RYAN SMITH HELPS MONTAUBAN SQUEAK PAST DAX IN T14 ACTION  29th January 2008 

From Montauban-Tarn-et Garonne website

"You need to know how to win this kind of match, where the two teams were so well matched,"  winger Jean-Emmanuel Cassin explained in the Montauban changing room. Montauban won this squeaker 12 - 11 having been 3 to 5 down at the half. Ryan Smith played the full game in the centres.

"Montauban were more realistic than we were,"  confided Dax coach Jérôme Daret

Dax dominated the first half of the game. They only scored one try, from Lievremont at 22 minutes, and two penalties in the second half from Hore. However, they had a pushover try attempt, following a series of 5 metre scrums, and a drive by their hooker Yves Pedrosa which was ruled "held up" by the Video judge. 

In the second half, the Montauban team got their noses down to the grindstone and Fabien Fortassin led the charge. Fortassin kicked four penalties for all of Montauban's points, converting penalties at 36, 46, 60 amd 70 minutes. Playing at their home field, the Montauban MTG team dominated the last few minutes, sealing their very important victory.

As for Dax's new international prop Julien Brugnaut, he left the pitch as a tactical move some ten minutes before the end, and received the applause of the crowd and the public speaker wishing him good luck in his first international against Scotland in the 6 Nations Championship.

MONTAUBAN : Jonnet (Fauqué 40e) ; Cech, Ryan Smith, Audrin, Cassin ; (0) Fortassin, (m) Garcia (Mitu 68e) ; Diarra (Clarkin 54e), Raynaud (cap), Caballero ; Murray (Frost 54e), Rolland ; Lemoine (Sa 40e), Traversa (Testa 56e), Henn (Lemoine 75e).

DAX : Williams ; Diaz (Tutard 39e), Bell, Courtade, Dabrin ; (0) Hore, (m) Morlaès ; Deniau (Purdie 60e), T.Lièvremont, M.Lièvremont ; Bérek (cap) (Mazel 56e), Thompson ; Boyoud (Auzqui 69e), Pédrosa (Bonet 56e), Brugnaut (Léalamanua 69e).