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Lions all but end Connacht's URC play-off hopes
By PA
Connacht’s hopes of reaching the United Rugby Championship play-offs suffered a major blow after a 26-7 defeat to Lions in Johannesburg.
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Heading to South Africa on the back of three successive defeats, the Irish province were unable to turn around their fortunes to leave them five points adrift of the top eight with two rounds remaining.
A Renzo du Plessis try in the 13th minute was followed by two Kade Wolhuter penalties to give Lions an 11-0 lead at the break.
Another Wolhuter three-pointer early in the second half extended Lions’ lead before both teams had a try chalked off.
JC Pretorius crossed for Lions’ second try 11 minutes later but Connacht got on the board shortly afterwards through Eoin de Buitlear, which David Hackshaw converted.
But Lions had the final say when Edwill van der Merwe dotted down, Lubabalo Dobela adding the extras, as they kept alive their own top-eight chances after snapping a four-game losing streak.
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Unusual weekend in the URC. All four Irish teams lost, all four SA teams won, neither of the Scottish teams won, and all of the Welsh teams won bar the game in which two of them played each other (and therefore could not have both won).