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Les Blues iront défier Grenoble sur son terrain (samedi à 15h) pour le compte de la dernière journée de phase de poules d'European Rugby Champions Cup. Avec pour objectif de valider sa qualification. - 22/01/2015 16:29
Neither Viadana or Grenoble can make it through to the last eight but both sides have more than pride to play for on Saturday afternoon.
The Round 5 encounter offers Viadana their best chance yet of picking up their first match points of any sort in Pool 4, while Grenoble will see Saturday as an opportunity to build on a stunning upset win in the Top 14 at the weekend.
Viadana are one of only five sides in the Amlin Challenge Cup and the Heineken Cup who are yet to get off the mark, with the Italians shipping 170 points and 26 tries in their two home games to date. They conceded 90 points and 14 scores in defeat to 2003 tournament winners London Wasps in Round 1 and then allowed Bayonne to rack up 12 tries for an 80-point tally last time out.
They can take hope from the fact that their best performance of the tournament came away at Grenoble, however, with coach Roland Phillips’ side keeping their French hosts scoreless for the entire second half. Grenoble led 40-0 thanks to six tries inside the opening 34 minutes at the Stade Lesdiguières but Viadana won the final 46 minutes 7-0 thanks to a try from right wing Daniel Rudolf Yakopo on the stroke of half time.
Grenoble will righty start as heavy favourites, though, and it would be a huge shock if Viadana claim a first win in 13 European games. But history should ensure Grenoble don’t take them too lightly given that Viadana’s last success came against French opposition in the form of back-to-back wins over Mont de Marsan in December 2008, with Bayonne also beaten that season.
Grenoble’s own hopes of a first quarter-final in nine years were effectively destroyed as early as Round 3 when they were hammered 47-7 at home by Wasps in early December. They produced a much more spirited display on the road in High Wycombe a week later but were still officially knocked out of the competition as Wasps won 32-12 to return to the top of the pool.
They have form on the road in Europe, however, having won two of their three away games last year, beating London Welsh and Viadana’s national colleagues I Cavalieri Prato, after coming within four points of shocking Stade Francais in Paris. And they will head back into Amlin Challenge Cup action in confident mood after stunning Heineken Cup holders Toulon at the Stade Felix Mayol in the Top 14 on Saturday.
Le FC Grenoble
Viadana picked up their first points in Europe this year with a last gasp effort to deny Grenoble, who had turned an early deficit around and looked certain to win, and forced a draw to share the spoils.
Both sides went into the game with only pride to play for but it was Viadana who started the brighter and they took the lead after just three minutes. Kaine Robertson went over for a try and despite Juan Pablo Sanchez missing the conversion things kept getting better for the hosts.
Just five minutes later they had their second try through Gianmarco Amadasi and this time Sanchez was successful, making it 12-0.
It took Grenoble a long time to respond but they finally did so four minutes before the break when Matthieu Nicholas went over for their first try to make it 12-5. Viadana’s grip on the game was loosened further when Pietro Moreschi was sent to the bin just before half-time.
Grenoble failed to capitalise though, and Mathieu Loree followed Moreschi into the sin bin a minute after the re-start. The second half was a scrappy affair from the off but just as it seemed that Viadana might be able to grind out a win the visitors stepped up a gear.
Jordan Michallet grabbed a try and then converted it to level the scores at 12-12 on the hour mark before his side took the lead seven minutes later. Matthieu Nicolas got his second of the game and Michallet added the conversion to make it 12-19.
It was all going Grenoble’s way and a win seemed to be done and dusted but with three minutes to go Nicolas Bezy was shown a yellow card and Viadana were revitalised.
In the last minute their pressure was rewarded and Mirko Monfrino scored, giving Keanu John-Apperley-Iti the chance to give his side a draw. He slotted over the conversion and it finished 19-19 giving Viadana something to celebrate in Europe at last.
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