Late try by Bundee helps set club record

Bundee Aki's last-gasp try for Connacht against Benetton Treviso helped set a club record for the westerners.

His late, late try secured a fifth consecutive away league win for Connacht, but it was a very close run thing in Italy yesterday evening.

The victory also allows Connacht to keep up some pressure on Munster at the top of Conference B in the Guiness PRO14, and it makes next Friday's game in Thomond Park all the more intruiging.

Tries from props Finlay Bealham and Paddy McAllister and conversions from Conor Fitzgerald accounted for Connacht's 14 first-half points, but Benetton Treviso were leading 17-14 with just a minute of the game remaining.

Benetton enjoyed a 14-7 lead at half-time, the Italians' points coming courtesy of a Davide Ruggeri try that was converted by Edoardo Padovani, which made it 7-7, before Leonardo Sarto went on a stunning run and touched down for an exceptional try, with Padovani again converting.

The hosts' points came at a time when Connacht were down to 14 players, with Shane Delahunt in the sin bin, but even though still a man down at the start of the second half, they started with attacking intent and levelled just seconds after the kick-off, McAllister powering his way over the line and Fitzgerald nailing the conversion.

With five minutes remaining, Padovani scored a penalty to but Benetton back into the lead. Aki immediately won a penalty when the game re-started, Connacht kicked to the corner, and while the lineout was stolen, superb work at the breakdown saw the Irish team awarded another penalty. This time the lineout worked a treat and Aki touched down after a powerful rolling maul, securing the win for Connacht.

The showdown with Munster in Thomond Park kicks off at 7.35 p.m. next Friday evening (March 5).