London Irish
Mont De Marsan v London Irish
By Sam_R43
January 14 2013
Sitting on the 12:05 flight from Gatwick on Thursday it was a bit like being in the Shed! 4 London Irish supporters we surrounded by a near plane full on West Country men. But for once, this could be turned into a positive. After explaining we haven't got the wrong date and we were playing Mont de Marsan, slightly south of Bordeaux, it offered us a chance to gloat about last weeks victory. Never has being surrounded by some many Gloucester supporters been such a pleasure when they were beaten the previous week.
As the plane was coming in to land and we were planning the next leg of the journey, getting a taxi to the hotel before getting on the supporters coach to MdM, the pilot came over the tannoy to inform us that there was in fact a national taxi strike in France! (And then wished Gloucester good luck but not London Irish, boo!) After a slight panic we managed to get to the supporters coach just in time, via a small detour to the Connenara. A small, but perfectly formed groups of supporters headed out to MdM with a few Gloucester supporters tagging along.
As this was London Irish's first ever visit to MdM it meant that Mad Monk, representing the LISC presented the MdM Supporters Club with a commemorative plaque of the occasion. While we were presented with a good bag of gifts from the MdM shop and a feast of ham and some kind of bread/cake, neither of which I tried. But they we all very welcoming, after a few kind words the first round was on them! Because of the mix-up with the timing of kick-off it now meant we were 30 minutes away from kick-off so we headed out to find out place to stand.
Stade Guy Boniface had one large, partially covered stand, one small open stand opposite and standing around the rest of the pitch. Unfortunately a running pitch between us and the pitch took us a little bit further away from the action. The pitch itself wasn't in the best conditions, the warm up had already caused it to cut up! As the players ran out onto the pitch, a small group of us cheered the players out as the sound echoed around the stadium. Time for kick-off!
Now, as it was very cold and I was very unprepared I didn't take a pen and paper to the match. So the notes I'm using to write this report are taken from the texts I sent to DanR43 who then put on the Craic, so if you get sense of de ja vu, it's probably because you've read it before!
After a slow opening few minutes and after we collapse a maul within kicking range and give away a penalty (not the first and certainly not the last). A remote control car scurries onto the pitch to deliver the kicking tea, bumping into a forward on it's way back. Fortunately the wind and rain now lashing down across the pitch means the kick fell just short and is cleared. Shortly after the rain continued to pour (or what Gloucester supporters would call 'light drizzle') a PA announcement rang out in French, followed by all the supporters moving round to the far side of the pitch. After a few moments of confusion, wondering where everyone was going 15 minutes into the game, a French man came and told us we were allowed to sit in the covered stand because of the rain. 3 hardcore MdM supporters managed to persuade us to stay standing with them in the rain.
While all of the above was happening some rugby was played, and we got a penalty right in front of the posts on the MdM 22m, so Steve (we think) calmly stepped up and slotted it through. MdM 0-3 LI
For the next 15 minutes of kicking the ball away and giving away penalties, the most notable thing to happen was an incredibly loud noise blasting out across the stadium. It sounded as if a plane was about the land on the pitch and was slightly worrying! After finding someone who spoke English they explained that there was a military air base a few hundred metres away. However, this might be top secret so don't go telling people! Eventually we give away another penalty within a kickable range. But again, this was missed just wide, another let off! Still MdM 0-3 LI.
Eventually with a bit of possession we make a break up the field into the MdM 22. The forwards take on the ball and march up to the 5m but the MdM defence was solid and we were held just short. After the ball was shifted wide and held just short, Jack collected the ball and was bundled over the line for a try on his first ever start for London Irish! Converted by Steve makes the score Mdm 0-10 LI after 30 mins played.
After giving away possession and another kickable penalty, MdM turn down the opportunity to miss 3 points and kick for the corner. After a well defended lineout a few metres from the line, the ball goes back for a typical French dropgoal attempt. However, this goes just wide and gives us a chance to clear our lines. As Guy Armitage returns to pitch from the blood bin with a stylish new headband, LI get back on the attack. Using the back line to break the gain line we move up field and back into the MdM 22m. Shane goes for a slightly ambitious cross field kick considering the conditions and it goes out on the full. With 2 minutes to go in the half MdM keep possession and kick the ball out as the clock hits 40.
Half time: Mont de Marsan 0 – 10 London Irish. Not a bad performance so far considering the wet conditions. Jack had a good half and we seemed to be dominating in the scrum. Just need to cut out the penalties and we should have enough to push on with the game and finish with a good result. As the band, which was next to us move round to the other side of the pitch, the players run back out for the second half.
As the second half gets under way we put get some good possession and put pressure on the MdM defence. After a few knock ons, we gain the upper hand in the scrum and drive through the MdM forwards winning us the penalty. Steve lines the ball up into the wind and pulls the kick just wide (we thought he got it!).
With MdM in possession in the middle of the field they drop the ball (more like a bar of soap at the moment) and Matt gets a big boot to it, sending it towards the MdM in-goal area. As the players run towards it, it looks like it's a two horse race. Fortunately the two horses involved were both in green! Jack just beats Anthony to the ball and dives on it to score his second try of the game! Steve slots the conversion and makes the score MdM 0-17 LI.
MdM now seem to turn up the tempo, putting us on the back foot and giving them great territory. However, LI defence remains solid and holds they short on our 5m line through a number of phases. Eventually Matt wins a penalty that gives us a chance to clear our lines. But again, MdM come back at us, putting our defence to the test and it continues to hold out. Eventually though a well executed grubber kick through beats the LI rush defence and a MdM player collects the ball and scores under the post. Easily converted, MdM 7-17 LI.
We give away another penalty in the midfield and it's tapped quickly by the MdM scrum half who breaks up into the LI 22 again. MdM run through the phases but the attack is repelled again, as an LI player wins the penalty at the breakdown to clear the lines. For some time the game begins to be played between our 22m and the halfway line. With the usual sequence being... MdM lineout on our 22m, turned over and cleared by LI, MdM collect ball on halfway and run it up to the 22m. Through in a few knock ons every now and again and you'll get the picture.
For once we keep the ball in hand and the forwards push forward down the field. Eventually breaking into their 22m for the first time in ages! At a following scrum the forwards drive through and win a penalty in front of the posts. Steve kicks the points and makes the score MdM 7-20 LI with just 8 minutes to go! (Some substitutions happened here, but we don't know who they were... Feel free to make them up!)
As we try and play the ball out of our half, Shane tries a clever chip over the top and collects. However, he's isolated and too quick for the forwards. MdM easily turn the ball over and break up field with the LI defence still in attack mode. MdM offload out of a couple of tackles and eventually break through. A simple two-on-one finish means MdM finish off a good try. Converted brings the score to MdM 14-20 LI with 5 minutes to go.
LI try to run the clock down, using the forwards to push forward little by little but keeping possession. Jack tries a box kick, but it goes out on the full, giving MdM a lineout just inside our half with 1min30secs to go. However, the forwards steal it from the lineout, they run down a few phases a win a penalty with 10 seconds to go. Steve slowly kicks the ball out as we count down the clock at the top of our lungs, echoing around the stadium. Steve kicks the ball out as the clock hits 80 minutes and it's another win for London Irish!
Full time: Mont de Marsan 14 – 20 London Irish – A deserved win in the end, finished off our chances well when we got them and the defence held out very well considering how much pressure we were put under (keeping Edwards target of conceding 18 points per game for the forth time of the regular season, two of those being since he left!) With the miserable conditions taken into account it was a good performance. A try bonus would have put Gloucester under a little bit more pressure, but in those conditions it wasn't really an option, and chances are it wont make any difference anyway. Honourable mentions go to Jack who had a good game, good distribution and scored two tries. Also to Matt & Jamie who worked hard in the defence and won us come important penalties.
After the game, the MdM band give us a rendition of God Save the Queen and Le Marseillaise. Brian Smith also pops out to shake the hands of all the travelling support and the players receive many congratulations as they pass us. The win made the 2hr bus journey back to Bordeaux to the hotel a lot shorter and pleasant a journey!
As we're out here, we decided to hang around for the Gloucester game to get behind Bordeaux in the slim chance they and MdM can do us two favours! We arrived at Bordeaux to be swamped by Gloucester supporters, just as we thought it couldn't get any worse 2 more coaches full of Gloucester supporters turned up! In order to try and level the playing field, we bought some Bordeaux flags – This may have wound up some of the Gloucester faithful. Some of the 'purists' didn't think we should have turned up to the game at all and found it rude that we wanted to watch rugby, some of the Shedheads found everything that happened rude, and made sure everyone in the stadium knew about it. But credit where credit is due, they outnumbered and out shouted the home support. And most importantly, at the end of the game, we turned around and shook the hands of many Gloucester supporters on the way out. It was nice to have the company of hundreds of English speaking people around Bordeaux over the weekend as well - So well done and thanks to all the travelling Gloucester supporters!
Despite their being some hairy looking moments for the Gloucester, they got the job done in the end playing about as well as they did last week. Scraping the victory 26-31, ending the London Irish European dream.
This made the plane home slightly longer. But we did what we could this weekend, we got another win, the second in a row. The boys showed heart and commitment in a game that meant very little in poor conditions. Just to add a special thanks to Mad Monk for organising the trip and making sure we could get to and from airport to game to hotel to game to airport. We have some crucial games coming up the rest of this season to ensure we're playing top flight rugby next year. I for one, am confident that we have what it takes in quality and dedicated players to get the job done. Hopefully we get the rub of the green on a few occasions as well, just to make sure. COYI!
This was going to be the end of the match report – Having written it on Friday night at the hotel I assumed that would be the end of the excitement. However, come Saturday morning and time to head to the airport we discovered that JonR43 had lost his passport! After running around Bordeaux calling various people and speaking to the French police in pigeon French & pigeon English, the best way to go was getting the train from Bordeaux to Calais and the ferry from Calais to Dover this evening (Saturday). As I'm finishing this at the airport, JonR43 will have to let you know how he got on!
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Incidentally the coach company rang today to say the lost passport had turned up on the coach.... unfortunately in order to get back into the UK i had to cancel the passport.... However no trips out of Europe until pre-season now. Thanks Glaws
Sam have you any pics anywhere for people to look at?
Thanks also to Madmonk for organising the coach to MdM.
