 | HEINEKEN CUP POOL TWO Perpignan 37 (18)
Tries: Manas, Durand, Hume, Naulu, Tonita
Cons: N Laharrague 3
Pens: N Laharrague 2 Blues 14 (0)
Tries: J Robinson, R Thomas
Cons: N Robinson 2 |
The Blues conceded five tries as they slumped to a heavy defeat at French side Perpignan. The visitors had a dismal first half and were 18-0 down at the break with Christoph Manas and Nicolas Durand scoring tries for the home side.
Further tries from Gavin Hume, Samueli Naulu and Ovidu Tonita extended the lead to put Perpignan out of sight.
Perpignan eased off late on and Jamie Robinson and Rhys Thomas crossed for consolation scores.
The win extends Perpignan's impressive record at home and they have not lost at Stade Aime Giral for almost two years.
The Blues meanwhile went into the game without a Heineken Cup victory away from home in 14 games and the loss of flanker Martyn Williams just before the game because of an illness in the family was a major blow.
However they started the game strongly and Perpignan struggled early on to find space.
But the home side never looked back after Jamie Robinson failed to collect a cross-field kick and Manas was able to run in from 35m on 19 minutes.
Scrum-half Durand scored eight minutes later after finding a gap from close range before Nicolas Laharrague added his second penalty with a minute left in the half.
Centre Hume had a simple try to extend the lead two minutes into the second period and David Marty's break set up Naulu while Tonita scored the fifth.
The Blues did attempt to regroup but their two late scores were never going to be enough.
Perpignan and England prop Perry Freshwater:
"That was a lesson to us that we need to play for the full 80 minutes in Europe. "I thought we played some good stuff and scored five nice tries but it was a concern at the way we switched off."
Blues coach Dai Young:
"The loss of British Lions Gethin Jenkins and Tom Shanklin, an ex-All Black in Xavier Rush and then another Lion in Martyn Williams just before the game due to a family illness obviously didn't help things. "But unfortunately we made life far too easy for Perpignan. We didn't get the ball for the first 15 minutes of the game and when we did we started to panic.
"We didn't keep our discipline so we allowed them plenty of territory from which to attack and we gave away some soft tries. That was frustrating.
"Perhaps the most frustrating thing is that we had the chances late on to grab a bonus point. We scored twice but had two more clear-cut opportunities that we failed to make the most of."
Perpignan: J Laharrague; Dawai-Naulu, Marty, Grandclaude, Manas; N Laharrague, Durand; Freshwater, Konieck, Mas; Gaston, Hines; Vaki, Goutta, Tonita.
Replacements: Hume for Grandclaude (37), Pez for N Laharrague (62), Dupuy for Freshwater (62), Tincu for Konieck (56), Porcu for Gaston (56), Robertson for Goutta (58). Not Used: Debaty.
Blues: R Williams; Czekaj, J Robinson, Stcherbina, Morgan; N Robinson, Phillips; Yapp, G Williams, M Jones; Quinnell, Sidoli; Sowden-Taylor, Molitika, A Powell.
Replacements: R Thomas for G Williams (59), Evans for M. Jones (53), D. Jones for Quinnell (73). Not Used: Schubert, R Powell, L Thomas.
Att: 13,100
Referee: Alan Lewis (Ireland).
MMIX
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