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**dudeabides** · 12-17-2009, 08:46 PM

Thursday nights' game featured the London Wasps vs Bayonne:

Quote:

Wasps took control at the top of European Challenge Cup Pool 4 with a hard-fought 12-3 victory over Bayonne at the Stade Jean Dauger.

Three penalties and a drop-goal from fly-half Dave Walder were enough for Tony Hanks' men, who required a victory after allowing Bayonne to pick up a losing bonus-point at Adams Park in their last meeting. Wasps are yet to lose a Challenge Cup fixture and were rarely challenged by a Bayonne side that struggled to create any momentum beyond several brutish mauls from their forwards, despite Wasps losing both Serge Betsen and George Skivington to the sin-bin.

Tom Varndell's reward for scoring a brace in last weekend's win was an omission from the 22 this week, with David Lemi slotting in to the No.11 jersey alongside Paul Sackey. Danny Cipriani was named on the bench, but will have to wait for his first-team return after remaining in the stands.

It was always going to be up-front where Wasps, and long-time Biarritz servant Betsen, would need to make their mark and some decent early possession was secured despite a frantic scrap for the ball on the deck. Walder continued his superb run of form with the boot by punishing an early Bayonne indiscretion but a try to the home side was almost dished up on a plate by a hurried pass from Joe Simpson, which was an inch away from being picked off by Sam Gerber.

Cedric Garcia missed his first shot at goal from distance and Walder also failed to bisect the sticks with his next opportunity as both sides struggled to string together anything meaningful in attack until a sniping break from Lemi stretched Bayonne to breaking point.

Bayonne's first attack came through their bruising pack, but their maul was met with stern resistance from Simon Shaw and Wasps. Craig Gower probed at the defence with a series of darts and offloads to Gerber but the resolute away defence forced him to attempt and optimistic drop-goal which fell harmlessly short.

Walder's second penalty secured a handy 6-0 lead with 20 minutes played and the Premiership side were good value for their advantage after some powerful defence.

Bayonne sent their next penalty opportunity to touch and from the ensuing lineout Gower again called on Gerber outside him, the South African centre making a good gain before being hauled down by Dom Wauldouck. A Wasps scrum followed and their front-row tore into their opposite numbers, giving Dan Ward-Smith an armchair ride at the base. Simpson picked up from the No.8's feet and set off on a familiar mazy run, but the support was not forthcoming and the lightning scrum-half lost the ball in contact.

Wasps were beginning to tick and a deft offload from Betsen was followed by a telling burst from hooker Rob Webber, who sent blindside John Hart crashing through and into the Bayonne 22. Harts gain was lost with a grubber through by Walder, which was comfortably mopped up by Garcia.

The Bayonne pack ground back into gear as half-time approached, smashing through Wasps with another well-marshalled maul. They were eventually brought crashing to earth, although illegally. Betsen paid for collapsing with 10 minutes in the sin-bin, but the Bayonne penalty came to nothing after a forward pass from Thibault Lacroix brought the half-time whistle.

The home side began the second-half by continuing to kick away any worthwhile possession and they were nearly punished after Skivington showed bags of pace to rip through their defence and take play into their 22. Simpson arrived and spread the ball but a speculative looped pass to Lemi disappeared into touch, taking the opportunity with it.

Betsen returned to the fray as Gower missed a shot at goal, but Wasps were immediately down to 14 men again when Skivington was shown yellow for using a knee at a ruck. With the impressive lock kicking his heels Bayonne upped the tempo and should have had the first try but for an overcooked chip to the corner from Manny Edmonds. The ball skidded into touch as Gerber chased and another spell of pressure was wasted with a knock-on soon after. A hospital pass to Lemi in midfield gifted Bayonne their first points as Garcia found his range.

Paul Sackey injected some trademark pace into proceedings with a powerful midfield run and the wing's incision was rewarded when Walder restored Wasps' six-point cushion with a well-judged drop-goal before sealing victory with his third penalty just after 70 minutes.

http://www.scrum.com/europeanchallen...ry/107329.html

**dudeabides** · 12-18-2009, 06:03 PM

In Friday Challenge cup play:

Connacht wins, and Montauban does too. With the Heineken Cup game postponed, this is where the European action was:

Quote:

Connacht took a huge step towards the quarter-finals by following up their victory over Worcester at Sixways last weekend with a hard-fought 19-7 win over the Warriors at the Sportsground in Galway on Friday night.

After a scoreless opening quarter, Connacht fell behind when Chris Pennell touched down on 24 minutes for a try which was converted by Matthew Jones. However, the hosts were ahead inside ten minutes after a penalty from Ian Keatley and a unconverted try from John Muldoon.

Connacht pulled further clear nine minutes into the second half when Gavin Duffy crossed to put six points between the sides and Keatley sealed victory for the Irish province when he knocked over his second penalty of the evening with just over ten minutes to go before adding a drop goal in the dying seconds.

The Westerners are now seven points clear of Montpellier at the top of Pool 2, having played a game more than the French side. Worcester remain third and are now ten points adrift of Connacht with two rounds remaining.

Montauban closed the gap to Newcastle at the top of Pool 5 to just three points by defeating the Falcons 24-19 at the Stade Sapiac.

Montauban had opened up a six-point lead by the end of the first quarter thanks to the boot of Julien Audy and although Jimmy Gopperth got the Falcons off the mark with a penalty in the 21st minute, the hosts responded with a try from Gregory Arganese almost right from the restart. Audy converted and then exchanged penalties with Gopperth as Montauban went in 16-6 ahead at the interval.

Gopperth reduced Newcastle's arrears with a penalty only to see Montauban post another swift riposte, this time through Adrien Figueiredo, who dived over in the 48th minute. Gcobani Bobo's converted try just after the hour brought the Falcons right back into but Mathieu Belie's late penalty clinched victory for Montauban. However, Newcastle kept coming forward and Gopperth's 77th-minute penalty ensured that the visitors did not leave France empty-handed.

Connacht edge out Worcester again | Rugby Union | European Challenge Cup | Rugby News | Scrum.com

**dudeabides** · 12-20-2009, 12:02 AM

Saturday in the Challenge Cup:

Quote:

The latest round of European Challenge Cup action kicked off on Friday night as teams scrap for a place in the last eight. A number of games were affected by the cold snap but Saracens, Montpellier, Connacht and Montauban found reasons to celebrate. Check out our Pool by Pool round-up of the latest action:

Pool 3

Saracens had 18 points from the boot of fly-half Glen Jackson to thank for an 18-14 victory over Castres at Vicarage Road, moving the Premiership side level on points with Toulon. Castres scored the game's only tries, excellent efforts rounded off by wing Paul Bonnefond and replacement Yohan Audrin.

Jackson opened the scoring with a penalty after Mouritz Botha had been denied a try by the TMO but Castres hit back powerfully. Former England centre Phil Christophers carved his way through the home defence and Bonnefond was put in at the corner, the TMO taking his time to award the try.

A quick-fire burst of three penalties from Jackson gave Sarries a handy five-point lead heading into the break. After the resumption both sides probed but were unable to fashion any opportunities, with only a brilliant break from Rodd Penney lighting up a freezing evening before Audrin followed up his own well-judged kick to score in the corner.

Saracens regained the lead as time ran out, with Jackson's fifth penalty being accompanied by a yellow-card for Christophers after the centre had thwarted a try-scoring opportunity illegally. Jackson finished the game as he had begun it, slotting his sixth penalty to secure victory.

Toulon's trip to face Rovigo at the Stadio Comunale Mario Battaglini fell victim to the cold weather affecting Italy, with ERC rescheduling the fixture for as soon as practicable.

Pool 2

Connacht took a huge step towards the quarter-finals by following up their victory over Worcester at Sixways last weekend with a hard-fought 19-7 win over the Warriors at the Sportsground in Galway on Friday night.

After a scoreless opening quarter, Connacht fell behind when Chris Pennell touched down on 24 minutes for a try which was converted by Matthew Jones. However, the hosts were ahead inside ten minutes after a penalty from Ian Keatley and a unconverted try from John Muldoon.

Connacht pulled further clear nine minutes into the second half when Gavin Duffy crossed to put six points between the sides and Keatley sealed victory for the Irish province when he knocked over his second penalty of the evening with just over ten minutes to go before adding a drop goal in the dying seconds.

The Westerners are now seven points clear of Montpellier at the top of Pool 2, having played a game more than the French side. Worcester remain third and are now ten points adrift of Connacht with two rounds remaining.

Montpellier kept the pressure on Connacht with a bonus-point 42-6 victory over Olympus Madrid on Saturday. Centre Geoffrey Doumayrou and No.8 Giorgi Chkhaidze set the Top 14 side up for the win with braces, with centre Florian Nicot and replacement Sakiusa Matadigo rounding off a comprehensive result. The five-point haul moves Montpellier to within two points of the leaders ahead of what will be a make or break meeting at the Sp

Pool 5

Montauban closed the gap to Newcastle at the top of Pool 5 to just three points by defeating the Falcons 24-19 at the Stade Sapiac.

Montauban had opened up a six-point lead by the end of the first quarter thanks to the boot of Julien Audy and although Jimmy Gopperth got the Falcons off the mark with a penalty in the 21st minute, the hosts responded with a try from Gregory Arganese almost right from the restart. Audy converted and then exchanged penalties with Gopperth as Montauban went in 16-6 ahead at the interval.

Gopperth reduced Newcastle's arrears with a penalty only to see Montauban post another swift riposte, this time through Adrien Figueiredo, who dived over in the 48th minute. Gcobani Bobo's converted try just after the hour brought the Falcons right back into but Mathieu Belie's late penalty clinched victory for Montauban. However, Newcastle kept coming forward and Gopperth's 77th-minute penalty ensured that the visitors did not leave France empty-handed after a tense climax which saw Belie and Danny Williams sin-binned.

The Pool's other game was another victim of the weather, with Albi forced to wait for a re-match with Petrarca Padova at the Stade Municipal.

Pool 1

Thursday night saw Bourgoin keep their campaign going in the right direction by beating Overmach Parma 31-10. The French side scored five tries to secure a bonus-point, with Mael Moinot, Matias Viazzo, Jean-Francois Coux, Sylvain Charlet and Coenie Basson breaching the Italian line.