ECC: Bourgoin Parra-glide into final after 22-11 home win
against Worcester Warriors
02 May
2009
Bourgoin 22 (3) Worcester Warriors 11 (6)
Top 14
strugglers Bourgoin fought back from a 6-3 half-time deficit
to overcome Worcester Warriors 22-11 in the semi-final of
the European Challenge Cup.
The
French side will now face Northampton Saints in the final,
with a potentially lucrative Heineken Cup slot up for grabs
for the winners. Bourgoin would have to ensure Top 14
survival to take up that option, but confidence should be
sky high now after yet another impressive European
performance.
Bourgoin, who overcame London Irish in the quarter-finals,
owed their success to a powerful second-half display, during
which France scrum-half Morgan Parra featured prominently.
The
departing star - he has signed to join Clermont Auvergne in
the summer - ensured a high profile send-off as he four
crucial penalties, including three in a 20-minute purple
patch after after the interval.
Fly-half
Benjamin Boyet also landed a 40-metre drop goal before
Coenraad Basson went over for the game's opening try, an
effectively sealed the result. Parra, inevitably, landed a
tricky conversion as Bourgoin rallied from 3-6 down into a
22-6 advantage, with Worcester's late Miles Benjamin try no
more than hollow consolation.
European Challenge Cup - Pool results
and tables
Worcester - beaten finalists last year - were under the cosh
early at Stade Pierre Rajon as Parra landed the first of his
penalties in the ninth minute and only an alert television
official prevented Florian Denos from scoring an 11th-minute
try after a kick and chase.
The home
side exerted a clear advantage in the scrum but Worcester
knuckled down an were close to scoring their own try when
Fijian number eight Netani Talei was held up just short of
the line - by the combined efforts of Parra and Boyet.
The visitors eventually got on the board just
before the half hour mark when Joe Carlisle slotted an easy
penalty, and even took the lead before the break when he
then use the trailing wind to send over a mammoth effort
from inside his own half.
Bourgoin
were not to be denied, however, and Parra's second penalty -
just two minutes after the restart - began a 19-point
unanswered surge that powered them clear of their opponents.
Basson's
try was the deserved culmination of their dominance, and
came after some sweet interplay that featured South African
Rudi Coetzee as they split the Worcester defence.
Bourgoin
- the 1997 champions - will now face Northampton Saints in
the final after the Guinness Premiership outfit overcame
Saracens 16-13 at Franklin's Gardens on Friday evening.
It will
be their third successive game against English opponents,
but having overcome both London Irish and Worcester Warriors
- who beat Brive in the last round - they certainly won't go
into the game with inferiority complex.
It will
be a massive game not just for the club - in terms of
silverware and potential Heineken Cup qualification - but
also for three particular players; For Parra and fellow
starlet Yann David - leaving for Stade Toulousain - it will
represent their final games for their hometown club, while
for captain Julien Frier it presents an opportunity to add
to the winners medal to claimed back in 1997.
| |
Bourgoin |
Worcester Warriors |
| Tries |
Basson |
Benjamin |
| Conversions |
Parra |
- |
| Penalties |
Parra (4) |
Carlisle (2) |
| Drop-goals |
Boyet |
- |
|
