Eire Sevens star Andrew Smith helped Connacht preserve their Investec Champions Cup hopes alive as they beat 14-man Bristol and ended the guests’ hopes within the competitors.
Smith scored the fourth strive in a 27-10 bonus-point victory on the Dexcom Stadium with Shayne Bolton, Jack Aungier and Caolin Blade having crossed earlier. Bristol have been a person down for 67 minutes after Josh Caulfield’s dismissal for a stamp on the Eire prop Finlay Bealham.
Connacht, on the lookout for their first win of the marketing campaign of their fourth sport in Pool 1, bought off to the right begin when wing Bolton crossed with simply seven minutes gone, and so they have been handed an additional increase six minutes later when the Bristol lock Caulfield was despatched off.
Fellow front-rower Aungier doubled the house aspect’s lead with 20 minutes gone and fly-half JJ Hanrahan added the conversion because the England prop Kyle Sinckler headed for the sin bin for an offence in the course of the buildup. AJ MacGinty lowered the deficit with a penalty as Sinckler returned however the Irish province went in on the break main 17-3 courtesy of scrum-half Blade’s jinking run.
Smith had an early second-half strive dominated out for a toe in contact after a prolonged evaluation however he was to not be denied and crossed the road after taking a move from alternative fly-half Jack Carty’s to safe the bonus level.
Bristol earned a late comfort when Connacht collapsed a maul and conceded a penalty strive.
Two tries apiece from Huw Jones and Kyle Rowe helped Glasgow to a 29-5 win over Toulon and into the final 16 of the competitors. Franco Smith’s aspect needed to win to ensure their passage out of the pool stage and so they landed 5 tries to get the job executed with a bit to spare.
Toulon threatened a comeback when Gail Drean scored early within the second half however Glasgow hit again to win comfortably.
Glasgow welcomed again Kyle Steyn and Jack Dempsey from long-term damage and gave a primary begin to Max Williamson within the second row. A a lot modified Toulon choice noticed the Scotland scrum-half Ben White rested, though the previous Scotland back-row Cornell du Preez was named among the many replacements.
Jones, restored to centre after a couple of video games on the wing, created the opening strive with a dart previous the defence earlier than organising Rowe to attain within the nook. Glasgow discovered their rhythm after a gradual begin and shortly went over once more. Jones was on the coronary heart of it, the previous Harlequins participant taking a move from fellow centre Sione Tuipulotu and accelerating over the road. George Horne, who had didn’t convert Rowe’s strive, made no mistake second time round to place Glasgow 12-0 in entrance at half-time.
Toulon had barely threatened as an attacking power however bought themselves on the scoreboard early within the second half. Steyn did properly to cease the primary assault however the ball was recycled to Jérémy Sinzelle whose move despatched Drean scurrying over to attain.
Glasgow’s dominance seemed in peril however a 3rd rating eased the nerves round Scotstoun. Johnny Matthews, so usually the scorer, as a substitute looped a move large to McKay to stroll in from shut vary. The house aspect made certain of the win – and secured a bonus level – with their fourth strive shortly afterwards. Dempsey teed up Jones and he powered over within the nook earlier than Rowe scored the fifth with the clock within the crimson.
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Gloucester made it 4 wins from 4 in EPCR Problem Cup Pool 3 with a complete 35-5 victory over Castres at Kingsholm. The Cherry and Whites had already certified for the spherical of 16 however ran in 4 tries to safe a bonus-point win.
Seb Atkinson went over for an eighth-minute rating transformed by Adam Hastings, who added a penalty because the hosts went into the break 10-5 up, Josaia Raisuqe going over for the French aspect.
It was one-way visitors after the interval with tries from Freddie Clarke, Hastings and Albert Tuisue guaranteeing a snug night time’s work for Gloucester. Hastings completed with 15 factors from a strive, two conversions and two penalties, whereas Santiago Carreras added a late conversion and penalty.
Edinburgh ran in 5 tries as they moved to the brink of qualification from the pool with a 31-19 win over Scarlets at Parc y Scarlets.
Ben Vellacott and WP Nel each went over within the first six minutes because the Scots raced right into a 14-0 lead. Joe Roberts crossed to get Scarlets again into it however additional Edinburgh scores from Duhan van der Merwe and Hamish Watson had the bonus level secured by half-time.
Pierre Schoeman put the end result past doubt three minutes after the restart and – after Edinburgh lock Grant Gilchrist was proven a crimson card within the 72nd minute – Ryan Conbeer and a penalty strive gave some respectability to the rating for the house aspect, who’ve misplaced all 4 video games to exit the competitors.