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Perpignan will look to put their Top 14 woes behind them by getting their Amlin Challenge Cup campaign off to a successful start in Italy. - 11/10/2012 11:27
Perpignan will look to put their Top 14 woes behind them by getting their Amlin Challenge Cup campaign off to a successful start in Italy.
The French side slumped to a shock 28-23 defeat at Grenoble last weekend and currently lie ninth in their domestic table.
Perpignan failed to qualify for last season’s quarter-finals after away defeats to Newport Gwent Dragons and Exeter Chiefs, but did secure a victory on Italian soil last season.
And director of rugby Marc Delpoux, with Wales international James Hook pulling the strings at fly-half and new signing Luke Narraway settling in following his move from Gloucester, will hope there is a repeat of the 30-13 win over I Cavalieri Prato.
Meanwhile, Rovigo have won just six times from 56 matches in the Challenge Cup.
But the Italians have not tasted success since beating fellow French outfit Dax 24-11 at the Stadio Mario Battaglini on October, 18, 2008.
Pour sa dernière rencontre européenne de la saison
Perpignan, free from their trials in the Top 14, launched their Amlin Challenge Cup bid with a 79-12 Pool 2 win over Femi-CZ Rovigo at Stadio Mario Battaglini.
The French giants, who sit ninth in the Top 14 with just three wins from eight starts, had the try bonus point safely banked as early as the 45th minute when centre Sione Piukala crossed the Rovigo line for Perpignan’s fourth try.
The first-half honours on that front were taken comprehensively by left wing Armand Battle with tries in the 10th and 30th minutes, with fellow wing Adrian Plante also cashing in with the ball in hand.
Former Munster centre and 2008 Heineken Cup winner Lifeimi Mafi got Perpignan’s fifth try as Rovigo’s early resistance cracked under the pressure.
Full back Stefan Basson had kept them ticking over with four first-half penalty goals and at 27-12 at the break they had shown up well.
But Mafi got his second and Perpignan’s sixth with less than an hour gone and Perpignan’s power then earned them a penalty try. It all added up to something akin to kicking practice for outside-half David Mele as he slotted nine conversions along with a couple of penalty goals.
Perpignan wrapped matters up with further braces from Joffrey Michel and Sebastien Vahaamahina as Rovigo crumbled.
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