Connacht’s Chay Mullins scores his third try. James Crombie/INPHO
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Irish 7s star Mullins scores debut hat-trick as Connacht blow away Zebre
It was a night of celebration at Dexcom Stadium with academy players Sean Naughton from Galway and Fiachna Barrett from north Mayo also making their debuts
IRISH SEVENS star Chay Mullins crowned his Connacht debut by scoring a hat-trick as they blew Zebre away in the opening game of the European Challenge Cup.
It was a night of celebration at Dexcom Stadium with academy players Sean Naughton from Galway and Fiachna Barrett from north Mayo also making their debuts.
Argentine international Santiago Cordero also scored his first try on a night when Caolin Blade made his 200th appearance and Paul Boyle notched 100.
Connacht were in the driving seat when they led 17-5 at the break having played against the strong wind in the opening half.
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The Italians deservedly hit the front after seven minutes after a good bout of attacking rugby and flanker Bautista Stavile peeled away from an attacking lineout and burst through the tackle of his Argentine compatriot to score in the right corner after seven minutes. Giovanni Montemauri missed the conversion and was also off target with a penalty from 35 metres as they tried to build a lead.
But Connacht settled and two players marking milestones —Boyle and Blade — set up their opening score with a break from deep which was recycled across the pitch for debutant Mullins to score in the left corner after stepping inside.
The Irish Olympic sevens star then added a second try on his Connacht debut when he scored down the right after David Hawkshaw, Jack Carty and Blade were heavily involved in the build-up. Carty added the conversion to lead 12-5 after 29 minutes.
Connacht pushed on from there and a superb lineout maul secured their third try five minutes from the break, with hooker Dylan Tierney-Martin touching down in the right corner to lead 17-5 at the interval.
Zebre lost replacement Rusiate Nasove to a yellow card before the break for a croc-roll on Boyle and Connacht made the extra count after the restart with Boyle marking his 100th appearance with the bonus point try off a scrum. Carty’s conversion made it 24-5.
Boyle put Mullins through to complete his hat-trick after 63 minutes before Argentine international Cordero got in to score in the closing stages.
The Italians pulled one back from replacement scrum-half Alessandro Fusco but Boyle had the final say on a memorable night when he got in for his 24th try — becoming Connacht’s all-time top try-scoring forward — on his 100th appearance.
Scorers: Connacht: Tries: C Mullins (3), P Boyle (2), D Tierney-Martin, S Cordero. Cons: Carty (2 from 4), Naughton (2 from 3).
Zebre: Tries: B Savile, A Fusco. Con: Fusco.
Connacht: Shane Jennings; Chay Mullins, David Hawkshaw (Byron Ralston 60), Cathal Forde, Santiago Cordero; Jack Carty (Sean Naughton 60), Caolin Blade (Matthew Devine 60); Jordan Duggan (Temi Lasisi 60), Dylan Tierney-Martin (Eoin de Buitlear 60), Jack Aungier (Fiachna Barrett 60); Darragh Murray, Oisin Dowling (David O’Connor 60); Josh Murphy (Oisin McCormack 67), Shamus Hurley-Langton, Paul Boyle.
Zebre: Giovanni Montemauri (Scott Gregory 31); Filippo Bozzoni, Filippo Drago, Enrico Lucchin, Simone Gesi; Giacomo da Re (Alessandro Fusco 50), Thomas Dominguez; Paolo Buonfiglio, Luca Bigi (c) (Giampietro Ribaldi 6), Muhamed Hasa (Matteo Nocera 50), Matteo Canali, Leonardo Krumov, Giacomo Milano, Bautista Stavile (Jacopo Bianchi 54), Giacomo Ferrari (Rusiate Nasove 35).
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Irish 7s star Mullins scores debut hat-trick as Connacht blow away Zebre
Connacht 43
Zebre 12
John Fallon reports from Dexcom Stadium
IRISH SEVENS star Chay Mullins crowned his Connacht debut by scoring a hat-trick as they blew Zebre away in the opening game of the European Challenge Cup.
It was a night of celebration at Dexcom Stadium with academy players Sean Naughton from Galway and Fiachna Barrett from north Mayo also making their debuts.
Argentine international Santiago Cordero also scored his first try on a night when Caolin Blade made his 200th appearance and Paul Boyle notched 100.
Connacht were in the driving seat when they led 17-5 at the break having played against the strong wind in the opening half.
The Italians deservedly hit the front after seven minutes after a good bout of attacking rugby and flanker Bautista Stavile peeled away from an attacking lineout and burst through the tackle of his Argentine compatriot to score in the right corner after seven minutes. Giovanni Montemauri missed the conversion and was also off target with a penalty from 35 metres as they tried to build a lead.
But Connacht settled and two players marking milestones —Boyle and Blade — set up their opening score with a break from deep which was recycled across the pitch for debutant Mullins to score in the left corner after stepping inside.
The Irish Olympic sevens star then added a second try on his Connacht debut when he scored down the right after David Hawkshaw, Jack Carty and Blade were heavily involved in the build-up. Carty added the conversion to lead 12-5 after 29 minutes.
Connacht pushed on from there and a superb lineout maul secured their third try five minutes from the break, with hooker Dylan Tierney-Martin touching down in the right corner to lead 17-5 at the interval.
Zebre lost replacement Rusiate Nasove to a yellow card before the break for a croc-roll on Boyle and Connacht made the extra count after the restart with Boyle marking his 100th appearance with the bonus point try off a scrum. Carty’s conversion made it 24-5.
Boyle put Mullins through to complete his hat-trick after 63 minutes before Argentine international Cordero got in to score in the closing stages.
The Italians pulled one back from replacement scrum-half Alessandro Fusco but Boyle had the final say on a memorable night when he got in for his 24th try — becoming Connacht’s all-time top try-scoring forward — on his 100th appearance.
Scorers: Connacht: Tries: C Mullins (3), P Boyle (2), D Tierney-Martin, S Cordero. Cons: Carty (2 from 4), Naughton (2 from 3).
Zebre: Tries: B Savile, A Fusco. Con: Fusco.
Connacht: Shane Jennings; Chay Mullins, David Hawkshaw (Byron Ralston 60), Cathal Forde, Santiago Cordero; Jack Carty (Sean Naughton 60), Caolin Blade (Matthew Devine 60); Jordan Duggan (Temi Lasisi 60), Dylan Tierney-Martin (Eoin de Buitlear 60), Jack Aungier (Fiachna Barrett 60); Darragh Murray, Oisin Dowling (David O’Connor 60); Josh Murphy (Oisin McCormack 67), Shamus Hurley-Langton, Paul Boyle.
Zebre: Giovanni Montemauri (Scott Gregory 31); Filippo Bozzoni, Filippo Drago, Enrico Lucchin, Simone Gesi; Giacomo da Re (Alessandro Fusco 50), Thomas Dominguez; Paolo Buonfiglio, Luca Bigi (c) (Giampietro Ribaldi 6), Muhamed Hasa (Matteo Nocera 50), Matteo Canali, Leonardo Krumov, Giacomo Milano, Bautista Stavile (Jacopo Bianchi 54), Giacomo Ferrari (Rusiate Nasove 35).
Referee: Adam Jones (Wales)
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Chay Mullins Connacht Fiachna Barrett Impact Rugby Sean Naughton Zebre