Pro D2: US Dax weighed down by his indiscipline, the captain draws lessons from a tough defeat

Leading at half-time, US Dax suffered the reaction of Colomiers in the second half to lose (30-17) during the 19th day of Pro D2.

La Colombe had not had two consecutive successes since November 2023. The Columérins had the opportunity this Friday, February 9 in the evening against Dax, to confirm their good dynamic, during the last meeting against Rouen Normandie, they who were largely imposed in front of their audience (38-10).

Victorious in their last meeting, after having suffered two defeats in a row, the rugby players of the dove club welcomed the Dacquois in great shape, as part of the 19th day. Final score: 30-17.

The defeat without bonus (30-17) does not reward the team’s efforts but reflects a rather unusual indiscipline from Jeff Dubois’ players, heavily sanctioned in the second half.

US Dax takes the game into its own hands in the first period. With the wind at their backs, the Dacquois won the battle of occupation and opened the scoring thanks to a penalty from Hugo Cerisier (14th, 0-3). But they were punished from the dismissal with a penalty from Girard (15th, 3-3), before the Columérin scorer allowed his team to go ahead (22nd, 6-3).

Dax finished the first period well and scored the first try of the match at the half-hour mark thanks to a fiery Jope Naseara in the first period (31st, 6-10). The Fijian winger narrowly missed scoring a second try in added time. Following a first-hand attack, he was found at the end of the line at forty meters. Naseara achieves a personal feat to flatten a corner… but his attempt is refused on video for a slip of a shoe on the touchline. One of the turning points of the match.

Colomiers comes out of the locker room with a completely different face. Reaction validated after less than two minutes and a ball carried thirty meters flattened in a second time by Javaux (42nd, 13-10). Dax endures the Columérin storm for ten minutes before a timid five-minute reaction where Théo Trémeau scores his first try of the season thanks to a ball moved to the left wing and defenders well fixed to find the gaps (57th, 13- 17).

Brice Ferrer is penalized with a yellow card (59th) and Colomiers resumes his march forward with effective carried balls. Manukula (63rd, 20-17) before a three-quarter action and a well-exploited numerical superiority on the outside on Pinto’s third try (27-17). At 14 vs 15, Dax suffered a crippling 14-0. Girard closes the scoring with a penalty (74th, 30-17) to leave the Dacquois out of reach.

In the standings, Colomiers was in 8th place, 3 points behind 6th (Brive), thus giving itself the right to believe in the promotion roadblocks, in the event of a great second part of the season.

For their part, the Dacquois had finally managed to continue in the last days, with three successes in four matches in 2024. The US Dax had thus moved up to 10th place, with 41 points, and had the opportunity to confirm their form of the moment by achieving a 3rd consecutive victory against the Columérins this Friday evening.

Maxime Delonca, captain of US Dax, gives us a testimony on his team’s recent confrontation against Colomiers. A meeting which left an indelible mark on the group, but which proves once again that even in defeat, rugby remains a school of life.

Deplores the captain of the US Dax, in an interview given to ‘Sud Ouest’. If the players came out with positive points in scrum and defense in the first half, it was ultimately a glaring indiscipline which cost them the match.

In this context, US Dax cannot afford to be defeated, especially since their captain is already considering the next match against Soyaux Angoulême as an opportunity to bounce back. This meeting against Colomiers is ultimately just another page in the big book of US Dax, a page which, we hope, will lead the team towards a more lenient end to the season full of lessons.

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