Connacht add final loss to Challenge Cup account

By Sea_point
January 22 2007

Connacht slipped meekly out of the European Challenge Cup after falling to a four try defeat to NEC Harlequins. Quins No 8, Chris Hala'Ufia, crossed the line with a few minutes left, to put the final nail in Connacht’s Challenge Cup coffin for this season.

 

NEC Harlequins 26 Connacht 10

The Stoop: 21 January 2007

After their comprehensive win Harlequins had to be content with second spot in Pool Four missing out on a playoff slot to fellow Guinness Premiership side Newcastle Falcons. Quite what Connacht’s game plan was during the game is very hard to speculate, if indeed there was one it wasn’t visible at all for the duration of the game.

The first half had little to commend it to the Connacht Supporters in the crowd. Quins scored three of their tries, and although they allowed Connacht some time, space and opportunity to come back into the match Connacht inevitably turned over possession with alarming carelessness.  Poor officiating by David Changleng and his team while certainly not the cause of Connacht’s defeat contributed to the imbalance on the day as decision after decision went the way of the home team.

Mistakes from both sides early on saw many chances going to waste, but Harlequins certainly showed far more thrust, guile and control and had long periods of territory and possession..

Hal Luscombe was a powerhouse at centre for Quins, probing and prodding for any chink in the Connacht defence. He crossed the line in the fourth minute, courtesy of his fellow centre Stuart Abbott's final pass following a fluid passage of Harlequins play which swept up and back, right and left before the final combo sealed it with a try.

Connacht lost fly-half Paul Warwick to injury after 18 minutes, he was replaced by Kiwi centre Gavin Williams with Mark McHugh taking over the number 10 role. Connacht pressed back and only some over-casual handling prevented them from touching down themselves, at least they managed a penalty, through McHugh.

Quins, though, hit back with their second try. This time it was the turn of their full-back Mike Brown, who impressed again with his speed of foot and thought when he was put through by the fly-half Adrian Jarvis.

Another who caught the eye was Quins Number-Eight Hala'Ufia, who caused the countless problems. It was Hala'Ufia who popped up a perfect ball while on the ground for Abbott's try, the final score of the half, which was converted by Jarvis to leave the score at 19-3.

Early in the second half Connacht lost McHugh to what appeared to be an ankle injury, he was replaced by academy player Peter Durcan. Quins made a raft of changes and introduced Evans, Nebbit and Will Skinner. While they were setting into the game Quins were given a jolt midway through the second half when Connacht’s replacement, Gavin Williams, burst upfield and drew what was left of the London side's cover before sending the scrum-half Conor O'Loughlin over for the visitors' first and only try of the match. Durcan slotting the conversion to bring the visitors to 19-10

It was a small crumb of comfort for their supporters however as normal service was quickly resumed as Harlequins reasserted control of the game. Quins notched up their fifth point when Hala'Ufia burst through from close range with four minutes left. Although at the beginning of the game Quins had an outside chance of qualifying for the ¼ finals as a best runner up, it was not enough, and Quins had paid the price for earlier defeats, notably against Bath.

So all in all an unsatisfactory afternoon for both teams and their supporters. Quins will however be in confident mood going back into the next round of premiership games, while Connacht still search for a game plan that will enable them to reflect their efforts on the pitch in the Magners League table.

Harlequins: M Brown; D Strettle, H Luscombe, S Abbott, S Keogh (U Monye, 70); A Jarvis, A Gomarsall (S So'oialo, 76); A Croall, T Fuga, M Ross (R Nebbett, 54), O Kohn (J Evans, 54), N Spanghero, A Vos (W Skinner, 60), P Volley (capt), C Hala'Ufia.

Connacht: D Riordan; T Robinson (C Keane, 63), J Hearty, M McHugh (P Durcan, 46), C McPhillips; P Warwick (G Williams,18), C O'Loughlin; B Wilkinson, J Fogarty (capt; A Flavin, 52), S Knoop (B Sturgess, 52), M Swift (A Farley, 68), R Strudwick, M Lacey, R Ofisa, B O'Connor (C Rigney, 52).

Referee: D Changleng (Scotland).