27-man brawl ends game of punch-ups

Brive 32 Pontypridd 31

In the end the champions of Wales were not quite good enough for the champions of Europe, after an ill-tempered, staccato match gave way to an almost unbelievable finale as every player on the field rolled over the Pontypridd try-line en masse and Yvan Manhes, the Brive lock, scored the winning try in the second minute of injury time.

That every player on the field at the decisive moment numbered only 27 was a story in itself as both teams were reduced to 14 in the first half after the sending-off of Ponty's Dale McIntosh and the Brive flanker Lionel Mallier.

Ponty were further handicapped in the closing moments as they were unable to attract the attention of the referee, Eddie Murray, to bring on a replacement for Andre Barnard, himself one of numerous replacements during a game that was as rough as they come.

The first half was nothing more than cross-country boxing as neither side showed the remotest inclination towards discipline. Virtually every break-down ended in a fight and every fight in a penalty.

McIntosh was always involved, and it was no surprise when it all boiled over in the 25th minute as the big No 8's charge to the line was stopped and, inevitably, a fight broke out. This time everyone weighed in, even the normally calm Neil Jenkins, and as the fighting continued for fully 30 or 40 seconds it seemed possible that referee Murray might just call the whole thing off.

Prior to the double sending-off, Jenkins and Christophe Lamaison had struck two penalties apiece, and immediately after the set-to Jerome Carrat went over as the ball was spun out wide for the first time.

A pushover try from the No 8 Francois Duboisset stretched the lead to 16-6 at half-time, but Ponty fought back after the break with a try in the corner for Daffyd James and a Jenkins penalty.

Lamaison then missed a relatively straightforward penalty and Ponty went into the lead when James somehow slipped through virtually the entire Brive pack to race clear to the line on the left.

Jenkins's conversion put the visitors five points clear but winger Pascal Bomati, the most notable addition to the champions' squad since last season, went in at the corner following an impossible-looking reverse pass by the French international full-back Sebastien Viars.

Jenkins and Lamaison swapped penalties again, Lamaison put the French three points clear but then in the 80th minute Kevin Morgan charged down a Brive clearance and dropped on the bouncing ball, seemingly to clinch the match with Jenkins's touchline conversion.

But the Ponty celebrations were premature, and in the end it was the passionate, trumpet-playing locals who had most cause for joy.

Scorers: Brive Tries: Carrat, Duboisset, Bomati, Manhes; Penalties: Lamaison 4. Pontypridd Tries: James 2, Morgan; Penalties: Jenkins 4; Conversions: Jenkins 2.

Brive: S Viars; P Bomati, C Lamaison, D Venditti, J Carrat (L Arbizu, 47); A Penaud, P Carboneau (capt); D Casadei (O Gouaillard, 52), L Travers, D Laperne, Y Manhes, P Lubungu, L Van der linden (O Magnes, h-t), L Mallier, F Duboisset.

Pontypridd: K Morgan; G Wyatt, J Lewis (A Barnard, 29), S Lewis, D James; N Jenkins, Paul John; N Eynon (John Evans, h/t),Phil John, M Griffiths, S Roy (Jonathan Evans, h/t), M Rowley, M Spiller, D McIntosh, M Williams.

Referee: E Murray (Scotland).