Gloucester survived a frantic finish to end Connacht’s unbeaten run in this season’s Challenge Cup with a 33-28 quarter-final win at the Sportsground.
VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS: CONNACHT 28 GLOUCESTER 33
Replacement Billy Twelvetrees’ 77th-minute penalty proved to be the final score of a thrilling eight-try clash, as last year’s runners-up set up a home semi-final against Aviva Premiership rivals Newcastle Falcons on April 20/21/22.
Tries from James Hanson, Tom Marshall and man-of-the-match Henry Trinder had the Cherry and Whites 17-10 up at half-time, with returning Grand Slam winners Kieran Marmion and Bundee Aki touching down for Connacht.
The hosts twice got back within two points thanks to second half tries from Niyi Adeolokun and Matt Healy, but John Afoa’s 55th-minute score on his 100th club appearance – coupled with the place-kicking of Owen Williams (10 points) and Twelvetrees – had Gloucester out of reach.
Chasing their first Challenge Cup semi-final appearance since 2010, Connacht fell behind in the third minute when Quinn Roux stole Hanson’s lineout throw but the tap-down bounced nicely for the Gloucester hooker, who gathered and cut inside Healy for a 5-0 lead.
In response, the province forced a scrum penalty and threatened from a close-in maul. Jack Carty’s inviting offload then sent his half-back partner Marmion nipping over to the right of the posts, with Carty unable to convert in a tricky wind.
Gloucester’s fifth penalty concession in 15 minutes saw number 8 Ben Morgan sin-binned for a high tackle, and a terrific team move soon led to Connacht’s second try. Hooker Tom McCartney was involved twice, firstly via Denis Buckley’s tip-on pass and then popping up to collect Carty’s offload and send Aki powering over to make it 10-5.
The wind foiled Carty’s conversion attempt and it was a similar case for Gloucester out-half Williams’ kick after they had released winger Marshall for the left corner. Wales international Williams’ long pass supplied a superb assist.
The Cherry and Whites got on top in a crucial period before the break. Ed Slater had a try ruled out for a forward pass, but centre Trinder’s quick feet took him around Roux and over for the lead try. Williams finally bisected the posts with a cracking conversion, and it was the Welshman’s 41-metre penalty which opened the second half’s scoring.
However, Connacht winger Adeolokun then burst into life, beating Marshall and Williams to Marmion’s superbly-weighted grubber kick over the try-line. A subsequent Carty penalty had the gap down to 20-18 but Gloucester had the answers.
They blew a couple of opportunities before Williams’ pull-back pass had Mark Atkinson dashing into space and he gave the supporting Afoa a clear run to the line. Williams converted and tapped the nail into Connacht’s coffin further with a 63rd minute penalty.
The westerners’ never-say-die attitude brought them back into contention, replacement Craig Ronaldson landing a penalty after Gloucester flanker Lewis Ludlow was binned for a shoulder charge on Marmion. Aki then threaded a kick through for Healy to collect and step inside Jason Woodward for a 70th-minute converted try.
With their lead cut to 30-28, 14-man Gloucester showed impressive composure and duly dominated possession, Twelvetrees knocking over a vital three-pointer after Connacht openside Jarrad Butler saw yellow for a deliberate knock-on. There was no way back for Connacht despite a late surge out of his own half from Adelokun.
Their Kiwi head coach Kieran Keane said he was not overly disappointed with the defeat, praising his team’s resilience and spirit in chasing down the Gloucester lead, but he rued some costly defensive errors and lapses of concentration.
“I do believe we’re a little bit naive as a team still. From my perspective we have an issue allowing teams into scoring areas. We know what’s going on, but unfortunately we slip up at times,” said Keane.
“When we’re in possession we look pretty good at times, but sometimes we don’t. If we get a little narrow in our attack things go awry for us. But that try of Bundee Aki’s was a great team try, and I don’t think you’ll see many better this weekend. When we get it right, we get it right. But we don’t always get it right.”
Try-scoring scrum half Marmion said that the bounce of the ball did not go Connacht’s way at crucial times, which, he said, ‘kinda sums up our season’. But despite the loss and the strong likelihood of missing out on Champions Cup rugby next season, the Grand Slam winner insisted: “I think we’re growing as a team. We showed a good bit of character out there to come back twice. It’s obviously frustrating not to get the result in the end.”
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