Connacht stun Sharks with incredible second half comeback

Connacht had trailed 27-7 at the break. 

RESURRECTION: Connacht's Niall Murray celebrates during the game with Paul Boyle during the URC game against the Sharks. Picture: ©INPHO/Laszlo Geczo

URC: Connacht 36 Sharks 30 

Connacht produced a stunning second-half comeback as they came from 20 points adrift at the interval to secure their first win of the URC season.

They picked up two bonus points away to Munster last weekend when scoring five tries but they went one better this time and saw out the win with half a dozen tries having looked set for a hammering when trailing 27-7 at the interval.

Connacht could not have envisaged a better start as they penned the South Africans inside their own 22 for over three minutes at the outset of the game before a penalty to the left corner ended with hooker Dave Heffernan scoring after the initial surge was contained by the Sharks.

Josh Ioane landed the difficult conversion from the left touchline and, with Connacht enjoying 75% possession in the opening 15 minutes, it seemed only a matter of time before they pulled away.

But the Sharks defence was superb and dealt with everything thrown at them, even if the Durban side struggled to get out of their own half on a perfect night for rugby in Galway with the reduced capacity crowd of 4,217, spread around three sides of the new Dexcom Stadium as the new stand continues to rise on the site of the former Clan Terrace.

Slowly the Sharks got on top and struck for a try in their first visit to the 22 after 22 minutes, when a penalty to the left corner was taken off the top and no Connacht defender could stop the almost 18-stone centre Andre Esterhuizen from steamrolling his way through to score. Out-half Siya Masuku converted.

Shane Jennings of Connacht on his way to scoring his side's third try during the URC against the Sharks at Dexcom Stadium in Galway. Picture: Tyler Miller/Sportsfile

The full-back Jordan Hendrikse, the hero of their Currie Cup win over the Lions last weekend when he landed a kick from inside his own half in the final play, delivered a penalty from inside his own half to edge them 10-7 ahead after 25 minutes.

Hendrikse repeated the feat with a 63-metre kick five minutes before the break but by then Esterhuizen had also repeated his power when the former Harlequins player burst through to score after good work by his centre partner Jurenzo Julius and ex-Leinster and Munster lock Jason Jenkins had made the initial bursts.

Connacht were struggling to deal with the sheer physical power of the South Africans in full flow and they went in trailing 27-7 at the break when former Munster lock Gerbrandt Grobler survived a lengthy probe by the TMO before their third try was awarded after a penalty to the corner. Masuku executed a superb touchline conversion to turn the screw.

Connacht, similar to the opening half, got a perfect start to the second period when Cathal Forde chipped and then took a pass after Mack Hansen to race in and score for the second week in a row. He also added the conversion after Ioane had gone off at break after suffering a knock and was replaced by David Hawkshaw.

Unlike the opening half, Connacht built on that early score, going to the left corner with a penalty and after getting the drive Heffernan got his second of the night. Forde was unable to convert from the left touchline, leaving the Sharks leading 27-19 after 53 minutes.

Sharks responded by trying to build the phases again but replacement scrum-half Tinotenda Mavesere threw a wild pass to the right which Shane Jennings intercepted and ran 70 metres to score under the posts. Forde’s conversion left Connacht trailing by just a point at 27-26 heading into the final quarter.

Connacht’s Denis Buckley and David O'Connor after the game. Picture: ©INPHO/James Crombie

Connacht, on a night when loosehead Denis Buckley became the third man to play 250 games for the province, pushed on from there. Replacement tighthead Sam Illo thought he had scored after several forays but it was scratched for a knock-on in the build-up while the home side had a penalty advantage.

They tapped and went and made no mistake this time with Oisin Dowling edging them in front with their sixth try. Forde added the extras from the right to put six between them, leaving the Sharks needing a converted try to win.

A superb double tackle by Hawkshaw and Paul Boyle stopped Corne Rahl in his tracks on the Connacht 22 with five minutes remaining, and with other replacements Dylan Tierney-Martin and Peter Dooley winning late penalties, Pete Wilkins' men saw out the remarkable comeback win, Forde putting nine between them in the final minute.

Sharks salvaged a deserved bonus point when Masuku landed a 35-metre penalty in the final action of a dramatic encounter.

Scorers for Connacht: Tries: D Heffernan (2), C Forde, S Jennings, O Dowling. Cons: C Forde (3), J Ioane. Pen: Forde.

Scorers for Sharks: Tries: A Esterhuizen (2), G Grobler. Cons: S Masuku (3). Pens: J Hendrikse (2) 

Connacht: S Cordero; M Hansen, P O’Conor, C Forde, S Jennings; J Ioane (D Hawkshaw 41), B Murphy (C Blade 64); D Buckley (P Dooley 56), D Heffernan (D Tierney-Martin 60), F Bealham (S Illo 56); N Murray, D O’Connor (O Dowling 60); J Murphy (P Boyle 71), C Oliver (S Hurley-Langton 56), C Prendergast (c).

Sharks: J Hendrikse; E Keyter (G Weir 78), J Julius, A Esterhuizen, E Hooker; S Masuku, B Davids (T Mavesere 49); N Mchunu (T Nyakane 60), D Richardson (F Mbatha 60), R Dreyer (H Jacobs 60); J Jenkins (C Rahl 49), G Grobler; J Venter, V Tshituka (c), E Tshituka.

Referee: Federico Vedovelli (Italy).