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Cardiff make impressive start to URC season with win over Connacht

By PA
Matthew Burke of Connacht (Photo By Mark Lewis/Sportsfile via Getty Images)

Cardiff began their United Rugby Championship campaign with a bonus-point 33-21 victory over Connacht at the Arms Park.

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A brace of tries from Owen Lane along with touchdowns from Hallam Amos, Willis Halaholo and Liam Belcher got them over the line and Jarrod Evans and Tomos Williams kicked eight points between them.

Kieran Marmion scored both of Connacht’s tries with Jack Carty kicking 11 points.

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Carty kicked Connacht into an early lead after Cardiff were penalised at the scrum but the hosts were then dealt a severe injury blow when fly-half Rhys Priestland was forced to depart the field early after taking a heavy knock to the head.

But it did not deter the Welsh side with Lane’s grubber kick forcing John Porch to conceded a five-metre scrum. And Cardiff took advantage with Halaholo stepping past the first defender before a long pass from Lloyd Williams allowed Hallam Amos to touch down. Jarrod Evans converted but Connacht hit back immediately.

Conor Oliver barged through some weak Cardiff defence before drawing in Amos to allow Marmion to run in unopposed from 30 metres out, with Carty adding the extras. In a cruel twist of fate replacement fly-half Evans was also forced off as he hurt his ribs attempting to win the ball in the air.

This resulted in scrum-half Tomos Williams having to play the rest of the game in the unfamiliar position of fly-half.

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Connacht extended their lead after a clean break from loosehead prop Matthew Burke resulted in Carty kicking another penalty.

But Cardiff struck on the stroke of half-time when Tomos Williams took advantage of a solid scrum to break through and put Halaholo over for a try. Tomos Williams added the extras meaning Cardiff held a 14-13 lead at the break.

Cardiff made it a two-score game in the 51st minute with a well-worked try. With a lineout in the Connacht 22 the ball was put through the hands, with Ellis Jenkins putting Lane over for a try at the far left-hand corner.

Despite not being a regular goal kicker Tomos Williams converted from the touchline.

But Connacht fought back with Carty kicking another penalty after Rhys Carre was penalised for being offside. Connacht began to apply pressure and Cardiff were reduced to 14 men when Seb Davies was sent to the sin bin for not rolling away.

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But just a minute late Connacht playmaker Carty suffered the same fate as he was shown a yellow card for entering a ruck illegally. And Cardiff took full advantage with Lane powering over from short range for the bonus-point try.

Tomos Williams converted and Cardiff were now full of confidence with replacement hooker Belcher touching down following a powerful driving lineout. Connacht grabbed a late consolation try with Marmion running in from 30 metres out.

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J
JG 49 minutes ago
Scott Robertson opens up on drama surrounding Bongi Mbonambi's knock-on try

Oh my word, for how long are they still going to keep bleating about that try.

The match officials DID explain it at the time, ruling that the ball was knocked out of Bongi’s hand by a NZ player. The ball went straight down (not forward) and Bongi fell on it, thus resulting in the try being awarded.

So it is disingenuous of Robertson to say that it wasn’t checked. If the match officials are confident in their decision, based on what they saw, then they don’t usually go to the TMO - even if requested.

Or else they’ll be going upstairs for virtually every try scored in a match.

Seriously, the Kiwis must now get over themselves. Every time they lose a match by a narrow margin, they find something to go on and on about. It’s almost as if they believe that other teams are “not allowed” to beat them.

Mind you, I think that dates back to a few years earlier when it seemed like the All Blacks were untouchable in the eyes of the match officials at the time.

Maybe Robertson still thinks that is the case nowadays. He hasn’t received the memo about the ABs no longer being unfairly “protected” by match officials.

Let’s face it - there was a time, not too long ago, where players from other teams were almost too afraid to touch or tackle a New Zealand player, for fear of incurring the referee's wrath.

And also, around the same time, NZ captain Richie McCaw was the “golden boy” amongst match officials and even amongst the big brass at the (then) IRB (now World Rugby).

Dont get me wrong, I’m an admirer of McCaw as a player and captain - I think he was great. And I will ALWAYS regard the All Blacks as a great Rugby team.

BUT let’s just be realistic, the New Zealand Rugby fraternity do tend to have this rather large sense of entitlement when it comes to test matches won or lost.

They expect other teams to accept it whenever a dubious decision goes the All Blacks’ way in a game.

BUT they don’t seem willing to do the same.

They'll routinely congratulate their opponents when they lose a match, but will then (for months, or even years afterwards), continue to bleat and “bitch” about a decision or incident that occurred in that match, trying to play the “victim” that was hard-done-by.

Perhaps it’s time for all involved in NZ Rugby to realize and accept that NO team should expect to have the right to always be “protected” or “favoured” in every match they play in.


Come on Scott Robertson, quit sinking to the low levels of some of your predecessors who, annoyingly, believed that the All Blacks have some divine, inalienable right to win every match they play.

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