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Biarritz Olympique will be keen to kick on in Round 4 after keeping their Amlin Challenge Cup hopes very much alive with a last-gasp win at Worcester a week ago. - 11/12/2013 12:01
Biarritz Olympique travel to their French counterparts on Saturday knowing that they must pick up at least a losing bonus point to stay alive in Pool 1 if Sale take maximum points from their home tie with Worcester a day earlier.
The Basque outfit sit a point adrift of Sale in second place in the table but a second win over Oyonnax would make them favourites to reach the quarter-finals given that they host the Sharks at the Parc des Sports Aguiléra in Round 6.
The 2012 tournament winners won the reverse leg of this tie 26-6, scoring four tries as they bounced back from a heavy defeat at Sale. They have since beaten Worcester in back-to-back games in December, although they came within a whisker of losing both matches against the Warriors.
Only a Tanguy Mulcard try with the final play of the game saw them triumph 19-15 at Sixways, before an arguably even greater comeback got them out of gaol at home when they scored 15 unanswered points in the final quarter despite being down to 14 men following Thomas Synaeghel’s red card.
Since the last instalment of Amlin Challenge Cup action, Biarritz have lost all three league matches, having been hammered at ASM Clermont Auvergne and Montpellier before an 18-6 reverse at home to Stade Francais last weekend.
Oyonnax have fared much better in that period, winning two of their three fixtures and putting up a braver showing on the road at Clermont. The Top 14 and Amlin Challenge Cup newcomers edged past Racing Metro in their last outing, having done the same against Bayonne two games earlier.
They have a formidable record on home soil, triumphing against Heineken Cup holders RC Toulon, runners up Clermont, French Champions Castres Olympique and Perpignan, as well as Bayonne and Racing, in front of their own fans in domestic competition so far this season.
Sale were toppled 16-10 at the Stade Charles Mathon after a 9-9 draw with Worcester in their opening Amlin Challenge Cup home game, while Biarritz have already lost at the venue in the Top 14 this term.
L'US Oyonnax se déplace vendredi soir à 21h sur la pelouse des Sale Sharks
Oyonnax dented Biarittz’s hopes of winning Pool 1 with a narrow victory over their French rivals.
The hosts were on the front foot from the word go, with Nicolas Vuillemin claiming a try in the fourth minute and Dug Codjo adding a second five minutes later to extend their lead again after Julien Peyrelongue had kicked a penalty for Biarritz.
Neither try was converted, though, and the visitors punished Jonathan Bousquet’s failings with the boot when Seremaia Bortu got their first try and Peyrelongue converted to level the scores.
Oyonnax edged their way back in front in the 28th minute with a penalty from Bousquet before grabbing their third try of the afternoon when Hemani Paea went over to make it 18-13. Again, Bousquet was off-target with the conversion but his side led 18-10 at the break.
Their momentum carried over into the second half and Roimata Hansell Pune went over in the 41st minute. This time, Bousquet converted as they extended their lead to 25-10.
But Biarritz hit back again with a Jo Pietersen try, converted by Peyrelongue, and the hosts’ lead was cut back to eight points.
Oyonnax, who have a stunning record at home this season, tightened things up and probed for another score, which came on 55 minutes with a penalty from Bousquet that put them 11 points in front. That seemed to be that as they shut down the game but in the dying minutes Biarritz set up a thrilling finale.
Teddy Thomas went over for a 77th minute try and Peyrelongue again added the extra points to make it 28-24 and put the visitors within another try of victory. Oyonnax did just enough though, and held on to win for just the second time in the Amlin Challege Cup this season.
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