ProD2: SU Agen reclaim top spot; Aurillac boost play-off hopes with bonus-point win

16 February 2010

SU Agen have reclaimed the ProD2 lead following their weekend 23-6 home victory against Dax, a result which saw them move three points clear of second-placed Oyonnax.

The hosts won out thanks to a dominant performance from their pack as they warmed up for their forthcoming clash against Oyonnax (on Feb 27) with a comfortable home win in a match that was originally postponed from round 16 (on January 9) due to snow.

The conditions were below freezing again on Saturday, but Agen threw off their winter slumber (only one victory in their last four league games) as they eased clear in the second-half after being held to 6-6 in the opening period.

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Conrad Barnard slotted two first-half penalties for Agen, with Dax’s Anthony Lagardere replying with a penalty and a drop-goal for the visitors, while both sides had a player sin-binned following a 20^th-minute clash between props Agustin Lopresti (Agen) and George Kutaraschvili (Dax).

The combative duo then both saw their yellows turned to reds within five minutes of the restart with Lopresti being sent-off in the 42^nd minute and Kutaraschvili getting his marching order three minutes later.

An opportunistic try from Sylvain Dupuy – converted by Barnard – then saw Agen move 13-6 ahead just before the hour mark, with Barnard adding a penalty two minutes later to further extend their advantage.

Opeti Fonua’s 70^th-minute try – again converted by Barnard – raised hopes of an attacking bonus, but in the end Agen had to be satisfied with the 23-6 victory and a return to the ProD2 summit.

The title hopefuls now boast both the most potent attack and the tightest defence in the division as they seek to claim the only automatic promotion slot up to Top 14.

At the other end of the table a return to Federale1 seems increasingly likely for Aix-en-Provence after they lost 19-21 at home to a Tarbes team which had only registered two wins in their past 11 league matches.

Tarbes powered into a 14-3 lead after two converted tries in the opening 20 minutes, with full-back Mickaël Etcheverria and prop Jeremy Hurou both going over. Fly-half Krist Kopetsky landed the extras on both occasions, but a trio of penalties from Konstantin Rachkov brought Provence back to 9-14 by the break.

The hosts’ fly-half was on target again seven minutes after the restart to narrow the gap to just two points, but Scottish centre Martin Worthington then went over for Tarbes’ third try to take the visitors clear again, with replacement No 10 Richard Apanui adding the conversion this time.

It remained 12-21 to Tarbes until nine minutes from time when Provence flanker Alexis Driollet powered over for the home side, with Rachkov’s conversion setting up a tense finale as they pushed for only their fifth league win of the season. But Tarbes held out for a win that should alleviate any fears about their own ProD2 survival, with the result lifting them 16 points clear of Provence (and the relegation zone) despite being only two positions higher.

Tarbes remain level on points with FC Auch Gers after the latter also won at the weekend, 9-6 away to Colomiers, who remain the only team which Provence could realistically overhaul to avoid the drop back down to Federale 1.

Auch’s Christophe Clarac scored all of the visitors’ points, kicking three out of six penalty attempts despite playing in the unusual position (for him) of left wing. He did, however, end the match in his preferred scrum-half slot after a second half injury to Anthony Salle-Canne.

The match was evenly poised 6-6 at the break, with Clarac’s two initial successes cancelled out by a penalty each from Frederic Couzier and Frederic Pujo, but Auch secured the win with the only points of the second half when Clarac slotted his third goal kick on the hour mark.

Colomiers did, however, at least get a defensive bonus for their troubles, lifting them six points clear of 15^th-placed Provence as they battle on to preserve their ProD2 status.

Basement club Lannemezan – who won promotion with Provence in the summer – are also set for a swift return whence they came after 18 defeats from 19 so far this season. They were due to be in action at the weekend but their home game against Lyon OU was postponed for the second time due to snow.

The weekend’s other match saw Aurillac move within four points of the play-off zone after their 36-12 home win over Mont-de-Marsan (in a match postponed from round 15).

The hosts secured their first attacking bonus of the season thanks to tries from Jacques Niewenhuis, Vitolio Manukula, Germain Portero and a brace from Francois Hery.

Flanker Niewenhuis started the scoring with his ninth-minute effort, before hooker Manukula followed in on 22 minutes, with Jeremy Bourlon this time on target with his conversion attempt. But the visitors then ground their way back into the match with a trio of Thibault Duvallet penalties to leave them just 12-9 down at half-time.

A Bourlon penalty on 47 minutes then eased Aurillac six points ahead before three tries in the closing 25 minutes sealed the bonus-point win with right winger Hery touching down on 56 and 75 minutes, and left winger Portero scoring in-between.

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