Lyon 34
Connacht 20
Connacht’s Champions Cup hopes were dealt a serious blow by a rampant Lyon outfit in France this afternoon.
Pete Wilkins’ side had entered the fixture propping up the bottom of pool one with just a single bonus point, desperately needing a win to give them any hopes of qualifying. Despite the odds of 25/1, Connacht did hold their opponents throughout the contest, but the home side’s pace and the power saw out the afternoon with a bonus-point try to put them on top in pool one.
With no Mac, Bundee, Bealham or Forde, and with only seven starters from Connacht’s victory over Munster, it always looked like this Investec Champions Cup challenge in Lyon’s home environs could be too much for Pete Wilkins’ much-changed side. And it was made even tougher when both Jack Aungier and Dylan Tierney Martin were both ruled out before the start.
Yet they delivered early on, thanks to a perfect pass from Tom Daly to the supporting Sean Jansen. The No 8 tore the field apart with a bursting run from inside his own half before touching down to claim the opening try after eight minutes, Hanrahan’s sideline conversion shaving the wrong side of the uprights.
It did not take long before the hosts went in front - ramping up their pace and power before the pack took control in the 22, helped in no small part by an injection of pace from fullback and man of the match Alexandre Tchaptchet. In the end left wing Thaakir Abrahams crossed, with former Ireland outhalf Paddy Jackson adding the extras.
It did not get any better when Connacht found themselves defending their lines again, and although the home side’s big forwards were halted closer to the line, Tchaptechet wasted no time in taking a quick tap before bursting though to touch down from close range, with Jackson again converting.
However, if the power of the pack caused issues for the visitors, the concession of three scrum penalties resulted in Jackson adding a three-pointer after 27 minutes to keep the scoreboard ticking over.
The fleet-footed French backs kept Connacht on their toes and the result was a struggle to gain any momentum, not helped by Lyon stifling Connacht when in possession, forcing errors on which they could capitalise, and when Jackson added a penalty before the break, the home side stretched the lead to 20-5 before the break.
Although starved of primary possession and territory, Connacht gave themselves some hope before the break.
Jansen was influential again in the build up, and on this occasion it was Cian Prendergast lurking on the wing who was able to grab or his side’s second try. Hanrahan’s conversion once again shaved the wrong side of the posts, but the try ensured Connacht were still in the contest at half-time.
They should have added to the score immediately after the break following a super line-out and drive, but Tom Daly, McDonald and Robertson-McCoy were halted on the line. Carty, however, opted to send the ball to Andrew Smith on the right wing, but on this occasion overcooked his kick.
Immediately after the restart, Connacht gave themselves some hope, capitalising on a penalty to touch. Darragh Murray secured and Connacht delivered through Dominic Robertson McCoy, Hanrahan adding the extras to close the gap to 20-17.
However, that was as close as Connacht could get. The home side retained the initiative, upped their attacking intensity with a series of close-in attack, led by their hard-running No 8 hard running Michael Guillard sold the dummy to dive over with Jackson converting to put them back in front by 27-17, and although Connacht squandered an opportunity at the other end,
Shane Jennings’ super tackle kept Abrahams from scoring on 62 minutes before Hanrahan added a 68th minute penalty to edge within within seven points.
However, Lyon changed gears again, Abrahams scoring out wide to bag the bonus point try with just five minutes remaining. There was not enough time for Connacht to make up the deficit, leaving them without a win and their Champions Cup hopes all but over.
