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Biarritz Olympique will hope to bounce back into Pool 3 contention after their opening defeat to Harlequins when they host Italian new boys Zebre on their home patch on Saturday night. - 19/10/2012 09:45
Biarritz Olympique will hope to bounce back into Pool 3 contention after their opening defeat to Harlequins when they host Italian new boys Zebre on their home patch on Saturday night.
The reigning Amlin Challenge Cup champions suffered a 40-13 defeat to Harlequins, the reigning English champions, in London last weekend.
The Basque outfit have a formidable record at the Stade Aguilera, having lost only four of their 41 Heineken Cup games at home, and former England full back Iain Balshaw has become a firm favourite with their passionate supporters.
Zebre, who are in their first season of European rugby, are still looking for their first win and points in the Heineken Cup.
Zebre, the new Italian franchise, will be hoping they can stun the rugby world in the same manner as the team they replaced did against Biarritz.
Aironi, who were wound up last season after two years and were replaced by Zebre in this season's Pro12, famously beat Biarritz 28-27 at home in their first campaign in 2011.
The victory over Biarritz stunned European rugby and was Aironi's first historic victory as a professional outfit. Zebre would love to emulate Aironi's feat.
Match Facts
Zebre back row Filippo Ferrarini was one of six players to produce three turnovers won in the opening round.
Biarritz conceded 40 points in Europe last weekend for the first time since 2008, when they lost 45-16 at Saracens, their heaviest every European defeat.
Zebre are yet to taste victory this season having lost all five of their league fixtures and their Heineken Cup opener last weekend.
The Italian side have averaged a tally of 13 points scored and 31 conceded per game this season.
At home, Biarritz boast an 87% win rate from 45 matches in their history. They have won 86% of their 14 matches against Italian opponents overall.
Biarritz's USA wing Taku Ngwenya says they are up for the challenge of the Amlin Challenge Cup this season
Biarritz Olympique bounced back from their mauling at Harlequins to beat Italian club Zebre 38-17 at Parc des Sports Aguilera and open their Pool 3 account.
The French club started as if they would have matters done and dusted in double quick time but Zebre dug in deep to really give the home side plenty to think about.
Loose-head prop Fabien Barcella, scrum-half Yann Lesgourges and wing Taku Ngwenya swooped for early tries that saw Biarritz going along at better than a point a minute with Jean-Pascal Barraque adding two conversions.
But Zebre stayed in touch with three penalties from Daniel Halangha (2) and Gonzalo Garcia but when lock Pelu Taele crossed in the 45th minute Biarritz had the bonus point they were after.
Lesgourges got his second and Biarritz’s fifth to effectively end Zebre’s resistance, with replacement Arnaud Heguy taking just 10 minutes to announce his arrival with their next.
Zebre did have the last word with Dries van Schalkwyk’s late try but it was little consolation for the tournament newcomers.
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