Montpellier's Dominance in the Challenge Cup: A Two-Time Champion's Story
A tale of resilience and comeback, Montpellier Hérault's performance in the EPCR Challenge Cup is a testament to their championship spirit.
In a thrilling Round Two encounter, Montpellier showcased their prowess, overcoming an early deficit to dominate Zebre Parma. The two-time champions' 31-7 victory on Friday was a statement of intent, setting them up for a successful Christmas break.
But here's where it gets interesting: the first half was a battle of the forwards, with both teams showcasing their strength up front. However, the second half opened up, providing more opportunities for the backs to shine.
Zebre Parma struck first, capitalizing on some solid forward work to score after just nine minutes. But Montpellier fought back, with Mael Moustin finding space and Alex Masibaka finishing off a powerful driving maul from distance.
Masibaka's tally continued to grow, with tries in the second half, sandwiched between scores from Marco Tauleigne and Florian Verhaeghe. The Italians' pack made a late surge, but a try from Franco Carrera was denied by the TMO, dashing their hopes of a consolation.
And this is the part most people miss: Montpellier's dominance wasn't just about individual tries. It was a collective effort, with the team's forwards laying the foundation and the backs capitalizing on the space created.
As the two-time winners head into the Christmas break, they do so with a perfect record, having won both their matches so far. A true testament to their championship pedigree.
Teams:
Montpellier:
Tries: Moustin, Masibaka (2), Tauleigne, Verhaeghe
Conversions: Miotti (3)
Zebre Parma:
Try: Licata
Conversion: Montemauri
Montpellier Starting XV:
15. Thomas Vincent
14. Gabriel N'Gandebe
13. Thomas Darmon
12. Auguste Cadot
11. Mael Moustin
10. Stuart Hogg
9. Leo Coly
8. Alex Masibaka
7. Jordan Uelese (C)
6. Marco Tauleigne
5. Adam Beard
4. Florian Verhaeghe
3. Luka Japaridze
2. Ricky Riccitelli
1. Nika Abuladze
Replacements:
16. Lyam Akrab
17. Enzo Forletta
18. Valentin Welsch
19. Tyler DuGuid
20. Solomon Shand
21. Ali Price
22. Domingo Miotti
23. Jules Ducros
Zebre Parma Starting XV:
15. Lorenzo Pani
14. Malik Faissal
13. Luca Morisi
12. Damiano Mazza
11. Albert Batista
10. Giovanni Montemauri
9. Migael Prinsloo
8. Giovanni Licata (C)
7. Jacopo Bianchi
6. Giacomo Milano
5. Alessandro Ortombina
4. Guido Volpi
3. Matteo Nocera
2. Paolo Buonfiglio
1. Muhamed Hasa
Replacements:
16. Shilo Klein
17. Riccardo Genovese
18. Matteo Canali
19. Davide Ruggeri
20. Nikolaj Varotto
21. Martin Roger Farias
22. Enrico Lucchin
Officials:
Referee: Peter Martin (Ireland)
Assistant Referees: Keane Davison (Ireland), Stuart Gaffikin (Ireland)
TMO: Mark Patton (Ireland)
