Challenge Cup result: Montpellier halt Lions’ Challenge Cup charge

Montpellier poured cold water on the Lions’ unbeaten start to the Challenge Cup in the third-round match at GGL Stadium on Saturday night.

A 72nd-minute try from South African-born French lock Paul Willemse saw Montpellier seal a 13-3 victory against a Lions squad featuring a mix of veterans and youth.

It was the first defeat in the Challenge Cup this season for the Lions, who had gone into Saturday night’s match with two wins from the first two rounds.

Flyhalf Jordan Hendrikse’s penalty opened the scoring in the 31st minute and accounted for the Lions’ only points of the match – and the only points of the first half – in a scrappy game where try-scoring opportunities were few and far between.

Montpellier dominated possession and territory and finally turned it into points early in the second half when centre Geoffrey Doumayrou scored a try, before flyhalf Paolo Garbisi added a penalty.

The hosts trapped the Lions deep in their own territory and it paid off when Willemse forced his way over from short range for a try that all but sealed the result.

Montpellier’s third successive win in the Challenge Cup sees the French side go three points clear at the top of Pool 2, while the Lions, having come away with no log points, sit in third place.

The Lions will host the Ospreys in their final Challenge Cup pool game next Sunday.

This story was first published on sarugbymag.co.za. It is republished here with permission.