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Scott Murray's coaching credentials will go under the spotlight with immediate effect when Mont de Marsan bid for the Pool 1 double over French rivals Bordeaux-Begles at Stade Guy Boniface. - 13/12/2012 07:25
Scott Murray’s coaching credentials will go under the spotlight with immediate effect when Mont de Marsan bid for the Pool 1 double over French rivals Bordeaux-Begles at Stade Guy Boniface.
The 87-times former Scotland lock was put in charge of the forward coaching duties earlier this week following the club moving Marc Dantin sideways in response to them remaining rooted at the foot of the Top 14.
However the move surprised many, coming as it did just a couple of days after the club had won their Round 3 contest 20-13 at Bordeaux-Begles.
Now the trick is for Murray – who remains at the heart of their pack as a player – to show he also has the tactical awareness to try and plot the European double and go on and get them out of domestic trouble.
The win at Stade André Moga brought an end Mont de Marsan's 11-match tournament losing run – the worst by any French club in the competition – while also gaining a measure of revenge for Bordeaux-Begles' 17-12 win in the Top 14 last month with Raphael Ibanez's club now rooted to the foot of the table.
Match Facts
• Victory over Bordeaux ended an 11-match losing streak in this tournament for Mont-de-Marsan.
• Bordeaux have suffered five defeats on the trot on this tournament, scoring an average of just 12 points per game in these losses.
• Against fellow French sides, Bordeaux have lost their last four games in this competition, their last victory coming against Dax in 1999.
• Mont-de-Marsan have made a competition low 54 tackles per game so far this season.
Pour sa dernière rencontre européenne de la saison
Mont de Marsan made it back-to-back wins over Bordeaux-Begles with an 18-7 success on Friday night.
Bordeaux failed to come close to ending a five-match losing streak in the Amlin Challenge Cup as Mont de Marsan put their Top 14 woes behind them for a second week running.
A try in either half from scrum-half Arnaud Pic and wing William Ryder set the platform for a repeat of Mont de Marsan’s 20-13 win away from home last week.
Pic’s halfback partner Alexandre Douvesy added a conversion and penalty as the hosts led 10-0 at the break and they surged further ahead in the early stages of the second half at the Stade Guy Boniface.
Douvesy’s second three pointer after 47 minutes was followed by his team’s second try from former Fiji Sevens star Ryder three minutes later as Mont de Marsan effectively had the game wrapped up with half an hour remaining.
A try bonus point never really looked on the cards but victory was never in doubt, with Bordeaux-Begles only claiming their consolation score with less than four minutes left.
Victory was a great way for ex-Scotland and Lions lock Scott Murray to start his coaching career as he took charge of the Mont de Marsan forwards for the first time after Marc Dantin was moved sideways during the week.
Unfortunately for Murray and for Mont de Marsan, qualification for the knockout stages still remains an uphill struggle given that they face pool leaders Gloucester away from home after they take on second-placed London Irish in Round 5.
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