The Top 14 was looking for a fourteenth team to compose its next season. This Sunday, FC Grenoble welcomed Montpellier Hérault Rugby for the access match at the Stade des Alpes (6 p.m.). The Isérois, beaten last week by the Bretons of RC Vannes in Toulouse (16-9), were one step away from a climb. The Héraultais, for their part, would have to fight to stay in the first division.
Grenoble 18-20 Montpellier
Steeve Blanc-Mappaz, Grenoble captain
“ It was hard after a failure in the final to come back. I take my hat off to all the guys. I was a pain in the ass, I pissed them off all season to hold on. Thank you to the people of Grenoble who followed us all season.”
80′ It’s over!
Montpellier validates its retention in the Top 14 following its snatched victory on the Grenoble pitch! Trailing at the break (18-14), the Héraultais made the difference in the final moments of the match and will play in the first division next season.
79′ Last scrum
Everything will be decided on this last sequence of play!
78′ Grenoble in the opposing camp!
76′ Montpellier goes in front!
75′ The MHR will take the points
Penalty whistled against the Isérois. Carbonel will try 4/4.
74′ Montpellier pushes!
The pick-and-go continues on the Montpéelliéran side, who are a few steps from the line!
72′ Grenoble is uncompromising in defense
New recovery of the people of Isère, pushed by an entire people!
70′ Davies recovers the ball
Nice interception from the Welshman who quickly taps his foot to clear his side.
70′ Nganbede taken over
The winger is caught a few meters from the line.
69′ Time stop
Dakuwaqa seems to have been injured in the last action. It is neat on the edge of the fingerboard.
67′ The score does not move
Davies misses this distant penalty.
66′ Montpellier sanctioned
Push up on this scrum. Grenoble benefits from a penalty.
New statistical point
16 touches won for Grenoble, 10 for Montpellier. 1 touch lost for the locals, and 3 for the visitors.
There’s a quarter of an hour left!
Nicolas Nadau’s reaction
Nicolas Nadau: “We have to be patient. There will be balls to play, to scratch. They are above us, but we are above the others on a collective level.”
62′ Penalty against Grenoble
And the MHR makes the choice of points to try to return to a point.
Patrice Collazo’s reaction
Patrice Collazo: “We must not play in our camp. We have too much waste in the Grenoble camp. The objective is to regain control of the ball. We also have to gain territory.”
59′ Farnoux counters the attack
Ngandebe had attempted the lob on Farnoux, but the back had read the play well and intervened. This will be a touch!
57′ Ball returned to Grenoble
Already the third touch lost by the Montpellier residents in this match.
55′ 50/22 validated!
Farnoux finds a superb touch in the camp of the opposing 22.
53′ Statistical update
7 penalties conceded by the Montpellier residents. 4 for the people of Grenoble.
51′ Davies very close to 50/22
The opener offers his team an advance. The key will be for MHR.
49′ Montpellier breathes a little
Serfontein volley save which allows the MHR to regain control of the ball.
47′ Farnoux remains on the ground
When the candle fell, the Grenoble defender was hampered by Tisseron and fell violently to the ground. He finally gets up.
46′ What an outing from Muarua
The third center line puts Carbonel then Serfontain on the buttocks to sound the revolt of the Isérois. Davies then finds a superb touch.
45′ Grenoble did not give up!
The locals escaped unscathed after this Hérault offensive. The penalty, played quickly, will ultimately result in nothing because Verhaeghe is guilty of a knock-on just in front of the line.
44′ The nice touch of the MHR
The long kicking game is beneficial, since Farnoux is forced to go into touch.
43′ Dakuwaqa gains ground
Great breakthrough from the Montpellier player.
42′ What an opportunity for Grenoble
Escande and Cadot were so close to going for the break, but the latter returned the ball to the Montpellier team on his back pass. What a pity !
41′ Grenoble clears
Ball already recovered by the FCG which can find a touch.
40′ Here we go again
Start of this second half in Grenoble where the locals lead the score.
40′ Half-time!
And Grenoble is ahead! Thanks to this last try scored just before the siren, the Grenoblois are in the lead at the break. The latter had a very good end to the first period to take a short lead. At the break, the MHR is relegated to Pro D2!
39′ GRENOBLE TEST
And for the first time in the match, the Grenoblois are leading! Superb offensive from the Isérois and Davies’ kicking game finds Hepetema perfectly on the wing who just has to finish the job. Davies fails to convert.
38′ Grenoble recovery
New ball snatched from Grenoblois who defend body and soul to return to the locker room with a small point delay.
36′ It will be a touch
Grenoble throw in three meters from their goal line.
36′ Montpellier test?
New video refereeing requested. Lam isn’t sure his essay is valid.
34′ Davies attempts the drop!
The opener has a little free space and tries from afar. His attempt ends a few meters from the left post.
33′ Lam under pressure
The MHR winger, facing the opposing pressure, quickly clears with his foot, but only finds a short length.
31′ Throw-in stolen by Grenoble
The locals have been better for a few minutes and have come back to match their opponents.
29′ GRENOBLE TEST
It’s the hooker Massa who is at the conclusion of a great ball carried by the Grenoblois. The Isérois came back a little more into the match after Davies’ transformation.
28′ Grenoble takes the sidelines
After a new penalty, the locals decide to opt for the sidelines and put pressure on the MHR.
27′ Davies misses his kicking game
The opener’s long penalty does not pass.
26′ Montpellier sanctioned
Verhaeghe is guilty of a side tackle. Grenoble benefits from a new penalty.
25′ FCG counter-ruck
Ball recovered by the Isérois who then manage to give themselves some air and find a touch thanks to Davies’ kicking game.
24′ Reinach braked
The scrum half had been launched against the play. He was finally slowed down by the good defense of the locals.
23′ Hepetema hampers Reinach
New penalty whistled. Montpellier will be able to free itself.
22′ Penalty against Montpellier
One of the MHR players taps an opposing arm on a key. The referee signals a penalty and the Grenoblois invest the 22.
20′ Ball carried for the MHR
The players in white arrive within the opposing 22 meters.
19′ New points for Grenoble
New success for Davies and his left paw.
18′ Penalty against Montpelllier
Mr. Trainini sanctions the Héraultais for a high tackle. The locals will choose the points.
17′ No try for Grenoble
Hepetema lost control of the ball at the goal line. Chalureau’s tackle, seen on video, is not penalized. The game continues and the score remains unchanged.
17′ Video refereeing!
The Grenoblois hope to have scored on this action. It would be Lainault, the second line of the FCG, who would have scored in a second phase, after a first action led by Hepetema.
15′ Grenoble tries to come back
Big offensive sequence from the Isérois, pushed by their audience.
13′ MONTPELLIER TEST
Already the break for the Héraultais, who scored a second try in this meeting. Serfontein finds Lam with a superb pass, who gains ground thanks to a super rush and gives Ngandebe after contact. Carbonel transforms!
11′ Montpellier continues to attack
The MHR does not intend to return to the Pro D2 and is stepping up its efforts to take off.
10′ Quiet for Davies
The Welshman succeeded in his penalty very close to the poles.
9′ Penalty for Grenoble
The opportunity for the locals to score their first points.
8′ Carbonel transforms
The Montpellier team now leads 0-7 in this access match.
7′ The test is finally validated!
7′ Video refereeing in progress
The referee looks to see if a Lam forward can be signaled.
6′ MONTPELLIER TEST
It is the visitors who open the scoring in this meeting! Carbonel’s kick puts Lam in orbit. The winger won his duel against Davies then Hulleu and cleared the scoreboard.
5′ Rugby ping-pong passage
The two backs Tisseron and Farnoux exchange balls. The game is stopped.
4′ A forward whistled
Van Rensburg is guilty of a forward attack on this Isérois defensive tackle.
2′ And the first scrum now
We are still in the Hérault camp. Introduction MHR.
1′ First touch
It will be a throw-in for the Grenoblois in the visitors’ camp.
1′ Let’s go to Grenoble!
The kick-off is given by the Montpellier residents!
5:50 p.m. “Play it like a finals match”
Vincent Etcheto, coach of the MHR, hopes that the Montpellier residents will do the work this Sunday to maintain their place in the Top 14.
5:30 p.m. Hello everyone
Welcome to this live to follow live commentary of the Top 14 access match between FC Grenoble and Montpellier Hérault Rugby. The winner will play in the first division next season. Kick-off at 6 p.m. at the Stade des Alpes.
