Connacht beat Cardiff to complete perfect campaign
European Challenge Cup:
Cardiff (7) 19
Tries: Lloyd, Young 2 Cons: Thomas 2
Connacht (14) 28
Tries: J Murphy, Joyce, Ralston, Devine Cons: Ioane 3, Hanrahan
Connacht completed a perfect European Challenge Cup campaign to defeat Cardiff and leave the Welsh side's hopes of reaching the knockout stages in danger.
Tries from Josh Murphy, Joe Joyce, Byron Ralston and Matthew Devine ensured the Irish province scored a fourth bonus-point win to top Pool One with maximum points.
It means Connacht will finish as top seeds for the knockout stages, giving them home advantage through to the final at Cardiff's Principality Stadium in late May.
Connacht were inspired by Ireland centre Bundee Aki, who showed his class with a hand in almost all of the visitors' tries.
Cardiff responded with two tries from flanker Thomas Young and a further score from Wales hooker Evan Lloyd, but could not gain a couple of losing bonus points late on, which might result in their European elimination.
Cardiff need to finish in the top four in the pool to reach the last 16 in April and remain third with seven points following this result.
Matt Sherratt's side will be hoping they are not overtaken by Cheetahs and Perpignan, who are both on six points.
Fourth-placed Cheetahs travel to face Lyon on Saturday, while fifth-placed Perpignan will be in Italy to play bottom side Zebre on Sunday.
A draw or two losing bonus points for both Cheetahs and Perpignan will be enough to lift them above Cardiff.
One match point will not be enough for the Italian and French sides because Cardiff have a superior points difference.
Thomas starts at 10
Ben Thomas captained Cardiff and started at fly-half for the first time this season.
Thomas is normally a centre, but has been named as one of Wales two fly-half options in the Six Nations squad by head coach Warren Gatland.
Thomas started for Wales at fly-half against Australia in two Tests in the summer of 2024, but reverted to centre for the three November defeats.
Cardiff had a major injury crisis with 15 players unavailable for the Connacht match including Wales trio Josh Adams, James Botham and Taulupe Faletau, who is touch and go to make the start of the Six Nations.
Connacht brought over strong side that included Ireland internationals Aki and Finlay Bealham.
After Cardiff piled on the early pressure, Connacht proved more clinical with a wonderful disguised Aki pass allowing lock Murphy to canter over.
Cardiff responded with a storming break from prop Rhys Barratt which laid the foundations for front-row colleague Lloyd to dive over.
This proved a rare foray into the Connacht 22 though and the Irish province's pressure told with lock Joyce crashing over as the visitors led 14-7 at half-time.
Cardiff battle back, but Connacht prevail
Cardiff made a storming start to the second half as they took advantage of Connacht flanker Conor Oliver being shown a yellow card for a deliberate knock-on.
His opposite number Young was the beneficiary after gliding over to help level the scores, with number eight Alun Lawrence laying the ground with an incisive break.
Cardiff's bid to further capitalise on their numerical advantage was hampered by two successive attacking lost line-outs. Connacht were the welcome recipients of Cardiff's set-piece shortcomings.
Fly-half Ioane struck a post with a penalty attempt, but Cardiff wing Gabriel Hamer-Webb knocked on set up the scrum foundation for Connacht's third try.
Once more it involved silky handling skills from Aki which allowed wing Ralston to stroll over.
Cardiff refused to lie down with Young crossing for his second score in the left-hand corner.
His attempted chip bounced up into his hands and he exchanged passes with Wales scrum-half Ellis Bevan before Thomas missed the touchline conversion.
Connacht captain Cian Prendergast set up the bonus-point try with a storming break to set up replacement scrum-half Devine.
Cardiff were chasing a late try which would have gained them two losing bonus points, but were denied by a late knock-on.
Cardiff could have taken on a late tricky penalty attempt to try to ensure at least one losing bonus point by finishing within seven points of Connacht.
They opted instead to go for two bonus points by aiming for a fourth try. That gamble failed as Cardiff were left empty-handed but only time will tell whether it will affect hopes of progressing in Europe.
Line-ups
Cardiff: Jacob Beetham; Gabriel Hamer-Webb, Rey Lee-Lo, Rory Jennings, Tom Bowen; Ben Thomas (capt), Ellis Bevan; Rhys Barratt, Evan Lloyd, Keiron Assiratti, Josh McNally, Teddy Williams, Alex Mann, Thomas Young, Alun Lawrence.
Replacements: Efan Daniel, Danny Southworth, Rhys Litterick, Rory Thornton, Seb Davies, Johan Mulder, Callum Sheedy, Cameron Winnett.
Connacht: Santiago Cordero; Chay Mullins, Piers O'Conor, Bundee Aki, Byron Ralston; Josh Ioane, Ben Murphy; Peter Dooley, Dave Heffernan, Finlay Bealham, Josh Murphy, Joe Joyce, Cian Prendergast (capt), Conor Oliver, Paul Boyle.
Replacements: Eoin de Buitlear, Jordan Duggan, Jack Aungier, David O'Connor, Sean Jansen, Matthew Devine, JJ Hanrahan, David Hawkshaw.
Sin-bin: Oliver 42
Referee: Morne Ferreira (SARU)
Assistant referees: Aimee Barrett-Theron & Griffin Colby (SARU)
TMO: Marius van der Westhuizen (SARU)
