Montpellier Hérault Rugby loses home opener to Section Paloise

Montpellier Hérault Rugby (MHR) suffered a 19-27 home defeat against Section Paloise in their first match of the season. This marks the third consecutive year that Montpellier has lost its opening home game.

Individual performances drew criticism, particularly from new signing Dimitri Delibes, who received a 3.5/10 rating due to a lack of offensive impact and defensive lapses. Other players, Adam Beard and Alexander Masibaka, also received low ratings of 3/10. In contrast, Pau players Rodrigo Marta and Thomas Jolmès were highly rated.

Montpellier player Alexandre Bécognée expressed frustration over the result, noting that early season losses can drain energy in a highly competitive Top 14 season. While MHR showed improvement in the second half, they struggled with efficiency and ruck control.