French forward ?

You could argue both sides forever. Management is making those calls and Irish chose to let the younger guys step up and get some match experience. The form book implied that the French side would be lesser opponents than the coming ZP matches but how often has the form book been proved wrong (by us more often than not).

Some friends and I, faced with a whole pre-match Saturday on the sauce, or a trip to see some more rugby, took the short train ride to Agen to watch their match against The Borders. The over-riding thing about the Agen team was that they were absolutely huge, especially the back 5 of the pack. Immense. Massive. To further terrify us (and Doddie Weir & co) they showed a propensity to get these Titans to the ball quickly and form a driving maul in the blink of an eye. Not the Gloucester rolling-maul that grinds its way ever so slowly forward. Linford would have had trouble keeping up with this one at times. The poor Borders defence threw itself at it and either bounced off (in Monty Python's Holy Grail bridge-keeper fashion - BOING) of simply got trampled over.

At the time we mused that we were glad that we didn't have to face such an attack.... Doh!

Montauban showed the very same structure. Their pack was large, not perhaps in-human like their Agen counterparts but seriously scary nontheless. There are times you're glad that you are merely a supporter and that you have 24 lads willing to pull on the shirt for your cause. This was one of them.

The monsters of Montauban also showed the ability to form a, shall we call it, sprinting maul. Its not often our forwards get beaten, although the maul has always been a problem, Sale showed that even with both props missing, but our lads were always going to struggle with this lot.

The game kicked off in a eerily misty Stade de Sapiac. A local dispute about the season ticket package had dented the Montauban crowd and the hundred and fifty-plus that we had cheering made up a reasonable proportion of the crowd. We were certainly heard, I always love away matches as the smaller travelling band steels itself to produce all the more noise.

It wasn't an auspicious start to our European camapaign as Tofty (in his little-white-boots - words that fitted the rhythm of a USM chant) put the kickoff into touch on the full. This was soon forgotten though as Irish looked brisk from the scrum and soon got the ball and worked it into the Montauban half. The home team were penalised for hands in the ruck and a quick tap resulted in the call for the defence not retreating 10 metres allowing a much easier kick for the white-booted one to open our account. Montauban 0 - 3 London Irish.

The next ten minutes showed a bright Irish side hammering a desperately defending Montauban backwards. Our handling, though, and a fine effort on their part at the breakdown let the home side relieve the pressure again and again. One notable move at this time showed a flying Phil Murphy crashing through on one of his trademark runs, he found Naka Drotske with the off-load who charged forward to within 10 metres of the Montauban line before being tackled and taken into touch by the solid home defence.

Referee Ian Rammage was coming in for some light-heared ribbing from the travelling support and his touch-judge nearest the Irish Hoarde had made the mistake of wearing track-suit trousers. This kept us amused while the home team changed an injured lock.

After the game resumed Montauban managed to counter-attack and surged into the Irish half for possibly the first time. The Irish defence held well but an off the ball shove meant Montauban were allowed to level the score. Montauban 3 - 3 London Irish.

The LI relentless attack re-started and was awarded a penalty in the centre of the field on Montauban's 10m line. A confident Irish team took the decision to kick this to the corner and from the line-out drove a maul for the line. Massive defence held this up and, in a sign that the tide was turning, the home side won the resulting scrum against the head. Just 12 minutes had gone but the huge home pack had done what few, if any in the ZP had managed. It seemed to rock the travellin team a little.

A renewed Montauban side ran the ball out with vigour, the retreating Irish trying to stop them were caught off-side 5m inside the Montauban half. The excellent Montauban fly-half Sebastien Fauque kicked an amazing penalty to within five metres of the Irish try-line. It was an indicator of things to come. From the lineout the ball was gathered and Montauban showed that they too, like Agen, could get massive drive on very quickly. The shove gave a well earned try which Fauque converted. Montauban 10 - 3 London Irish.

The Irish, shocked firstly by losing a scrum against the head and now by a well-worked try re-doubled their efforts and pushed forward into the Montauban half. The home team held solidly but were caught diving over the top of a ruck and Mr Mapletoft stepped up to claim the three points. Monatauban 10 - 6 London Irish.

The home team though now had some confidence and from the kick-off looked very dangerous. Pushing hard towards the corner where they had already scored forced Irish to commit huge numbers to prevent a repeat. Inevitably then, the home side quickly spun the ball out left and Paul Sackey was faced with 4 charging Montauban players to tackle. O'Sackey is great, indeed he very nearly prevented the score, but the resulting try was inevitable and very much deserved. Luckily M. Fauque had started to feel sorry for us and missed the conversion. Montauban 15 - 6 London Irish.

With the travelling supporters and team now looking a little worried the home side really turned the screw. We have to be honest, none of us really thought we'd have to work hard in this game and yet defeat by a big margin beckoned. The Irish tried desperately to get their rhythm back but Montauban held firm in defence and attacked and counter attacked with style. Their resolution was rewarded in the 34th minute when another terrifying maul rumbled over the Irish defence for another try. Again the fly-half had the charity not to rub our noses in it. Montauban 20 - 6 London Irish.

The Exiles then dug deep, with a few key positions being taken by newcomers they struggled to find their game but now, with a huge amount of pressure they started to gel. A Montauban ruck sent the ball spinning out left only to be intercepted by a flying Nick Greenstock. The travelling supporters cheered as Stockers dashed, unnopposed towards the try line. Unfortunately Mr Rammage called him back for off-side. The Scottish offical had been playing an odd off-side line all day (for both teams), for me once the scrum-half has the ball in his hands its out of the ruck. Nick certainly didn't cross the back foot until the Montauban scrum-half had picked the ball up but he did so at pace. Not offside through my, albeit green-tinged, eyes.

This decision seemed to fir the Irish up and a minute later Irish turned over the ball from the home side and it quickly made its way to Justin Bishop who chipped over the defence and chased after it. Two Montauban defenders were also making the run but Justin managed to get a foot to it to send it over the try line and wrong-foot one of the chasers. Bish had made up his mind and the travellers went wild as he beat the remaining runner to touch the ball down. Tofty simply couldn't afford to not convert such a try and he added the extra points. Montauban 20 - 13 London Irish.

Just before the half-time whistle, however, the pint-sized bottle-blonde did fail to convert a penalty awarded out wide for Montauban driving into the side of a ruck.

Half time - Montauban 20 - 13 London Irish.

With the renewed efforts of the Irish we were a little more confident and the home team, perhaps, a little worried but we all knew that the second half would not be easy.

Now match officials will tell you that they never hear the crowd but for some strange reason the touch-judge emerged for the second half with shorts on and his legs out (for the ladies). He was warmly rewarded.

Irish came out firing still and quickly got to the business of trying to break down a formidable French defence. The home side were caught off-side just inside their half and a confident Tofty put the ball towards the corner. It was an odd move this, it wasn't a fully driven kick and may have been a new play to turn a kick to the corner into a cross-field attacking kick. Whatever was intended the kick wasn't great but Bish was pulled for off-side as he was in front of Mark when he kicked it. Not clever.

It didn't put Irish off the task in hand though and again they pushed to break the Montauban defence. Rob Hoadley showed that Geoff Appleford is the only Irish centre to be able to brak a line with a sizzling charge. The home side were called off-side again and Tofty had learned not to mess around and duly converted the kick. Montauban 20 - 16 London Irish.

Montauban could perhaps sense that the Irish were getting it together and resolved to return the form that had put them in front. A series of blistering attacks had the usually-solid Exile defence in tatters. Although Irish were holding the attacks back, when they got the ball they committed a whole catalogue of comedy errors to give it straight back to the home side. The lively Montauban backs decided that this dissarray deserved to be punished and chipped, in text-book fashion, over the Irish to collect and score again. No more Monsieur nice guy, the fly-half slotted the conversion. Montauban 27 - 16 London Irish.

The comedy of errors had been cleared up and it was back to the resurgent form for Irish. The Montauban defence, though, was still superb and they made the Exiles work for every yard. A lineout take by Phil Murphy on the home 22 allowed him to pick up his heels and break through the Montauban line. The defence reigned him in but O'Spud was able to off-load to a flying Keiran Dawson who went over for the try. Tofty converted and Irish Belief was resurrected. Montauban 27 - 23 London Irish.

The hour mark prompted some fresh legs as the Irish had been forced to work at an incredible rate for their score. Kevin Brennan replaced Darren Edwards who, sadly, hadn't been showing that extra zip he has recently. Doug Wheatley came on for Pierre Durandt.

The changes didn't affect Irish rhythm and, again, the Exile pushed the Montauban defence back towards their try-line. Montauban were still managing to turn the ball over and clear the pressure but their attacking had been silenced. An isolated Montauban player was caught holding onto the ball virtually on the centre spot and a bit of chat to the referee marched Tofty to within range. Mark showed he was up to the task to bring victory within sight. Montauban 27 - 26 London Irish.

More changes for Irish saw Michael Horak come on for Ed Thrower, who had played very ably at 15. Mike Haslett came on for Kieran Dawson and Adrian Flavin replaced Naka Drotske. This time though the momentum did seem to be reduced and the game became more even with both sides pushing for territory and possession.

Irish were penalised for handling on the ground within range but luckily the talented fly-half missed this one.

The match which had started as an open, scoring battle now became a hard, close grind for advantage. The home side were still keen to throw the ball about to gain ground but had lost some of their shape (I've not listed their replacements). One incredible move had the travelling support very worried. A Montauban surge up the middle met their (I've said it before - HUGE) number 4 drifitng back from a previous attack. Of course his hands were in the air but he prevented two Irish from tackling the ball-carrier. This was right in front of Mr Rammage who raised his arms to wave play on. Bless him.

When he finally blew it was for an Irish infringment and Montauban, who were starting to look dangerous again, kicked for the corner. We'd seen it before and the catch and drive was again immense. Irish, though, stood firm and held up the try attempt. In almost a mirror from the 12th minute Irish won the resulting scrum and cleared a terrifying period of pressure.

Irish went on the attack again with Montauban now seemingly happy to just take the pressure and try and counter. Again and again the home side broke through when an Irish attack became turnover ball. Irish kept them out though and kept re-attacking.

With three minutes of normal time to play Montauban were pinged for hands in the ruck just inside the Irish half and, showing they really don't learn, gave the referee a hard time about it. The resulting ten yeards brought Tofty barely into range. The kick missed the left hand post by about a foot, although it may not have had the distance either.

Montauban were holding on now and Irish pushed forward with an obvious intention. It took three minutes to get the right position but from a ruck the ball popped back to Tofty in the pocket. You all know the story, a last minute drop-goal saves the day. Not this time, though, French fears were eased as the ball missed barely wide of the mark.

A jubilant home side pushed forward and kicked sensibly to keep the pressure off. As the time added-on ran out Irish were caught off-side trying to turn the ball over dramatically and, fittingly, Sebastien Fauque had the last word putting the penalty between the posts for the final whistle and an elated cry from Les Ultras.

The four point margin will make for a great return fixture. On home soil, you'd expect the Exiles to make it up easily but the Montauban team showed a great deal of spirit and they will feel they have a chance. An Italian referee adds more uncertainty.

So another searching decision for the management. Do they stick with the youngsters or play a more conventional team ? Talking to the always wise, but obviously disappointed, Neal Hately after the game he seemed to think the new guys would still get the nod, they certainly played well enough, if a little ring-rustily, to be given the chance. Beefy did say that he thought Ryan and Rob Hardwick would be back though. Who would be a coach?

Craic report (Montauban/Agen branch) to follow when I regenerate enough grey cells.

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