Eddie O’Sullivan’s Biarritz were thumped 41-6 by Pau in the French Pro-D2 on Sunday. The two-time Heineken Cup finalists were put to the sword by the league leaders and there was an Irishman on the score-sheet.
Former Munster forward James Coughlan broke off the back of a Pau scrum in the 65th minute to crash over and secure his team a bonus point with plenty of time to spare. O’Sullivan, who is in his first season in charge at Biarritz, looked on as the wheels came off. Pau crossed for two tries in the final five minutes and re-emphasised the gulf in class between the two sides.
It was an evening to remember for Irish scrum-half James Hart, on Saturday, as he came off the Grenoble bench to score a late try. The former Leinster Under-19 player has found himself behind South Africa’s Charl McLeod in the pecking order this season but is making his substitute appearances count. Hart’s 75th minute try, which was converted, turned a 30-24 deficit into a one-point advantage.
Grenoble out-half Jonathan Wisniewski added an insurance penalty with two minutes to spare. The result meant Bernard Jackman’s side climbed to fifth in the Top 14 and kept up their winning streak at their home venue, Stade des Alpes. Former Ulster player Chris Farrell had another solid game in the Grenoble midfield. Ronan O’Gara served out the first of his two-match sideline ban but his Racing Métro side won 27-10 to stay fourth in the table.
