Rugby: Connacht face old enemy Narbonne after knocking out Pau

Pau 10 Connacht 6

The two outfits face each other for the third successive season with the score currently standing at one-all. However another visit to France within four days is hardly what Connacht would have wanted, particularly after a hard-earned 18-point aggregate win against Pau.

“It is a hard week, but that is the nature of the sport. I don’t think the turnaround will be of any disadvantage to Connacht, but the competition is certainly getting tougher,” said Connacht coach Michael Bradley.

There is no doubt the preferred option for a quarter-final was a visit to London Irish, who lost out to Narbonne by 42-30 on aggregate.

“Obviously we would have preferred London Irish. As a glamour fixture it would have been great. But we are just happy to be in this position.

“The matches have been tough, but they have been a great experience for the team and we are now looking forward to Saturday’s match. Last year Connacht won by a single point, so we can expect another tight match.”

The windswept and rainy Stade de Hameau mitigated against fluid open rugby suitable to Pau’s speedy pacesetters, and thus Connacht’s four-try tally in Galway in the first leg proved crucial.

The visitors sensibly opted to use the elements in the first half in the hopes of extending their lead and increasing Pau’s urgency. Ttwo penalties that Eric Elwood converted in the 19th and 36th minutes, extended the aggregate lead to 28.

With 40 minutes to make up 28 points-plus Pau lifted their game and were rewarded when World Cup centre Damien Traille managed a try in the right corner after 48 minutes. But that was as good as it got as a string of replacements and two more sin-binnings disrupted the game’s fluidity.

When it became apparent Connacht were heading for a two-leg victory, Pau’s only incentive was to preserve their unbeaten home record.

Replacement winger Jaouher dived over for a try five minutes from time to achieve that mission.

CONNACHT: M McHugh; M Mostyn, D Yapp, T Allnutt (capt), T Robinson; E Elwood, M Walls; D McFarland, B Jackman, A Clarke; D Browne, A Farley; M Swift, M Lacey, J O’Sullivan.

Replacements: C Keane for Walls, C McPhillips for Robinson (58m), J Fogarty for Jackman (73m), T Carter for O’Sulllivan (78m), W O’Kelly for McFarland (82m).

PAU: J Souverbie, J Peyras, E Artiguste, D Traille, P Negre Gauthier, D Aucagne, N Cabannes, D Berdoy, M Tincu, O Sourgens, L Faure, O Laperne, B Bordenave, R Cabannes, I Harinordoquy.

Replacements, R Jaouher for Peyras (h/t), Lacrouts for Bordoy (56m), Cistacq for Artiguste (63m), Souverbie for Cabannes (65m).

Referee: Hugh Watkins (Wales).