Leiataua sin-bin opens door for Godwin
Connacht …22
Perpignan…10
KYLE Godwin’s late try clinched the win for Connacht who had to withstand a late onslaught to ensure they remain in contention in Pool 3.
Bundee Aki and Darragh Leader also scored and Connacht’s man of the match Quinn Roux said: “The weather was awful – it’s one of the worst games I’ve ever played in, but it’s great to get a win from that.
The four points is great.”
Leader scored the first try after ten minutes when Dave Horwitz gave the inside pass and the Connacht full-back couldn’t be stopped from close range.
Horwitz kicked the conversion, after he hit the post with an earlier penalty, and he converted following Aki’s try in the 21st minute.
Connacht’s first try came off the back of a simple scrum move and they did likewise for the second effort.
Eoghan Masterson took the ball at the back, fed James Mitchell and Horwitz gave Aki the assist before the Irish centre powered over.
Perpignan had their chances but Connacht should have gone in leading by more while French lock Yohan Vivalda got yellow in the 37th minute for an off the ball clash.
Connacht should have been clear but a Horwitz penalty was all they scored before replacement hooker Manu Leiataua scored for Perpignan. But he then earned yellow for dissent with eight minutes remaining and Godwin sealed the win.
TEAMS
CONNACHT: Leader 8; Kelleher 7, Joyce 8, Aki 7 (Godwin 68, 7), Healy 7; Horwitz 7 (Fitzgerald 54, 6), Mitchell 7 (Blade 71, 7); McCabe 8 (Burke 47-54, 6), Heffernan 6 (Delahunt 62, 7), Bealham 7 (Robertson-McCoy 61, 6); Maksymiw 7 (Thornbury 61, 6), Roux 9; Masterson 7 (Boyle 68, 6), Fainga’a 8, Connolly 7
PERPIGNAN: Bousquet 8; Fainga’anuku 6, Lucas 6 (Taumoepeau 53, 6), Marty 7 (Farnoux 64, 6), Sau 6; Selponi 7, Degmache 7 (Ecochard 75, 7); Walcker 6 (Tougne 60, 7), Carbou 6 (Leiataua 40, 7), Lemaire 6 (Charlet 62, 6); Vivalda 6, Botha 6 (Roussel 60, 6); van Heerden 7, Reynaud 6, Faleafa 8 (Iachizzi 62, 6)
REFEREE: Karl Dickson
ATTENDANCE: 5,011
Star man
Quinn Roux – Connacht
