Bristol fail first French test
Fri, 10 Oct 2008 21:24
Despite a quick fire start, Bristol just didn’t quick have enough to really challenge Montpellier in their European Challenge Cup opener at the Stade Yves Du Manior on Friday night.
The home side scored three tries on their way to a comfortable win with experienced Argentinean flyhalf Federico Todeschini adding the other 18 point with the boot.
The visitors got themselves off to a sensational start when right wing Lee Robinson went over inside the first minute of play. A shocking star for the home side, who must of felt the game had barely begun and yet they found themselves five points behind.
Todeschini helped settle the nerves for the Top 14 side a couple minutes later with his first successful effort of the night but Iain Grieve soon had them back on the back foot. The powerful Botswana-born No. 8 went over after just eight minutes of play and, with Adrian Jarvis’s conversion, Bristol had stormed to a 12-3 lead.
The home side though then responded well and were immediately rewarded with a try from fullback, and captain, Francois Trinh-Duc.
Jarvis added a penalty but, with 20 minutes gone, the French side took the lead for the first time in the game and never looked back. It was left wing Thierry Brana this time that finished off the attack and Todeschini’s conversion made it 17-15 to Montpellier.
The fifteen-time capped Puma No. 10 then added another three points and ensured his team took their lead into the break.
The French club extended their lead early in the second half with Todeschini once again the source. Two penalty goals inside the first quarter of an hour in the second period meant the home fans could feel a lot more satisfied with their team now two scores clear.
Substitute prop forward Pieter van Niekerek finally put the match beyond doubt with a converted try seven minutes from the end.
It was an effective job done by Montpellier after a nervy start and, although they might not have secured a bonus point, a winning start, in what could be a tricky group, will no doubt have gone down well with coaches Didier Nourault and Alain Hyardet.
Scorers:
Montpellier:
Tries: Brana, van Niekerk, Trinh-Duc.
Con: Todeschini 3
Pen: Todeschini 4
Bristol:
Tries: Robinson, Grieve
Con: Jarvis
Pens: Jarvis
Montpellier: 15 Francois Trinh-Duc (captain), 14 Jean-Matthieu Alcalde, 13 Ollie Smith, 12 Sylvain Mirande, 11 Thierry Brana, 10 Fédérico Todeschini, 9 Justin Marshall, 8 Mamuka Gorgodze, 7 Jérome Vallée, 6 Warren Britz, 5 Drickus Hancke, 4 Michel Macurdy, 3 Clément Baïocco, 2 Fabien Rofes, 1 Sébastien Petit.
Replacements: 16 Mickael Ladhuie, 17 Pieter Van Niekerk, 18 Philémon Toleafoa, 19 Benjamin Goze, 20 Vassili Bost, 21 Adrien Tomas, 22 Olivier Sarraméa.
Bristol: 15 Vunga Lilo, 14 Lee Robinson, 13 Greg Barden, 12 Kevin Maggs, 11 Tom Arscott, 10 Adrian Jarvis, 9 Haydn Thomas, 8 Iain Grieve, 7 Redford Pennycook, 6 Matt Salter (captain), 5 Robert Sidoli, 4 Mariano Sambucetti, 3 Peter Bracken, 2 David Blaney, 1 Mark Irish.
Replacements: 16 Mark Regan, 17 Alex Clarke, 18 Dave Attwood, 19 James Phillips, 20 Graeme Beveridge, 21 Chris Ashwin, 22 Neil Brew.
