Connacht swing six-pointer

Connacht 11 Beziers 13In what was the last act of the game, Federico Todeschini sent a penalty sailing through the squall.

Eighty-seven minutes into an elemental and bruising afternoon, the French visitors found themselves presented with an unlikely victory that may just lengthen their involvement in the European Challenge Cup. Connacht were happy to secure a passage through to the January resumption with a six-point aggregate win, but here on Saturday they were worth a double triumph over the team setting the standard in France this season.

Although they faltered somewhat on the half-hour mark, Connacht were remarkably accomplished facing into the driving rain and wind that lashed the exposed heights of the Sportsground. Trailing 6-7 at the break, they broke the match open with a move of true finesse on 43 minutes, Bernard Jackman thumping his way into the heart of the French three-quarter line before Darren Yapp retrieved what looked to be a faltering movement with a slick pass from the ground. Eric Elwood fed Matt Mostyn and Mark McHugh came onto his flat pass like a train and rumbled into the corner.

From that point on, Connacht took control. Michael Walls's introduction as a meatier scrum-half was a clever switch and, just like last week in Beziers, Michael Bradley's team stuck to the basics and soaked up whatever the French threw at them. Had they not been facing into a gale, Connacht could have shot themselves out of sight through penalties. As it was, they had opportunities enough to make this game a distant chase in the first half, both Elwood and McHugh failing to land chances with the breeze.

Connacht also opted to kick a penalty to touch deep in the Beziers 22 when a strike for the posts would have secured a half-time advantage. It was a gamble spurred by the feeling that handsome first-half points would be needed but shortly afterwards Elwood of all people fumbled a pass from a promising attacking position and the moment passed.

In the second half, they showed no such hesitancy. McHugh's try cancelled the massive French push touched down by Costes after 32 minutes and Connacht grew in stature. Jackman is born to lead and time and again peeled off Elwood's shoulder to engage the French pack in thunderous contact.

McHugh used his cannon of a boot to great effect and enjoyed aexcellent day, murdering French speedster Dave Vainqueur with a day-saving tackle on 56 minutes. John O'Sullivan, quiet in the first half-hour, gradually came into his own and the Connacht locks, Mike McCarthy and Damien Browne, were to the fore in repelling the French.

Not that the visitors exactly laid siege. A period of early fizz promised a long second half for Connacht but just as in the first leg, Connacht's stoicism seemed to dent the imagination of the Beziers men. Todeschini's jinking breaks simply dried up, and the backs appeared to lose interest in running as Beziers were trapped deep in their own half during the crucial third quarter of the game.

Connacht won a series of penalties then and repeatedly kicked to touch - the only option given the wind - but they never established control of their lineout, with the beanpole Arnaud Costes soaring above the rest to interrupt Jackman's throws to the rear - why Connacht didn't throw to the front is a mystery. Still, up 11-7 with 20 minutes to go, they were happy, and even when referee Paul Adams, obsessive about not releasing, whistled Connacht to gift the visitors a penalty, a home victory still looked the better bet.

That was why the late implosion had a note of self-destruction about it. First, replacement forward Fabian Boiroux was deemed to have butted Pablo Cardinali. He was red carded and will serve a nine-week suspension.

Connacht held out for seven minutes of injury time, that Adams summoned from Heaven knows where, but then they erred on the edge of the outhalf's kicking range. His kick was true, Adams blew full time and the Connacht players were bent in exhaustion at the immediate loss but trooped off brightened by the bigger victory. They are likely to face Pau in the new year.

SCORING SEQUENCE: 14 mins: Elwood pen, 3-0; 20 mins: McHugh pen, 6-0; 32 mins: Costes try, Todeschini con, 6-7; Half-time: 6-7. 43 mins: McHugh try, 11-7; 61 mins: Todeschini pen, 11-10; 87 mins: Todeschini pen, 11-13.

CONNACHT: M McHugh; M Mostyn, D Yapp, T Allnutt (capt), C McPhillips; E Elwood, C O'Loughlin; D McFarland, B Jackman, A Clarke, M McCarthy, D Browne, M Swift, J O'Sullivan, P Neville. Replacements: M Walls for O'Loughlin, 53 mins; T Robinson for Allnutt 57 mins; F Boiroux, M Lacey for Browne, 73 mins.

BEZIERS: G Arandiga; P Escalle (capt), J Aue, Y Audrin, D Vanqueur; R Todeschini, P Broncan; A Tolofua, S Bruno, P Cardinali, S Hall, M Koita, A Costes, A Petrache, P Liari. Replacements: J Pedresseau for A Tolofua, G Shevelidze for P Cardinali, M Uanbayev for O Liari, all 54 mins.

Referee: P Adams (Wales).