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The group was always likely to be all about the matches between London Irish and Gloucester Rugby - and the Exiles lost both contests. - 17/01/2013 19:30
The group was always likely to be all about the matches between London Irish and Gloucester Rugby – and the Exiles lost both contests.
London Irish failed to make home advantage count in Round 3, going down 29-22 at the Madejski Stadium, and that handed all the momentum to Gloucester who have gone on to qualify as group winners with a match to spare.
But London Irish will want to go out with a victory over Bordeaux-Begles and make it four from four from their French tests having already done the double over Mont de Marsan.
The Exiles won 43-16 at Bordeiax in Round 1 with wing Topsy Ojo getting one of the six tries that sunk Raphael Ibanez’s club.
Match Facts
- London Irish have won 11 of their last 12 encounters with French clubs in this competition, only losing to Bourgoin in the 2009 quarter-finals.
- Bordeaux have lost their last seven games in the Amlin Challenge Cup, however have picked up losing bonus points in three of these.
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Bordeaux are yet to win a game this season. They have never failed to win a game in their previous nine seasons of European action (Amlin Challenge Cup and Heineken Cup).
Condamnés à la dernière place de leur poule
London Irish recorded a 17-7 victory over French side Bordeaux-Begles to cement second place in Pool 1 and record their fourth victory in this season’s Amlin Challenge Cup.
Gloucester, who lifted this trophy back in 2006, had already qualified from this group for the Amlin Challenge Cup quarter finals before this weekend’s final round of pool games.
London Irish and Bordeaux-Begles had nothing to play for but pride but neither side took a backwards step in this classic Anglo-French clash at the Madejski Stadium in Reading.
The visitors opened the scoring and caught their hosts cold when big No8 Damien Larrieu crashed over for the game’s first try on 10 minutes to give Bordeaux-Begles an early lead.
The Exiles hit back with a try of their own through full-back Jonathan Joseph to draw level towards the end of the first half before centre Steven Shingler landed a late penalty to make it 10-7 to the home side at the break.
Bordeaux fly-half Nicolas Sanchez missed a penalty and drop goal attempt that would have put the visitors ahead at the start of the second-half before wing Marland Yarde scored London Irish’ second try.
Shingler added the conversion to make it 17-7 midway through the second half and consign the Top 14 team to their sixth straight defeat in this Amlin Challenge Cup pool.
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