EPCR Challenge Cup – Last Minute Try Gives Oyonnax Rugby Consolation Win Against Toyota Cheetahs

 

A last-minute try gave Oyonnax Rugby a consolation win in an extraordinary game, Oyonnax Rugby defeated Toyota Cheetahs 28-27.

With two bonus points, the visitors confirmed their spot in the Round of 16 but Oyonnax Rugby, who knew they could not qualify, saved face with a last-minute victory.

A back-and-forth affair, there were eight tries, three yellow cards and a red.

All the cards came in the first period; Toyota Cheetahs wing Daniel Kasende and second row Victor Sekekete were sent to the sin bin, as was Oyonnax Rugby wing Daniel Ikpefan, while Toyota Cheetahs wing Munier Hartzenberg was shown a red mid-way through the half.

But the 14-men of Toyota Cheetahs failed to limit their ambitions; they ran in three first-half tries, Hartzenberg going over for the first while still on the field, with Marnus van der Merwe and Ruan Pienaar also getting over.

Pienaar also added seven points from the tee with two conversions and a penalty, and while Van der Merwe got over early in the second period that would not prove to be enough as the TOP14 side came from behind to win.

Fly-half Domingo Miotti and replacement Jules Soulan kicked two conversions apiece, as Number Eight Loic Godener and flanker Filimo Taofifenua went over at the end of the first period, with replacements David Odiase and Adrien Bordenave going over in the second period, Bordenave’s score coming in the seventh minute of added time.

That set up Soulan, who kicked the winning points.

With two losing bonus points, Toyota Cheetahs secured their Round of 16 spot but missed out on home advantage by a single point.

Scorers:
Oyonnax Rugby: Tries: Loic Godener, Filimo Taofifenua, David Odiase, Adrien Bordenave. Conversions: Domingo Miotti (2), Jules Soulan (2).
Toyota Cheetahs: Tries: Munier Hartzenberg, Marnus van der Merwe, Ruan Pienaar, Marnus van der Merwe. Conversions: Ruan Pienaar (2). Penalty: Ruan Pienaar.

Teams:

Oyonnax Rugby: 15 Maxime Salles, 14 Daniel Ikpefan, 13 Leo Treilles, 12 Lucas Mensa, 11 Joe Ravouvou, 10 Domingo Miotti, 9 Charlie Cassang (c), 8 Loic Godener, 7 Hugo Hermet, 6 Filimo Taofifenua, 5 Hugo Fabregue, 4 Ewan Johnson, 3 Irakli Mirtskhulava, 2 Manu Leiataua, 1 Rory Sutherland. Replacements: 16 Julien Ratajczak, 17 Adrien Bordenave, 18 Thibault Berthaud, 19 Steve Mafi, 20 Ilan El Khattabi, 21 Jules Soulan, 22 Souleymane Coulibaly, 23 David Odiase.

Toyota Cheetahs: 15 Tapiwa Mafura, 14 Daniel Kasende, 13 Evardi Boshoff, 12 Reinhardt Fortuin, 11 Munier Hartzenberg, 10 George Lourens, 9 Ruan Pienaar, 8 Jeandré Rudolph, 7 Friedle Olivier, 6 Gideon van der Merwe, 5 Victor Sekekete (c), 4 Rynier Bernardo, 3 Aranos Coetzee, 2 Marnus van der Merwe, 1 Schalk Ferreira. Replacements: 16 Louis van der Westhuizen, 17 Alulutho Tshakweni, 18 Hencus van Wyk, 19 Carl Wegner, 20 Daniel Maartens, 21 Oupa Mohoje, 22 Rewan Kruger, 23 Abner van Reenen.