Connacht secure five points in victory over Dragons

Connacht ran in five tries against the Dragons in Galway

United Rugby Championship

Connacht (19) 31

Tries: Boyle, Blade, Prendergast, Forde, Devine Cons: Forde 3

Dragons (0) 7

Tries: Basham Cons: O'Brien

Connacht are up to fifth in the United Rugby Championship after a 31-7 bonus-point win over Dragons in Galway.

The Irish province took control of the game with three tries in the first half, although had to wait until the final minutes of the game to secure the bonus-point through Cathal Forde.

Dragons, who are above only Zebre in the table, got on the scoreboard with three minutes remaining when Taine Basham went over from close range.

The visitors had plenty of opportunities before that late score, but were undone by a series of errors and set-piece struggles.

The Dragons struggled at the scrum throughout and it was through one such penalty concession that they would ship the game's first try inside the opening ten minutes.

Connacht went to the corner after getting the nudge at the scrum and, keeping it tight from the line-out maul, it was backrower Paul Boyle who eventually burrowed his way over.

If the host's first try was all about forward power, their second score was a slick one.

After Piers O'Connor claimed a high ball, there was a big carry from Cian Prendergast before Joe Joyce and Bundee Aki executed clever offloads in quick succession to send Caolin Blade under the posts.

The only negative for Connacht in the opening quarter was the loss of winger Shayne Bolton to injury.

They would have their third through Prendergast before half-time, the Irish international flanker bowling over Dragons tacklers on his way across the line.

Despite losing the battles on the gainline, Dragons did have their opportunities to respond, most notably from a line-out maul five metres from the line but failed to get the ball out of the set-piece after the referee had instructed them to use it.

Another pair of lost line-outs, as well as a missed touch from Angus O'Brien, made for a frustrating half for the Welsh side.

Connacht scored three tries in the first half

The tempo from Connacht noticeably dropped after the turn with the second half lacking rhythm and featuring sloppy play from both sides.

Again Dragons enjoyed plenty of possession and territory, while still sensing an edge in the aerial battle, but were unable to turn that into points of any kind until the closing stages.

For their part, Connacht will have been frustrated by their own struggles to bank the bonus-point that had seemed to be a formality at the break.

When the fourth try did finally arrive seven minutes before the end, the much needed spark was provided by replacement scrum-half Matthew Devine who broke the line sharply before sending Cathal Forde over for the score.

With a little over three minutes remaining, the Dragons managed to get on the scoreboard.

A brilliant 50:22 kick from Angus O'Brien flipped the field and, despite a scrappy line-out, Taine Basham tidied up the loose ball and got across the line.

Connacht would have the final say, though, with Devine capping off his impressive cameo with an intercept score in the final play of the game.

Connacht: O’Conor; Bolton, Forde, Aki, Cordero; Ioane, Blade; Dooley, Tierney-Martin, Bealham; Joyce, Murray; Prendergast (capt), O’Brien, Boyle.

Replacements: De Buitlear, Buckley, Aungier, Murray, Jansen, Devine, Ralston, Gavin.

Dragons: Evans; Dyer, Westwood, Owen, Ewan Rosser; O’Brien, Blacker; Jones, Burrows, Coleman; Carter (capt), Screech; Lewis-Hughes, Keddie, Wainwright.

Replacements: Coghlan, Seiuli, Yendle, Cummins, Basham, Williams, Evans, Wilson.

Referee: Gianluca Gnecchi (FIR)