The newly titled Dexcom Stadium witnessed an impressive performance last Friday night by a reinvigorated Connacht side. The result means that the EPCR Challenge Cup is next on the European agenda for the men from the west, and a trip away to Top 14 side Section Paloise(Pau ).
Pete Wilkin's team faced an uphill battle for any degree of qualification in the preamble to this fourth round tie. Champions Cup progression was all but beyond their reach, and was dependent on some highly unlikely results falling in Connacht's favour. The one outcome they could influence was their own, and a bonus point win whilst denying Bristol any form of bonus point was set firmly in the sights of the home side.
This was a much changed Connacht outfit from the week prior, and looked more incisive and assured right from the first whistle.
In the eighth minute, Connacht sliced through the Bristol rear-guard with a move indicative of their early season attacking flair. Some excellent decision making by David Hawkshaw, who excelled in the outside centre position, allowed for his delayed pass to be collected by Tiernan O'Halloran.
O'Halloran switched the ball back to Hawkshaw, who then found former Ireland Sevens player and man of the match Andrew Smith. Smith injected pace down the left flank before throwing an accurate offload to his wing partner Shayne Bolton for Connacht's opener.
Things got worse a few minutes later for Bristol after second row Josh Caulfield received a red card following a stamp to the face of Finlay Bealham.
Jack Aungier subsequently replaced Bealham. The tighthead then turned scorer in the 20th minute after a pop pass from Niall Murray saw him burrow under the posts with Jarrad Butler in tow. This left the score at 12-0.
The Bears would hit back with a penalty, but Caolin Blade stuck a dagger in Bristol's heart with a signature sniping move of his own to leave the scores at 17-3 heading into the break.
Pat Lam's hopes of making a victorious return to his former stomping ground were quashed on 46 minutes. A scrum inside Bristol's 22 quickly saw the ball in Carty's hands, and after an excellent dummy line by Aki, he was able to throw a lovely pass to Smith for his second of the night.
With the four-try bonus point in the bag, Connacht just needed a resolute defensive effort to go above Bristol in the pool.
Despite conceding a penalty-try from a Bristol maul in the 82nd minute, Connacht did in fact achieve the pre-game objective, booking a place in the Challenge Cup round of 16 in the process.
Their next game is away to Cardiff in the URC on the 17th of February.
