\n<\/p>\n
Connacht (7) 14<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n| Tries: <\/strong>Prendergast, Hanrahan <\/span>Cons: <\/strong>Hanrahan 2 <\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | Lions (12) 38<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | Tries: <\/strong>Horn F 2, Pretorius, van der Merwe, Cronje, van den Berg <\/span>Cons: <\/strong>Hendrikse 2<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n | The Lions grabbed a stunning bonus-point 38-14 win against a disappointing Connacht in Galway, despite being down to 14 men for over an hour.<\/span><\/p>\n Asenathi Ntlabakanye was sent off in the 16th minute for the visitors, who recovered to clinch their first ever win on Irish soil.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n Francke Horn (2), JC Pretorious, Edwill van der Merwe, Erich Cronje and Morne van den Berg all crossed for the Lions.<\/span><\/p>\n Cian Prendergast and JJ Hanrahan were the try-scorers for Connacht.<\/span><\/p>\n The Irish province got off to the worst possible start at the Sportsground, with the visitors scoring the opening try after only seven minutes.<\/span><\/p>\n Some sloppy penalties gave the Lions a five-metre line-out and some good hands led to Horn leaping over from close range. Jordan Hendrikse nailed the conversion to give the Lions a perfect start.<\/span><\/p>\n As the hosts gained some traction in the game, it was no surprise when they grabbed a try of their own on the quarter of an hour mark. <\/span><\/p>\n After some banging on the Lions’ door, it was flanker Prendergast who barged over from close range. Hanrahan grabbed an extra two points to make it all square.<\/span><\/p>\n The television match official then drew attention to a high tackle from prop Ntlabakanye and referee Craig Evans decided the challenge merited a red card.<\/span><\/p>\n The Lions retook the lead on 28 minutes. Pretorius got an armchair ride from a fast-moving rolling maul and touched down unopposed as the 14 men responded in style. <\/span><\/p>\n Hendrikse missed with the conversion and the score remained the same until half-time with Connacht having conceded seven penalties in a disjointed performance.<\/span><\/p>\n The Lions extended their lead 10 minutes after the restart.<\/span><\/p>\n As the home side spread the ball right looking for an overlap, winger Van der Merwe intercepted the ball inside his half and outsprinted the home team’s defence for a crucial score. Hendrikse made no mistake from the tee.<\/span><\/p>\n Connacht responded with a score by Hanrahan from a well worked move from the base of a scrum inside the Lions’ 22. The fly-half dusted himself down to knock over the extras but this would be as close as the Irish province would get to the South Africans.<\/span><\/p>\n First, centre Cronje scored a stunning solo try to claim the bonus point, then a second try of the game from Horn as the number eight waltzed in from 15 metres, before substitute Van den Berg finished off an overlap move in the final minute.<\/span><\/p>\n The visitors could only grab two of the three conversions but it mattered little as the Lions eased to victory in what was a fantastic performance. <\/span><\/p>\n Connacht: <\/strong>O’Halloran; Ralston, Hawkshaw, Forde, Smith; Hanrahan, Blade (capt); Buckley, McElroy, Aungier, Murray, Joyce, Prendergast, Oliver, O’Brien.<\/span><\/p>\n Replacements: <\/em>Heffernan, Duggan, Illo, Murray, Hurley-Langton, Reilly, Carty, Boyle.<\/span><\/p>\n Lions: <\/strong>Q Horn; Kriel, Van der Merwe; Cronje, Louw (capt); Hendrikse, Nohamba; Smith, Botha, Ntlabakanye; Oosthuizen, Nothnagel; Pretorius, Tshituka, F Horn.<\/span><\/p>\n |