Connacht skipper Prendergast vows to fight to the end after disappointing loss

FIGHT TIL THE END: Connacht skipper Cian Prendergast said they will battle to the final moment after their hopes of qualifying for the knockout stages of the league suffered a massive set-back when they went down to a Lions side on a five-match losing run. Pic: Shaun Roy/Sportsfile

URC: Lions 26 Connacht 7

Connacht skipper Cian Prendergast said they will battle to the final moment after their hopes of qualifying for the knockout stages of the league suffered a massive set-back when they went down to a Lions side on a five-match losing run.

They will need maximum points from their remaining games at home to Edinburgh and away to Zebre and hope a series of other results go their way if they are to make it to the knockout stages and into next season’s Champions Cup.

But with just five league wins all season and failing to get a single point in Ellis Park on Saturday after having to settle for two bonus points a week earlier in Cape Town, a frustrating campaign looks set to come up short.

“I think this tour probably sums up how the season has been for us,” said Prendergast. “We'll always battle for each other, we'll always battle for the coaching group that's here with us and look, it's just disappointing.

“We didn't show the best side of ourselves and started too slow, the Lions are too good a side to give them that many opportunities.

“We probably weren't smart with the ball. It was like we know in the Highveld, you got to be smart with your energy and look, that was probably the biggest killer and then we're trying to force things in the second half and that's when they come alive, they've got electric pace in the backfield and it's too easy for them.” 

Interim head coach Cullie Tucker admitted they now face an uphill battle if they are to somehow snatch a top half finish.

“The result is a big blow. We were aiming to get four or five points here and then we would be right back in the hunt. Technically we are still in the running, but we’re going to have to rely on other teams now as well,” he said.

He and his management will now have to contend with a plethora of injuries as well when they get back to Ireland.

They have had grievances with the way several games worked out this season but they could have no complaints about the outcome in Ellis Park, although the dreadful surface at the iconic stadium did neither side any favours.

For a time it looked like Connacht would fail to score for the first time in three years but replacement hooker Eoin de Buitléar finished a rare good move that didn’t break down.

But the Lions had bossed matters from the outset and should have been more than 11-0 in front at the break.

A string of backline injuries did little to help Connacht after the break as the Lions pulled away with a try from flanker JC Pretorious as both sides had tires scratched on review, and the Johannesburg side finished on a high after de Buitléar’s try when Edwill van der Merwe hacked ahead after a turnover to score.

LIONS: Q Horn; R Kriel, H van Wyk (R Jonker 62), B Mills, E van der Merwe; K Wolhuter (L Dobela 70), M van den Berg (N Steyn 56); M Naude (SJ Kotze 67), J Visagie (PJ Botha 67), A Ntlabakanye (RF Schoeman 67); R Schoeman, R Delport (D Landsberg 71); JC Pretorius, R du Plessis, J Cairns (I Esterhuizen 14-41).

CONNACHT: P O’Conor (S Cordero half-time); S Bolton, D Hawkshaw, C Forde (C Reilly 67-70), S Jennings; J Carty (H Gavin 46), M Devine; P Dooley (J Duggan 61), D Tierney-Martin (E de Buitléar 61), J Aungier (S Illo 53); J Murphy, J Joyce (O Dowling 61); C Prendergast, C Oliver, S Jansen (P Boyle 14).

Referee: Hollie Davidson (Scotland).