Bundee Aki leads the way as Connacht secure another Challenge Cup bonus point win

Aki had a hand in creating Connacht's three opening tries. 

17 January 2025; Bundee Aki of Connacht in action against Ben Thomas, 10, and Thomas Young of Cardiff, 7, during the EPCR Challenge Cup Pool 1 match between Cardiff Rugby and Connacht at Cardiff Arms Park in Cardiff, Wales. Photo by Kian Abdullah/Sportsfile

Challenge Cup: Cardiff 19 Connacht 28 

Bundee Aki led the way as Connacht wrapped up their Challenge Cup pool by collecting their fourth bonus point win to ensure they will be at home for all three knockout matches to the final in Cardiff if they make it that far.

It’s only the second time in history that Connacht have won all pool games — they won six in the 2009-10 season when they bowed out in the semi-finals — and they were good value for their win.

Aki had a hand in creating their opening three tries as he continued his fine form heading into the Six Nations, while the Connacht pack, with Josh Murphy excellent, held an edge throughout.

Connacht, having enjoyed 72% possession, had to be content with a 14-7 lead at the end of an opening half where Cardiff had to make 89 tackles to 36 for the visitor.

The two tries came from the locks Josh Murphy and Joe Joyce but Connacht would have been out of sight were it not for a good defensive effort from Cardiff.

But Connacht could have gifted Cardiff two breakaway tries with loose passes deep inside the home half going astray, initially from winger Chay Mullins and late scrum-half Ben Murphy, but a scrambled defence saved Connacht in the first one and a knock-on from winger Tom Bowen with a clear run from deep to the line meant they got away with the second one as well.

Connacht deservedly hit the front after 13 minutes with a superb neat offload by Aki in midfield put Josh Murphy away and the second row, having got his first try for the province last week, raced in to score under the posts.

An offside when several players down the right were offside for a Ben Murphy box-kick in midfield led to a Cardiff penalty which they made the most of, with Ben Thomas finding a good touch down the left and after working it infield, hooker Evan Lloyd got in between Joyce and out-half Josh Ioane to score. Thomas added an excellent conversion from the right to tie the game after 19 minutes.

It remained that way until three minutes from the break. Connacht went to the corner twice with penalties but after winning the lineout made no headway either time and the chances were lost.

Ioane then went to the corner with a penalty on the 22 but miscued it and kicked it dead.

But Connacht finished the half strongly. Aki almost put hooker Dave Heffernan in after a good break, but they recycled well and Joyce piled over the cover to score, with Ioane adding the extras to lead 14-7 at the break.

Connacht pushed on after the restart but when Cardiff countered flankler Conor Oliver was binned to a deliberate knock-on and the Welsh made the extra man count within a minute.

Thomas found a good touch and when they quickly worked the ball infield Cardiff needed just one ruck which was poorly defended by Connacht, and Thomas Young raced in to score under the posts, with the easy conversion from Thomas tying the match at 14-14 after 44 minutes.

A good lineout steal by Joyce deep inside his own 22 ensured Connacht didn’t concede again while down to 14 and they hit the front again at the end of the binning when a penalty from Ioane from 30 metres hit the left post but after it was knocked on by out-half Thomas, Connacht made them pay, with Aki again key as they worked it wide for Byron Ralston to crown a fine display in the left corner which Ioane converted to lead 21-14.

Young got his second try after a neat grubber which helped him combine with scrum-half Ellis Bevan down the left to cut the gap to two going into the final quarter.

But Connacht secured the bonus point 14 minutes from the end when skipper Cian Prendergast broke to send replacement scrum-half Matthew Devine in for their fourth try which was converted by JJ Hanrahan who had just come on for his first action since suffering an ACL injury last April.

That pushed them nine points clear going into the closing stages and they were never going to be caught after that.

Scorers: Cardiff: Tries: T Young (2), E Lloyd. Cons: B Thomas (2).

Connacht: Tries: J Murphy, J Joyce, B Ralston, M Devine. Cons: J Ioane (3), JJ Hanrahan.

Cardiff: J Beetham; G Hamer-Webb, R Lee-Lo (C Winnett 70), R Jennings, T Bowen; B Thomas (c), E Bevan (J Mulder 60); R Barratt (D Southworth 60), E Lloyd (E Daniel 60), K Assiratti (R Litterick 60); J McNally (S Davies 53), T Williams; A Mann, T Young (R Thornton 66), A Lawrence.

Connacht: S Cordero (JJ Hanrahan 62); C Mullins (D Hawkshaw 58), P O’Conor, B Aki, B Ralston; J Ioane, B Murphy (M Devine 62); P Dooley (J Duggan 64), D Heffernan (E de Buitlear 67), F Bealham (J Aungier 58); J Murphy, J Joyce (D O’Connor 62); C Prendergast (c), C Oliver (S Jansen 58), P Boyle.

Referee: Morne Ferreira (South Africa).