Last-gasp Connacht stun Gloucester
MATCH REPORT: A last-gasp Robin Copeland try made sure Connacht bagged a hard-fought 27-24 Champions Cup victory over Gloucester on Saturday.
The Cherry and Whites seemed to have this wrapped up as they went into the final five minutes with a 24-13 lead, but Connacht stunned the visitors with two converted tries, the second with no time left on the clock, to snatch the win.
It was an error-strewn performance from Johan Ackermann's side, who had to defend valiantly to stay in touch at half time after a tough 40 minutes when they were playing into the elements.
Gerbrandt Grobler’s try kept them in touch at the break, with the scoreline just 10-7 to the home side. Mark Atkinson’s interception try seemed to jump-start the performance, although Connacht hit back with a penalty from Conor Fitzgerald and a 13-12 lead.
But the Cherry and Whites then took control as tries from skipper Lewis Ludlow and a second from Atkinson seemed to have secured the win.
However, with Ludlow in the sinbin, Shane Delahunt finished off a catch and drive, the conversion making it 20-24 before the home team attacked from their own 22 and created an opening for Copeland to romp home and send the home crowd into raptures.
The scorers:
For Connacht:
Tries: Blade, Delahunt, Copeland
Cons: Fitzgerald 3
Pens: Fitzgerald 2
For Gloucester:
Tries: Grobler, Atkinson, Ludlow
Cons: Twelvetrees 2
Yellow cards: Eoin McKeon (Connacht, 9), Todd Gleave (Gloucester, 28)
Teams:
Connacht: 15 Jack Carty, 14 Niyi Adeolokun, 13 Kyle Godwin, 12 Bundee Aki, 11 John Porch, 10 Conor Fitzgerald, 9 Caolin Blade, 8 Paul Boyle, 7 Jarrad Butler (captain), 6 Eoin McKeon, 5 Joe Maksymiw, 4 Ultan Dillane, 3 Dominic Robertson-McCoy, 2 David Heffernan, 1 Peter McCabe.
Replacements: 16 Shane Delahunt, 17 Denis Buckley, 18 Finlay Bealham, 19 Niall Murray, 20 Eoghan Masterson, 21 Stephen Kerins, 22 Tom Daly, 23 Robin Copeland
Gloucester: 15 Matt Banahan, 14 Louis Rees-Zammit, 13 Billy Twelvetrees, 12 Mark Atkinson, 11 Ollie Thorley, 10 Lloyd Evans, 9 Callum Braley, 8 Ruan Ackermann, 7 Lewis Ludlow (captain), 6 Freddie Clarke, 5 Gerbrandt Grobler, 4 Alex Craig, 3 Fraser Balmain, 2 Todd Gleave, 1 Josh Hohneck.
Replacements: 16 Franco Marais, 17 Alex Seville, 18 Jamal Ford-Robinson, 19 Franco Mostert, 20 Ben Morgan, 21 Joe Simpson, 22 Danny Cipriani, 23 Chris Harris.
Referee: Romain Poite (France)
Assistant referees: Vincent Blasco Baqué (France), Adrien Descottes (France)
TMO: Denis Grenouillet (France)
Source: @GloucesterRugby