MONTPELLIER
Three meters from the goal the maul advancing, there is the ball to be managed. But the lions are made fun of by the French, with one less man. 4 minutes from the end.
No, there is another interesting ball: nothing, silly held. And another, just at the end: Hayward has the field but the Montpellier goal tensed, forcing Benetton to another foul: the Challenge Cup semifinal is for the transalpines.
Treviso, alas, does not yet have the instinct to strike when the enemy is on the ropes. when the oval is hot. It is absolutely competitive, even in front of a big name in the French championship. But the semifinal, the Big Dream, vanishes just when the Lions are stroking it, in a crazy ending, in superiority. As in Limerick, two years ago, the last meter was missing, the finish, the paw. The Benetton maul is no longer what it used to be: on the advance the yellows filter and dirty, until Ouedraogo forces the Lucchesi turnover.
It was the possible breakthrough of -1, to entrust Allan with the not difficult transformation of overtaking and European Olympus.
Montepellier trembled, because he never tamed the Lions: but in difficulty he was always able to rely on the defense and the power of his forwards
There, in the pack, Treviso suffered, delivering bursts of free-kicks in close quarters – a favor and a second kick. The French had about ten – to pay duty even in the game on the ground, beaten by the mastiffs from beyond the Alps.
And to think that the touchdown, where the Lions stole 3 throw-ins in the first half, failed at the key moment, when on the – 9 there were two throw-ins at 5 meters thrown away. And again, the superb Garbisi (22 points out of 25) kicked a free-kick too far ahead, squandering a third chance. That phase, conducted in attack but without scoring a point, perhaps cost the game.
No, Treviso is not the Cinderella of Pro 14 and of Europe. see the first half, where the lions have punished any foul play of the hosts. Compensating with the talents of the individuals (Halafihi, Duvenage, Ioane, Hayward) the difficulties of the pack, penalized even with the extra man (!). Treviso was in the game, systematically overtaking the opponents (3-6; then 8-9 replying to Paillague’s goal); again on 11-12, finally on 14-15), always with Garbisi’s foot.
There were also two occasions to mark heavy, but Brex did not find Esposito after a sumptuous break by Morisi, and then Esposito, his beautiful match, invented a powerful break on the unfortunate N’Gandebe but the referee detected a doubt ahead ( it was more the following with which the wing in orange triggered the strength goal of 21-15). Too bad that Garbisi failed the penalty, at the end, of -3. At rest it was 21-15
And the transalpines thanked the third parties, unleashed in the open field, Timu above all.
At the return, wasteful but then textbook action: Els in a tight run, Morisi to cross from the lock, perfect cue for Garbisi, and and fly in goal on Bouthier’s desperate tackle, Il Tmo validated. Overtaking 21-22.
The French pack packaged the goal of 28-22, (Willlemse lost the ball not sanctioned, then touched by the usual Paillague): at game time, Montpellier flew over break for the first time, with the sniper arrow 31-22.
Over? Not even for an idea. Treviso put his heart into it, even where physique and power were not there, and put the French on the ropes, even if reinforced by the bench of stars.
Allan put in the -6 kick. and you entered the final straight. But the joke was lurking: as in the first half, in 14 Montpellier played better. And Treviso hit the wall. It was there, the semifinal, 3 meters from the sky with the maul advancing …. –