1
Worcester stun Stade in Paris, La Rochelle run riot
By Peter Thompson
Tom Howe scored a first-half double as Worcester Warriors pulled off a shock 38-27 European Challenge Cup bonus-point win at Stade Francais and 12-try La Rochelle humiliated Enisei on Saturday.
Stade had won 23 out of 26 Challenge Cup home games at the pool stage and Worcester arrived in Paris as huge underdogs, having lost their last 11 away matches in the competition as well as being without a win in France for a decade.
The Premiership side upset the Top 14 high-fliers with a brilliant Pool 2 performance on the road, though, Howe crossing for a second time just before the break after Matt Cox scored the opening try.
Ted Hill and Jamie Shillcock also went over in the second half and Jono Lance took his tally with the boot to 13 points, ensuring tries from Kylan Hamdaoui, Laurent Panis and Piet van Zyl were in vain for the 2016-17 Challenge Cup winners.
La Rochelle showed no mercy on Enisei in Russia, scoring six tries in each half of a 82-21 Pool 4 rout.
Jean Victor Goillot and Pierre Aguillon claimed two five-pointers apiece and Maxime Lafage finished with a 25-point haul in a ruthless mauling.
Top 14 leaders Clermont Auvergne laid down a marker with a 41-20 win at Northampton Saints and the Dragons were emphatic 54-17 winners over Timisoara Saracens in the other Pool 1 clash.
Connacht saw off Bordeaux-Begles 22-10 in Pool 3 and the Ospreys also struck a blow for the Pro14, George North among the four try-scorers in a 27-0 Pool 2 triumph over Pau.
Three-time champions Harlequins thumped Agen 54-22 at The Stoop, while there were also wins for Bristol Bears and Benetton Treviso.
In other news
Trending on RugbyPass
2
Jake White: Ireland, Australia and Wales have the same problem
3
David Campese names his Springbok world player of the year winner
4
Let's be real about these All Blacks
5
Latest Comments
Which people exactly?
Go to commentsWas anything but fine margins, the scoreline was flattering for that game. They were beat in every margin but most emphatically be effort of Argentina. They were slow and likely arrogant in their prep following the England series. You can see the effect on the selection and poor messaging all the playmakers started receiving from the coaching setup there after.
Otherwise though there was also a lot of really good stuff that can too easily be labelled as lucky by people intent on making a point. The team was far from certain and clinical though and the best that can be said of their losses was that they were largely due to some atrocious decisions with cards twice against SA and the neckroll last weekend (you can't take away the 14 point try, that is typical French rugby and to be expected).
This team is good enough to be able to cope with those sorts of difficulties if they could just execute a bit better (but only as well as they have traditionally mind you). Sound selections aside. Some good positivity in this article but we know it's not going to be easy as the ABs have just been trying to return to their DNA after Fosters control but countries like Aussie have a much bigger task in that respect and SA is even trying to change their DNA (again). Those two opponents (along with France obviously) are going to provide some tough competition in seeing who can lead into the 2027 RWC with the best prospects and form behind them.
Go to comments