First win for Benetton at Bayonne
MATCH REPORT: Benetton Rugby recorded their first win in this season’s EPCR Challenge Cup as they thrashed Aviron Bayonnais 45-7 at Stade Jean Dauger on Saturday.
The Italian side went down on the road to Stade Français Paris last weekend, but Bayonne proved a much happier hunting ground as Rhyno Smith, Lorenzo Cannone and Onisi Ratave crossed in the first half.
And all three try scorers crossed again in the second half, with Sam Hidalgo-Clyne adding another to round off a resounding win.
Pierre Huguet had opened the scoring for Bayonne inside a minute, with Thomas Acquier also crossing as the hosts enjoyed a fast start.
However, they faded over the course of the game as they fell to the back-to-back defeats.
The two sides face off again in Round 3, with Bayonne travelling to Treviso on January 14.
Points scorers
For Bayonnais:
Tries: Pourailly, Acquier.
Cons: Robertson
For Benneton:
Tries: Smith, Cannone, Ratave, Hidalgo-Clyne
Cons: Albornoz, Umaga
Bayonnais: 15 Tom Spring, 14 Bastien Pourailly, 13 Peyo Muscarditz (captain), 12 Guillaume Martocq, 11 Victor Hanoun, 10 Jason Robertson, 9 Michael Ruru, 8 Aïtor Hourcade, 7 Esteban Capilla, 6 Pierre Huguet, 5 Manuel Leindekar, 4 Geoffrey Cridge, 3 Chris Talakai, 2 Thomas Acquier, 1 Pieter Scholtz.
Replacements: 16 Facundo Bosch, 17 Tevita Tatafu, 18 Badri Tsikhistavi, 19 Thomas Ceyte, 20 Denis Marchois, 21 Maxime Machenaud, 22 Thomas Dolhagaray, 23 Eneriko Buliruarua.
Bennetton: 15 Rhyno Smith, 14 Onisi Ratave, 13 Nacho Brex, 12 Joaquin Andres Riera, 11 Marcus Watson, 10 Tomas Albornoz, 9 Alessandro Garbisi, 8 Lorenzo Cannone, 7 Michele Lamaro (c), 6 Seb Negri Da Oleggio, 5 Federico Ruzza, 4 Marco Lazzaroni, 3 Simone Ferrari, 2 Gianmarco Lucchesi, 1 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro.
Replacements: 16 Siua Maile, 17 Ivan Nemer, 18 Tiziano Pasquali, 19 Niccolò Cannone, 20 Manuel Zuliani, 21 Sam Hidalgo-Clyne, 22 Jacob Umaga, 23 Marco Zanon.
Referee: Sam Grove-White (Scotland)
Assistant referees: Ian Kenny (Scotland) & Dave Sutherland (Scotland)
TMO: Andrew McMenemy (Scotland)
Source: @ChallengeCup
