Connacht 13 Treviso 15

Treviso overcame the handicap of losing two men to the sin-bin to record their third straight away win in the RaboDirect League.

The Italians had previously beaten Glasgow and Ulster on the road before completing the treble against Connacht. Connacht made a bright start to the game, but Treviso were first on the scoreboard after Willem De Waal was successful with an early penalty attempt. Worse was to follow, though, for Eric Ellwood's men when Ludovico Nitoglia crossed for a try on 15 minutes which De Waal converted. Treviso made it 15-0 on 23 minutes following a score from winger Tommaso Ionnone before a yellow card for the visitors' international scrum-half Fabio Semenzato helped Connacht get back into the game. Connacht took full advantage of their numerical advantage to score a try through Dave McSharry, his first for the province, and Niall O'Connor converted to make it 7-15 at half-time. Treviso lost a second man to the sin-bin on 57 minutes when flanker Manoa Vosawi was handed a yellow card and O'Connor was successful with the resulting penalty. All-action John Muldoon crossed the line after Connacht won a 5-metre scrum against the head with the clock ticking down, but referee Neil Hennessy had already called play back for an earlier infringement and the home side had to settle for another three points from O'Connor's boot. Wave-after-wave of pressure was launched on the Treviso line in the dying stages of the game, but the attacks came to no avail and the Italians held on for a win which keeps them in the hunt for a surprise play-off spot.