Connacht’s Sean Naughton could not convert Mack Hansen’s 79th-minute try as the western province were beaten 28-27 by the Bulls at Dexcom Stadium.
The replacement fly-half was given two attempts at what would have been the match-winning kick but could make neither at the end of a contest that will leave Ireland head coach Andy Farrell with a huge concern over the fitness of British and Irish Lion Hansen.
The back-three player was helped from the field after appearing to hurt himself in the act of scoring. The national side set to travel to Chicago next week before their first Test of the autumn against the All Blacks at Soldier Field on 1 November.
Connacht outscored their South African visitors by four tries to three but Naughton’s wayward effort off the tee ensured a second defeat of the young season for Stuart Lancaster’s side.
After a hectic start, Connacht got the first field position of the night thanks to Josh Ioane’s end-over-end kick into the corner.
Connacht turned over the lineout and, after their pack patiently went through the phases, it was worked back to their Kiwi fly-half Ioane who sniped over for a try he converted himself.
However, the celebrations had not yet died down when the Bulls answered back almost immediately.
Canan Moodie drifted off his wing and made ground before offloading to Sebastian de Klerk who seared into the 22. Scrum-half Paul de Wet was on his winger’s shoulder and finished off a scintillating score that Keagan Johannes failed to convert.
Josh Murphy was then given a 20-minute red card on 19 minutes for his reaction to some Bulls provocation at the ruck and Johan Ackermann’s men took advantage through Springbok Willie Le Roux.
The Connacht defensive line was broken once again as the experienced full-back cut through before exchanging passes with the impressive De Klerk and finishing a score that was converted by Johannes to open up a five-point lead that, for all the late drama, they would never relinquish.
The visitors were again on the front foot after the restart and, with a penalty advantage, Johannes decided to take the three points and popped over a close-range drop-goal.
However, the hosts were soon back within one thanks to scrum-half Caolin Blade who finished a Byron Ralston line break despite the attentions of De Klerk and Moodie who were both perhaps fortunate not to be penalised for high tackles.
Lancaster will have been frustrated all evening with his side’s inability to seize the momentum and their weakness in wide areas was exposed by De Klerk once again on 54 minutes.
He teamed up with De Wet again with the scrum-half getting his second, and the Bulls’ third, try of the evening before another Johannes’ penalty stretched the visitors’ advantage to eleven.
Roared on by the vocal home support, the hitherto quiet Shayne Bolton burst into life on 68 minutes with a kick and chase. Neither he nor the backtracking Johannes could control the bouncing ball but Naughton showed excellent footwork to dribble over the try line and dot down.
Johannes and Naughton then exchanged long-range penalties before Connacht surged towards the try-line and a superb finish from Hansen in the corner brought them within a point again as the clock ticked into the red.
Failure to add the extras meant the win would escape them and, worryingly for Ireland ahead of their trip to Chicago, Hansen stayed down after the try and was later helped onto a cart before leaving the field.
