Problems for Cotter as Mignoni hits back
“English team boss Rory Teague has a big job trying to turn around the fortunes of Bordeaux-Begles”
Lyon boss Pierre Mignoni had dreams of reaching the Top 14 final last season after a rousing win at his old club Toulon put his team into the last four. An ambition crushed in no time at all by the expensively-assembled heavyweights of Montpellier.
Now Mignoni, often tipped as a future France manager, has taken his revenge in the most spectacular fashion with a 55-13 win fuelled by eight tries, six of them in the second half.
There will be serious questions asked of Montpellier coach Vern Cotter, not least by his impatient president Mohed Altrad, already displeased by losing last season’s final to Castres.
To make matters worse for the pair, they looked on helplessly as Castres repeated the treatment in the opening game of the season, this time on Montpellier’s own turf.
This latest abject surrender could trigger an early crisis. Quite the reverse for Lyon whose faith in journeyman fly-half Jonathan Wisnieswki paid off handsomely.
Whether it was with Grenoble, Toulouse, Racing or Castres, Wisniewski could often be relied upon for an ample haul of points off his boot.
But he was so troubled by recurrent injury with Toulon last season he admits to fearing he would have to retire.
He was not only spot on again with his kicking for goal but twice tore Montpellier apart with his uncanny vision.
There were only five points between the teams at the break, Lyon striking through Kiwi back Toby Arnold and Fijian winger Noa Nakaitaci, qualified for France, with South African lock Janse Van Rensburg bundling over in reply.
Montpellier had hoped for more from their own Fijian winger Timoci Nagosi after returning late from training and have to shed more than a stone to get back in shape. Looks like he will be moving on.
A disappointing return, too, for exNorthampton Saint Louis Picamoles, back from a shoulder problems that convinced France boss Jacques Brunel he no longer had the drive to play for his country.
Lyon piled on five tries in just 25 second-half minutes from scrum-half Baptiste Couilloud, lock Hendrik Roodt, sub lock Etienne Oosthuizeg, centre Thibaut Regard and new Kiwi centre Charlie Ngatai.
Wisniewski, who had not long been withdrawn to a standing ovation, returned for Couilloud under the new injury rules. Just in time to create the final try for Ngatai again with a delightful diagonal kick.
Pau are another up-and-coming side that like to give the high and mighty a poke in the eye.
And, currently, no opposition is more formidable than Clermont with 15 points from 16 in their first three try-laden games.
For a long while, until the last few minutes, Pau looked like arresting that runaway success with tries from fly-half Colin Slade and full-back Charlie Malie helping them to a ninepoint lead with the hour looming.
And a yellow card for Clermont prop Rabah Slimani around that time hardly seemed to have enhanced his team’s prospects. Quite the reverse happened when Pau, too, lost a player to indiscipline and Clermont, finishing strongly with a couple of penalties from Scot Greig Laidlaw.
And especially a winning try from 22-year-old hooker Yohan Beheregaray from the bench to help Clermont to a 27-23 success.
An outstanding comeback that bodes ill for their rivals for the title for which they started favourites.
That should not discourage Pau too much even though the manner of defeat was painful. All Black players Slade and Conrad Smith have already given them another dimension, the latter having just retired as a player to become defence coach.
Now comes news they have lined up two more Kiwi internationals in flanker Ardie Savea and full-back Ben Smith. Their boss-to-be is compatriot Simon Mannix who seems to be ahead of the game when dipping into the best talent pool in the game.
English team boss Rory Teague has a big job trying to turn around the fortunes of Bordeaux-Begles and it grew a bit bigger with a 22-17 defeat at the home of Agen. He was unlucky to lose two players to injury early, especially powerful Fijian flyer Semi Radradra.
But a try from Yoan Tanga and a flawless kicking exhibition from Aussie fly-half Jake McIntyre kept Agen ahead to the end despite a late penalty try handing Bordeaux a bonus point.
Promoted duo Grenoble and Perpignan already occupy the bottom two spots. A situation unchanged by Grenoble’s 29-13 defeat at Castres who are in good heart defending their title.
Two tries from back rower Alex Tulou and two more from hooker Marc-Antoine Rallier helped atone for the feeling they were foiled by controversial refereeing decision at Toulon in their last game.