Toulouse 32
Connacht 17
John Fallon reports from Stade Ernest-Wallon
THIS WAS heartbreaking for Connacht in the Toulouse rain as an understrength side, which many feared faced a hammering, came close to repeating their shock 2013 win here on a day when Andy Friend’s men were full of bravery against a home team who started with 13 full internationals.
But Connacht were unable to pull it off in the end and not only did they fail to snatch a bonus point, their former centre Pita Ahki, who only made three starts in his season at the Sportsground, broke through with the clock in the red to secure the bonus-point try for a Toulouse side flattered by the scoreline.
Connacht were well in contention when they trailed by just 15-14 at the interval having spent the closing 10 minutes of the half with flanker Colby Fainga’a in the bin after a tackle on Toulouse out-half Romain Ntamack, which had the home crowd screaming for a red card, especially when the French international had to go off for a HIA.
Connacht had to saturate enormous pressure before they stunned Toulouse when Tom Farrell cut the centre after an initial break by Ultan Dillane to score under the posts after 13 minutes.
The Toulouse response was instant and having butchered a couple of earlier attempts, the French champions got in when scrum-half Sébastien Bézy finished a move started by his full-back Thomas Ramos.
Ramos converted and then added a penalty as their superiority in the scrum continued, with Connacht not helping their cause with a couple of crooked lineouts.
But Andy Friend’s side again hit the front after 25 minutes when a superb break by Fainga’a allowed Caolin Blade time to change his run and the scrum-half raced in to score, with Conor Fitzgerald’s second conversion making it 14-10.
The yellow card to Fainga’a led to the home side opting for a scrum from a penalty in front of the posts and a few phases later, Yoann Huget, the only Toulouse survivor from Connacht’s shock win here six years ago, finished in the right corner despite the best efforts of Kyle Godwin. Ramos was unable to add the touchline conversion and Toulouse had to be content with a one-point interval lead.
Connacht again had to defend stoutly after the restart, but they grew in confidence, taking the game to Toulouse and edging back in front with a drop goal from the superb Fitzgerald after 50 minutes.
Both sides began emptying their benches, before Ramos pushed Toulouse back in front with a penalty from 35 metres going into the final quarter, as the rain belted down in front of the crowd of 15,100.
Incessant Toulouse pressure pushed them clear when Jerome Kaino squeezed over after a series of drives following another penalty to the corner. Ramos, crucially, added the conversion from the left to leave eight between them with 16 minutes left.
Connacht pressed on looking for at least the bonus point and almost got back in contention when Jack Carty chipped to the left but Healy was unable to hold the greasy ball and the chance was lost.
Worse was to follow when their former player Ahki snatched the try bonus point in the dying moments.
Scorers
Toulouse
Tries: Sébastien Bézy, Yoann Huget, Jerome Kaino, Pita Ahki
Conversions: Thomas Ramos 3/4
Penalties: Thomas Ramos 2/2Scorers
Connacht
Tries: Tom Farrell, Caolin Blade
Conversions: Conor Fitzgerald 2/2
Penalties: Conor Fitzgerald 0/1
Drop goal: Conor Fitzgerald
Toulouse: Thomas Ramos; Yoann Huget, Sofiane Guitoune, Lucas Tauzin (Pita Ahki ’66), Maxime Médard; Romain Ntamack (Pita Ahki ’30-40 HIA), Sébastien Bézy (Pierre Pages ’71); Cyril Baille (Thomas du Toit ’50, Baille ’64), Peato Mauvaka (Julien Marchandt ’52), Charlie Faumuina (Dorian Aldegheri ’55); Richie Gray, Joe Tekori (Rory Arnold ’55); Alban Placines (Francois Cros ’50), Rynhardt Elstadt (Selevasio Tolofua ’68), Jerome Kaino.
Connacht: Matt Healy; John Porch, Tom Farrell (Jack Carty ’63), Tom Daly (Peter Robb ’58), Kyle Godwin; Conor Fitzgerald, Caolin Blade (Angus Lloyd ’70); Pete McCabe (Matthew Burke ’50), Dave Heffernan (Shane Delahunt ’50), Dominic Robertson-McCoy (Finlay Bealham ’50); Ultan Dillane (Joe Maksymiw ’70), Quinn Roux, Eoghan Masterson, Colby Fainga’a, Robin Copeland (Paul Boyle ’51).
Referee: Karl Dickson (England).
– Updated 16.18: An earlier version of this report incorrectly referred to Matt Healy as the Toulouse fullback; Thomas Ramos is the Toulouse fullback.
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Excellent piece as always Murray. It actually just goes to show how much Prendergast and Gibson Park controlled the game with their kicking. Although Sam made a number of errors some of the stuff you have highlighted above were top drawer. He’s trying things far beyond his years already. I think this spooks people. No doubt when Ireland do eventually lose there will be many from certain parts placing all the blame on his young shoulders. It’s sad to see how toxic some Irish supporters are
@anthony davoren: the toxic reaction to Prendergast is astonishing. Sexton had it bad when he emerged but this is another level of completely unwarranted vitriol. Interesting that they are two players in the same position from the same province. I can’t recall any other player from any province experiencing this
@Gavin Healy: Rog had the exact same rubbish thrown at him also about his defending . It happens everywhere unfortunately.
@Johs Morris: I don’t think there’s anything wrong with people discussing that Prendergast’s defence needs to improve. It’s a fair comment that I’m sure even he agrees with. Doesn’t explain or justify the vitriol he is getting from certain quarters desperate to lay into him at any opportunity.
@Gavin Healy: of course his defence needs work as does all aspects of his game because he’s only just gone 22. But what he is doing at his age is generally unheard of which is why he is so highly regarded by his peers already. Trolls will be trolls and we seem to have many here. Gibson Park, Lowe, Aki and Doris got the same crap early in their Irish career
@anthony davoren: And Lowe and Doris still do to a large extent unfortunately. Once all of the pieces start coming together for Sam P, I think there is a potentially really good player in there. Like you said, he’s just turned 22 and can do things that a lot of other established 10s don’t have. The tackling will come on hopefully. Likewise when he is given more licence to take it to the line more regularly it will be very interesting to observe.
@anthony davoren: Munster legend Tony Ward on Sam…
“Sam Prendergast, under immense pressure, had a big game too with his tactical kicking bettered only by his truly extraordinary passing.
It’s tough on Crowley, and I know a thing or two about that, but in terms of linking between forwards and backs Prendergast is beyond any and every individual to have gone before in that No 10 shirt. His predecessor Johnny Sexton probably the closest in that linking aspect.”
Super piece
Excellent analysis. I actually think this was an excellent match to prepare us for France. Not sure we would have got any value if we had walloped the previous version of Wales that France and Italy played.
It’s interesting how ireland are playing now. Everything in their own half is kicked, they don’t even try to run the ball anymore which is risk free rugby to be fair. Prendergast is basically playing a deep role in our half to utilise his major strength, his fantastic kicking. Bar the long pass to aki where he beat 3 English defenders to score, I don’t think prendergast has been creative at all really and that’s where the balance of his game looks off. That’s probably the coaches plan though
@munsterman: i think the law changes and ref interpretations means you are now mad to play any rugby in your own half. More the pity as I used to love the French teams of old who’d go from anywhere. Much less risky to kick long especially if you can make it contestable. SP has outstanding length and accuracy on his kicks, something which Crowley can’t match unfortunately. Crowley is more suited to a running or short kicking game or when the game breaks up. Crowley wasn’t « dropped « for playing poorly which is why many people are upset, he was « dropped « due to a major change of tactical approach from Ireland that probably makes sense in the current game
@Michael Corkery: I’d agree there 100%. It’s just interesting to watch & most international teams copy each other to a certain extent, so If the new non-sheparding rules cause all teams to start kicking the leather off it then it won’t be long until the irb start fiddling with the rules again
@munsterman: I’m not sure what they can do with it. Can’t bring back shepherding because IRB sign off on that tactic would turn into a shitshow of jostling. Would need to be a change elsewhere to encourage running rugby rather than diacourage kicking, but not sure how that would look
@Gary D: the irb want running rugby so they’ll tinker in some way. The problem they have is it doesn’t take long for the best coaches to get ahead of them again. That’s why there’s so many rule changes pretty much on a yearly basis. Who’d wanna be a ref!
@Michael Corkery: agree. No doubt it won’t be long until the laws change yet again of course.
@munsterman: think they need to focus on tidying up the breakdown. It’s too easy to make a mess of an attacking breakdown which is why teams will now kick rather than go multiple phases especially in own half. The threat from kicks means teams are keeping players in the backfield so theoretically at least, there should be space to attack from deep. Its not an easy one either as you don’t want endless recycling of ball at uncontested rucks any more than you want relentless kicking. If the French with their outrageous talent behind the scrum think it’s better to kick long, then the balance is probably not right
@Michael Corkery: I think this is a fair take, but also something that will have been communicated to Jack if it is the case.
Just to add to the list – David Humphreys also had the negativity directed at him – so I think it shows how pivotal the out half position is that it draws a level of criticism over and above any other position. The hooker is the next level usually around throwing into lineouts. Anyway, so far so good with SP – just needs to work on his defence!!
@Keno: the stick that Humphreys got came from the same place as that for Sexton and Prendergast.