Connacht blow it big time in a shock loss to Italian minnows

Cavalieri Prato 23Connacht 21

FEW would have envisaged this result. All had been going very nicely for Connacht so far this season up until Saturday's Amlin Cup shock defeat to the Italian semi-pro outfit from Tuscany.

Connacht came to Italy in search of a bonus point in their bid to start the campaign with two victories and give themselves a platform to win the group. It may not be their priority this season, but the Amlin Cup remains a strong secondary goal.

A lucrative home quarter final would have been very much in the plans. Contrary to some belief, even with such a shock defeat, that aim is not completely dead just yet although it seems likely that they will now have to go unbeaten in the rest of the group.

Ian Keatley was the scorer in chief for the visitors in the contest, he scored all of their 13 first half points. The lead would have been less had Rob Sweeney and Cillian Willis not combined to set the number ten in the clear for the opening try.

Cavalieri had imposed themselves well in defence and withstood some heavy pressure especially while Majstorovic was in the sin bin in that first half. Rima Wakrua's penalty had proved important in keeping them in touch.

For Connacht the focus was too much on the touch-finding from penalties rather than building up a more commanding lead before going for the tries. The bonus point may well have been on the mind far too early.

After half time, Bernie Upton's try probably came at just the wrong time. The early score gave Connacht a commanding 18-3 lead and seemed to wrap up the game on the surface, leaving them in prime position to target two more tries and with that a bonus.

For more, read this week's Connacht Sentinel.