Connacht 20 - Zebre 3
Rob Murphy at the Sportsground
Pat Lam was disappointed on Saturday afternoon, not because his side didn’t secure a bonus point per se, absolutely not, but instead because his side didn’t stick to the process and deliver the performance that would more than likely have secured the bonus point.
The reason for highlighting this isn’t to point out the odd contradiction in that way of thinking but to give you a little insight into the mindset of the coach and what he is trying instil into his young side who looking to continue to rattle and disrupt the European hierarchy.
The former Samoan international clarified his thinking a little further, “Every team goes out to win and get a bonus point, which is is just that, a bonus” but “that’s the outcome.” Lam is determined that his Connacht side will not focus on outcomes. He wants them focused on the processes that deliver the success.
All that is just a roundabout way of saying, this wasn’t a game that Connacht will be marking as a high point in their season. Even accounting for the fact that once again they have managed three wins in the competition, that this was a a biggest ever home win over Zebre (they’ve beaten then seven times on the bounce now in two seasons) and a result that keeps them in the hunt for knockout European rugby in April. Who would have thought?
In five short weeks Connacht have faced up to four games against European superpowers and two against minnows that needed to be put away. They’ve delivered one seismic result in Toulouse, taken a beating at home to the same opponents, rattled Leinster and Munster without knocking them over and stuttered passed the Dragons and Zebre.
The progress has been remarkable but imperfect, the challenge has been faced head on and even with injury problems and form issues for big name players forcing them into selection choices that have been brave and full of risk, the mood has remained positive and ambitious.
Once again, the starting backline was young and exuberant. Jack Carty given a firm vote of confidence at ten and he revelled in the faith shown, kicking brilliantly after an early miss, attacking the gain line constantly and creating oceans of space out wide for his back three to lap up.
Full back Darragh Leader was also entrusted for a second straight week, the 20 year old didn’t disappoint either, sharp under the high ball and aggressive in defence. In midfield, Eoin Griffin and Robbie Henshaw are starting to gel brilliantly. The Marist College graduate, in particular at 13, was a menace in defence and attack leading the tackle count for his side with nine and carrying 11 times.
On the wings, Fionn Carr and Matt Healy each reached season high performances in an attacking context. Carr led the carry count with eleven, Healy made a game high 124 metres of gains, doubling the second ranked carrier.
It was a man of the match display from Healy who scored the first try of the game and crossed the line twice more in the second half only to be correctly denied by the TMO on each occasion.
All that suggests a flawless display but overall this was far from that. The first quarter was scrappy but at what odds, as Connacht had conceded just three points and were containing anything the Italians threw at them.
Zebre are beginning to look like a side in decline again despite some early season progress. This was a listless display in attack from them. In defence however, they are strong against the maul and relatively solid in set piece play. It’s their penchant for defensive miss reads in the loose that is costing them. They missed just shy of 1 tackle in every five.
By half time, Connacht were 13-3 ahead. Ten points scored while Filippo Ferrarini spent ten minutes in the sin bin for killing the ball when his side seemed certain to concede a score. Healy’s try came at the end of relentless attacking with Jake Heenan, Carty, and Swift to the fore. Carty added a conversion and two penalties.
Early in the second half, Connacht shunned a kickable penalty and went to the corner, it worked with a try from Robbie Henshaw after Swift - who had replaced the injured Kearney early doors - burst towards the line, offloaded superbly to Carty who ingeniously flicked the ball between his legs into the path of his midfield partner for the try.
The floodgates didn’t open as one would have expected, Connacht went to the corner on 56 minutes and were repelled this time while on 68 minutes two penalties from five metre scrums on the visitors line yielded nothing when replacement eight George Naoupu underlined a sense that his form is way off by carelessly losing possession going for the line.
The other mistakes were numerous in the closing quarters, the bench didn’t offer enough in terms of control and poise - Paul O’Donohoe’s two crooked feeds in the scrum were a prime example - and the processes broke down badly in those closing stages. All that will feed into next weeks training.
By Sunday night however, Toulouse had toppled Saracens and denied them a bonus leaving Connacht with a dream scenario, win in London and they will be playing Challenge Cup quarter final rugby or possibly even in the Heineken Cup last eight should a lot of results fall their way.
Rank outsider they might be but that won’t worry them because they won’t be thinking about the outcome next Saturday.
Connacht: D Leader; F Carr, R Henshaw, E Griffin, M Healy; J Carty, K Marmion; B Wilkinson, S Henry, N White; M Kearney, A Browne; J Muldoon, J Heenan, E McKeon.
Replacement: M Swift for Kearney 18 mins; J Harris Wright for Henry 46 mins; D Buckley for Wilkinson 58 mins; R Ah You for White 61 mins; G Naoupu for McKeon 65 mins; P O'Donohoe for Marmion 72 mins; D Parks for Carty,73 mins; G Duffy for Leader 73 mins.
Zebre: G Palazzani; G Toniolatti, K Ratuvou, G Garcia, D Berryman; L Orquera, A Chillon; M Aquero, D Giazzon, D Chistolini; Q Geldenhuys, G Biagi; F Ferrarini, D Van Shcalwyk, S Vunisa.
Replacement: T d'Apice for Giazzon for 6 mins; R Trevisan for Palazzani 52 mins; N Cattina for Ferrarini 54 mins; A De Marchi for Chistolini 60 mins; D Ryan for Aquero 60 mins; M Bortolami for Biagi 61 mins; R Quartaroli for Garcia 65 mins; D Odiete for Berryman 72 mins.
Referee: N Paterson.
