In a more than positive dynamic, the MHR confirms its good form by improving 42-10 against Bayonne. Joan Caudullo’s men scored six tries on their home turf at GGL Stadium. With this third consecutive success, the Héraultais temporarily enter the top 6 while waiting for the match between La Rochelle and Toulouse.
Fifteen minutes of doubt and the rest of demonstration. Facing Aviron Bayonnais, this Saturday January 4, the MHR definitively closed a catastrophic year 2024, by offering themselves a first significant success (42-10, offensive bonus), for the new year.
Powerful Montpellier residents
From outing to outing, the Héraultais have confirmed their revival for several weeks and only waited three minutes this afternoon to score the first try of the game. On a quickly played penalty, in the Bayonne camp, Reinach gets everyone excited. At the end of the line, Moorby concludes the work of undermining his forwards in the axis (3rd, 5-0). Then, a quarter of an hour later, when the Basques had just been denied a try, Capilla having left before Lopez’s pass, Reinach deceived everyone on the short side, by being on the fall of his own kicking game (17th, 13-0). Powerfully, and in the wake of its captain Billy Vunipola, Montpellier reduces Bayonne to silence. It is also in power, as the pilot of a devastating penetrating group, that Uelese offers the offensive bonus to his team (23rd, 20-0). No time to breathe, it’s heading to GGL Stadium!
Forced to defend, Facundo Bosch’s teammates made a lot of mistakes, both in conquest and in the running game. The forwards accumulate and on their rare attacking balls, they find no progress. Even if each of their shots is scrutinized, the pair of Tuilagi-Maqala centers has not yet managed to stand out…
Bayonne raises its head…
It is finally Esteban Capilla who comes to light, a few seconds after returning from the locker room. The third line achieves an individual feat starting from 40 meters from the MHR (41st, 22-7). Behind, the visitors are regaining confidence. They finally manage to string together playing times and appear dangerous, Tuilagi, Cassiem and Maqala in the lead.
Thanks to a penalty from Lopez, the Ciel et Blanc come back twelve points behind Montpellier (50th, 22-10). There is time left, and the dynamic seems to be reversing. Twice, in the opposing 22 meters, Rowing wastes two touches. So many testing opportunities gone. Opposite, Stuart Hogg is in difficulty against the poles (5/10).
…before sinking
But by dominating without scoring, the Bayonnais lost their footing. The Languedocians have let the storm pass and are now benefiting from a better conquest. In the last ten minutes, they scored three tries by Gabriel Ngandebe (71st, 30-10), Stuart Hogg (74th, 35-10) and Christopher Tolofua (79th, 42-10). Meanwhile, just to lose everything, Esteban Capilla receives a red card for a dangerous charge in the air. A final decisive push and a fifth victory in a row, to finally allow the MHR to appear in the Top 6.
