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Grenoble return to the Amlin Challenge Cup after a seven-year absence and could well prove to be one of the surprise title contenders this season. - 10/10/2012 12:04
Grenoble return to the Amlin Challenge Cup after a seven-year absence and could well prove to be one of the surprise title contenders this season.
The club from the Alps have scaled new heights in the Top 14 this season and lie fifth thanks to their impressive form at Stade Lesdiguieres.
They have already seen off the visits of Perpignan, Racing-Metro and Stade Francais, who they will meet again in Pool 5, to their home ground.
They start against I Cavalieri Prato and have the vast European experience of Shaun Sowerby, a Heineken Cup winner with Toulouse, at No 8 with former Perpignan play-maker Nicolas Laharrague, with nine years of European rugby under his belt, to pull the strings.
It all adds up to a daunting task for Alberto Chiesa’s men from Tuscany who have lost their last 11 games since winning their first fixture in Europe – against Connacht in 2010.
Pour sa dernière rencontre européenne de la saison
Grenoble kicked off their Amlin Challenge Cup campaign in style as they hammered I Cavalieri Prato in Pool 5.
The French side marked their return to Amlin Challenge Cup competition after a seven-year absence with a comprehensive 59-3 success at Stade Lesdiguieres.
Grenoble crossed for eight tries courtesy of eight different scorers to build on their fine start in the Top 14, although it took them a while to get going on Friday night.
The home side had touched down just once in the first 25 minutes and twice in the opening 33 but the game to bed in a 15-minute spell either side of the interval.
A penalty try on 34 minutes added to earlier efforts from Matthieu Nicolas and Clement Darbo, before quick-fire scores from Rudolf Coetzee and Anthony Hegarty helped Grenoble build on a 19-3 half-time lead.
I Cavalieri Prato did at least keep their line intact for a 10-minute spell before the hour mark but further tries from Flavein Nouhaillaguet, Gregory Fabro, Alexandre Pollard and Jonathan Pelissie completed the rout.
Grenoble will now be looking for more of the same when they face a much sterner challenge at Stade Francais Paris in Round 2, while I Cavalieri Prato turn their attentions to a home time with tournament debutants London Welsh a week on Saturday.
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