Report: Resurgent Montpellier spoil Exiles’ dream Champions Cup return
Top 14 champions Montpellier stamped their intent on the Heineken Champions Cup with a gutsy 32-27 win over 14-man London Irish.
Despite a loss for the Exiles, their first appearance in the competition for 10 years, 10 months, and 17 days showed positive phases of play up against a formidable French side.
First-half tries from Lucio Cinti and a brace from Juan Martin Gonazalez put the hosts ahead 24-13 at half time after a late Cobus Reinach reply, all despite a 34th-minute red card for hooker Augustin Creevy.
But a second-half brace from Thomas Darmon and a further try from Alexandre Becognee spurred the visitor’s fight back as Montpellier powered on to win the game.
A yellow card for Montpellier’s Enzo Forletta for slowing down the ball in the 26th minute sparked a freezing cold Brentford into life, a crafty tap-and-go penalty from scrum-half Ben White sending Martin Gonzalez over for his first of the game.
Irish capitalised on their one-man advantage with 30 minutes played as a powerful run Ollie Hassell-Collins saw him hand off defenders to set up fellow wing Cinti to score.
But then the Exiles were dealt a killer blow. A careless tackle from Creevy in the face of Augustin Bouthier saw the hooker sent to the sidelines with a red card.
Irish added to the scoresheet again as a pass from Loader set up Martin Gonazalez for his second.
Yet the half was not quite over for the French champions, Cobus Reinach spotting a gap and catching the defence off guard to take the half-time score to 24-13.
Despite being a man down for the entirety of the second half, Irish pushed Montpellier until the end.
Montpellier’s Thomas Darmon was released into the left corner to score through slick passes from teammates Paolo Garbisi and Louis Carbonal 13 minutes into the second half.
The scoring continued for the French side as another passage of possession saw Becognee score and put his side ahead in the 62nd minute.
Montpellier then added to their 24-27 score line through a second from Darmon who was set up from a long pass out wide as Irish defenders were occupied at the ruck.
A third card of the game, a second yellow, was awarded to Montpellier replacement Léo Coly, making both sides level on 14 players with 74 minutes played.
A long-awaited try for Irish’s Ollie Hassell-Collins was disallowed as the winger was forced into touch after a strong defensive effort from Ben Lam.
A penalty from Rory Jennings put Irish within a score with a minute remaining, and a positive attacking phase from the Exiles moved spectators to the edge of their seats for the remaining few minutes of the game.
Montpellier’s defending paid off as a ball over the top resulted in Irish losing possession, sealing the win for the French side 32-27.
Irish certainly won’t be happy to have thrown away a 24-26 lead, but the first game back in the Champions Cup is something to build on as they travel to South Africa to face the Stormers.
