Jump to Main ContentJump to Primary Navigation
leicestertigers.comMattioli Woods Welford RoadContact UsTopps Tiles
Rugby News

Route to Friday's Final | Montpellier

Figure image

Montpellier head to Twickenham on Saturday to face Leicester Tigers with experience of winning in the European Challenge Cup on English soil already this season.

The French club moved into the Challenge Cup for the knockout stages following defeat in the opening two rounds of the Heineken Champions Cup and have made it through to the final for a second time.

The 2016 tournament winners beat Bath at The Recreation Ground in the semi-finals 24 hours after Tigers had knocked out Ulster.

A big defensive display which shut out their rivals for the whole of the second half helped to secure their 19-10 victory.

Bath had led with a Tom Dun try early on but Benoit Paillaugue kicked a penalty and then chipped ahead to create a try for international flanker Yacouba Camara as the visitors led midway through the first half.

Ben Spencer and Paillaugue traded kicks as Montpellier led 16-10 at the break and there was only one more three-pointer added to the scoreboard in the second half as the visitors resisted Bath’s attack despite losing Enzo Forletta to the sin bin.

Paillaugue also contributed 23 points – including two tries – in a 31-25 win over Benetton Rugby in the quarter-finals, with full-back Anthony Bouthier adding a drop goal and lock Paul Willemse making up for an early yellow card with an important try.

Benetton had led during the first half and again shortly after the break before Paillaugue’s second try titled the balance in Montpellier’s favour.

Where Paillaugue had been the hero against Benetton, it was Alex Lozowski in the spotlight in a 26-21 home win over Glasgow Warriors in the Round of 16.

The England international collected 16 points in his duel with Glasgow goalkicker Adam Hastings, while hooker Guilhem Guirado and full-back Anthony Bouthier added the tries.

That was the opening game in the Challenge Cup following defeats in the Champions Cup against Leinster (14-35) and away to Wasps (33-14) after finishing last season in eighth place in the curtailed French Top14 campaign.