ProD2, r2: Grenoble and Narbonne share the lead as Dax and Mont-de-Marsan both lose

07 September 2009

The pre-season theory that ProD2 could be the most open and level competition for many years already appears to be panning out with just three teams left with a 100% win record after only two rounds - Grenoble, Narbonne and Lyon - while two of the three clubs yet to record a victory were promoted from Fédérale 1 - Aix-en-Provence and Lannemezan.

It all adds credence to the belief that most teams will be able to beat each other on their given day this season, with supposed promotion favourites like SU Agen, Dax and Mont-de-Marsan all tasting defeat over the opening fortnight.

Agen went down 16-13 away to Dax in round one, but got that winning feeling back on Saturday when they held off a determined La Rochelle side to record a 26-21 home win.

Three successful penalties from Francois Gelez (Agen) outscored two from Benjamin Dambielle (La Rochelle) as the hosts crept into a 9-6 lead after 23 minutes, and it looked as if it would stay that way until half-time before former Western Force center Junior Pelesasa touched down for Agen two minutes before the interval.

Dambielle's third penalty made it 14-9 right on the stroke of half-time, but Agen went further ahead soon after the restart when scrum-half Sylvain Dupuy went over in the 44th minute. This time Gelez added the extras to give the hosts a 21-9 lead, although they lost Saimoni Vaka almost immediately when he became the second Agen player to see yellow - following Opeti Fonua's 38th-minute card (his second in successive weeks).

La Rochelle used their numerical advantage to try and force their way back into the match, and succeeded when Jérôme Jacquet touched down on 57 minutes.

With just seven points in it, the match was anyone's to win entering the final 20 minutes, but Vaka then made up for his earlier transgression by grabbing Agen's third try (and his second of the season). But La Rochelle refused to give in and a penalty try 15 minutes from time set up a nervous closing for the hosts, who just held out to win 26-21.

Dax couldn't repeat last weekend's victory over Agen as they went down 19-13 away to Colomiers.

The visitors started brightly enough with lock Mickael Bert going over for the game's opening try after just five minutes, and they were still leading 10-5 at half time as Anthony Lagardère added a late penalty to his earlier conversion.

Colomiers' centre Eric San Vicente had reduced the arrears with his 30th-minute try and the home side levelled the scores at 10-10 when flanker Fabien Berneau scored their second try shortly after the re-start. Frédéric Couzier missed with both conversion attempts but his 49th-minute penalty put Colomiers ahead for the first time in the match, a lead they doubled on the hour mark when he slotted kick number two.

Dax had been temporarily reduced to 14 men by then following Ratu Naisa Narukutabua's yellow card, but Maxime Petitjean brought them back to within three points when he kicked a 73rd-minute penalty.

Couzier, however, responded in kind almost immediately to ensure the win, with Dax's Yoan Carpenter seeing yellow in the closing stages as frustration boiled over.

Mont-de-Marsan, who were relegated from Top 14 along with Dax, also suffered their first defeat, losing 9-12 at home to Grenoble - who made it two wins from two and now head the ProD2 table (for what it's worth at this stage).

Points were at a premium in a match without tries, with Yannick Lafforgue's three early penalties in the opening quarter of an hour easing the home side into a 9-3 lead. But Grenoble gradually clawed their way back courtesy of Damien Vidal's boot and match remained level at 9-9 until Pierre-Alexandre Dut kicked the decisive penalty 15 minutes from time.

RC Narbonne are level with Grenoble on nine points at the top of ProD2 after they followed after last week's home win against Pau by triumphing 16-13 at newly promoted Lannemezan.

The Fédérale 1 champions kept pace with Narbonne until a minute before half-time with Mur Ludovic and Christopher Ruiz kicking two penalties apiece, but then Romain Martial scored the game's opening try in what turned out to be the the turning point of the match.

The score then remained 6-11 to the visitors until nine minutes from time, when 21-year-old Fijian winger Sionasa Vunisa touched down to seal the win - and in the process claim his third try of what could be a prolific season.

A 6-16 defeat would have been harsh on Lannemezan and replacement prop Romain Miro at least earned them a defensive bonus - and their first ever point in ProD2 - when he scored four minutes from the end, with Mur adding the conversion.

Aix-en-Provence, who were promoted with Lannemezan, also stumbled to defeat number two, losing 36-14 at Lyon OU.

The opening half an hour was dominated by Lyon full-back Pierre-Yves Montagnat, with the former Oyonnax player adding a 30th-minute try and conversion to the four penalties he had already kicked as the home side surged 19-3 ahead.

Bruno Lancelle landed two first-half penalties of his own to get Provence on the scoreboard, and their hopes were further raised when full-back Vincent Noutary touched down two minutes after the restart.

But Lyon's response was instantaneous, with fly-half Xavier Sadourny scoring their second try on 47 minutes, and Montagnat again on target with the conversion as they opened up a 26-11 advantage.

Both sides added one more penalty each before Vinaya Wakanivuga - yet another Fijian - rounded off the scoring by touching down for Lyon's third try in the final minute, with Montagnat kicking the extras to take his personal match haul to 26 points.

Intriguingly, this was one of only two matches in round two which didn't finish with the losers claiming a defensive bonus point.

Elsewhere, Pau got their season up and running with a 16-12 away win at Aurillac as they bounced back from their opening-day defeat at Narbonne.

Twenty-one-year-old full-back Julien Dumora grabbed the game's only try when he touched down for the visitors on 12 minutes, with the rest of the game's points shared between the boots of Aurillac's English fly-half Rory Teague (four pens) and Pau's Andre Hough (one conversion) and replacement scrum-half Clément Darbo (three pens).

There were also home wins for Union Bordeaux-Bègles and Oyonnax.

Union beat FC Auch Gers 23-21, but were forced to defend against a spirited fightback after cruising into a 20-6 lead after half an hour.

A brace of Henri-Pierre Vermis penalties were initially replied to in kind by Vincent Cortes, but the home team then assumed the initiative following two tries in 10 minutes from former Bristol winger Vungakoto Lilo and prop Nicolas Descamps, with Vermis kicking both conversions.

Auch hooker Sébastien Bruère initiated the visitors' response with a 31st-minute try - converted by Cortes - and centre Mathieu Acebes brought them back to within two points when he touched down for their second try with quarter of an hour still to play.

Cortes, crucially, missed with his conversion this time, leaving Union to hang on for the narrow win.

Oyonnax had a more straightforward victory as they saw off Tarbes 28-12, with last year's beaten play-off finalists scoring three tries to seal the weekend's only attacking bonus.

Scrum-half Mickael Campeggia and flanker Gambo Adamou both touched down for the hosts, with a 63rd-minute penalty try sealing the extra point.

Fly-half Sébastien Bouillot chipped in with three penalties and a conversion, while all of Tarbes' points came from the reliable boot of Richard Apanui - via three penalties and a drop-goal.

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