Pat Lam laments ‘worst’ Connacht display

Brive 21 Connacht 18: Connacht’s European hopes hang in the balance after what coach Pat Lam termed as “probably their worst game” this season.

The dramatic defeat by Brive at Stade Amedee-Domenech after the hosts converted a seventh penalty in injury- time was a sickening blow to Connacht, who had scored three tries in this Challenge Cup round five fixture.

“We just handed it on a plate through our mistakes,” said Lam. “Our individual errors were horrendous.” Defeat leaves Connacht trailing the French side by a point heading into the last round of group games. It means even a bonus point win over Enisei may not be enough to top the pool if the French outfit claim a similar win in Newcastle. But if both sides are level on points, Connacht would progress as pool leaders due to a superior aggregate points difference from the two matches.