Connacht Man in Paris: All About Bourgoin

One of the features on Knockon.ie provides an insight from a French based Conancht Supporter into Bourgoin our opposition on Saturday for a place in the Amlin Challenge Cup Semi-final.

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Our man in Paris, Kieran McNamara has been gathering information for us on Bourgoin and here is his dossier on Connacht's Challenge Cup opponents.

With well publicised financial difficulties and engaged in a relegation dogfight, we could forgive Bourgoin if they have other matters on their mind this week.

While their two remaining Top 14 games, against Toulouse and Montpellier, are the explicit priority, the trip to Galway offers them a break from the daily grind and an opportunity to recapture the spirit that saw them defeat London Irish in Reading in last year's Challenge Cup quarter-final. Or so they tell us.

Recent form has been patchy and hard to judge; defeats to Brive and Toulon were preceded by solid victories against basement sides Albi and Montauban. Despite this, anyone who watched the home defeat to Toulon will know that they are a serious side who can match anyone physically.

Benjamin Boyet at out-half, three-times capped by France, is the key man in a dull backline that also features giant South-African winger Rudi Coetzee while the back row of American-Somaon Tim Cowley and French pair Julien Frier and Yann Labrit, can be a powerful unit on their day.

Like all teams from the Alpine region, they will travel with a strong front row with former France under-21 hooker, Jean-Philippe Genevois the lynchpin alongside France international Olivier Milloud. Ex-Leinster player Bryce Williams may also feature at some point.

Interestingly, their best run of form, either side of Christmas, when Castres, Racing-Metro and Bayonne were defeated, was the period over which strict penalties were imposed by the regulator (DNACG) and the club was forced to field a side made up of players from their under-23 squad.

All season, Bourgoin has thrived in adversity and on Saturday in the Sportsground they will be no different. We have been warned.

FACT FILE

Club Sportif Bourgoin-Jallieu Rugby, CSBJ Bourgoin

Founded in1906
Stadium: Stade Pierre Rajon (Capacity 9 940)
Budget: EUR 10 million

Honours:

French Championship runners-up 1997, 1998, 2002 & 2003
European Challenge Cup, winners 1997
European Challenge Cup, runners-up 1999 & 2009

2009/2010 Season

Top 14: Played 24, won 10, drew one and lost 13
Recent form: LLWWWLL
European Challenge Cup: Played 6, won 5 and lost one