Top 14 - Game of the Week
Bourgoin upset leaders Perpignan
Scrum.com
September 11, 2009
Date/Time: Sep 11, 2009, 20:35 local, 18:35 GMT
Bourgoin-Jallieu 17 - 6 Perpignan
Half-time: 6 - 3
Tries: Senio
Pens: Boyet 4
Pens: Porical
Drops: Hume
Bourgoin's Benjamin Boyet clears his lines, Bourgoin v Perpignan, Top 14, Stade des Alpres, Grenoble, France, September 11, 2009
Bourgoin's Benjamin Boyet clears his lines during the clash at Stade des Alpes in Grenoble
© Getty Images
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Bourgoin stunned defending champions Perpignan 17-6 in their Top 14 clash at Stade des Alpes in Grenoble.

A try from scrum-half John Senio and 12 points from the boot of fly-half Benjamin Boyet catapulted the hosts to a shock win just five days after leaking 11 tries in a 51-6 loss to Bayonne. League leaders Perpignan could only muster a drop goal from fly-half Gavin Hume and a penalty from fullback Jerome Porical as they slumped to their second defeat of the season.

A total of 11 places divided the two sides at kick off but there was little to choose between the sides in a tight if unspectacular opening period. A frantic opening promised more than it eventually delivered with Bourgoin fly-half Benjamin Boyet missing the first scoring opportunity - pulling a penalty wide of the posts.

A knock on from Bourgoin centre David Janin then handed Perpignan great field position which led to the opening score eventually came from the boot of the visitor's fly-half Gavin Hume - deputising for the injured Nicolas Laharrague. His pack laid the platform and gifted him the room to slot a neat right-footed drop goal.

Bourgoin battled back and on the back of a dominant pack saw plenty of the ball but were unable to make a significant impression in a well-regimented Perpignan defence. But a high tackle on lock Coenie Basson by hss opposite number Guillaume Vilaceca allowed Boyet to level the scores from 40m.

The Bourgoin pack continued to reap rewards at scrum time and they forced another penalty midway through the half that allowed Boyet to put his side ahead. Things got worse for a frustrated Perpignan moments later when flanker Gregory le Corvec was yellow carded for taking Hume out in the air although he had right to feel a little hard done by.

Perpignan survived his absence and could have reduced the arrears but fullback Jerome Porical could not find his range with the boot. A high-tackle on scrum-half Nicolas Durand provided him with his first penalty attempt that he hooked wide and although a second long-range effort had the legs it was wide of the mark.

Boyet was also suffering an off-day with the boot and was also off target with a long range effort before the players headed to the tunnel.

Bourgoin took a firm grip on the game soon after the re-start with Senio crossing for his try. Hooker Remy Vigneaux pounced on a loose ball on half way before surging deep into the Perpignan half where he off-loaded to his scrum-half who skipped in for the score. Boyet hit the upright with the conversion attempt before Porical struck back with a penalty to reduce the arrears.

Boyet hooked his next attempt wide but was handed another shot at the posts a few minutes later when a penalty against his side was reversed following some retaliation from Perpignan Jean-Pierre Perez. He duly punished the Catalans with the resulting kick.

And things got worse for the visitors when they were penalised once again for pulling down a powerful Bourgoin driving maul. Boyet stepped up again to extend his side's lead to 11 points.

A temporary floodlight failure offered Perpignan the chance to re-group but they failed to raise their game at the re-start. Boyet was wide of the mark with two drop goal attempts as he looked to turn the screw but by this time it was clear the bounce of the ball was going their way and even a late yellow card for prop Arnauld Tchougong could not prevent the upset.

This famous victory will help draw a line under a turbulent few weeks for Bourgoin that almost saw the club go bust before being offered a 700,000 euro financial lifeline from former president Gaston Maulin.

Defeat for Perpignan also opens the door for the likes of Clermont Auvergne, Toulouse and Toulon to claim top spot if they can win this weekend.

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