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Worcester Warriors and Perpignan are both 10 out of 10 - but something will have to give at Sixways Stadium on Thursday night when they go head-to-head in a massive Pool 2 contest. - 05/12/2012 07:00
Worcester Warriors and Perpignan are both 10 out of 10 – but something will have to give at Sixways Stadium on Thursday night when they go head-to-head in a massive Pool 2 contest.
Both clubs have taken maximum points from their meetings with Femi-CZ VEA Rovigo and Bizkaia Gernika but the back-to-back meetings between the big two of the group will go a long way to settling the Pool 2 winner and the team who will advance to the knock-out stages in April.
Richard Hill’s Warriors gave Premiership leaders Harlequins a real fright last weekend before having to settle on a losing bonus point and have three wins and a draw from their 10 domestic fixtures while Perpigan, who have James Hook back from international duty, are in eighth spot in the Top 14 after hammering Agen 39-13 last weekend.
Gaining a psychological advantage from their Round 3 meeting will be crucial ahead of the return nine days later at Stade Aime Giral.
Match Facts
• This is the first meeting between these two sides in the Amlin Challenge Cup; Worcester Warriors have faced French teams 19 times before in this competition, winning 10 and losing nine.
• Worcester have lost their last five encounters against French sides.
• Worcester (87.5) and Perpignan (84.5) have averaged more points than any other team in the Amlin Challenge Cup this season. Worcester have also averaged the most tries (13.5).
• Joe Carlisle (Worcester) has scored the most points since the start of the competition (50) while Adrien Plante (Perpignan) has scored the most tries (6).
A la suite d'un match à suspense
It was the Andy Goode show at Sixways Stadium as the outside half scored all Worcester Warriors’ points in a tight 22-21 win over Perpignan that edged them three points clear at the top of the group with everything now resting on the return tie at Stade Aime Giral in Round 4.
Goode – despite the close attentions of a trio of Perpignan defenders – managed to force his way over close to the posts for his side’s only try in the 32nd minute.
His trusty boot did the rest with the conversion of his own try along with five penalty goals, the final two in the 65th and 77th minutes denying Perpignan a priceless away win.
And opposite number James Hook saw his final minute drop goal miss the target as the relieved Warriors’ fans were left to celebrate their 11th win against French opposition in 20 tournament matches.
A feisty contest saw Welsh referee Neil Hennessy send four players packing to the sin bin – Neil Best and Ceri Jones from the home side and Perpignan’s Sona Taumalolo and Adrien Plante – as Perpignan ended up outscoring the home side 2-1 in tries.
Scrum half Florian Cazenave got the first, after powerful work by lock Sebastien Taofifenua, with the second coming in the shape of a penalty try midway through the second half.
Welsh international Hook did land a conversion, drop goal and two penalty goals but it was Goode’s show.
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