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**dudeabides** · 01-13-2010, 07:28 PM

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The latest round of European Challenge Cup action sees several clubs in make-or-break situations. It all kicks off in Watford on Thursday, when Saracens welcome Jonny Wilkinson and Toulon to Vicarage Road in our Game of the Week.

Toulon are currently five points clear at the top of Pool 3, leaving Sarries with little margin for error. In Pool 3's other game, Castres face Rovigo on Friday, having relinquished their grip at the summit of the Top 14 to Clermont Auvergne following a shock defeat to Montpellier.

Also on Thursday, Wasps take on minnows Rugby Roma at Adams Park, with Pool 4 under control. The Premiership side are five points clear from Racing Metro and have named a side blending youth and experience for the game. Serge Betsen skippers Wasps, with Danny Cipriani, Paul Sackey and Tom Varndell all starting. Coach Tony Hanks hands first starts to Martin Rice and James Honeyben.

Racing Metro face fellow Top 14 side Bayonne at the Stade Jean Dauger on Sunday off the back of two defeats. Their hosts, though, have sacked coaches Thierry Mentieres and Jean-Philippe Coyola after a slide into the relegation zone.

The attention on Friday will be focused on the Sportsground, where Michael Bradley's Connacht face Montpellier in a battle for top spot in Pool 2. The Irish side are two points clear after back-to-back wins over Worcester and also picked up the points away to Montpellier earlier in the season, with the French side needing the kind of performance that upset Worcester at Sixways.

Gavin Duffy of Connacht

Worcester will fancy their chances of picking up a bonus-point as they take on Olympus Rugby on home turf, although they are now out of contention.

Newcastle travel to face Albi at the Stade Municipal in Pool 5 and are currently three points clear of their nearest rivals, Montauban. The Falcons have been in impressive form but will have to keep their heads against the Top 14's basement side, who have been no pushovers at home so far this season. Montauban are also on the road but are in with a shout of a bonus-point win against Petrarca Padova at the Stadio Plebiscito.

Leeds are locked together with Bourgoin at the top of Pool 1, and have an away trip to take on Overmach Parma at the Stadio XXV Aprile on Saturday. Bourgoin, meanwhile, host Bucuresti at the Stade Pierre Rajon, buoyed by a recent away win over Racing Metro.

Make-or-break time in Challenge Cup | Rugby Union | European Challenge Cup | Rugby News | Scrum.com

**dudeabides** · 01-14-2010, 07:21 PM

The big match between Saracens and Toulon went the way of the Sarries:

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Saracens kept their European Challenge Cup hopes alive by grinding out a convincing 28-9 victory over Toulon at Vicarage Road.

A 20-point haul from Saracens' fly-half Derick Hougaard eclipsed a mixed effort from Toulon's Jonny Wilkinson, who was subdued on his return to home soil as England manager Martin Johnson looked on from the stands.

A second-half try from flanker Justin Melck punished the visitors as they were down to 13-men following quick-fire sin-binnings for Olivier Missoup and Cedric Beal, allowing Saracens to close the gap in the Pool 3 table to one point heading into the final round. Still, if Brendan Venter's men are to qualify they must beat Rovigo next week and hope Toulon lose at home to Top 14 rivals Castres.

Chris Wyles sniffed an early try-scoring opportunity following a delicate grubber from Hougaard, but the USA international was beaten to the bobbling ball by Toulon's Worcester-bound fullback Luke Rooney.

Wilkinson opened the scoring immediately after with a monster drop-goal from just inside his opponents' half, but Saracens laid down a marker of their own by forcing a turnover at a scrum deep in Toulon territory. The ball was quickly worked to former All Black scrum-half Justin Marshall, who clipped over a drop-goal of his own.

Hougaard slotted a difficult penalty from out wide to give the home side the lead and they piled on the pressure first with a bruising maul and then with an effective chase to an arching kick from their Springbok fly-half.

Toulon's scrum continued to buckle under an onslaught from Carlos Nieto, Schalk Brits and Rhys Gill, with Hougaard extending Saracens' lead to six with his second penalty. Wilkinson responded as Sarries let their discipline slip momentarily but the tit-for-tat exchange again swung back towards the home side when Joe van Niekerk's offside charge handed Hougaard his third penalty.

A forgettable few minutes for van Niekerk ended when he knocked with the line at his mercy on following a well-judged grubber and offload by Wilkinson, but his fly-half spared his blushes somewhat by converting a third penalty.

Wilkinson was awry with his next penalty, which would have levelled the scores, and the England fly-half then had a clearance kick half-charged down just yards from his own line following a poor relieving pass from Matt Henjak, but Saracens could not capitalise. Wilkinson did eventually level the scores, but more indiscretions from Toulon allowed Hougaard to keep up his 100% record and secure a 15-9 interval lead.

The second-half began disastrously for the French side, with Hougaard extending Saracens' lead before they made the most of a two-man advantage when Toulon flankers Beal and Missoup were sin-binned within a minute of each other. Beal, the openside, was pinged for hitting a ruck off his feet and Missoup soon followed to the cooler after deliberately knocking the ball down.

After Hougaard had made it 21-9, Saracens began to up the ante with Marshall increasingly influential behind the pack and his livewire attack almost sent Saull over in the corner. Saracens remained on the front foot and, after a jinking run from fullback Alex Goode, Melck was driven over next to the posts for the only try of the game.

Hougaard converted to complete his haul and Saracens defended stoutly at the end to ensure there was no sniff of a Toulon comeback, despite having centre Kameli Ratuvou sent to the sin-bin late on.

Hougaard shines as Sarries claim victory | Rugby Union | European Challenge Cup | Rugby Match Pack | Scrum.com

And in other Challenge cup matches:

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Pool 1

Wasps put one foot into the quarter-finals with a 50-16 thrashing of Rugby Roma at Adams Park. The Guinness Premiership side bounced back from defeat to Leicester last weekend by running eight tries past the Italian minnows, with wing Tom Varndell's brace matched by another from Samoan flanker Dan Leo.

Varndell struck early but his effort was matched by a surprise score from Roma's centre Juan Gauthier. From there it was one-way traffic as Bob Baker, Leo, Paul Sackey and George Skivington wrapped up the bonus-point before half-time.

Varndell's second arrived just after the hour, with Leo bagging his ten minutes later. Danny Cipriani started at fly-half and slotted five conversions including Leo's score and replacement Dom Waldouck crashed over to complete the scoring in the last minute.

Pool 1

Bourgoin kept up their charge at the top of Pool 1 by beating Bucuresti 33-15 at the Stade Pierre Rajon. A brace of tries either side of half-time from hooker Jean-Philippe Genevois set the Top 14 strugglers, and last year's beaten finalists, on their way and the result was rounded off by efforts fro wing Albert Vulivuli and flanker Wessel Jooste.

Bucuresti lock Valetin Ursache and fullback Bote Botezatu scored tries just after the hour to threaten a comeback, but Bourgoin stood firm.

Varndell and Leo braces inspire Wasps win | Rugby Union | European Challenge Cup | Rugby News | Scrum.com

**dudeabides** · 01-15-2010, 07:12 PM

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The latest round of the European Challenge Cup sees a number of clubs in all or nothing situations. Check out our Pool by Pool round-up of all the action.

Pool 2

Connacht qualified for the quarter-finals of the Challenge Cup for the second year in succession after beating nearest rivals Montpellier 20-10 at the Galway Sportsground. Only two points separated the teams in Pool Two before the tie but the Irish province maintained their unbeaten record thanks to second-half tries from Liam Bibo and Fionn Carr.

A brace of penalties from the boot of fly-half Ian Keatley handed Connacht a 6-3 lead at half-time. But Bibo burst through after 57 minutes before wing Carr followed nine minutes later to settle the tie. Keatley converted both before Mamuka Gorgodze touched down in the final minute for the French team. However, their failure to gain a losing bonus point meant Connacht cannot now be passed for top spot in the group. Connacht travel to Madrid next week bidding to clinch top seeding and with it a guaranteed home draw in the last eight.

Pool 5

Newcastle Falcons edged nearer the last eight hwith a 16-14 come-from-behind win at Albi. Fly-half Jimmy Gopperth completed the Falcons' impressive second-half comeback by converting Josh Afu's try seven minutes from time to snatch a crucial away victory at Stade Municipal. The result stretches Newcastle's lead at the top of Pool Five to seven points over Montauban, who play tomorrow, before the final group matches next week.

Newcastle know victory over Italian minnows Petrarca at Kingston Park next weekend will guarantee their place in the last eight of the Challenge Cup for the fifth year in a row. However, they were made to work hard for the victory against Albi, who occupy a lowly position in France's Top 14. Penalties from Gopperth and Albi's Blair Stewart, a last-minute replacement at fly-half before kick-off, saw the teams level 6-6 at half-time.

However a try swiftly after the break by replacement Yogane Correa handed Albi a lead they would hold onto until late on. Stewart cancelled out Gopperth's third penalty before flanker Afu finished a blistering Falcons attack to level the scores 14-14 ahead of Gopperth's conversion.

Connacht secure quarter-final berth | Rugby Union | European Challenge Cup | Rugby News | Scrum.com

Connacht now lead pool 2 by 6 pts.

**dudeabides** · 01-17-2010, 06:12 PM

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Pool 1

Leeds Carnegie reclaimed top spot in the group by picking up a bonus point in an exciting 38-16 defeat of Overmach Parma at the Stadio del Rugby on Saturday afternoon. The visitors found themselves six points down early on after two Barry Irving penalties but put themselves firmly in control of the game with tries from Rhys Oakley and Jon Hepworth. Irving landed another shot on goal just before the half hour but Ceiron Thomas posted an almost immediate reply to send Leeds in 17-9 up at the break.

An upset appeared on the cards when Manoa Vosawai crashed over for Parma just after the restart but Leeds response' was as devastating as it was swift. Luther Burrell touched down on 48 minutes and he was followed over by Calum Clark moments later. Jon Goodridge put the seal on a timely purple patch when he crossed just after the hour. Thomas converted all three scores and there was no way back for Parma.

Leeds are now tied with Bourgoin at the top of the pool on 19 points apiece, meaning it will be winner takes all when the pair collide at Headingley next weekend.

Pool 2

Meanwhile, Matt Cox bagged a remarkable second-half hat-trick as Worcester Warriors routed Olympus Madrid 54-3 at Sixways Stadium in the pool's other game. It was Madrid who actually opened the scoring, with centre Jeremias Palumbo slotting over a penalty with just two minutes on the clock, but that was to be as good as it got for the Spaniards, who were embarrassingly outclassed on the day.

Indeed, their lead lasted just six minutes, with Jake Abbott nipping in for the first of his two tries after being put away by Alex Grove. A spell of mediocrity followed before Worcester finally asserted their undoubted superiority with two tries just before the break. Sam Tuitupou barged through for the first before Grove and Abbott combined again for another score for the latter.

The second half was all about Cox. The flanker opened his account three minutes after the break by capitalising on some sloppy play from Madrid inside their own half. Matthew Jones then created a try for Chris Pennell with a clever cross-field kick before Cox made the most of some neat work in midfield from Greg King and Calum MacRae to notch his second of the game. King then got on the scoresheet himself after being released by Carlisle before Cox completed his hat-trick in fine style after once again leaving a number of Madrid players trailing in his wake.

Pool 5

Montauban, meanwhile, kept their slim hopes of pipping Newcastle to top spot alive by recording a bonus point-clinching 31-23 victory over Petrarca at the Stadio Plebiscito. Montauban made a fine start in Italy, racking up tries through Adrien Figueiredo and Alejandro Campos inside the opening 15 minutes. However, their hosts replied through Agustin Cavalieri and Ludovic Mercier to move 17-14 ahead by half-time. The visitors bossed the second half, though, and claimed a vital win courtesy of a second try from Campos and another from Romain Sazy.

Pool 4

In the other game in the pool, Bayonne notched a 27-14 victory over Racing Metro to end their French rivals' hopes and guarantee Wasps' passage through to the last eight. The hosts bounced back from an 11-6 half-time deficit with three tries from David Roumieu, Jean Baptiste Peyras and Jean-Jo Marmouyet for their third win of the campaign.

Pool 3

Castres fly-half Thomas Bouquie scored one of his team's seven tries in an easy 47-0 victory over Roma at Stade Jean Pierre-Antoine. Bouquie added six conversions to finish with 17 points though Castres cannot catch Saracens to qualify from Pool Three.

Wocesters' Jake Abbot

Connacht and Wasps secure quarter-final berths | Rugby Union | European Challenge Cup | Rugby News | Scrum.com