18 GAMES IN for the Heineken Cup’s Scottish, Welsh and Italian participants and just one win [Ospreys] to show for their efforts.
Montpellier defeated Cardiff Blues 35-24 at Arms Park to slump to a third consecutive loss in Pool 6.
Cardiff led 9-6 after 24 minutes when Welsh international scrum-half Lloyd Williams received a straight red card for a dump tackle on Montepellier’s Benoit Paillaugue.
The French side soon made the man advantage count as Yoan Audrin crossed over for a try. Paillaugue added five more points from the boot to make it 19-15 at the break.
Mamuka Gorgodze looked to have settled the contest when he rumbled over for a 64th minute try but Rhys Patchell penalties kept the home side in touch.
It took another Paillaugue penalty – taking his match tally to 20 points – and a late Timoci Nagusa to finally shake the Blues loose.
Montpellier are in second place in Pool 6 now, five points back from runaway leaders Toulon.
Tigers survive fightback
Leicester Tigers, who once again left club captain Geordan Murphy on the bench, stormed to a 26-7 half-time lead over Benetton Treviso before almost conceding a losing bonus point.
The English side raced into a 19-0 lead at Welford Road before a Dean Budd try pegged the home side back.
Australian flanker Julian Salvi closed out the half with his second try and the match appeared to be a bust for the Italians.
However, four substitutions at the break by coach Franco Smith revitalised Treviso and replacement prop Lorenzo Cittadini crashed over for a 45th minute try.
Matt Smith and George Ford went try, conversion to stretch Leicester’s lead to 33-14 but two Di Bernardo penalties and a Christian Loamanu try made for an entertaining finale.
Referee George Clancy blew up the tie at 33-25 to Leicester but Treviso will fancy their chances of upsetting Tigers in Italy next week.
