The Albigensians start their final sprint with a tricky trip to Blagnac. Toulouse suburbs have nothing more to play in this championship if it is only to knock down one of the group’s favorites.
It would be a first for Blagnac. But the Albigensians can no longer afford a misstep if they want to secure a place among the four qualifiers.
The meeting began with a moment of tribute to Thomas Lacelle, the recently deceased Provence Rugby player (and ex-Albigensian). During this minute of silence, each of the yellow and black wore a cap, the fetish headgear of their former teammate.
Arnaud Méla, the manager of SC Albi and Jacques Engelbrecht, the South African rookie of the Tarnais, laid the groundwork for the second Occitan derby of Nationale. For the former international second line and its 3rd center line, this meeting will pit two teams willing to play.
But the Albigensian coach does not forget the essential, trying to bring back points from Stade Ernest Argeles, against formidable Caouecs, capable of foiling any National team. For this 21st day, the Albigensians who have lived a complicated week with the accidental death of their former team-mates, Thomas Lacelle, will be keen to pay tribute to their brother in arms by crunching every second of this meeting.
Because I think it’s a team that can win everyone over, they have the potential, it’s a team that isn’t looking. Since I’ve been Albi, we’ve played the same players, they had to change 5 or 6, there is no rotation. It’s a group that knows each other, a bunch of friends, they always have this little factor that not everyone has to know that they work alongside while we are professionals so they have the little keys to be able to to reassemble. That’s why I fear this team all the time and on Saturday it’s going to be an open game and a nice game to watch, for sure. We are going to play rugby and so will they too, it will send the game, says the manager of SC Albi, Arnaud Méla.
Albigensian third line Calas also stood out in the lineup, stealing Piffero’s first pitch. Albi held the ball but Blagnac was intractable in defense and very solid on impacts. The visitors inherited a first penalty for a fault on Blagnac soil. From 20 meters in an excellent position, Boulogne, usually an outstanding artilleryman, missed the target (12th). In the seconds that followed, Zipf, injured, had to leave his family prematurely. He was replaced by Weber.
Albi monopolized the ball and ended up finding the loophole: after a long streak orchestrated by the Boulogne-Russell hinge, he kept Vasuinubu inside. The Fijian winger infiltrated, hooked and scored the afternoon’s first try. Boulogne transformed (7-0, 16th). The Albigenses continued to occupy the Caouec field, thanks in part to the long game at the foot of Boulogne and Caminati.
In the final moments of the first act, on the contrary, it was Blagnac who stood out: monumental breakthrough of the third Lecomte line (during which he broke many tackles), then point of fixation a few cables from the end. goal. Augustin, back in play, then ejected full axis for Tolofua. The three-quarter center used his power and scored in force at the foot of the bars. Augustin added the two points of the transformation (7 – 7, 39th). Galvanized by this achievement, the Balgnacais moved forward on the return, pushing the Albigenses back to their camp, but nothing was marked. Mr. Darche (a Léguevinois disguised as a Ile-de-France referee) therefore whistled the break on a parity score.
The Albigensian staff then decided on important exchanges, changing the entire front line. Gaillard was also replaced by Foures. Moments later, Essid took the place of Engelbrecht (51st). The coaching was paying off as the visitors inherited a penalty resulting from a block and a ball held on the ground by Blagnac center three-quarter Piron. Boulogne closed the gap (14-10, 54th). But simply in a fleeting way. Indeed, moments later, Blagnac opener Seunes had a festival (with a pivot to get rid of a tackle) before serving up Lecomte. The third row sprinted to the row and scored the red and blue’s third try (19-10, 57th).
The second half was more complicated, with the yellows and blacks suffering the blows of the caouecs without ever really succeeding in loosening the grip. Their indsicipline (although they did not receive any cards) will also have been very detrimental to them. The defeat, although improved, puts a stop to the good momentum that has started since the resumption of competition and could spell the end of a home semi-final.
The match has a favorable end for Blagnac 19 to 17.
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