Montpellier (AFP)
Promising first steps: Xavier Garbajosa's Montpellier, reduced to fourteen in the 26th minute, made his debut at the GGL Stadium by getting a boosted success (43-22) on Saturday at the expense of Pau during the second day of the Top 14.
A week after a frustrating defeat at Castres (26-25), the team of the successor of Vern Cotter, puts his footprint before receiving Saturday La Rochelle, where Garbajosa made his apprenticeship during five seasons (2014-2019).
Montpellier, however deprived of sixteen players, settles temporarily in the 2nd place of the championship while waiting for the closing of the day and launches its season on good rails
Pau concedes his first defeat of the season in a meeting where he was quickly exceeded before limiting the damage.
Pointed out last week for his indiscipline, Montpellier was still penalized with the expulsion of hooker Yuri Delhommel, guilty of a dangerous tackle on the opening half Antoine Hastoy (26th).
On the thrust of his match at Castres and his three tries, Montpellier has managed an offensive demonstration, ensuring the offensive bonus at the last minute by the back Benjamin Fall (79). Spurred on by his inspired New Zealand midfielder Aaron Cruden, he scored six tries by Delhommel (7th), precisely, the inevitable Fijian winger Nemani Nadolo (22nd), the third Australian center line Caleb Timu (32nd).
Shortly after the restart, the Garbajosa team added two more tries by new back Anthony Bouthier (42) and center Yvan Reilhac (46) to dig the biggest gap of the match (36-8).
Reduced to fourteen very early, and since then shoved intermittently in melee, the MHR has flopped a few times in defense. Pau took the opportunity to score with his winger Julien Fumat (30th), then the third line center Baptiste Pesenti (48th) or the second line Denis Marchois (63rd).
To ensure the bonus, Montpellier finished on a stroke of brilliance and a counter-insider by winger Gabriel Ngandebe and completed by Fall. Good job for a good start.
© 2019 AFP