The Ponty effect destroys Connacht

Connacht 0 Pontypridd 4

There must be something in the air at Pontypridd. Last weekend it was Phil Price salvaging European pride against the Americans in the Ryder Cup, and this weekend it was the town's rugby side doing a job that had never been done by a Welsh team in Ireland before.

Since the Celtic League was set up last season, Welsh teams have suffered on their travels. And no more so than in Ireland. In fact, this was only the second victory in the tournament for a Welsh side on Irish soil, although it wasn't merely a triumph, more a rugby lesson.

Connacht proved last season they are no mugs by reaching the quarter-finals, beating Cardiff and Newport on their own patches along the way. Coming into this game they were protecting the only perfect record among the 16 clubs in the fledgling tournament. Not only have they beaten Cardiff and Newport in Galway, but they had also travelled to Dublin and beaten a full-strength Leinster Lions side with a performance that sent shock waves around Ireland.

No wonder, then, that Ponty's 200-strong army of fans travelled with some trepidation to the west coast of Ireland. It was never a question of would their side win, but could they. In the end they were delivered an emphatic answer as the Welsh cup-holders turned on the style to score five tries in as comprehensive a victory as has been seen in these parts for many years.

Having chosen to play into the strong wind in the first half it was all a question of who would crack first. The Ponty pack got stuck into the bigger home eight and the black-and-white defensive wall snuffed out any hopes Connacht had of reaching the game line.

The Welshmen then began to grind down the home resistance slowly but surely and Neil Jenkins finally kicked the opening points of the game after half an hour. Then came the first purple patch as Ponty grabbed two tries in as many minutes to stretch their lead to 15 points at the break.

The second of those tries perfectly summed up not only Ponty's principles, but the difference between the sides. Eric Elwood fired a drop shot just wide of the post and Brett Davey launched an attack from his own goal line. As if the sight of Elwood missing from close range wasn't bad enough for home fans, the view of John Bryant racing over for a try at the post moments later was worse.

Wings Emyr Lewis and Gareth Wyatt helped increase the advantage to 30 points with further tries in the opening 10 minutes of the second half. The forwards then joined in the fun when the lock Robert Sidoli grabbed his side's fifth try.

With Cardiff gaining a valuable bonus point in their game against Bridgend it means that the defending champions, Leinster, now cannot qualify for the knock-out stages. It just remains to be seen who will take the top two spots when Connacht make the journey to Glasgow and Pontypridd entertain Cardiff in the last round of pool matches.

Connacht: M McHugh; T Robinson, D O'Sullivan, S Moore, W Munn; E Elwood (J Norton, 62), E Reddan (M Walls, 62); D McFarland, M Uijs (J Flannery, 59), R McCormack, W Waugh (capt) (D Brown, 10-13, 41), R Frost, M Swift (E Peters, 59), J O'Sullivan, C Ridley.

Pontypridd: B Davey; G Wyatt, S Parker, J Bryant (J Lewis, 72), E Lewis; N Jenkins (C Sweeney, 68), P John (G Baber, 66); G Jenkins (N Hennessy, 78), M Davies (capt), D Bell, B Cockbain, R Sidoli (D McIntosh, 62), N Kelly (M Rees, 75), W O'Connor (K Jones, 78), M Owen.

Referee: A Ireland (Scotland).