Connacht hold on for bonus-point Challenge Cup win against Brive

Connacht had to survive a nervy finale, but made it two wins from two in the Challenge Cup with a bonus-point 31-24 victory against Brive in France.

Andy Friend's side had looked to be in complete control when leading 28-3 early in the second half, while they also played three quarters of the game with a man advantage after Abraham Papali'i - formerly of Connacht - picked up a red card on 23 minutes for a dangerous tackle on Shamus Hurley-Langton.

Ill-discipline was a theme of Papali'is two seasons at Connacht, with the New Zealander red-carded three times in 26 games for the province.

Connacht hit the front on 11 minutes when David Hawkshaw burrowed over for a try, and they took control of the tie shortly after Papali'i's sending off when Tom Daly eventually finished off a multi-phase attack, Conor Fitzgerald converting both to make it 14-3.

With Brive temporarily down to 13 men due to a yellow card, Connacht scored their third try through Diarmuid Kilgallen (below), the Kildare wing with a spectacular diving finish in the corner as they moved into a 21-3 half time lead.

Shane Delahunt's try just after the break secured the bonus point, and while Fitzgerald added one more penalty they had to hold off a spirited comeback from the hosts, who scored three tries in the final quarter to secure a losing bonus-point.

Connacht sit top of Pool A alongside Glasgow, who made it two victories from two as they saw off a second-half comeback from Perpignan to claim a 26-18 win at Murrayfield.

Elsewhere in Pool B, flanker Francke Horn scored a pair of tries in Emirates Lions’ first victory – a 30-12 win over Stade Francais.

Horn dived over in the corner for his first try before breaking clear to crash over for a second and with Jordan