Perpignan 18

Connacht 31

CONNACHT MADE IT maximum points from two games in the Challenge Cup as they carved out a deserved victory in Perpignan with a five-tries-to-two win.

Connacht built on a great start to lead 19-8 at the break and should really have had the bonus point in the bag by that stage such was their dominance in the opening half.

Their 11-point advantage was built despite losing two players to injury with number eight Sean O’Brien going off after less than four minutes, while winger Andrew Smith saw his first game of the season end after 22 minutes with a hand injury.

By then, Connacht were 14-0 ahead in the winter sunshine at Stade Aimé Giral with Byron Ralston getting them off the mark after four minutes from second phase after a tapped penalty.

They opted for the corner from a penalty in front of the posts six minutes later and were rewarded for their ambition when they got the drive after a lineout take from Darragh Murray and hooker Eoin de Buitlear finished.

Jack Carty added his second conversion but Perpignan, understrength like Connacht, hit back when loosehead Lorencio Boyer-Gallardo scored after several drives at the westerners’ line. Aontoine Aucagne missed the conversion but cut the gap to 14-8 with a penalty from the 22′ after 28 minutes.

But Aucagne was the guilty party as Connacht got their third try, the out-half dropping a long pass back inside his 22′. From the resultant scrum, Connacht half-backs Matthew Devine and Carty combined to send full-back Santiago Cordero away. The Argentine international showed fleet footwork and speed to carve space for Chay Mullins, who dove over in the right-hand corner.

That should have been the second try of the game from the Irish sevens international, who scored a hat-trick on his debut last weekend against Zebre. Moments earlier, he had dropped a superb cross-kick from Carty when he just needed to catch it and fall over the line.

Perpignan hit back after the restart when three points from Aucagne’s boot were followed by a try from winger Jefferson Joseph as Connacht were punished for a series of penalties. Aucagne converted from the right touchline to cut the gap to 19-18 after 52 minutes.

But Connacht responded well and the experienced Paul Boyle got over for the bonus point on 58 minutes after several drives, with the TMO ruling it wasn’t a double movement as the Wexford man, who scored twice last week, stretched to score.

Carty pushed the lead out to eight with the conversion and that was crucial as Perpignan finished strongly.

However, Connacht defended superbly and countered from deep through Cordero and Hawkshaw. The latter burst towards the left edge and delivered a perfect right-footed kick into space, with Perpignan conceding the lineout deep inside their own territory.

Murray won the ball on Connacht’s put-in before replacement hooker Adam McBurney crowned his debut with their fifth try after another powerful attacking maul.

Scorers: Perpignan: Tries: L Boyer-Gallardo, J Joseph. Con: A Aucagne. Pens: Aucagne (2).

Connacht: Tries: B Ralston, E de Buitlear, C Mullins, P Boyle, A McBurney. Cons: J Carty (3)

Perpignan: Ali Crossdale; Jefferson Joseph, Riko Buliruarua (Freddy Duguivalu 62), Apisai Naqalevu, Maxim Granell; Antoine Aucagne (Tommaso Allan 55), James Hall (Gela Aprasidze 55); Lorencio Boyer-Gallardo (Kieran Brookes 62), Seilala Lam (c) (Victor Montgaillard 62), Nemo Roelofse (Johan Barcenilla D’Onghia 78); Alessandro Ortombina, Adrien Warion; Noe Della Schiava, Max Hicks (Bastien Chinarro 67), Andro Dvali (So’otala Fa’aso’o 50).

Connacht: Santiago Cordero (Devine 58-67); Chay Mullins, Byron Ralston, Cathal Forde, Andrew Smith (David Hawkshaw 22); Jack Carty, Matthew Devine (Ben Murphy 52); Denis Buckley (Jordan Duggan 62), Eoin de Buitlear (Adam McBurney 62), Sam Illo (Jack Aungier 52); Darragh Murray, Joe Joyce (Oisin Dowling 55); Cian Prendergast (c), Shamus Hurley-Langton (Conor Oliver 59), Sean O’Brien (Paul Boyle 4).

Referee: Sara Cox (England).