Quins dash Connacht’s hopes

By Prof
April 27 2004

Arriving early on the day before the match we thought we would look in the local papers for the preview to see if there was any  last minute team news – we weren’t disappointed.

The (Irish) Star had an interesting article, apparently Quins haven’t won away for two years, our No8, Tani Fuga, was unavailable and our prop, Phil Vickery, wasn’t going to start because of a foot injury! They had obviously done their homework – very badly.

Those of you who have seen the game might want to skip the report and go straight to the press conference.

As we arrived at the ground we were a little perturbed to see a lush green pitch, there was long grass, deep tyre tracks and a beautiful display of dandelions, it was a ground that speedsters like Monye, Harder, Duffy and Keogh might find hard work. The home side came out to a huge cheer, this was undoubtedly the most important game in their history.

Burke kicked off on the ground that he spent some of his youth playing on, the kick wasn’t recovered and Eric Elwood kicked deep into Quins territory. James Hayter took the throw and Diprose collected well at the back of the lineout. The Connacht backs charged up and gave a penalty away. So it was another lineout further up the pitch, the ball was taken up by Deane (another ex-Connacht player) but the ball was turned over and again kicked long. Duffy eventually collected the ball and Elwood was penalised for hands in the ruck, there was some backchat and Connacht were sent back another 10 yards. Hayter’s third throw was again good but Rudzki was taken out in the air – Mr Whitehouse didn’t see it and a scrum was awarded to Connacht.

Quins’ pack was 10 stone lighter than the home side but the scrum was stable. The crossfield kick to Ugo was perfectly weighted but Ugo was taken out as he caught the ball. Ugo was in action seconds later when a high ball was put up, he took it perfectly under pressure from three Connacht players.

The Connacht side again showed ill discipline when the ball was kicked away after a free kick was awarded for feeding. One thing we could all see was the intensity on the pitch, to say the home side and their supporters were up for the game was an understatement.

The first chance to put points on the board came after nine minutes when Burke kicked a penalty (0-3; 22-34agg).

Another penalty was awarded to Quins on their own 22 and Greenwood came over to take the kick for some reason and only made about 20 yards. Another good lineout and maul ended with the ball being stolen by the Connacht pack and they charged back at Quins, recycling the ball exceptionally well, making yards all the time before they were finally awarded a penalty for offside. Elwood kicked wide to let Quins off the hook.

Another series of short punchy runs from Connacht again ended with another kickable penalty this time being taken by the blonde centre McHugh, he kicked it over in absolute silence except for the radio commentator who loudly told his audience how quiet the crowd was (sadly that wasn’t the case when Burke was kicking). (3-3;25-34).

The next attacking lineout for Quins again went to Diprose, then Jones and Vos rolled the ball forward, there was a quick pick up by Dawson who made another couple of yards, the ball was sent left to Deane who punched the ball further forward, Keogh popped the ball to Burke who had Greenwood on his left shoulder, Burke offered the inside pass completely fooling the defence and Burke ran under the posts unopposed, his simple kick was good and Quins’ position was looking good (3-10; 25,-41; 18 mins).

This try seemed to turn Connacht’s passion and determination to a higher lever, they poured forwards, putting Quins under pressure all over the pitch finally being given a penalty wide out on the left about 10m from Quins’ line. They kicked to touch and were awarded a scrum after. The Quins fans got behind their team as the Connacht fans did, the atmosphere was really quite something and Connacht pushed closer and closer towards Quins’ line. They were awarded another penalty 5m out, and Connacht took a tap which saw the ball going wide right to Yapp who was running a great line from deep and cut through to score, McHugh converted and Connacht were right back in the game (10-10; 32-41; 26mins).

More pressure was exerted by Connacht, Quins were pressed back and a great chip through almost fell to Yapp for a second try, but the bouncing ball was collected by Vos and the ball was sent back to Burke who had a bit of a rush of blood to the head and he passed it left on his own try line, it was a shocking pass and Greenwood did well to gather it and send it left to Monye who took it and managed to recycle it to relieve the pressure.

The heavy home pack stole a lineout and rumbled upfield before recycling the ball well as they did all game. Quins were having a terrible time trying to get their hands on the ball, it was only the rare mistakes by the home side that gave them any possession in this second quarter.

Another turnover from a Quins rolling maul gave Connacht a great chance to score in the left hand corner but last ditch tackling kept them out. The next scrum then broke up in a display of handbags, Quins won the reset scrum and Burke cleared to the Connacht 10m line.

Connacht again played with pace and quick recycling and in seconds were putting pressure on the 10/12 channel again and again. It was Quins’ chance this time to rip the ball from a Connacht rolling maul and the pressure was relieved by a long Burke kick.

After five and a half minutes of injury time Mr Whitehouse blew for half time with the scores even.

Elwood started the second half and Rudzki couldn’t take the ball and Connacht had an attacking lineout. They recycled the ball quickly and made the Quins defence work hard before Elwood struck with a drop goal (13-10; 35-41; 41mins).

Moments later the ball was spun wide to Monye who skinned McPhillips before chipping through, he was then tap tackled by McPhillips, should it have been a penalty try, no, could it have been a penalty? Possibly, but it was not to be. Instead Connacht pressed forward, were playing advantage so Elwood had a free drop kick, he missed but McHugh made no mistake with the following penalty (16-10, 38-41; 49mins). Connacht had the majority of the possession and were now only three points behind on aggregate. Things were getting nerve wracking for the Quins supporters. Worsley and Davison came on for Jones and Rudzki. Fields of Athenry was being sung all round the ground.

A bullocking charge by McFarlane got close to the line before the ball was sent right to Elwood who went under the posts, Connacht were now ahead, the crowd lifted the volume even further as McHugh made the conversion (23-10; 45-41; 55mins).

An interception of a Greenwood pass by McHugh could have punished Quins further but Connacht still made yards with Elwood forcing Monye to take the ball into touch 5m from the Quins line. They made a hash of the lineout and Quins were awarded a scrum and cleared the ball about 20m out. Davison stole the lineout, Burke took the ball forward and Greenwood put a long clearance kick to touch.

Ugo Monye then tried run the length of the pitch but he was well tackled by O’Laughlin, to me it looked like Monye released the ball because Connacht came away with the ball by Mr Whitehouse awarded Connacht a penalty which McHugh pulled wide of the posts (64mins).

More Connacht players were going down injured, Mark Evans later said that it wasn’t time wasting because the time left was still 15 minutes, they were just putting everything into it and were getting battered.

The ball was taken forward by Deane, Diprose and Harder, Quins were punching the ball up the middle inching ever towards the Connacht line before the ball was flipped to Greenwood who showed a dummy and bundled over from three yards out.  Burke hooked the ball wide of the posts (23-15; 45-46; 69mins). The first real bit of possession for Quins in the second half had resulted in a try.

Sanderson took two high balls in quick succession and Harder again punched the ball forwards, before the ball went to Greenwood but Connacht stole the ball again.  Deane and Burke both received attention alongside a number of Connacht players.

Quins managed to get their hands on the ball again and the pack rumbled the ball forwards against the heavier Connacht pack to give Burke the chance to try a drop goal which he hooked left again.

Monye took the ball up the middle from a Quins scrum and Vos was there to drive him forwards, the ball was recycled, Burke decided to take it forwards even though Harder and Monye had a two on one up the blind side. More Connacht players needed running repairs.

Quins drove the ball forward, and Connacht pulled the maul down, Burke tried a drop goal which was like one of Tofty’s at his worst, but he made no mistake with the penalty (23-18; 45-49; 79mins).

The restart saw an astonishing 8 minutes of fantastically exciting play with the ball going from end to end. Connacht had a penalty and kicked to the cornet hoping for the killer blow. Quins disrupted the Connacht lineout and drove them backwards. Big tackles were going in all over the place as Connacht got closer and closer again. Quins were unlucky not to be given the put in at a scrum after an incredible Diprose tackle and turn. It didn’t matter when Quins drove Connacht off their own ball – the Quins front five deserve huge credit for it. The resulting penalty was kicked to touch but there was confusion with the call and Hayter made a very rare mistake. Connacht took the ball forward again and again only to be stopped by a thumping Harder tackle.

Davison disrupted the next home lineout and took the next Quins one safely, Quins rolled the ball upfield eating up the remaining seconds. Burke kicked but didn’t find touch, and for some reason the replacement Connacht full back kicked to touch, Mr Whitehouse blew the final whistle and the Quins section of the crowd went wild.

Final score: 23-18. Aggregate score: 45-49

The Press Conference

Mark Evans and Mike Scott looked happy as they came into the press conference. Evs admitted that Quins had got through by the skin of their teeth and that they were looking down the barrel of a gun with twenty minutes to go. Evans went on to say that ‘Connacht retained the ball well which meant that Quins weren’t really in the game for 60-65 minutes, they had to throw the kitchen sink at Quins and that’s exactly what they did, with some enthusiasm. Connacht play the sort of game that Quins played in 2001 when we won the Shield (as it was then called) they have a tight, multi-phase game and kick to the corners well whereas Quins have now developed into a hit and run team where they can attack from anywhere, this showed when Quins had the ball in the first and last ten minutes.

‘Not only did Connacht pack play well but they whole team was singing from the same sheet. Their pack is big and strong, they like taking the ball into contact and for most of the game their style was dominant. Their ferocity in rucks when we had the ball was incredible but in the last fifteen minutes they started to run out of steam

‘We should have killed the game off in the first leg but some bizarre officiating meant we didn’t end up with the score we deserved, but when we came here we knew it would be difficult with only a nine point lead’.

Evs also reminded the press that Connacht were a very good side, ‘they have beaten a lot of good teams, they beat us today.’

When asked where the game was won Evs replied that it was won with a couple of set pieces near the end. ‘Diprose was fantastic in the last 20 minutes. The two set pieces, the 5m lineout and the 5m scrum were very important. We disrupted their attacking line out and we thought we were unlucky not to get the put in at the scrum and the 5m scrum where we rammed them off the ball was the turning point’.

Evs was then asked about the relative merits of the Zurich Premiership and the Celtic League, his answer was the Celtic League is an inferior competition, his answer took a while and didn’t best please the local press.

Michael Bradley and Mark McHugh then came in looking understandably deflated, Bradley sat down and started to watch the Munster v Wasps game before wryly smiling and turning the television off.

Bradley said that they were feeling confident when they were 26-10 up, with the crowd behind them and controlling the game, they were creating chances but not taking them. He went on to say ‘Quins were a good side, they fought well in the last five minutes to get the overall win that they deserved.

‘We played well but there were a few decisions that, in retrospect, we would have taken differently, whereas Quins took most of their chances. We lost the game at the end when we lost concentration and a few lineouts. We also didn’t have much luck with injuries, we had to use 22 players on the day.

‘It’s disappointing to end the season with no silverware, but the team has ambition, and has determined players that have been working hard all season.

McHugh was then asked whether he expected to be on Ireland’s summer tour to which he replied ‘there are a lot of lads out there today who didn’t do themselves any harm but that he wasn’t thinking about that at all.

‘Having 6,000 Connacht fans in the ground cheering us on was fantastic, they really gave the team a lift, let’s hope they turn up at future games to support us.

‘We looked to attack the 10/12 channel which worked well but Quins were more experienced, they were more streetwise in the last fifteen minutes

Michael Bradley finished off by saying that the PPCC was a good, having a home/away format allowed you to look at the opposition and change things for the second leg’.

I thought that most of the players on both sides were pretty much on a par, most people made mistakes at some point and everyone contributed something. For me the man of the match should have come from Sanderson, Diprose and Davison on the Quins side and McHugh, Yapp and Elwood from Connacht.

One thing is certain, the IRFU should be ashamed of themselves for trying to disband Connacht as a province, they should also reassess the rule that means Connacht have to win the Parker Pen Challenge Cup to get into the Heineken Cup, the current rules state that Munster, Leinster and Ulster are always automatically in the HC.

Thanks to the Connacht fans, Galwegians rugby club and bar staff all over Galway – you made it a great trip.

NEC Harlequins will now face French side Montferrand in the Final of the Parker Pen Challenge Cup at the Madejski Stadium on Saturday 22nd May KO 12 noon.

As a footnote Keith Wood was at the airport when the final few straggling and struggling Quins fans got home (apparently he was there to pick his sisters up) apparently he watched the game and when asked by a local if he was supporting Connacht, his reply was “Was I ****!”, good old Woody.

Connacht:

Hewitt (Robinson 26); McPhillips, Yapp, McHugh, Munn (O'Laughlin 57); Elwood, Walls; McFarland, Jackman (c), Bracken (Clarke 72); Browne (McCarthy 74), Farley; Swift (Neville), Lacey, O'Sullivan (Fogarty)
Replacements: Fogarty, Clarke, McCarthy, Neville, O'Loughlin, Moore, Robinson

NEC Harlequins:

Duffy; Harder, Greenwood, Deane, Monye; Burke, Keogh; Jones (Worsley 48), Hayter, Dawson; Rudzki (Davison 48), Miall; Sanderson, Vos, Diprose (c).
Replacements: Dott, Gomez, Worsley, Davison, Sherriff, Willis, Dunne.

Connacht 23 (10)
Tries: Yapp, Elwood
Cons: McHugh (2)
Pens: McHugh (2)
Drop: Elwood

NEC Harlequins 18 (10)
Tries: Burke, Greenwood
Con: Burke
Pens: Burke (2)