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European Challenge Cup: Stade Français shocked in Siberia

Victor Gresev in action at the 2011 World Cup

Krasny Yar sprung a huge surprise on the opening weekend of the European Challenge Cup season, claiming a bonus-point victory over defending champions Stade Français in Siberia.

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No side has successfully retained this trophy, and Stade’s quest to be the first got off to a disappointing start as they went down 34-29 on Saturday.

The clash started positively enough for Stade, who went ahead early on through Julien Arias’ try down the right. Azamat Bitiev was the man to score Krasny Yar’s first European points with a score from a line-out drive, but Stade were soon 12-5 ahead as Tony Ensor went over.

Seemingly stung into action, the hosts crossed the whitewash three times in a 13-minute spell, Victor Gresev stretching over before Sione Fukofuka and Andrei Mahu breached Stade’s defences.

The visitors reduced the arrears to 24-17 at the break as Terry Bouhraoua raced over and their cause was aided early in the second period as Krasny Yar’s Kirill Golosnitskiy saw yellow for a deliberate knock-on.

Stade capitalised on their numerical advantage, Arias going over for his second to level matters, but Gresev matched the former France international in doubling his tally with 13 minutes to play.

Lasha Malaguradze converted that score and then kicked a penalty, meaning Karim Qadiri’s try was only good enough to secure a losing bonus point for Stade, while Krasny Yar were left to celebrate a famous victory.

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Elsewehere in Pool 4, Edinburgh joined Krasny Yar on five points with a 37-14 win at London Irish.

There was a first-half hat-trick for hooker Joe Taufete’e in Worcester Warriors’ 30-20 win over Brive, while the other match in Pool 5 saw Connacht thrash Oyonnax 43-15.

 

In Pool 1, Newcastle Falcons overcame the Dragons 32-27, both sides earning bonus points.

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H
Head high tackle 3 hours ago
Can Samoa and Tonga ever become contenders when their top talent is skimmed?

I think you have gone in the wrong direction here Nick. I think you need to delve down into the rules etc around Moana Pacifica’s selection policies and then you need to understand that a lot of KIWI BORN rugby players have PI heritage. It appears ok for the 4 home nations to pillage NZ born players constantly without retribution but you want to question whether NZ BORN players should be eligible for NZ? Seems a real agenda in there.

Go back and look at the actual Aims and agenda for MP becoming a entity and you see lots of things enshrined in policy that you arnt mentioning here. EG there is an allowance for a percentage of MP to be NZ eligible. This was done so MP could actually become competitive. Lets be real. If it wasnt this way then MP would not be competitive.

There also seems to be some sort of claim ( mainly from the NH ) that NZ is “cashing in” on MP, which , quite frankly is a major error. Are you aware of how much MP costs NZR Financially?

39 NZ born rugby players played at the last world cup for Samoa or Tonga. PLUS plenty for Scotland, England, Ireland and Wales.

Taumoefolau is a BORN AND BRED NZer. However I very strongly doubt he will be an AB, but who do you believe he should be allowed to play for? Levi Aumua is ALSO a born and bred Kiwi.

Aumua was eligible to represent Samoa and Fiji for the Pacific Nations Cup in July that year but ended up playing for neither. He IS eligible for his nation of Birth too Nick

He is a Kiwi. Are you saying an NZ born, raised Kiwi cant play for NZ now?

Sorry Nick Kiwi born and bred actually qualify for NZ.

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