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Bizkaia Gernika created history last weekend after claiming their first win in European competition. - 14/12/2012 07:30
Bizkaia Gernika created history last weekend after claiming their first win in European competition.
The Spanish club battled to a 13-3 victory over VEA Femi-CZ Rovigo at Urbieta Rugby Sport Centre.
Jon Magunazelaia grabbed the crucial try, while Deccie Cusack added eight points as Gernika, famed by Pablo Picasso, made a real impression as European rugby continues to develop.
Cusack, who joined the Basque club from Munster in the summer, was thrilled with the significant victory.
“It showed we have learned from the first two games,” said the fly-half.
“To see his delight of the older players after Saturday’s game was something else. The other players who played with the team for five or six years and are from the village of Gernika, everyone was over the moon.
“There was a buzz around the street. “
Rovigo are yet to win in this season’s competition and sit bottom of Pool Four following their latest defeat.
They have lost 48 out of their 51 matches in the European club competition but they will be hoping to gain revenge at Stadio Mario Battaglini.
Match Facts
• Rovigo have lost their last 25 Amlin Challenge Cup matches in succession.
• After conceding an average of 87.5 points in their opening two fixtures, Gernika managed to stop Rovigo from scoring any tries in their 13-3 victory over the Italian side last week.
• Between them, only five different players have scored points for these two teams this season.
Pour sa dernière rencontre européenne de la saison
Spanish side Bizkiaia Gernika RT recorded a second victory in this season’s pool stages as they did the double over Italian outfit Femi-CZ Rovigo at the Stadio Mario Battaglini.
The part-timers of Spain and Italy have enjoyed a rare old battle amongst themselves in this pool, with Worcester and Perpignan fighting it out for qualification, but the side from the Basque country were well worth their 16-10 victory.
The Spanish side had recorded a 13-3 win over the Italians in the first leg of the double header on their home patch last week to record their first win of the campaign.
Fly-half Micky Wilson missed an early penalty for Rovigo before his opposite number for the visitors, Deccie Cusack, landed a three-pointer of his own to give Bizkiaia Gernika the lead after nine minutes.
The Spanish side then went further ahead when wing Ini Olaeta crossed for the game’s first try after 11 minutes to give Bizkiaia an 8-0 lead early on.
Cusack missed the conversion and Rovigo hit back with a try of their own when lock Jean-Francois Montauriol barged his way over for his side’s first points.
Wilsonslotted the extras but neither side added to their score in a closely-fought end to the first-half which saw Bizkiaia go in with an 8-7 lead.
Cusack added his second penalty to put the visitors further ahead before he crossed for Bizkiaia’s second try to give his side a 16-7 lead midway through the second period.
Full-back Rhys Lenarduzzi clawed the home side back to within six points with a penalty in the 75th minute but it wasn’t enough to save his side from a fourth pool defeat.
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