Perpignan miss bonus point

Perpignan got their Heineken Cup campaign of to winning start by beating Treviso 27-16 at Stade Aimé-Giral on Friday, but will be disappointed by the result as they failed to score bonus point.

A try in the closing stages of the first half from full-back Jérôme Porical put Perpignan 17-13 up at the break, adding to an earlier penalty try and a drop goal from fly-half David Melé.

The Italians will rue their indiscipline as two yellow cards slowed their progression after having lead for most of the opening period.

Another drop from Melé and a try from centre Jean-Philippe Grandclaude in the second half were enough for Perpignan to secure the win.

Melé was the star of the show for the home side. Normally a scrum-half, the part-time number ten more than held his own is the absence of the regular fly-halves and earned himself the man-of-the-match award.

Treviso opened the scoring thanks to a Andrea Marcato penalty and moved further ahead when the video referee decided that right wing Emiliano Mulieri had scored after diving over in the corner.

Response

Finding themselves 10-0 down, the home side finally reacted. The referee awarded them a penalty try when Porical was held back by Benjamin De Jager on his way to scoring.

Another Marcato penalty however had the home fans scratching their heads as things were not turning out as they had expected.

Melé drop-kicked his first three points 10 minutes from the break before Porical was allowed to score - and this time it counted. The full-back linked up with scrum-half Chris Cusiter as the duo sprinted 80 metres to score against the run of play.

The game was all but over as a contest when Granclaude scored in the 50th minute after lock Rimas Alvarez Kairelis stole possession off the visitors.

Despite being dead on their feet, Treviso hung on at the end to deny Perpignan a fourth try and bonus point.