Latest
Overview
Season so far
Tournament record
Grenoble will be aiming to keep their Amlin Challenge Cup hopes alive against London Welsh on Friday. - 06/12/2012 07:30
Grenoble will be aiming to keep their Amlin Challenge Cup hopes alive against London Welsh on Friday.
The Alps outfit trail Stade Francais Paris by three points at the top of Pool 5 following their slender defeat to their French rivals in Round 2.
But they can maintain the pressure with a victory over the Exiles, who edged past I Cavalieri Prato for their first European triumph seven weeks ago.
Grenoble have never overcome English opposition while in European action and just two points separate the two sides.
They were on the receiving end of a heavy defeat by Toulon last weekend but remain sixth in the Top 14.
The Exiles, in their first season of European action, have the opportunity to claim a first win over French opponents in the competition.
They go into the encounter at Stade Lesdiguieres buoyed by their 15-9 victory over London Irish.
Gordon Ross kicked four penalties in the victory and Lyn Jones will be hoping his fly-half remains on target.
Match Facts
• Grenoble have failed to win any of their four home games against English sides (D1, L3).
• London Welsh lost their only encounter against a French side in this competition; 19-68 against Stade Francais Paris in October, their first game in the Amlin Challenge Cup.
• London Welsh have averaged the most penalty goals (4.5) in the Amlin Challenge Cup in 2012/13.
• Aloisio Buto has beaten more defenders than any other player in this tournament so far (12).
Pour sa dernière rencontre européenne de la saison
Grenoble jumped to the top of Pool 5 in the Amlin Challenge Cup as they secured a hard-fought win over London Welsh at the Stade Lesdiguieres.
The home side overtook fellow French outfit Stade Francais Paris ahead of their clash with I Cavalieri Prato tomorrow afternoon thanks to a 20-9 success over the English-based European debutants.
The contest was even closer than the scoreline suggests, however, with Grenoble only pulling clear through a converted try from lock Andrew Farley with just four minutes remaining.
Farley's late effort ended the Exiles’ stubborn resistance after they threatened a second successive Amlin Challenge Cup away victory.
The sides were tied 6-6 at half time after Clement Darbo and Aled Davies exchanged a brace of penalties and it was the visitors who struck first in the second period as Davies slotted another three pointer after 47 minutes.
But Grenoble seized the initiative just three minutes later when hooker Vincent Campo crossed for the first of their two tries.
Darbo’s conversion made it 13-9 yet London Welsh built plenty of momentum and could have retaken the lead had Davies not been off target with penalty attempts in the 62nd and 64th minutes.
London Welsh’s hopes of the win that would have given their own quarter-final qualification efforts a huge boost were severely hampered when scrum-half Nick Runciman saw yellow on 76 minutes and Grenoble took advantage of the extra man as Farley powered over moments later.
LIVE - TEST - Commentary