Connacht 22-24 Leinster: Jacques Nienaber takes in dramatic URC win
- Published
Frawley scored a stoppage-time try to win the game for Leinster
A late try from Ciaran Frawley helped Leinster beat Connacht in Galway to stay top of the United Rugby Championship.
Leinster, with new senior coach Jacques Nienaber involved for the first time, trailed 8-7 at the break.
However, they fought back in an end-to-end second half.
A devastating left-to-right sweeping move in stoppage time was finished by Frawley to snatch the bonus-point victory for the away side.
Leinster have won six of their seven URC games this season and now have World Cup winner Nienaber in their coaching ranks.
After a bright opening, it was the hosts that struck first on nine minutes.
Connacht managed a steal on the Leinster line-out, leading to a Byron Ralston break down the right. The centre then offloaded to Ireland international Mack Hansen - making his first provincial start of the season - who charged down the wing before shifting the ball inside to David Hawkshaw, who bolted into the corner.
JJ Hanrahan failed with the conversion.
The men in green were reduced to 14 men nine minutes later, when Cathal Forde was sin-binned for an innocuous high-tackle, but it did not prevent them increasing their lead in the 23rd minute, when Hanrahan was on target from a penalty strike to make it 8-0.
Leinster were more perspiration than inspiration in a sloppy opening half-hour.
A number of handling errors and poor lineout throws from Ronan Kelleher did not help their cause. However, they managed to strike five minutes before the break thanks to Charlie Ngatai.
After a number of phases, he charged through Hanrahan from close range to score for the visitors. Harry Byrne made no mistake from the tee to add the extras.
Leo Cullen's side started much better in the second half, stealing a number of Connacht lineouts, and made their dominance pay with a try after 51 minutes.
Jason Jenkins picked the ball up at the base of a ruck and barrelled over following Peter Dooley's yellow card for repeat infringements. Byrne again added the extra two points.
Leinster added another try just five minutes later. They worked the ball to Ngatai, who kicked into the corner and it popped up beautifully for Ronan Kelleher to dot down. Byrne failed with the conversion.
Just as it looked like the game was falling away from the hosts, they hit back after 65 minutes.
Cathal Forde did well with a break before offloading to Caolin Blade, who scampered home with a clear run from 30 metres out. Hanrahan was on target with the conversion to reduce the deficit to 19-15.
Connacht pushed hard to continue their fightback and it was Hansen who again showed his class with a piercing break over the halfway line before offloading onto the left flank to Diarmuid Kilgallen to race home untouched for his fifth score of the season.
Hanrahan with the extras completed the turnaround to make it 22-19 to the hosts.
However, there were to be tears in Galway for the home support as Leinster snatched it at the death.
A sweeping move ended with Frawley stepping inside a covering defence and sliding over to break local hearts.
Connacht: Tiernan O'Halloran; Mack Hansen, Byron Ralston, Cathal Forde, Diarmuid Kilgallen, JJ Hanrahan, Caolin Blade; Peter Dooley, Dave Heffernan, Jack Aungier, Darragh Murray, Oisin Dowling, Cian Prendergast, Shamus Hurley-Langton, Sean Jansen.
Replacements: Dylan Tierney-Martin; Denis Buckley, Finlay Bealham, Niall Murray, Paul Boyle, Michael McDonald, David Hawkshaw, Conor Oliver.
Leinster: Ciaran Frawley; Rob Russell, Robbie Henshaw, Charlie Ngatai, Jamie Osborne; Harry Byrne, Ben Murphy; Ed Byrne, Ronan Kelleher, Michael Ala'alatoa; Ryan Baird, Jason Jenkins; Max Deegan, Scott Penny (capt), James Culhane.
Replacements: Lee Barron; Cian Healy, Tadhg Furlong, Ross Molony, Jack Conan, Cormac Foley, Liam Turner, Will Connors.