European Challenge Cup: Joy for Montpellier but Dax and
Bayonne both lose at home
10
October 2008
 Montpellier
33 Bristol 15 (Pool 2)
Dax 12 Connacht 30 (Pool 1)
Bayonne 10 Viadana 21 (Pool 5)
Montpellier got their European campaign off to a winning
start, but home defeats for Dax and Bayonne made it a mixed
night for Top 14 sides.
Montpellier eventually overpowered Bristol 33-15 after
entertaining first-half which saw both sides score two tries
apiece.
Lee Robinson and number eight Ian Grieve both scored for
Bristol in the opening eight minutes, but Montpellier
replied through Francois Trinh-Duc and flying winger Thierry
Brana.
Argentine international Frederico Todeschini (18 points in
total) was immaculate with his place kicks all night while
scrum-half Justin Marshall was the lynchpin of much of
Montpellier’s flowing rugby.
The home side’s superiority began to tell after the break
and their incessant pressure inevitably brought further
reward with Todeschini adding 10 more points to Pieter van
Niekerk’s 70th-minute try, much to the delight of the 9,000
crowd.
Dax looked to be heading in the right direction when they
led Connacht 12-7 at half-time, but the home side wilted
after the interval and failed to score at all as the Irish
added 23 unanswered points.
Connacht captain John Muldoon opened the scoring with a
13th-minute try, which Ian Keatley converted, but Dax
responded with a double hit as Laurent Diaz and Bruno
Hiriart both went over to give the home side a five-point
advantage.
But the game turned during a 10-minute spell in the
second-half when Connacht scored a try (Jonny O’Connor),
three penalties and a conversion.
Muldoon was sin-binned in the 73rd minute but visitors still
had time to extend their lead when replacement Danny Riordan
went over, allowing Keatley to cap his night with a third
conversion, and a match haul of 15 points.
Bayonne gave up a 7-0 lead before going down 10-21 at home
to Italian side Viadana, a potentially tournament-ending
defeat.
Full back Pepito Elhorga touched down after 20 minutes to
give the home side the lead, but tries from Steven
Bortolussi, Isy Coalala and late on by Kaine Robertson
ensured a happy away day for the Italians.
Garry Law converted all three to add to Bayonne’s misery.
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