‘You’ve got a surface you can play on’ - Friend praises 3G pitch after Connacht’s win in the rain

Connacht 24 Sharks 12

Saturday evening at the Galway Sportsground could well have deterred the 4,000 hardy Connacht Clan – and the visiting South African opponents. But amid the lashing wind and rain, Andy Friend’s side produced a four-try bonus point win to ensure they remain in touch with the URC top eight and a Champions Cup spot.

Credit the new pitch. “Lots of reasons why I went down the route of a 3G,” says the coaching director. “We know the brand, it’s in our DNA, and that’s the rugby we want to play. On a night like that, we had wind and rain and all sorts of things going on, but you know you’ve got a surface you can play on, and more importantly, we’ve got a surface we can train on every week.

“It gives us at least one element of consistency. So I think the boys are loving playing on that.”

The Counter Ruck: the rugby newsletter from The Irish Times

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And with six URC games remaining, Friend says Connacht just need to keep winning. “We know we’ve got to keep getting points, and that’s all within our control.”

Despite Friend’s admitted nerves of a potential banana skin against a Sharks side missing their front-liners, Connacht had control for most of the game. In a workmanlike performance the home side was solid in the set piece when necessary – the first lineout poached by Oisín Dowling, the second by Niall Murray. And although the opening 20 minutes was frustratingly error-laden, Connacht delivered two quick-fire tries.

The first came via a good attack by John Porch, Shane Delahunt, player-of-the-match Cathal Ford, and Kieran Marmion before Conor Oliver scored in the 20th minute from a lineout maul. Three minutes later, Tom Farrell raced onto a Mack Hansen chip and offloaded to Forde who grabbed the second – Carty converting for a 12-0 lead.

The Connacht supporters, starved of Christmas fare, responded from the Clan Stand as Finlay Bealham, Cian Prendergast and Delahunt produced a significant turnover. Just before half-time, Bealham was once again involved before Farrell found Tiernan O’Halloran who ran in from the 22 to crown a solid opening half, with Carty’s conversion ensuring a 19-0 lead.

The visitors controlled the third quarter, but it was Friend’s side that posted the fourth try after Forde blocked an attempted clearance from outhalf Nevaldo Fluers and scored. Thereafter the South Africans took charge, delivering two tries through Rahan Janse van Rensburg in the 61st minute and replacement prop Dian Bleuler in the 78th. In between replacement hooker Kerron van Vuuren’s try was denied by TMO, ensuring the visitors left Galway with nothing to show for their second-half dominance.

Scoring sequence: 20 mins C Oliver try 5-0; 23 mins C Forde try, J Carty con 12-0; 40 mins T O’Halloran try, J Carty con 19-0; 55 mins C Forde try 24-0; 61 mins R Janse van Rensburg try, L Cronje con 24-7; 78 mins D Bleuiler try 24-12.

Connacht: T O’Halloran; J Porch, T Farrell, C Forde, M Hansen; J Carty, K Marmion; D Buckley, S Delahunt, F Bealham; O Dowling, D Murray; J Murphy, C Oliver, S Hurley-Langton. Replacements: C Prendergast for Dowling (23 mins), D Tierney-Martin for S Hurley-Langton(46 mins-53 minss), S Delahunt for Hurley-Langton (53 mins), J Duggan for Buckley, D Robertson-McCoy for Bealham, L Fifita for Hurley-Langton (all 61 mins), B Ralston for Farrell (64 mins), C Fitzgerald for O’Halloran (66 mins), C Blade for Marmion (71 mins). Yellow card: S Delahunt (43 mins).

Cell C Sharks: A Volmink; Y Penxe, M Koster, R Janse van Rensburgh, M Pogieter; N Fleurs, C Wright; N Mchunu, F Mbatha, C Sadie; T Bholi, R Hugo (capt); J Venter, H Venter, C Gumede. Replacements: L Cronje for Volmink (HT), K van Vuuren for Mbatha and K Mchunu for Sadie (both 49 mins), G Williams for E Wright (50 mins), D Bleuler for K Mchunu (58 mins), E Hooker for Koster and O Barnard for Bholi (both 78 mins).

Referee: Adam John (Wales).