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Montpellier and Gloucester Rugby both earned losing bonus points in Round 1 but will be desperately seeking at least four when they face off at the GGL Stadium in Pool 5 of the Heineken Champions Cup at 16.15 on Sunday, live on beIN SPORTS and BT Sport.
TOP14 side Montpellier went down narrowly 23-20 at Connacht Rugby last weekend, while Gloucester were victims of a storming second-half comeback by Toulouse, letting a 20-9 half-time advantage slip to go down 25-20.
On Sunday, Louis Rees Zammit will become Gloucester’s youngest ever starter in a European fixture at 18 years and 295 days old, taking James Simpson-Daniel’s 18-year record.
Key quotes
Johan Ackermann (Gloucester): “Connacht showed last week that, regardless of the fact they had a few injjuries, they played with a lot of passion and commitment. That’s the nature of our pool. With Connacht and Montpellier in there, there are no easy games. Even more so now that Montpellier have lost [to Connacht], they are going to want to fix that at home and we are the next opposition. We must know that we are going to face a highly motivated side.”
📹 VIDEO
Johan Ackermann admitted this week that Gloucester Rugby’s @ChampionsCup pool is going to be a tight one with no easy games, and that Montpellier will be highly-motivated this weekend having lost in Connacht last Saturday.
Watch now ▶️ https://t.co/epIambSFve pic.twitter.com/tXObVbpMJK
— Gloucester Rugby (@gloucesterrugby) November 22, 2019
- This will be the first meeting between Montpellier and Gloucester Rugby in European competition, despite the clubs playing a combined 258 matches in Europe (Montpellier – 103, Gloucester – 155).
- Montpellier have won eight of their last 10 Heineken Champions Cup home games, including their last three on the bounce.
- Montpellier were one of just two sides to maintain a 100% success rate at both the scrum and lineout in Round 1 (also Munster).
- Gloucester made 226 tackles against Toulouse in the opening round and they were the only team to make 200+ tackles.
- Montpellier’s Youri Delhoummel found a teammate with each of his nine lineout throws in Round 1; no other player attempted as many without missing at least one last weekend.
Montpellier's Fijian wing Nemani Nadolo celebrates his try against Gloucester
Montpellier were made to fight all the way to the finish as they defeated Gloucester Rugby 30-27 at the GGL Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
The hosts started well and forced a turnover in kicking range on 13 minutes, allowing Benoit Paillaugue to slot over and put Montpellier ahead.
They extended the advantage soon after after a nudge from Yvan Reilhac over the Gloucester line was collected by Jan Serfontein for the score.
Gloucester finally got a foothold in the match on 28 minutes through Billy Twelvetrees as Montpellier conceded a penalty in front of the posts but they fell further behind soon after.
What a try for @gloucesterrugby to set up a tense finish!
From their own 22 to the try line in seconds with some style points collected on the way 🙌#HeinekenChampionsCup pic.twitter.com/huJTmvB7Qx
— Rugby on BT Sport (@btsportrugby) November 24, 2019
Tries from Caleb Timu, Nemani Nadolo and Callum Braley followed as the game swung back and forth with the hosts leading by 14 at the interval.
Gloucester started the second half on top and got a try as the aggressive line from Matt Banahan paid off with the wing powering over the try line.
Penalty kicks would be traded by Twelvetrees and Paillaugue in the latter stages until Joe Simpson scored a late try to set up a grandstand finish but to no avail for the visitors, despite having a man advantage after Jacques Du Plessis was given a red card.
Montpellier will take on Toulouse in Round 3 while Gloucester will host Connacht Rugby.
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