By NEALE HARVEY

Touchdown: Ben Meehan scores for Irish
PICTURE: Getty Images

FRANCO van der Merwe produced a colossal captain’s display as Irish held off a monster Bayonne outfit to bag seven tries and a heartening Challenge Cup win.
Boasting one of the biggest forward packs in Europe, Bayonne challenged physically throughout. However, led by van der Merwe and fellow South African engine room enforcer Ruan Botha, hard graft and a technically superior set-piece outdid the French.
With Irish’s backs weighing in with five of the tries, van der Merwe said: “Bayonne have i...