Bayonne booted to the top
Fri, 10 Sep 2010 23:54
Victory for the table-topping Bayonne in the Top 14. (c) Getty
At Stade Jean-Dauger in Bayonne on Friday night the home side delighted its fans with an exciting win over Top 14 champions Clermont Auvergne by 18-16, a narrow victory, in fact by a coat of paint. The win takes Bayonne to the top of the log.
It did not matter to the home fans that it was close, usually dull, producing just one try and that by close-quarter bashing.
The home fans were delighted and danced in the stands with delight when Benjamin Boyet booted the ball into the stands to end a match that in the end was exciting. In fact, the best part of the match was the tension at the end.
At half-time Bayonne led 9-6, three kicks to two. Clermont actually scored first with two penalties by Gavin Williams but then three by Boyet over took them, the third just before the break.
Bayonne were first to score in the second half when just after the restart Boyet kicked a drop-goal. 12-6 after 41 minutes but a Williams penalty after 46 minutes made it 12-9.
Then Aurélien Rougerie, the best back on the field, had a strong run which put the Auvergnats on the attack.
They bashed at the Basque line till eventually the big left wing Napolioni Nalaga, a try-scorer par excellence, went over for the try. It was not his usual sort of try, not a wing's try in fact. It was a forward's try some muscle close to the line with help from others. Williams converted and the score was 16-12 to Clermont after 51 minutes.
Two minutes later, Boyet was at scrumhalf behind a tackle ruck. He passed back to his scrumhalf Cédric Garcia who sent a long, soaring drop-goal between the uprights. That made it 16-15.
Brock James came to flyhalf in place of Tasesa Lavea, Boyet narrowly missed a drop attempt, Rougerie had two strong runs and South African Sam Gerber was lively on defence. Most of the game was in midfield with Bayonne having the better of possession though their lineout was wobbly.
James kicked a long touch and then, inside the Bayonne's half, he darted ahead, was tackled and was penalised. From about five metres inside his half but in the middle of the field Garcia teed up the ball and struck it. It rose high, then started dipping, struck the crossbar and bounced over. 18-16 with seven minutes to play.
Clermont strove manfully but did not come close to scoring in those seven minutes. Craig Gower drove them onto the defensive with a long grubber.
Surprisingly, Bayonne won Clermont's lineout and moved the ball into midfield. Boyet dropped, high but only just wide.
James broke; Bayonne held on and then with about a minute to play Bayonne had a scrum just in from their left touchline. They collapsed it three times and the clock moved on - over the 80-minute mark. They stood up, won the scrum and Boyet booted the ball into the stand.
The scorers:
For Bayonne:
Pens: Boyet 3, Garcia
DGs: Boyet, Garcia
For Clermont:
Try: Nalaga
Con: Williams
Pens: Williams 3
The teams:
Bayonne: 15 P Elhorga (captain), 14 S Gerber, 13 L Mazars, 12 T Lacroix, 11 J Peyras-Loustalet, 10 B Boyet, 9 C Garcia, 8 M Baget, 7 R Martin, 6 G Bernad, 5 T Flavell, 4 R Linde, 3 R Boyoud, 2 A Heguy, 1 P Lafond.
Replacements: 16 F Da Ros, 17 D Avril, 18 A Boutaty, 19 J Puricelli, 20 C Gower, 21 Y Huget, 22 J Pietersen, 23 A Iguiniz.
Clermont: 15 A Floch, 14 W Fofana, 13 A Rougerie (captain), 12 G Williams, 11 N Nalaga, 10 T Lavea, 9 K Senio, 8 E Vermeulen, 7 J Bardy, 6 J Bonnaire, 5 T Privat, 4 J Cudmore, 3 M Scelzo, 2 T Paulo, 1 T Domingo.
Replacements: 16 M Ledesma, 17 D Zirakashvili, 18 J White, 19 S Lauaki, 20 L Radosavljevic, 21 B James, 22
J Malzieu, 23 V Debaty.
Referee: Cédric Marchat
Assistant referees: Patrick Pechambert, Patrick Dellac
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