Sean Naughton, Mack Hansen; Cons: Josh Ioane 2; Pen: Sean Naughton

Vodacom Bulls: Tries: Paul de Wet 2, Willie le Roux; Cons: Keagan Johannes 2; Pens: Keagan Johannes 2; Drop: Keagan Johannes

HT: Connacht 7 Vodacom Bulls 12

 

Connacht fell just short of a late comeback victory, instead pocketing two bonus points in an agonising 28-27 defeat to the Vodacom Bulls.

 

Despite the Bulls being the more clinical team at Dexcom Stadium, replacement Sean Naughton inspired a rousing fightback from 11 points down.

 

The Academy out-half scored a try and a long-range penalty, but could not convert Mack Hansen's 79th-minute try from out wide as the South Africans hung on. 

 

The South Africans led this BKT United Rugby Championship clash 12-7 at half-time, with Josh Ioane's early effort cancelled out by Paul de Wet and Willie le Roux.

 

Stuart Lancaster's men had to regroup following Josh Murphy's 20-minute red card. Caolin Blade burst over - soon after a Keagan Johannes drop goal - to close the gap to 15-14.

 

Crucially, de Wet was able to double his try tally, and Johannes finished with 13 points from the tee, before the hosts rallied late on.

 

Returning British & Irish Lions Hansen, Finlay Bealham, and Bundee Aki all got their hands on the ball inside the opening 70 seconds as the hosts started strongly.

 

When Dave Heffernan was first to a loose Bulls lineout, Connacht built for the first try. The forwards chipped away before Ioane darted over and added the conversion.

 

Bulls scrum half de Wet stormed downfield for a quick-fire reply, as he followed up on Sebastian de Klerk's speedy break on the left.

 

Midway through the first half, referee Mike Adamson sent off Murphy for 'striking to the head'. The Connacht flanker had pleaded his case that he had reacted to being 'grabbed in the groin area'.

 

Winger de Klerk soon broke back into the opposition 22 before his return pass gave the influential le Roux a simple finish. Johannes' conversion made it 12-7.

 

A clever kick from Blade, coupled with direct running from Aki and Byron Ralston, set up a penalty opportunity which Ioane sent wide.

 

After conceding that drop goal early on the resumption, Connacht hit back brilliantly. Nice work from Ioane and Ralston opened up the defence, and Blade finished in determined fashion from the edge of the 22.

 

Although the extras from Ioane left just a point in it, Johan Ackermann's side had the answers again. De Klerk accelerated on another break out wide, leading to de Wet completing his brace in the 54th minute.

 

Connacht continued to concede some frustrating penalties, allowing Johannes to widen the margin to 11 points. Naughton had the desired impact, dribbling through to touch down in the 68th minute after Shayne Bolton's initial kick through.

 

Naughton then traded penalties with Johannes, and drew a high tackle from le Roux in a tense finale. Hansen finished smartly in the right corner, yet Naughton's two attempts to curl over the conversion - the Bulls were guilty of an early charge for the first kick - went wide.

 

 

Replacements: Dylan Tierney-Martin, Jordan Duggan, Jack Aungier, Joe Joyce, Sean O'Brien, Matthew Devine, Sean Naughton, Cathal Forde.

VODACOM BULLS: Willie le Roux; Canan Moodie, David Kriel, Jan Serfontein, Sebastian de Klerk; Keagan Johannes, Paul de Wet; Alu Tshakweni, Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Wilco Louw, Cobus Wiese, Reinhardt Ludwig (capt), Nama Xaba, JJ Theron, Jeandre Rudolph.

 

Replacements: Johan Grobbelaar, Gerhard Steenekamp, Francois Klopper, Nicolaas Janse van Rensburg, Mpilo Gumede, Embrose Papier, Harold Vorster, Stravino Jacobs.