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London Welsh will be determined to avenge last weekend's 20-9 defeat when they welcome Grenoble to the Kassam Stadium on Saturday. - 13/12/2012 14:30
London Welsh will be determined to avenge last weekend’s 20-9 defeat when they welcome Grenoble to the Kassam Stadium on Saturday.
The Exiles took the French club to the wire at Stade Lesdiguieres last weekend but came up short as Andrew Farley scored at the death to put the result beyond doubt.
Head coach Lyn Jones was frustrated with the result, as the Exiles paid the price for indiscipline, but he has urged them to produce another fearsome performance in Oxford.
Jones said: “We were disappointed. The players fronted up and showed good character. It was nip and tuck and we didn’t take our opportunities and Grenoble capitalised on our yellow cards.”
It has been a remarkable year for the Premiership and European new boys and a second victory in the Amlin Challenge Cup will ensure they finish 2012 on a high.
But they will be without a host of players including Gareth Evans, Dan George and Gavin Henson.
However, Grenoble have been deducted four match points and fined €;10,000 (euros) following a hearing by an independent Disciplinary Committee as the result of a misconduct complaint brought against the club by ERC.The misconduct complaint was that Grenoble selected an ineligible player.
They have also been hit by injuries and have added Aaron Bancroft and Feliuaki Taukeiaho to their European squad in the place of crocked duo Ronald Cooke and Kevin Goza.
Match Facts
• In their history, Grenoble have just two victories over English opponents in the Amlin Challenge Cup (D1, L6).
• However these two wins for Grenoble have come in their last two games against English sides.
• London Welsh are one of just three sides yet to receive a yellow card in this year’s competition.
• Grenoble have made fewer carries (60) and metres (166) per game of any side in this season’s tournament.
Sanctionné d'une défaite (0-28) à la suite du match aller
Grenoble put their off the field troubles behind them with a bonus point 27-13 victory over London Welsh at the Kassam Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
But it still leaves runaway group leaders Stade Francais Paris a massive eight points clear and all but over the finishing line for quarter-final qualification.
Grenoble, who were stripped of the match points from their 20-9 win against the same opposition in Round 3 after being found guilty of fielding an ineligible player, took the lead with a penalty goal from Valentin Courrent and the scrum-half quickly added a conversion.
That kicking opportunity came courtesy of hooker Laurent Bouchet crossing the Exiles’ line – and the front row forward proved that was no fluke when he added another just eight minutes later.
Outside-half Alex Davies kept London Welsh in touch up to the break with two penalty goals but the gap was quickly opened up again just two minutes after the start of the second half when right wing Florian Ninard crossed and Courrent added the extra points to put them 16 points clear.
The inevitable flood of replacements produced more stop than start and replacement flanker Mike Denbee crossed for an Exiles try that Davies converted.
Feliuaki Taukeiaho got try number four in the 74th minute that earned Grenoble the bonus point but Paris can seal the group with a match to spare come Round 5 and their trip to Grenoble.
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