Connacht win first Champions Cup match since 2021 with big win over Bristol at renamed Dexcom Stadium

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar was in the Clan Stand as they carved open an ill-disciplined and sloppy Bristol Bears side as Pat Lam’s return to Galway ended in a big defeat that all but ends their interest in Europe.

Connacht though are through to the knockout stages of the Challenge Cup in April and could even sneak into the last 16 of the Champions Cup if Saracens capitulate at home to Lyon on Saturday evening.

Connacht got the perfect start when good work by Andrew Smith and David Hawkshaw ended with Shayne Bolton scoring down the left for the opening try.

That score rocked Bristol but they suffered a huge blow six minutes later when lock Josh Caulfield was red-carded for a stamp on Irish prop Finlay Bealham, who had to go off for a head injury assessment.

His temporary replacement Jack Aungier made the most of his cameo when an opening created by captain Caolin Blade ended with Aungier scoring beside the posts while an advantage was being played for a high tackle on Blade.

JJ Hanrahan added the conversion to make it 12-0 as Bristol Bears were dealt another blow as tighthead Kyle Sinkler was binned for an infringement in the build-up.

Connacht failed to increase their lead while they had a two-man advantage and as Sinkler returned, former Connacht out-half AJ MacGinty reduced the margin with a penalty from 25 metres.

But the Connacht response was immediate. They went for the left corner with a 35-metre penalty and after a good take from the recalled lock Niall Murray, Blade sniped over to make it 17-0 after 34 minutes, with Jack Carty, on for the injured Hanrahan narrowly off with the conversion.

Bristol piled on the pressure before the break but two good lineout steals from Murray, and a double tackle from Hawkshaw that denied Harry Randall and then Kalaveti Ravouvou, ensured Connacht went in leading by 17-3, much to the joy of the capacity 6,129 crowd at the newly named Dexcom Stadium.

They had a lot more cause for cheer after the restart. Smith was denied a spectacular try in the right corner but after twice opting for scrums from penalties, they again went wide and Smith scored in the corner and Carty added the extras to lead 24-3.

Fijian winger Kalaveti Ravoulou sliced through the home defence down the right for what seemed a wonderful try but it was scratched on review as Cian Prendergast and Hawkshaw did enough to dislodge the ball before touchdown.

There was no way back for the Bears after that and Carty closed out the win with a late penalty, with Bristol getting a consolation penalty try at the death.

Scorers – Connacht: Tries: S Bolton, J Aungier, C Blade, A Smith. Cons: J Carty (1 from 2), JJ Hanrahan (1 from 2). Bristol Bears: Penalty try. Pen: AJ MacGinty.

Connacht: T O’Halloran (O McNulty 59); A Smith, D Hawkshaw, B Aki, S Bolton; JJ Hanrahan (J Carty 29), C Blade (M McDonald 73); D Buckley (P Dooley 55), T McElroy (D Heffernan 55), F Bealham (J Aungier 14-21, 41, Bealham 50, Aungier 61)); N Murray (O Dowling 60), J Joyce; C Prendergast, S Hurley-Langton, J Butler (C Oliver 60).

Bristol Bears: M Malins; K Ravouvou (M Lahiff 24-31), V Vakatawa (J Williams 53), B Janse van Rensburg, G Ibitoye (P O’Connor 77); AJ MacGinty, H Randall (K Marmion 50); J Woolmore (Lahiff 49), G Oghre (W Capon 43), K Sinckler (S Grahamslaw 74); J Caulfield, J Batley; S Luatua, F Harding (capt) (D Thomas 61, J Owen 67), M Bradbury.

Referee: Pierre Brousset replaced by Pierre Baptiste Nuchy at half-time (Both France).