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Bernard Laporte's return to rugby starts on a bum note
Former France head coach and controversial figure Bernard Laporte’s return to the coaching scene as director of rugby at Montpellier has started with defeat.
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MHR went down 26-21 at home to a freshly promoted Oyonnax at the GGL Stadium in Round 8 of the Top 14.
The match was admittedly a closely contested affair, with Montpellier initially seizing the lead through a Sam Simmonds’ try in the 3rd minute and a Bastien Chalureau 5-pointer in the 23rd minute. However, Oyonnax were resilient, levelling the score at 14-14 by halftime, thanks to well-executed plays by Justin Bouraux and Daniel Ikpefan.
The second half saw Oyonnax taking control, with Maxime Salles and Farrell scoring crucial tries. Despite Montpellier’s late efforts, including a try by Paul Willemse, Oyonnax’s solid defence ultimately secured their 26-21 triumph.
Match Summary 
0
Penalty Goals
0
3
Tries
4
3
Conversions
3
0
Drop Goals
0
161
Carries
101
4
Line Breaks
4
14
Turnovers Lost
8
4
Turnovers Won
9
The defeat marked Laporte’s first game as Montpellier’s director of rugby, adding a sombre note to his much-anticipated return to coaching. Montpellier, champions in 2022, now find themselves at the bottom of the table with seven consecutive defeats.
“We’re a team that is doubting itself, a bit confused,” Laporte acknowledged in a post-match interview with Canal+. “Now the objective is simple, we’re playing for safety. Everyone has to commit, think only of that, when they wake up in the morning, when they shave, when they go to sleep.”
The disappointing result puts Laporte and Montpellier in a challenging position, with survival in the Top 14 now their primary focus.
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Laporte self-suspended as World Rugby vice-chairman in 2022, within hours of a Paris court finding him guilty of passive corruption, influence peddling, illegal interest taking and misuse of corporate assets.
He was banned from holding any position in rugby for two years but his lawyer Jean-Pierre Versini-Campinchi appealed the ruling.
The scandal involved Laporte’s relationship with Mohed Altrad, the billionaire businessman who owns French champions Montpellier.
additional reporting AAP/PA
Comments on RugbyPass
Don’t worry Sonny bill Williams leave that awkward situation about the curfew in the pass whoever it was it doesn’t matter its no big deal we back our All Blacks through the storm and the thunder until we see the Sun light again.
41 Go to commentsWho listens to this retard? He was a massive liability as a player but obviously a media sensation
41 Go to commentsI’m not surprised by such ‘virtue signalling’ by Sonny Boy. Butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth. He’s such a pious Islamic muppet, imo.
41 Go to commentsI’ve actually never heard of the guy (then I don’t watch League as it is boring). But if he is good enough.. then good luck to him. If not, well, he can always return to league.
2 Go to commentsIt is pretty clear that by almost any measure that NZ are a more successful rugby nation than South Africa. Quite aside from the distasteful events during the last RWC final. NZ lead SA in all significant measurements.
39 Go to commentsDickson went to his pocket for a card, saw who it was, changed his mind and spoke at length to TMO. One angle clearly shows Care diving over a Saints player to kill the ball. 1st yellow, reason given for not Red was player was falling backwards. He was only falling backwards after contact with Lawes. Graham try should have stood. Mitchell did not have both hands on the ball, ball went forward from a Saints boot dragging over it. 2 intentional knock-on's. One of which had an overlap on the outside. If Quins are happy to win by intentional foul play, then it does not say much for them. Would appear to be a bad day for Karl Dickson, also for the RFU in appointing a Ref who spent 8 years as a player at one of the clubs.
1 Go to commentsLet’s not forget about Ardie Savea just yet.
4 Go to commentsThe URC and the Euro Championscup can’t run at the same time, basically dilutes both competitions.
1 Go to comments“While Sotutu should start at No.8 for the All Blacks against England, but it’s only in that arena that he can prove just how good he really is.” And that my friends is where simply hasnt shone despite multiple opportunities. Even in this performance you can see what did him in in the test arena..he almost always still runs at the opposition almost ramrod upright making him easier to stop than it should be.
4 Go to commentsShould have been 0-0 and a message from SR CEO to both teams - “don’t worry about turning up next year”.
4 Go to commentsGreat work Owen Franks. A great of this team, scoring his first try for the Crusaders since 2010.He was beaming, justifiably. A fine win, he and the rest did the job up front.
1 Go to commentsDanny Care. Lang in die tand.
1 Go to commentsBig empty stadium does nothing for atmosphere but munster are playing well with solid performance
1 Go to commentsYes, Fiji can win the World Cup! With that belief plus their christian faith🙏 and hard work it is achievable. Great article. Ian Duncan Fiji resident 1981-84
2 Go to commentsInteresting comments about Touch. England’s hosting the Touch World Cup this year and the numbers have exploded since their last World Cup in 2019, something like 70% more teams and 40 nations taking part. And England Touch have made a big thing about how many universities are in their BUCS University Touch Championship as well as Sport England membership. Can only see this growing even more domestically as more people become aware of it
10 Go to comments“Cortez Ratima is light years ahead of anyone on current form, while TJ Perenara has also skyrocketed into contention following the unfortunate injury to the talented Cam Roigard.” At last some sanity. Hitherto so many pundits have been wittering on about Finlay Christie to the point one wondered if they were observing a FC in a parallel universe where the FC they saw wasnt just the mediocre Shayne Philpott project of Fosters hapless AB reign in the real world. Ratima, Perenara and Fakatava are the ONLY logical 9s for Razor now Roigard is crocked.
4 Go to commentsThis game was just as painful as the Hurricanes game. It was real fork-in-the-eye stuff.
4 Go to commentsNow if they could just fire the Crusaders ground PA guy who likes to play his dance music and just loves the sound of his own voice the entire game, even when play is going on. And I thought their brass band thing of a few years ago was bad.
5 Go to commentsUnfortunately when you lose by far the two form players this season in Roigard and Aumua, you're left replacing two game changing Tanks with a couple of pea-shooters. Which is also about the speed of TJs pass.
4 Go to commentsBit rich coming from the guy with zero loyalty to anyone or any team, including happily taking a players place in a league world cup squad because well, SBW wanted to play in it and thus an already named player got told he was no longer going. And airing stuff like this, which may or may not be true, doesn't exactly say you're a stand up guy either SBW. Just looking to keep his name in lights as usual.
41 Go to comments