Nourault faces familiar foes
Montpellier welcome Connacht for third year running
Matches between Montpellier and Connacht Rugby are becoming something of a European Challenge Cup tradition – this is the third successive campaign in which the French and Irish teams have been drawn against each other.
In the four matches played so far the score stands at 3-1 to Connacht Rugby and Didier Nourault, the Montpellier Director of Rugby, accepts that neither side is likely to have too many surprises up their sleeves, starting with the Round 3 meeting at Galway Sportsground on Friday night.
"We know each other perfectly well after playing each other home and away for the last two European Challenge Cup tournaments," said Nourault.
"And we know that Connacht’s first target in their bid for Heineken Cup qualification is through the European Challenge Cup instead of the Magners League.
"So each time they play it is as if their lives depend upon it and that makes for huge rugby games with 100 per cent commitment.
Neither team is in a great position domestically at the moment, with Connacht taking their familiar mid-table position in the Magners League and Montpellier slipping into the Top 14's relegation zone last weekend.
Both teams are scrappers though, and the clash will be whole-hearted if nothing else.
"They are tough and really physical matches which lift both our spirits and level of game, because our pride in our club means we are determined not to suffer any heavy defeats.
"When you are up against Irish players if you don’t put everything needed for a competitive contest into the game it can quickly become a nightmare.
"It means we must try and put them on the back foot because if we allow them to dictate then we will struggle."
French clubs have developed something of a reputation for taking the Challenge Cup less seriously than their British and Irish counterparts though, often using the European window to rest key players ahead of more important Top 14 matches.
Montpellier have proved no exception to this rule down the seasons, and Nourault dropped a hint that this weekend might be no different, alluding to his less experienced squad members.
“We will be relying on the energy and enthusiasm of our young players to meet this challenge from Connacht, along with senior players like Nicolas Grelon, Didier Chouchan and Sebastien Kuzbik,” he said.
