Connacht may be in pole position to secure a knockout place in the Challenge Cup when it resumes in January but skipper Cian Prendergast said their sole focus is taking on Leinster next Friday — when he is again set to come up against younger brother Sam.
The older Prendergast brother marked his return to Connacht after the autumn internationals by leading from the front as they took maximum points in Perpignan, just 24 hours after 21-year old brother Sam steered Leinster to victory in the Champions Cup against Clermont Auvergne.
Connacht are the only side with the maximum ten points on board after two rounds of the Challenge Cup and can wrap up a knockout place when they host Lyon in January in Galway.
“We haven't even thought or spoken about that,” said the 24-year-old. “We know we've Leinster next weekend, and that's a huge challenge. So we'll move on to them, and then in three weeks' time, we'll talk about Lyon.”
He was pleased with the manner in which they dug deep to stave off a Perpignan rally and back up their opening round win over Zebre by taking all five points at Stade Aimé Giral.
“To get any kind of win away in France, especially bonus point win is special,” Prendergast told Galway Bay FM. “So we're delighted, but we know, we got to keep building.
“I think they were a really good side. They played some really good rugby. They have a very physical forward pack. So we knew it was going to be a challenge coming here. We're just happy to get the win and move on from here.”
Connacht laid the foundation with a blistering start with tries from centre Byron Ralston and hooker Eoin de Buitlear. Jack Carty, who bossed the game throughout, converted both to lead 14-0 after just eleven minutes.
Perpignan hit back and loosehead Lorencio Boyer-Gallardo scored after several drives. Aontoine Aucagne missed the conversion but cut the gap to 14-8 with a penalty from the 22 after 28 minutes.
But he was the guilty party as Connacht got their third try, dropping a long pass back inside his 22 and from the resultant scrum, half-backs Matthew Devine and Carty sent full-back Santiago Cordero away and the Argentine international put Chay Mullins over in the right corner.
That should have been the second try of the game from the Irish sevens international, who scored a hat-trick on his debut last weekend against Zebre, but moments earlier he dropped a superb cross-kick from Carty when he just needed to catch it and fall over the line.
Perpignan hit back after the restart with a penalty from Aucagne being followed by a try from winger Jefferson Joseph as Connacht were punished for a series of penalties. Aucagne converted from the right touchline to cut the gap to 19-18 after 52 minutes.
But Connacht responded well and the experienced Paul Boyle got over for the bonus point after 58 minutes after several drives, with the TMO ruling it wasn’t a double movement as the Wexford man, who scored twice last week, stretched to score. Carty pushed the lead out to eight with the conversion and that was crucial as Perpignan finished strongly.
However, Connacht defended superbly and countered from deep through Cordero and Hawkshaw, and after Murray took another lineout, they got the drive and replacement hooker Adam McBurney crowned his debut with their fifth try.
: A Crossdale; J Joseph, R Buliruarua (F Duguivalu 62), A Naqalevu, M Granell; A Aucagne (Tommaso Allan 55), J Hall (G Aprasidze 55); L Boyer-Gallardo (K Brookes 62), S Lam (c) (V Montgaillard 62), N Roelofse (Barcenilla D’Onghia 78); A Ortombina, A Warion; N Della Schiava, M Hicks (B Chinarro 67), A Dvali (So'otala Fa'aso'o 50).
S Cordero (Devine 58-67); C Mullins, B Ralston, C Forde, A Smith (D Hawkshaw 22); J Carty, M Devine (B Murphy 52); D Buckley (J Duggan 62), E de Buitlear (A McBurney 62), S Illo (J Aungier 52); D Murray, J Joyce (O Dowling 55); C Prendergast (c), S Hurley-Langton (C Oliver 59), S O'Brien (Paul Boyle 4).
: Sara Cox (England).