European Challenge Cup: Pau 10-33 London Irish - Exiles enjoy bonus-point win in France
- Published
Hooker Gus Creevy scored his first try just four minutes after coming on as an early replacement
European Challenge Cup Pool C |
|---|
Pau: (3) |
Tries: Levron Cons: Levron Pens: Levron |
London Irish: (14) |
Tries: Creevy 2, Cracknell 2 Penalty try Cons: Jennings 2 Jackson |
Hooker Gus Creevy came off the bench to score two tries as London Irish eased to a comfortable opening European Challenge Cup Pool C win over Pau in the south of France.
Irish led 14-3 at the break thanks to a penalty try and a close-range effort from a maul by Creevy, converted by stand-off Rory Jennings.
They stretched their lead when Jennings also improved Creevy's second try.
Alexis Levron crossed for Pau before two late tries by Olly Cracknell.
The Exiles number eight scored twice in the final five minutes to complete a comprehensive five-try bonus point win, the second of them from a rolling maul, converted by Paddy Jackson.
Young scrum-half Levron, who had kicked Pau's only first-half points with a penalty, also converted his own try for an individual 10-point haul.
Playing their 100th fixture in the European Challenge Cup, and looking to build on last season's run to the quarter-finals, Irish established their early lead on the back of home winger Vincent Pinto's deliberate knock-on.
It cost the hosts not only his 11th-minute sinbinning, but a penalty try - and Pau were still down to 14 men when Creevy, on as a replacement for injured on-loan debutant hooker Reece Marshall, scored within four minutes of leaving the bench.
After launching their four-game campaign in the five-team group in victorious fashion, Irish, who also beat Pau 26-17 in last season's pool stage, now head back to prepare for next Sunday's home fixture against another French side, Brive, at Brentford.
Next week's Pool C fixtures:
Saturday18 Dec: Pau v Saracens (20:00 GMT)
Sunday 19 Dec: London Irish v Brive (15:15 GMT).
Pau: Pinto; Barrett, Tutuila Vaea, Vatubua, Ikpefan; Dumoulin, Levron; Seneca, Barka, Yameogo, Ramsay, Metz, Hewat, Hamonou, Joseph.
Replacements: Delhommel, Bordenave, Van Dyk, Auradou, Puech, Daubagna, Harris, Carol.
Sin bin: Pinto (11)
London Irish: Parton; Stokes, Williams, Hepetema, Cinti; Jennings, White; Gigena, Marshall, Hoskins, Nott, Simmons (capt), Pearson, Gonzalez, Cracknell.
Replacements: Creevy, Goodrick-Clarke, Parker, Mafi, Cooke, Phipps, Jackson, Hassell-Collins.
Referee: Sam Grove-White (Scotland).
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