Pennod 19 Top 14: Rygbi Ffrainc

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-Welcome to the Top 14.

-It's a weekend when many teams

-played rearranged fixtures.

-Back in February,

-Bordeaux Begles beat Toulon 15-12.

-That result gave the top half

-of the table an unreal look.

-These were the games

-to put that right.

-The two games we have are

-Oyonnax and Agen at the bottom...

-..and the top-six clash

-between Montpellier and Racing.

-We'll start with Oyonnax,

-who are bottom of the Top 14...

-..against Agen,

-the team one place above them.

-Both teams have managed to win

-only three games this season.

-This is a battle for pride

-more than anything.

-A nervous start. Two teams

-who are longing for a victory.

-Agen are on the charge.

-They've almost got there.

-They're over the line.

-Have they grounded the ball?

-The Welshman, Luke Hamilton

-is the fair-haired player.

-Here he is, he's about to get there,

-but he's short of the line.

-No try.

-Wannenburg, the Springbok.

-He offloads.

-Oyonnax.

-This a new artificial pitch.

-That helps to move the ball wide.

-Advantage is being played.

-They're trying

-to carve out something.

-Codjo, the winger.

-Oyonnax once more are

-facing a defensive wall.

-It's a strong one,

-but advantage was being played.

-In from the side.

-An early opportunity

-for Nicky Robinson.

-The Welshman is 34 years old now.

-That left foot

-is as accurate as ever.

-It's very untidy

-but somehow, Agen win the ball.

-It's Hamilton again,

-the former Cardiff Blues player.

-He's the top tackler in the Top 14.

-He's made quite an impression

-in Agen.

-Advantage is being played

-for the visitors.

-They want more than advantage.

-They put in the high kick.

-They try to create problems

-but they haven't succeeded.

-They'll come back for the penalty.

-That's Jenneker, the hooker,

-going in from the side.

-Burton Francis.

-Like Nicky Robinson, he succeeds

-and the teams are level.

-Nnomo, the prop.

-He's strong and powerful.

-That was a late tackle

-but we're playing on.

-Agen have had a lot

-of the early possession.

-They haven't managed to score a try.

-Two teams that are at the bottom.

-Two teams that feel they must win

-to have any hope of staying up.

-An away win for Agen

-would be quite something.

-The advantage

-is still there for them.

-They have nothing to lose.

-Francis with the little kick.

-We'll come back for the penalty.

-Jenneker, the hooker, was late.

-There was no use of the arms.

-Jerome Garces

-thinks it deserves a yellow card.

-Jenneker shakes his head.

-There's no point complaining.

-It's easy for Francis.

-Agen are back in the lead.

-What do Agen have to offer?

-Back in the top division after

-a few seasons in the second tier.

-Bales, the scrum half!

-Like the Red Sea parting.

-So easy in the end.

-Possession was put on a plate

-and Bales dummied.

-Despite a bit of a stumble, there

-was no stopping the scrum half.

-Nicky Robinson with the high kick

-as advantage is being played.

-There's snow on that one!

-Where will it land?

-It bounces one way and then another.

-The try has been scored by Tawalo.

-The referee wants a word

-with the TMO.

-That was knocked forward.

-No try but a chance for another

-three points for Robinson.

-Once again, he's accurate

-and they're within reach.

-Bales hesitated.

-It's an interception from Yobo.

-It's a race between Yobo and Sadie.

-Yobo! Is he over?

-The TMO will decide once again.

-It looks like he was pushed.

-A penalty try.

-SECOND HALF

-Very untidy.

-Gunther knocked the ball on.

-Can Agen counter-attack

-from this position?

-That's what they do through

-the New Zealand winger, Tilsley.

-Francis is in support.

-Francis to Sadie.

-Sadie!

-What a try for Agen.

-From one end of the pitch

-to the other.

-Oyonnax know that you have to win

-your home games.

-They are so close.

-It's the captain, Hansell-Pune.

-On the blind side with Metz.

-You can't afford to lose home games

-when you're at the bottom.

-You have to create something.

-They are within reach!

-They're over the try line.

-Jerome Garces is having a chat.

-He doesn't want to use the TMO.

-The assistant agrees.

-The try has been...

-..well. what is the decision?

-No TMO, but it's a try for Gunther,

-a try for Oyonnax.

-It's all square

-in the final ten minutes.

-Maybe these ten minutes...

-..will decide the future of both

-of these clubs in the top division.

-Oyonnax are on the charge

-and the try has come!

-Wannenburg, the No.8.

-The pressure was too much.

-Weak tackling from a tired defence.

-Wannenburg,

-the international Springbok.

-The former Ulster player

-came in on the angle.

-The all-important try for Oyonnax.

-Agen haven't given up the ghost

-and here they come once again.

-The offload to Sadie.

-Tilsley has one man to beat

-and Robinson is shoved aside.

-Agen have struck back.

-Tilsley had plenty to do.

-He shrugged off two tackles

-to score the try.

-Now then, Burton Francis.

-To bring the scores level.

-Huge pressure on Francis.

-The cheers indicate

-that he has missed.

-Relief for Oyonnax.

-One last scrum.

-Agen have battled to the very end.

-Robinson knows that he

-can just kick into touch.

-Huge relief for Oyonnax.

-They've beaten their rivals

-at the bottom of the table.

-A victory for Oyonnax.

-What about the other end

-of the table?

-Montpellier take on Racing in a

-couple of minutes after the break.

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-Welcome back for the

-big game from Montpellier.

-Racing 92, the team

-leading the Top Quatorze...

-..were the visitors

-to the Altrad Stadium.

-The capital city boys

-had already won 13 league games.

-But Montpellier were racing up

-the table after three wins in a row.

-A fourth win would lift them

-right into contention.

-This is a game Montpellier

-have to win to retain any hope...

-..of being in the mix for the

-big prize at the end of the season.

-They've found their feet

-under Jake White.

-Racing 92 with the

-first run by Johan Goosen.

-Excellent work by

-Bismarck du Plessis.

-The former Springbok hooker booted

-it upfield and created pressure.

-He's put Racing

-back on their own line.

-You can't better this bit of action.

-He stole the ball

-under the noses of Racing 92.

-The winger was left

-with little option.

-Five minutes on the clock and a

-promising position for Montpellier.

-The Altrad Stadium is full today.

-Montpellier have won their last

-three games. Bismarck du Plessis.

-He's over.

-His work in the loose set up the

-line-out and the chance to score.

-Excellent play between Pierre Spies

-and Bismarck du Plessis.

-This is a rearranged fixture after

-the atrocities in Paris in November.

-Is this the side Labit and Travers

-would have picked for Racing 92...

-..were there not crucial games

-in Europe on the horizon?

-The ineffectual kick

-is run back by Nagusa.

-He ran straight into Remi Tales.

-Montpellier have a really heavy

-brigade to call upon up front.

-Their natural game is

-the forceful, front-on bombardment.

-Followed by a

-quick release of backs.

-This game is perfect

-for Montpellier.

-Benoit Paillaugue over the 22.

-Back to Benjamin Fall.

-He scored one of his team's four

-tries against Oyonnax last week.

-There are plenty of men

-on the overlap.

-Jacques Du Plessis

-out to Francois Steyn.

-A second try for Montpellier.

-The initial break was by

-Benoit Paillaugue.

-The support runner

-may have been tackled high.

-The referee played

-a great advantage.

-Du Plessis fed Steyn.

-Another ball is lost by Racing 92.

-Pierre Spies strides away.

-Montpellier have seven Springboks

-in their line-up today.

-They're all playing under

-the stewardship of Jake White.

-He's transformed Montpellier's

-fortunes in last few weeks.

-They're up to fifth...

-..thanks to the efforts of players

-like Jacques Du Plessis.

-Has he grounded it?

-Let's hear the question.

-Try or no try?

-Did he have control?

-Total control.

-The conversion is successful and

-Montpellier have scored three tries.

-Keep Racing from scoring a try and

-they will pick up a bonus point too.

-There's no stopping

-Pierre Spies this afternoon.

-Listen to the crowd in full voice.

-Montpellier have 17 points

-but that can change in a second.

-Jesse Mogg from Australia and

-Catrakilis from South Africa.

-Trinh-Duc is away

-on international duty.

-Wave after wave of attacks.

-They are still pounding away

-with the Racing try line in sight.

-Not the best pass by Steyn.

-Plenty of time for Akapusi Qera

-to offload out of the tackle.

-Nagusa has gone over.

-Timoci Nagusa.

-The man who did the damage

-once again was Pierre Spies.

-Paul Willemse was in support.

-Jesse Mogg also did well.

-This wasn't the best of passes.

-However, Qera had plenty of time

-to offload the scoring pass.

-Both Dan Carter and Mike Phillips

-are missing today.

-No Charteris and several others.

-They'll all be back

-for the big European matches.

-Racing 92 lead the table.

-The have a one point lead on

-Clermont. Can they get a score?

-Chris Masoe looks to the referee.

-He's wearing the No.8 shirt.

-This is their

-best position of the game.

-They trail 24-0.

-Akapusi Qera is about

-to be yellow-carded.

-He's taken the hit for the team.

-Not a popular decision.

-Qera was lying on top of his man.

-SECOND HALF

-Montpellier are still down to 14 men

-but they are still attacking.

-Out to the backs

-and Mogg up from fullback.

-He whips the ball out

-to Benjamin Fall.

-He secured the bonus point

-in Oyonnax last Sunday.

-Montpellier have a tighter hold on

-that bonus point now.

-And this try, more than

-their performance today...

-..won't damage their hopes

-in the league.

-Montpellier are keeping

-the scoreboard busy.

-Bismarck du Plessis.

-The rolling maul has been set up.

-Akapusi Qera is back on the field...

-..driving the train forward towards

-the try line.

-Can he go all the way?

-He did

-but the referee beat him to it.

-An inevitable penalty try

-for Montpellier.

-Look at Montpellier

-in complete control.

-Racing in total disarray.

-Nothing they could do without

-resorting to foul play.

-Laurent Travers, oh dear.

-Into the last quarter.

-Chris Masoe, who has saved Racing

-countless times.

-What a tackle by Nagusa.

-Jacques du Plessis

-was the first to react.

-Back to Fulgence Ouedraogo,

-the international flanker.

-Benoit Paillaugue to Jesse Mogg.

-He chooses his line...

-..like a submarine

-towards the try line.

-Racing are taking a beating here.

-Watch that tackle. Remi Tales

-was almost chopped in half.

-And then Jesse Mogg.

-Smooth and quick passing.

-The Australian is over for a try.

-Racing are going down fighting.

-They score a try from a fantastic

-solo effort by Etienne Dussartre.

-But it can only be

-a consolation try.

-One wonders again

-what would have happened...

-..if Racing had a full team,

-including Dan Carter, today.

-Even the Montpellier fans

-are disappointed he isn't here.

-Montpellier are back where they want

-to be, close to the Racing try line.

-Willemse pulled that down,

-shadowing Mickael Ivaldi.

-This would be a popular try.

-It's there!

-An eighth try for Montpellier.

-The strength of the forwards, again,

-carrying the ball to the line.

-53-7 and there's time for more.

-See how quickly

-the Montpellier defence...

-..got up to the ball carrier.

-That was Benjamin Dambielle

-passing the ball back.

-But the Montpellier defensive line

-doesn't budge.

-There was some shirt-pulling.

-Nagusa takes it quickly.

-He has a quick mind as well.

-Can he get there?

-I think he can!

-The victory is complete.

-Montpellier have leap-frogged

-Bordeaux Begles into fourth place.

-They have a tighter grip

-on a top 6 finish...

-..and a place in the play-offs,

-which once seemed unlikely.

-Listen to the crowd.

-60 points to 7.

-Nine tries against one.

-Was there ever such a victory

-in the Altrad Stadium?

-Complete dominance by Montpellier.

-But Racing will be back.

-Here are Saturday's results

-in France.

-Stade finally won at Stade Jean

-Bouin, with Djibril Camara...

-..scoring two of the five tries

-against La Rochelle.

-Confirmation of Montpellier's

-glowing performance against Racing.

-And a sigh of relief from Oyonnax.

-Pau failed to score a try against

-Castres, but seven penalties...

-..six by Colin Slade, gave them

-their seventh victory of the season.

-With two games being played today...

-..here's how the top half

-of the table looks.

-Racing's lead looks precarious,

-with Clermont at home to Toulouse.

-A good performance

-would see them climb to the top.

-Montpellier climb to fourth,

-and they have wind in their sails.

-They face Agen next.

-In the bottom half,

-it looks more unlikely...

-..that any of these seven could

-finish in the top half.

-Brive and Grenoble

-play each other today.

-But there were wins

-for three of the bottom four.

-That means that the gap

-between the bottom two teams...

-..and those above them has widened,

-but Oyonnax have risen above Agen.

-We'll be back Tuesday evening

-with the latest from the Top 14.

-Until then, goodbye.

-Subtitles by Testun Cyf.

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