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How Connacht's 140-second Hail Mary play produced the ultimate team try to flatten Gloucester

Skipper Jarrad Butler will be thrilled with how Connacht finished their game against Gloucester (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)

An error-ridden match in Galway finishing with a beautiful flourish on Saturday when Connacht stitched together a 19-phase Hail Mary play to snatch a Heineken Champions Cup victory from the jaws of defeat. 

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It was an incredible sweep from their own 22 to score, all 15 of their players handling at some stage in the 140-second play that featured 34 passes and 18 carries to the ruck before Robin Copeland touched down for the converted try that grabbed an unlikely 27-24 win. 

Trailing 13-24 with time running out, Connacht had looked beaten after Gloucester celebrated scoring a bonus point fourth try on 69 minutes.

Even when Shane Delahunt touched down for a converted score on 77 minutes, a few minutes after the Cherry and Whites have been reduced to 14 players due to a sin-binning for Lewis Ludlow, it appeared as it was a consolation score that would only earn the hosts a losing bonus point. 

However, what unfolded after Gloucester launched a restart kick on 78:13 was remarkable as Connacht, who previously had been very prone to a series of sloppy handling errors, were suddenly glue-like on the ball. 

(Continue reading below…)

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It was a catch under the dropping ball by replacement Tom Daly that set in train the sequence that ended with Gloucester distraught and beaten behind their own posts.

Eighty-seven seconds and a dozen phases were retired to Connacht to move possession from their 22 into opposition territory, Copeland popping up on the touchline to carry over the halfway line. 

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From there, another 53 seconds and seven phases were to pass before the try scored, Daly pitching up to handle for his fourth time in the move, taking a two-man tackle at the 22-metre line and offloading out of the contact to send Copeland galloping over.

The score was checked by the officials but was give the all-clear and further salt was rubbed into the Gloucester wound, Conor Fitzgerald landing the conversion to the roars of approval of a delirious home attendance. 

WHAT ALL 15 PLAYERS DID ON THE BALL

Stephen Kerins – 16 passes 

Conor Fitzgerald – 6 passes, 1 carry to ruck

Shane Delahunt – 1 pass, 4 carries to ruck 

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Tom Daly – 3 passes, 1 carry to ruck

Jack Carty – 3 passes

Bundee Aki – 3 carries to ruck

Kyle Godwin – 1 pass, 2 carries to ruck 

Jarrad Butler – 2 carries to ruck

Robin Copeland – 1 carry to ruck, 1 carry to score 

Ultan Dillane – 1 pass

Finlay Bealham – 1 pass, 1 carry to ruck

Denis Buckley – 1 pass, 1 carry to ruck 

John Porch – 1 pass

Eoghan Masterson – 1 carry to ruck

Niall Murray – 1 carry to ruck

WATCH: Follow all the action from the Heineken Champions Cup in the RugbyPass Live Match Centre with commentary, stats, news and more, plus live streaming in some places – click Sign Up Now to see what is available in your region 

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