Opportunity lost, and Connacht’s woeful home record continues this season.
It seems unfathomable that less than two months ago, Connacht produced its most uplifting win away to Leinster with a performance of energy, spark, and most of all clinical efficiency. Unfortunately that is now a fast-fading memory.
Eleven points off Munster, Connacht may rue Sunday’s failure which was an ideal opportunity to close that gap on the Conference B leaders.
Yet, Andy Friend’s side is still sitting second -a point ahead of Cardiff, and with two games in hand. To keep that pressure on, they simply must racapture that confident and energetic standard they displayed in the Champions Cup and against Leinster to put some impetus back into the season.
With only two home wins this season - and four losses in succession - it has become imperative the Sportground needs to become a fortress again - one underpinned by pride in the jersey.
Whatever about away defeats, those at home hurt more. Few teams boast consistency - both Ulster and Leinster have lost once, and Munster twice - but Connacht’s record now stands at 50 per cent.
Understandably coach Andy Friend was infuriated after Sunday’s second-half collapse, having led 17-5 at half-time.
“Not good, four on the bounce,” he said. “We need to find an answer and we need to find it quickly, very disappointing.
“We said at half-time that we had put ourselves in great position. The way we rallied at the tail end of the first half was impressive. We found our groove and to get the try, a yellow card. and come 17-5 in front, that’s our game.”
“Really infuriating. I still thought with five minutes to go we had a chance, but the momentum was with the Ospreys at the time, they were very buoyed by the previous 35 minutes. So you have to give credit to the Ospreys. They were good.
“We knew it would be a dogged contest. But them coming here - we needed to be the better team. We will have to fight a lot harder and front up to what is going on, why we are not finishing those moments, how we build so much pressure and release it too easily, that is by biggest frustration.”
Off the pace
Ospreys arrived with both internationals and confidence in a season that has blossomed under new coach Toby Booth. Six of the club’s seven players named in the Welsh Six Nations side helped produce most of the attacking play in the opening half, yet found themselves behind at the break by 17-5.
It had been a huge turnaround for the home side. Outside an early chance which broke down when Conor Fitzgerald’s long looping pass to Wootton was clearly forward, Connacht looked off the pace.
Ospreys dominated set piece and open play, and capitalised on good work at the breakdowns, utilising quick turnover possession. It set up the first try after seven minutes with Dan Lydiate, Owen Watkin, Matt Protheroe, and Justin Tipuric all involved, before George North touched down for the opener.
However, a kick for touch provided the platform for Connacht to establish territorial control, which saw Fitzgerald land a touchline penalty to open the home side’s tally.When Welsh speedster George North made a rare mistake, Fitzgerald was quickest to react, grabbing possession and speeding down the wing before offloading for Wootton to finish off. Fitzgerald, in only his fifth appearance this season, added the touchline conversion for a 17-5 lead.
However two tries within the 10 minutes of the restart put a damper on Connacht’s hopes. The first came from a scrum turnover after the restart, and the backs did the rest, George North did all the damage before passing back inside to left wing Matt Protheroe who touched down with Myler converting. Ospreys then reverted to their pack, and the second arrived on 51 minutes from a penalty to touch with scrumhalf Rhys Webb scoring off the back of an unstoppable maul. Myler’s conversion put the visitors into the driving seat before Fitzgerald gave Connacht some hope with a 56th minute penalty to edge in front again.
However the Welsh oufit turned the screw at scrum time again for a penalty to touch, and their rolling maul was once again their weapon of choice. Superb work from the Connacht pack forced a five metre scrum, and after two resets later and another penalty, Ospreys kicked a penalty to touch. Tipuric secured with line-out catch and their drive to the line was rewarded with Webb bagging his second and Myler adding the extras.
Connacht: J Porch, P Sullivan, T Daly, P Robb, A Wootton, C Fitzgerald, K Marmion, D Buckley, D Heffernan, F Bealham, U Dillane, G Thornbury, J Butler, C Oliver, P Boyle. Replacements: M Burke for Buckley, 47; B Aki for Robb 40; S Delahunt for Heffernan and C Blade for Marmion both 53; C Kenny for Bealham, 61; N Murray for Dillane, A Papali’i for Butler and M Healy for Wooton 68.
Ospreys: D Evans, G North, O Watkin, K Williams, M Protheroe, S Myler, R Webb, R Jones, S Perry, M Fia, A Beard, R Davies, W Griffiths, J Tipuric, D Lydiate. Replacements: I Phillips for Parry, G Thomas for Jones and T Botha for Fia, 47; R Morgan-Williams for Webb 68; M Morris for Griffiths, 69; L Ashley for Lydiate, 74; A Giles for Protheroe, 78,.
