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Connacht storm to comfortable victory over Ospreys in Galway

By PA
(Photo By Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile via Getty Images)

Connacht’s admirable sense of adventure at a wind and rain-lashed Sportsground was rewarded with a 46-18 bonus-point win over the Ospreys.

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The Westerners led 18-11 at half-time after playing into the big wind, Mack Hansen touching down after just 129 seconds and debutant centre Shayne Bolton and Oran McNulty also scoring tries.

Luke Morgan had an opportunist score for the Ospreys, with Stephen Myler booting two penalties to Jack Carty’s one.

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Sam Arnold and Joe Hawkins swapped seven-pointers, making it 25-18, before Morgan’s 58th-minute high tackle saw him sin-binned and concede a penalty try.

As the Ospreys fell to their second United Rugby Championship defeat, Connacht replacements Caolin Blade and Conor Fitzgerald made it a seven-try success.

The hosts took off at a rate of knots in the difficult conditions, Carty’s long pass finding winger Hansen, who stepped inside two defenders for an unconverted try.

Myler and Carty traded penalties for an 8-3 scoreline before another quick-fire attack – finished by 20-year-old South African Bolton – was rewarded with five more points.

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Carty missed the conversion, as did Myler after a Connacht attack broke down, Owen Watkin twice hacked through and winger Morgan got the grounding for his try.

However, young full-back McNulty then took advantage of a defensive slip to scamper over from 45 metres out.

The visitors, who went close through hooker Elvis Taione, returned fire when Myler cut the gap to seven points.

Connacht were the aggressors on the resumption, centre Arnold brilliantly breaking through a couple of tackles to crash over. Carty squeezed over the conversion.

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Back came the Ospreys, successive scrum penalties leading to Rhys Webb releasing teenage centre Hawkins to go in under the posts. Myler’s kick made it a seven-point game again.

Webb was well position to deny Connacht replacement Jack Aungier a try, but Morgan’s high tackle on the newly introduced Peter Robb, as he sought to score in the right corner, was a killer blow.

Connacht dominated the remainder, Blade wriggling free from Reuben Morgan-Williams’ grasp to go in under the posts. Carty unselfishly sent Fitzgerald over in the final few minutes.

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J
JW 5 hours ago
Six former All Blacks eligible for new nations in 2025

He wasn't, he was only there a couple of years. Don't get me wrong, he's a player of promise, but without ever having a season at 10 at that level, one could hardly ever think he would be in line to take over.


But if you really want to look at your question deeper, we get to that much fabled "production line" of the Crusaders. I predict you'll know what I mean when I say, Waikato, Waikato, Queensland.


I don't know everything about him (or his area I mean) but sure, it wouldnt have just been Razor that invested in him, and that's not to say he's the only 10 to have come out of that academy in the last half dozen years/decade since Mo'unga, but he is probably the best. So it's a matter of there having been no one else why it was so easy for people to picture him being razors heir apparent (no doubt he holds him in more high regard than the blurb/reference of his recently published though). And in general there is very much a no paching policy at that level which you may not appreciate .


For England? Really? That's interesting. I had just assumed he was viewed as club man and that national aspect was just used to entice him over. I mean he could stil be used by Scotland given I wouldn't expect them to have a whole lot of depth even thoe fh's one of their strongest positions at the moment. But certainly not England.


Personally I still think that far more likely was the reason. He would/could have done the same for Crusaders and NZ, just without half as much in his pocket. And as an individual I certainly don't think he'd have chosen England over the All Blacks (as a tru blue kiwi i mean), and he of all people should know where he sits. He said he wants to play internationally, so I take that at face value, he didn't think that could be for NZ, and he might have underestimated (or been mislead by McCall) England (and Scotland really), or have already chosen Scotland at the time, as seems the case from talk of his addition.


Again though, he's a player who I'd happily rate outside the trifecta of Barrett/McKenzie/Mo'unga in basic ability , even on par with foreign players like Plummer, Sopoaga, Ioane, and ahead of a bunch in his era like Falcon, Trask, Reihana. I've done the same thing >.< excluding Perofeta from the 10 debate. Hes probably below him but I think pero is a 15 now.

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LONG READ Junior Kpoku: 'My goal is to fight for an England place at the 2027 World Cup.' Junior Kpoku: 'My goal is to fight for an England place at the 2027 World Cup.'
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