This was not the Alamo, but the Fortress Aime Giral, the advancing troops were not Mexicans, but from Montpellier, with of course a couple of Argentineans thrown in for good measure. This Fortress has remained intact throughout many onslaughts, more or less the last 24 months and 25 matches undefeated.
When planning a battle all has to be considered and that is exactly how the Gentle Giant and the General (Bechu,Galthie) operate together. They selected an infantry, cavalry, and a rear guard, all the ingredients necessary for a victory, by rotating the squad our duo prepared maybe not the strongest side on paper but a team to do a job that would keep the opposition score to a minimum and make sure that they pushed, pulled, and prodded Perpignan until the cavalry could be let loose using rear guard tactics, all credit deserved the starting XV did a formidable job.
Taking into consideration that USAP had 17 players injured and 3 more were on enforced summer International duties  rest, USAP would be limited to the team and bench that they could select., this the duo had realised and their plans were hatched!!
The game started with many errors from both teams but that maybe had something to do with the strong wind blowing against Montpellier in the first half, but slowly they were getting the better of the situation against the struggling Catalans.
Penalties were exchanged by Boulogne two, and Martin Bustos Moyano making his first TOP 14 appearance of the season for his new club, at half time the score 6-3 in favour of USAP.
Into the second half, and after only 2 minutes. Montpellier got level with a timely Benji Thiery drop goal, 6-6 and all was to play for.
Immediately following as planned, the cavalry arrived in the names of Capt Ouedraogo,Trinh-Duc, Gorgodze, Thiart, Ladhuie, Julien Tomas and a little later, hat-trick hero from last week Geoffrey Doumayrou, Perpignan had no answer for this muscled bench reinforcement and Montpellier began to get a firm grip on the game. Wave after wave of forward attacks, the Perpignan defence was just about holding out but was suffering badly, and had no answers for the onslaught coming from the visitors, in the 52 min. Martin Bustos-Moyano knocked over another penalty to edge Montpellier ahead for the first time in the game.
After a series of attacks Montpellier were camped on the USAP try line and got themselves a 5 mts scrum twice Montpellier they were over the line with Marc Giraud cleverly guarding the ball, but twice the referee said “No Try” third scrum and this time, the very same Marc Giraud charged with Francois Trinh-Duc on his rear, he slipped the ball to the Chef D’Orchestre and over the line into the hallowed ground he dived. Try converted by Martin Bustos-Moyano, 16-6 and minutes to go, could Montpellier hold out for their first ever win at Aime Giral?
The hooter sounded and the victory was Montpellier’s, a FIRST at Aime Giral, but maybe not the last, the joy could be seen on the players faces, all the team, plus that excellently chosen bench, merited ever applause that they received, but the honours also have to go to the Gentle Giant and the General, although they were not on the park they planned and organised this near military operation to precision.    BRAVO GENTLEMEN !!!!!

Next stop, TOP 14, Toulouse H Cup European Champions v Montpellier, Wed. 1ST Sept. Stade Yves du Manoir k.o. 18.00, this could well be a sell out so get your tickets quickly, either on line at www.montpellier-rugby.com and click on Billeterie, or Tel 04 67 47 99 71.

Steve Whittell.