Friend Calls For Better Execution After Connacht Go Down To Gloucester

Connacht were left to rue a frustrating second half display as they were overhauled by Gloucester, going down 26-17 at Kingsholm to fall to the bottom of Heineken Champions Cup Pool 5.

John Porch’s third try in two games cancelled out Tom Marshall’s fourth-minute opener, and a Jack Carty penalty had the visitors leading 10-7 up to the 46th minute. However, a Louis Rees-Zammit score from a Danny Cipriani interception edged Gloucester back in front.

Connacht’s hopes took a huge hit during winger Kyle Godwin’s sin-bin period, the Cherry and Whites punishing the 14 men with 12 points – Marshall and Jake Polledri both touched down to seal the bonus point win – before Quinn Roux replied with a last-minute try of little consolation.

Giving his post-match reaction, Connacht head coach Andy Friend admitted: “We were 10-7 up at half-time and looking good after playing some controlled rugby. The message was to do exactly the same in the second half, but we didn’t do anything like that.

“It’s really frustrating as we got ourselves into some really good positions, but we needed to execute in those positions and not concede an 85-metre interception try.

“Too many errors hurt us as we kicked the ball out on the full and when we picked up a yellow card, the game was gone. I’m disappointed we didn’t get a bonus point and we will need a really clinical performance at home next week.”

Backed as ever by a vocal travelling support, the westerners foiled Gloucester’s first attack with Bundee Aki quickly in at the breakdown. Yet, there were no stopping Kiwi full-back Marshall when he glided in between Aki and Roux and stepped inside the covering Niyi Adeolokun to dart in behind the posts and open the scoring.

Cipriani’s straightforward conversion was followed by a threatening run from Ollie Thorley, but Porch snuffed out the danger and Roux’s lineout steal had wind-backed Connacht in position to strike. Closed down by two defenders, Carty brilliantly got his hands free to send Porch slicing through for a fine try from the edge of the Gloucester 22.

Carty converted and tagged on a 17th minute penalty, rewarding his forwards for some purposeful work. Gloucester continued to look dangerous when going wide, but Adeolokun did well to haul down Thorley and another turnover penalty – this time won by a well-positioned Peter Robb – allowed the visitors to kick clear.

Rallying after the departure of the injured Colby Fainga’a (knee), Connacht thwarted another couple of promising Gloucester attacks thanks to Aki’s impact at the breakdown and they were helped too by a stumble by Mark Atkinson, which ended his midfield break, and a knock-on that denied Franco Marais a try off a lineout maul.

In the blustery wind and rain, Carty was narrowly wide with a late penalty attempt as the gap stayed at three points up to the interval. Nonetheless, it was a different Gloucester team that emerged for the second half, and within six minutes of the restart, they had retaken the lead at 14-10.

Just when Connacht were building off an Eoghan Masterson lineout steal, deep in Gloucester territory, a Carty pass in midfield was swooped upon by his opposite number Cipriani who dashed downfield and passed for supporting winger Rees-Zammit to cross the whitewash for a key seven-pointer.

As Connacht sought to respond, Carty overcooked a kick to touch and his replacement Conor Fitzgerald was unfortunate to be whistled up for a forward pass. The momentum was right behind Gloucester after Godwin paid the price for a series of penalties conceded by the province in their own 22.

The winger’s absence was immediately exploited as scrum possession was fed wide for man-of-the-match Marshall to complete his brace. The try went unconverted but Gloucester’s bonus point arrived just three minutes later, flanker Polledri breaking through Denis Buckley’s tackle to go over to the right of the posts.

An Aki turnover penalty launched Connacht forward again, replacement Stephen Kerins’ inviting pass almost leading to a try for Masterson. Tom Daly, also fresh off the bench, was marginally held up before Gloucester’s repeated indiscipline near their own try-line landed replacement Billy Twelvetrees in the bin.

TMO Eric Gauzins chalked off what appeared to be a well-finished try from replacement Dominic Robertson-McCoy who seemed to get the ball down with his left hand. Instead, it was ruled out for a knock-on, and just as Connacht’s bonus point push ran out of time, Roux did manage to roll his way over the line for Fitzgerald to convert.

The late purple patch was not enough to prevent four-try Gloucester from drawing first blood in the back-to-back fixtures, with both sides having just six days to regroup for an intriguing return match at the Sportsground next Saturday.