Connacht back to winning ways but miss out on a bonus point

Connacht 30Dragons 11

Rob Murphy at the Sportsground

Connacht secured a third home win from seven games in the RaboDirect Pro12 on Saturday, and broke 30 points for the first time this season in the process, in a comfortable home win over the struggling Newport Gwent Dragons.

The win was carved out in a scintillating first half-hour where the home side in front of another bumper home crowd. Connacht dominated possession but crucially this time turned their advantage into points, scoring two converted tries on top of two penalties to all but put the game beyond reach well before half time.

This had been labeled a must-win game against a side below them in the table, and Connacht sides usually deliver in those scenarios. It wasn’t the complete display by any means because when the third try came on 44 minutes, the bonus point really should have followed.

They lost momentum on the half hour mark with George Naoupu’s injury, and while the big number eight is said to be ok and likely to be back for this weekend’s showpiece event away to Harlequins in the Heineken Cup, the delay as he was stretchered off marked the end of Connacht’s cohesive, unrelenting attacking play but for a few cameo moments.

The Dragons in their current guise are a prime example of the problems this Pro12 league has right now. Going through the motions, lacking inspiration, determination and any sense of purpose or direction. The were guilty of seven handling errors in the first half, with no more than a third of possession.

Toby Felatau offered some resistance, but all around him was a team that struggled desperately. With Welsh rugby in financial meltdown, the threat of disbandment hangs over one of the few Welsh sides still in touch with its old roots, based as they are in the heart of Newport and still strongly linked with the historical club. It’s taking its toll clearly. 

For more, read this week's Connacht Sentinel.