Connacht 52-24 Lyon: Ben Murphy scores hat-trick as hosts seal Challenge Cup top spot

Ben Murphy scored a hat-trick as Connacht hammered Lyon in the Challenge Cup to secure top spot in pool 1 with a game to spare.

Scrum-half Murphy, who signed a contract extension earlier this week, bagged two tries before half-time with Sean Jansen and Finlay Bealham scores sealing the bonus point before the break.

Murphy, who faced his father and brother in Connacht’s defeat by Ulster over the festive period, has now scored seven tries in 10 games since joining the Westerners from Leinster last summer.

Lyon’s Fijian hooker Sam Matavesi crossed in the first half but Connacht pulled further clear early in the second half with Josh Murphy scoring before his namesake completed his treble.

Thibaut Regard and Guillaume Marchand were also on target for the Top 14 side in the second half but Jack Aungier, Dylan Tierney-Martin and Shamus Hurley-Langton ensured a Connacht rout in Galway.

It was a much-needed boost for Connacht in their first outing since Ireland wing Mack Hansen’s three-match ban for criticising match officials in last month’s United Rugby Championship loss to Leinster.

Connacht, who have taken a maximum 15 points in this season’s competition, travel to Cardiff in the final round of pool games on Friday (20:00 GMT) knowing that a home tie in the last-16 is already sealed.

Connacht: S Cordero; C Mullins, P O’Conor, B Aki, S Jennings; J Ioane, B Murphy; P Dooley, D Heffernan, F Bealham; O Dowling, J Joyce; C Prendergast (capt), S Hurley-Langton, S Jansen.

Replacements: Duggan, Tierney-Martin, Aungier, J Murphy, P Boyle, C Forde, D Hawkshaw, C Blade.

Lyon: A Tchaptchet; S Radradra, J Maraku, T Regard, V Rattez; F Smith, M Page-Relo; H Kaabeche, S Matavesi, I Aptsiauri; F Lambey (capt), T Lavanini; S Blanc-Mappaz, M Okuya, M Gouzou.

Replacements: Ainsley, Marchand, Pakihivatau, Geraci, PS Pacheco, Parisien, Meliande, Cassang.