Treviso 19-40 Connacht: PRO12 champions win in Italy
By Charlotte Bates
Last Updated: 26/02/17 6:23pm
Craig Ronaldson scored 17 points as reigning champions Connacht enjoyed a bonus-point victory over Treviso in the Guinness PRO12.
Ronaldson converted his own try and scores from Caolin Blade and Finlay Bealham as the visitors ran out 34-19 winners at the Stadio Comunale di Monigo.
The 27-year-old centre was substituted in the second half and it was left to Jack Carty to convert Connacht's fourth try before two late scores from the home side.
Two early penalties from Ronaldson gave Pat Lam's side the ideal start and Blade's converted try on 26 minutes was quickly followed by a second from Bealham, who exploited a gap in the home defence to run in unopposed from 10
metres out.
The extras from Ronaldson made it 20-0 but Treviso got on the scoreboard before the interval, twice kicking penalties into the corner before winger Andrea Buondonno was able to dive over.
However, any hopes of a comeback were quickly snubbed out in the second half as Ronaldson pounced on Carty's grubber kick in the 46th minute to score before adding the conversion.
Full-back Tiernan O'Halloran then celebrated his 26th birthday in style with Connacht's fourth try after Niyi Adeolokun's interception had set up a good attacking position.
Carty's conversion made it 34-5, but Treviso refused to throw in the towel and gave the scoreline some respectability with converted tries in the last 11 minutes from Luca Sperandio and David Odiete.
