Rugby, goodbye to the playoff dream for Benetton: Connacht wins at Monigo 21-17

TREVISO. If you haven’t won since December… Sure, the Six Nations, injuries, Covid and postponed matches, but in the United Championship no one expects anyone. So a well-ordered Benetton actually says goodbye to the playoffs after the internal knockout against the Irish of Connacht: in Monigo it ends 17-21.

Ready, go and Connacht goes straight to the goal with Prendergast who escapes two green-and-white tackles and takes off to crush. Carty transforms. The Leoni, despite the initial hard hit, go back up the field and have a good position for a foul by the Irish in the ruck. Giacomo Da Re hits the poles and gives the first points to his own. The host team offers a fast and open rugby, still puncturing the home defense. Connacht has a scrum in the five meters at home, meanwhile Menoncello has to give way to Riera for a blow to the head. And in the first quarter of the race Connacht doubles with Murray; Carty makes no mistake from the pitch. Benetton Rugby tries to get back into the game and wants heavy marking, but Coach Friend’s rearguard is not punctured. Thus the first fraction ends with the Irish over 3-14.

The second half begins and Bortolami puts in Braley and Cannone for Duvenage and Herbst. The green-and-whites entered the field with the right attitude and charged with their heads down by pushing the drive. Just from one of these shoulders comes the poking action of the Lions concluded by Edoardo’s goal Padovani. From King he transforms from a difficult position and the race reopens. It is also time for Zuliani to join Negri. The melee of the Lions is overflowing and makes a big voice, but Duvenage and his companions lack the winning flick. There is still a quarter of the game in progress, Benetton Rugby raises the tone of the attacks and Prendergast must take the yellow for a foul towards the green-and-whites advancing drive. After several scrums over five meters, with the home pack dominant, Toa’s goal arrives Halafihi. But it’s converts and the Lions are on top for the first time in the match.

Then Benetton Rugby changes the entire front line, inserting Baravalle, Pasquali and Nemer for Nicotera, Tetaz and Gallo, as well as replacing Da Re for Marin. Then Prendergast returns and returns in numerical parity. The Irish win a free kick and force Zuliani to a foul, who is cautioned. Five from the end Connacht marks the goal of the challenge with the newly entered Tietie Tuimauga e Carty center the pitch. Benetton, despite the man short of the man, makes up meters and gives everything he has on the pitch. But he fails to cross the guest goal line and Connacht wins 17-21 in Monigo. A defensive bonus point for Benetton Rugby.

Toa Halafihi, named man of the match: “We knew what to do but we had to do it better. Coach Bortolami pushes us to give more, this time it wasn’t enough “. So they happen Duvenage: “We have to learn, improve and do it quickly because the season is coming to an end”.

Benetton Rugby: 15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Edoardo Padovani, 13 Ignacio Brex, 12 Tommaso Menoncello (18 ′ Joaquin Riera), 11 Monty Ioane, 10 Giacomo Da Re (71 ′ Leonardo Marin), 9 Dewaldt Duvenage (c) (45 ′ Callum Braley), 8 Toa Halafihi, 7 Sebastian Negri (50 ′ Manuel Zuliani), 6 Michele Lamaro, 5 Federico Ruzza, 4 Irné Herbst (45 ′ Niccolò Cannone), 3 Nahuel Tetaz (69 ′ Tiziano Pasquali), 2 Giacomo Nicotera (69 ′ Tomas Baravalle ), Thomas Gallo (69 ′ Ivan Nemer). Head Coach: Marco Bortolami.

Connacht Rugby: 15 Tiernan O’Halloran, 14 John Porch, 13 Tom Farrell (55′ Sean Masterson), 12 Sammy Arnold (61′ Conor Fitzgerald), 11 Mack Hansen, 10 Jack Carty (c), 9 Kieran Marmion (55′ Caolin Blade), 8 Paul Boyle (57′ Abraham Papali’i), 7 Conor Oliver, 6 Cian Prendergast, 5 Leva Fifita (50′ Gavin Thornbury), 4 Niall Murray, 3 Finlay Bealham (53′ Tietie Tuimauga), 2 Dave Heffernan (64′ Dylan Tierney-Martin), 1 Matthew Burke (64′ Greg McGrath). Head Coach: Andy Friend.

Markings: 1 ′ meta Prendergast tr. Carty, 8 ′ p. Da Re, 19 ′ Murray tr. Carty; 48 ′ meta Padovani tr. Da Re, 68 ′ meta Halafihi, 75 ′ meta Tietie Tuimauga tr. Carty.

Note: 63 ‘yellow card to Prendergast, 75’ yellow card to Zuliani. Transformations: Benetton Rugby 2/2 (Da Re 2/2); Connacht Rugby 3/3 (Carty 3/3). Free kicks: Benetton Rugby: 1/1 (Da Re 1/1). Man of the match: Toa Halafihi (BEN).