Challenge Cup Round 3 sees thrilling comebacks across Europe
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At Stade Français Paris, a fire alarm delayed the start of the match against Exeter Chiefs, but once play began the game was intense from the outset. The Chiefs raced into a 22-nil lead with their strong squad depth on full display. Stade Français gradually fought back in the second half, with Leo Barré’s composed late kick securing a remarkable comeback and keeping the French side’s home unbeaten streak alive.
Newcastle Red Bulls also maintained their perfect record at home, recording a third consecutive win against USAP. Four tries and accurate kicking from Ethan Grayson highlighted the Red Bulls’ continued strong form. Meanwhile, Black Lion claimed a narrow 31 to 28 victory over a French side in Montauban, with Luka Tsirekidze scoring twice to lead the Georgians to success.
South Africa saw a high-scoring clash as Lions hosted last year’s finalists Lyon Olympique Universitaire. The game produced 75 points in total, with the hosts eventually winning 42 to 33 in a back-and-forth contest. Cardiff Rugby welcomed Racing 92 to Wales in another thrilling encounter, scoring 25 unanswered points to seal a 32 to 13 victory and follow up their Round 2 win. Racing 92 now have a draw and two defeats from three matches.
In Italy, Benetton Rugby dominated Dragons RFFC with an 11-try performance. Jacob Umaga, Louis Lynagh and Leonardo Marin each scored two tries as the Italians overwhelmed the Welsh side.
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Montpellier Hérault Rugby hosted Connacht Rugby in a closely contested match. The French side opened the scoring through Thomas Darmon, but Ben Murphy quickly equalised for the Irish. Connacht took a 24 to 14 lead into halftime, but Montpellier staged an impressive comeback in the second half. Melvyn Rates scored shortly after the hour mark, Alexis Bernadet added another, and Valentin Welsch’s try and the subsequent conversion gave Montpellier a 33 to 31 win, completing a 19-point surge in the final half hour.
Meanwhile, Zebre Parma edged past Ospreys in Italy. Alessandro Fusco put the hosts on the board early, and a penalty extended their lead to 13-nil by halftime. Ospreys fought back through Kieran Williams and Dan Edwards, briefly taking a 14 to 13 lead. However, sustained pressure from Zebre saw Samuele Locatelli score, with Giacomo da Re converting to secure a 23 to 19 victory for the Italians.
Overall, Round 3 delivered thrilling contests across Europe, with several teams showing resilience and late-game heroics to secure vital wins.
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