Nepia Fox-Matamua scored a try on his competitive debut as Connacht held off a Newport Gwent Dragons fight back to kick off their GUINNESS PRO12 campaign with a dramatic 29-23 victory. The Welsh region have still not won in Galway since 2004 and while Lyn Jones handed debuts to five players – including Sarel Pretorius who went over in the second half – the hosts just held on in the end. Jack Carty kicked 14 points overall for the home side and Fox-Matamua – who joined this summer from Auckland – was at the back of a driving maul to put his side nine points up at the break. Pretorius’ score after the interval threatened a fight back but Danie Poolman’s score and another Carty penalty appeared to have kept the visitors at bay. But the Dragons – who finished last season strongly with four wins from six – came roaring back in the closing stages and replacement James Thomas barged over to make it a nervous finish. Bundee Aki’s fine break then set up Fionn Carr for a try to seal Connacht’s win but Tom Prydie’s last-gasp penalty at least sent the Dragons home with a losing bonus point. The omens were good for a Connacht side that had won their season opener in four of the last five years and it was the hosts that made the brighter start. Fly-half Carty slotted the first points of the season in only the fifth minute, a penalty won by Connacht after the Dragons came in at the side of a driving lineout. When the Welsh region were accidentally offside a minute later Carty doubled both his and his province’s total to make it a 6-0 lead. The Dragons needed to get in the game, a fine Adam Warren break their first foray into Irish territory, but full-back Carl Meyer missed his penalty attempt. And Carty soon showed his opponent how to do it, bisecting the posts for the third time in the 21st minute after the Dragons were again offside. It was a shaky start from Meyer who then knocked on an up and under to give Connacht a superb attacking scrum.The front-row won a penalty and this time Carty went for the corner where the hosts barged their way over with a perfectly executed driving maul, debutant Fox-Matamua the try scorer. Carty missed with the extras and Jason Tovey, who took over the kicking duties from Meyer, then got the visitors on the scoreboard with a penalty. Before the interval both sides had chances to score the game’s second try, Nick Scott bundled into touch by the try line for the Dragons while Connacht threatened momentarily before a knock on sent the sides into the sheds at 14-3. The Dragons came out for the second period a changed team however, and within two minutes had closed the gap. Tovey picked a lovely line to make the initial bust and while Scott and Pretorius both went close in subsequent phases, it was left to the debutant South African scrum-half to burrow over, Tovey’s conversion making it 14-10. But no sooner had the Dragons got themselves back into the game than they were pegged back. An attacking scrum for the hosts saw the ball squirt clear and John Cooney – on for the injured Kieran Marmion in the first half – fed man of the match Tiernan O’Halloran who put Poolman over in the right corner. Carty’s conversion was off target but the lead was back out to nine points. The Dragons were not going away though, a Tovey penalty reduced arrears to 19-13 and Meyer was just wide with a booming effort from inside his own half. But as the half wore on Connacht were the dominant force, searching for the killer blow and after turning down one kickable penalty, Carty took on the second to make it 22-13 as the game entered the last ten minutes. The Dragons refused to give up though and a fine Tyler Morgan break got them back on the front foot before replacement Thomas went over, Tovey’s successful conversion making it 22-20 with five minutes still to play. And while the Welsh region kept coming, it was not to be in the end as Pat Lam’s side grabbed the game’s final try when the ever-impressive Aki burst clear and fed replacement Carr. Carty’s conversion looked to have sent the Dragons home empty-handed but Prydie’s penalty with the last kick of the game gave them a deserved losing bonus point. Follow us on Facebook, join the conversation on Twitter, sign up to ourYouTube channel for extensive match highlights and sign up for our newsletter for regular updates on the GUINNESS PRO12
