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London Welsh are desperate to avoid the ignominy of finishing the European Challenge Cup campaign without a win. - 21/01/2015 14:36
London Welsh are desperate to avoid the ignominy of finishing the European Challenge Cup campaign without a win.
The Exiles have not won a European tie for more than two years, since beating Cavalieri Prato in January 2013, following six successive defeats.
But skipper Matt Corker reckons his team showed enough in the most recent loss, to Bordeaux-Begles, to hint at ending that run.
Welsh close out their campaign against Lyon at the Kassam Stadium and for Corker it is important the Exiles carry the spirit they showed in Bordeaux into their game.
He said: “It’s going to be a massive focus for us. We put in a great effort against Bordeaux and now we have to make sure we don’t just keep the same levels of enthusiasm and effort, but that we make sure that our execution goes up a gear.
“I’m always optimistic and this is a good chance for us. In Lyon it was disappointing. At half-time we looked good for the win but then a few errors in the second half and they came away with it.
“We’ll definitely be looking to right that wrong and looking for that first win is a massive thing for us.”
Lyon blew Pool 4 wide open when skipper Fabrice Estebanez clinched a 21-19 victory over Edinburgh with a late drop-goal.
That has handed the Top 14 club with a chance of not only taking second place in the pool but even snatching a place in the quarter-finals as one of the best runners-up.
Match Facts
- Jérôme Porical is the top point scorer in the Challenge Cup this season (52), he was also the top scorer in the 2013/14 edition of the tournament (83 points).
- London Welsh have lost all 20 of their competitive games this season including all five Challenge Cup games.
- Lyon have lost four of their five away games in the Challenge Cup, only picking up a win in Italy, on the other hand they have won five of six at home.
- London Welsh have lost their last six games in this competition by an average margin of 20 points.
Face à des Grenoblois qui avaient choisi de largement faire tourner leur effectif
There was only pride to play for at the Kassam Stadium and it was Lyon who walked off with the four points to leave London Welsh winless from their European adventure.
The only crumb of comfort for the Exiles was the losing bonus point they pocketed in a 17-12 defeat to save them from finishing the campaign without anything at all.
Edinburgh had already booked their place in the last eight as the Pool 4 winners and Lyon and the Exiles had gone into the contest without even the carrot of a runners-up spot as the prize.
The Exiles have not won a European tie for more than two years, since beating Cavalieri Prato in January 2013, and they have now lost all 21 of their competitive games this season including all six Challenge Cup games.
Head coach Justin Burnell’s team needed to start strongly but it was Lyon who scored two unconverted tries in the opening 11 minutes.
They got the first through right wing Thibault Regard and outside half Lachie Munro followed him over the London Welsh line, Munro missing both conversions.
Damian Fitzpatrick ended something of a scoring drought after an hour with Lyon’s third try, Munro converting, before London Welsh belatedly got off the mark after 68 minutes.
Rob Lewis got the try and Tristan Roberts landed the conversion before Koree Britton got a second to put the Exiles into losing bonus point territory and at least give the Exiles’ fans something to cheer about at the end of a disappointing campaign.
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