Paris (AFP)

The demonstrations of Bordeaux-Bègles and Racing 92, as well as the failure of Clermont, marked the second day of the European Cup, from Friday to Sunday, weighed down by four cancellations of matches for reasons related to Covid-19.

NUMBERS

17: the penalties conceded by Clermont to Munster, winner for the first time at the Michelin stadium (39-31) in five matches.

The Jaunards pocketed the offensive bonus in less than 25 minutes and then the mechanics got stuck.

They squandered a 19-point advantage (28-9) through indiscipline, conceding a 30-3 from the 29th minute to the end of the match.

Irish opener JJ Hanrahan had a blast (24 points including 6 penalties and 3 conversions).

The yellow cards inflicted on Judicaël Cancoriet and Thibaud Lanen in the second half weighed down the Clermontois a little more.

5: for the fifth season in a row, Montpellier will not see the quarterfinals.

Quickly reduced to 14, the Hérault people conceded a second defeat, against the Wasps (33-14).

The only presence of the MHR in the quarters dates back to the 2012-2013 season, when it lost to Clermont (36-14).

Between 2013 and 2016, the MHR failed two more times in the group stage before winning the "small" European Cup, the European Challenge.

4: the number of canceled matches resulting in improved success (28-0) decided on the green carpet.

The Toulouse Stadium, Lyon and La Rochelle took the opportunity to pocket, without effort, a second success which brings them closer to the quarter-finals.

Toulon, on the other hand, suffered from it.

Believing that health conditions were not met after a case of coronavirus in the ranks of the Scarlets (then isolated) and contact cases, the RCT refused to face the Welsh team and collected a defeat for lack of combat.

Four cancellations, after two days, is a lot in a reformatted formula where the slightest misstep can cost qualification.

MEN

Santiago Cordero.

The Argentine winger scored a hat-trick against the Newport Dragons (47-8).

His speed, like that of the opener of the Blues Matthieu Jalibert, author of a test - and 5 transformations - made the difference.

The Albiceleste player had already been decisive in UBB's first match at Northampton (16-12) by scoring the only try of the game.

Kevin Le Guen.

The hooker, choice N.3 at the start of the season, behind Camille Chat and Teddy Baubigny, is emerging at 30, for his second season only in an elite club.

Preferred at Baubigny on Sunday, in the absence of Chat (left biceps), the ex-player of Soyaux-Angoulême scored his first European try during the festival against Harlequins (49-7).

He had already distinguished himself against the Irish at Connacht with 17 tackles in 55 minutes.

THE DECLARATIONS

"We had too much indiscipline with two yellow cards and against a cador of the European Cup we pay cash. We are a great team but in thirty minutes. We will have to whip to qualify."

Camille Lopez, the opener of Clermont, shot after the defeat of ASM.

"We won, that's good, with the bonus, it's even better, and more than 28 points difference is even better, and in addition we have no injuries. So it's mission The Welsh were brave and I didn't think we were famous. I enjoyed the reaction in the second half. "

Christophe Urios, the coach of the UBB, not satisfied with the face of his people in the first period.

"The EPCR did not referee, during the whole week preceding the match, the health situation linked to this meeting with the two clubs and did so only a few hours before the match, forcing us to a heartbreaking decision."

Extract from the Toulon press release, reacting to the formalization of his defeat on the green carpet.

© 2020 AFP