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With both sides out of the reckoning for qualification to the quarter-finals there's just the bragging rights on offer in round five for these two French clubs. - 13/01/2015 12:09
With both sides out of the reckoning for qualification to the quarter-finals there’s just the bragging rights on offer in round five for these two French clubs.
Bayonne and La Rochelle have struggled in France’s Top 14 this season and were both in the bottom two at the end of 2014, although Bayonne’s one-point win over Lyon last week lifted them up the table to 10th.
They’ve this week been hit with the news that France international full-back Scott Spedding has agreed to join Clermont Auvergne at the end of the season.
The South Africa-born 28-year-old has been in excellent form this season having moved from Brive in 2012.
“Scott knows our league well, and we know that he is the type of guy who gives his all and integrates well,” said Clermont coach Frank Azema. “We are convinced that he will make further progress at Clermont Auvergne.”
Bayonne sit in third place in pool 2 behind Exeter Chiefs and Connacht, nine points behind the Irish province having suffered a shock 27-29 defeat to them in round four. It came after a 42-19 defeat in Ireland and those consecutive defeats ended Bayonne’s Challenge Cup hopes.
Top 14 bottom club La Rochelle beat Bayonne 25-13 in round two but were comfortably beaten twice in their double-header against Exeter Chiefs.
Their last win in the league was a narrow 19-15 victory over Grenoble at the end of December and they will be hoping to get one over on Bayonne to help kick-start some momentum to save their Top 14 season.
Match Facts
- Bayonne have lost their last two games against French opposition but had won seven in a row before that.
- La Rochelle have won three of their last four against French clubs in the Challenge Cup with their one defeat in this run coming against Clermont in the 2011 quarter-final.
- La Rochelle’s Loan Goujon has gained more metres (317) than any other player in this season’s competition.
- Of the players to have made at least five carries in the Challenge Cup this season, Bayonne’s Saimon Vaka has the highest average gain per carry (19.1m – 11 carries)
Pas vraiment d'enjeux à Jean-Dauger pour cette cinquième journée d'European Rugby Challenge Cup
The battle of the basement boys in Pool 2 of the European Rugby Challenge Cup ended in a home triumph for Bayonne thanks to a try in each half.
There was only pride at stake in the all-Top 14 battle and it was the home team who picked up the points to add to their first round triumph over Exeter Chiefs. For La Rochelle it was a four defeat in five games in a miserable European campaign.
The scoreboard wasn’t trouble din the opening quarter and it wasn’t until the Italian referee Giuseppe Vivarini got involved that the first points came. After on-going trouble in the front rows the referee sent La Rochelle prop Benoit Bourrust to the sin-bin in the 17th minute.
When the problems at scrum time persisted, Snr Vivarini ordered a penalty try and Martin Bustos Mayano added the conversion to make it 7-0 to the home side. La Rochelle scrum half Julien Audy had the chance to claw back three points with a penalty, but missed, and it there was no change to the score before the break.
The game followed a similar pattern to the first half in the second and it wasn’t until eight minutes from time that Bayonne, who had been beaten 25-13 in La Rochelle in round two, made victory safe with their second try.
This time it was flanker Tibault Visensang who went crashing over and Bustos Mayno kicked a second conversion. Bayonne complete their campaign with a trip to Exeter Chiefs in round six, while La Rochelle host Connacht.
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