Ronaldson is Connacht’s trump card

Treviso 6 Connacht 9

They had to settle for a draw last weekend against Cardiff Blues and they will now head into next weekend’s opening game in the European Challenge Cup on a high as three penalties from Craig Ronaldson saw them win in Treviso for only the second time.

Treviso got an early edge when Kiwi Jayden Hayward, one of the many wholesale summer changes, landed a penalty from 38 metres on the right after six minutes.

Craig Ronaldson never got hold of his first penalty attempt from 25 metres on the right but he tied the match with a kick in front of the posts after 17 minutes after a dozen phases of Connacht pressure off a lineout.

Ronaldson edged Connacht in front on the half hour as more pressure yielded another penalty.

But Treviso were dangerous on the break and it took a great dash by Kieran Marmion to get the decision off the television match official when it seemed that Treviso winger Michele Campagnaro had got the game’s only try in the right corner.

And full-back Darragh Leader did well just before the break to deny his opposite number Hayward as Treviso again came from deep but they got a penalty which the Kiwi converted to tie the match at 6-6 at the interval.

The third quarter saw little good rugby as both sides tried to kick for possession but Hayward missed a chance to put Treviso back in front after 53 minutes when he missed a penalty from 25 metres on the right.

On the resumption the tension spilled over into a dust-up which saw both sides pile in and when it settled Connacht Kieran Marmion and Treviso out-half Sam Christie were sin-binned.

Ronaldson edged Connacht back in front after 67 minutes with a penalty from 30 metres but he was off target with one from the right with seven minutes remaining on the clock.

That ensured a nervous finish and Treviso almost snatched it in the final minute but Eoin McKeon executed a superb tackle to deny hooker Davide Giazzon a match-winning try Pat Lam’s men held on for a deserved victory.

Treviso scorers: Pens: Hayward

Connacht scorers: Tries: Pens: Ronaldson

TREVISO: J Hayward; L Nitoglia, L Morisi, E Bacchin, M Campagnaro; S Christie, E Gori; M Zanusso, D Giazzon, R Harden; M Fuser, C Van Zyl; S Favaro, A Zanni, M Luamanu.

Replacements: A Pavanello for Van Zyl (42), F Minto for Luamanu (51), T Vallejos-Cinalli for Fuser (66), A Anae for Zanusso (66), R Acosta for Hardem (66), A Lucchese for Gori (69), S Ragusi for Bacchin (70).

CONNACHT: D Leader; N Adeolokun, R Henshaw, C Ronaldson, M Healy; J Carty, K Marmion; D Buckley, S Delahunt, R Ah You; M Kearney, Q Roux; J Muldoon, E McKeon, G Naoupu.

Replacements: D Heffernan for Delahunt (52), A Muldowney for Roux (54), D Poolman for Adeolokun (57), R Loughney for Buckley (62), W Faloon for Naoupu (66), D McSharry for Leader (72), F Bealham for Ah You (73).

Referee: D Wilkinson (IRFU).