ProD2, r27: SU Agen on the verge of promotion to Top 14; Lannemezan relegated

13 April 2010

SU Agen's seemingly inexorable return to Top 14 looks all but assured after they won 31-10 at Aix-en-Provence to open up a 10-point lead over Oyonnax, who slipped up away to Mont-de-Marsan. 

Tongan number eight Opeti Fonua was the Agen hero as the 23-year-old grabbed a first-half hat-trick of tries to leave him equal with last season's tally of nine - although this year it has been achieved with six fewer games.

South African fly-half Conrad Barnard got the scoreboard rolling with his fifth-minute penalty, but it was the 'Fonua show' after that as the Tongan completed his hat-trick in a telling 21-minute spell before the interval. Barnard added the extras on each occasion to ensure maximum return, with Agen roaring into a 24-3 lead against their relegation-bound hosts.

Twenty-two-year-old Fijian winger Saimoni Vaka added Agen's fourth try soon after the restart - his eighth of the season - with Barnard again on target on to extend the visitors' lead to 31-3.

The league leaders throttled back after that to conserve their energies for the final three games of the season, allowing Provence to sneak a consolation try nine minutes from time when flanker Olivier Testou went over.

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But it wasn't enough to deny Agen the attacking bonus and the division's long-time leaders are now on the brink of automatic promotion to Top 14 following Oyonnax's defeat. Their 10-point lead looks unassailable with just three more games to go, and it could even be confirmed if results go their way next weekend - when they are at home to RC Narbonne.

To cap an excellent weekend they then announced that former player Manu Ahotaeiloa would be returning to Agen from Stade Toulousain - who he joined in February 2008 - with the 24-year-old Tongan agreeing a contract until 2012.

Oyonnax, meanwhile, look destined to try their luck in the play-offs again after going down 31-26 away to Mont-de-Marsan.

Last year's beaten finalists began well thanks to Jean-Maurice Oulouma's 12th-minute try, but were pegged back by the boot of Yannick Lafforgue as the home side's fly-half landed four successful penalties in the opening half hour.

That left Mont-de-Marsan 12-10 ahead, before Montpellier target Sylver Tian added a try and conversion to his earlier penalty as Oyonnax reclaimed the lead. The visitors appeared set for a 17-12 half-time lead before lock Naude Beukes was sin-binned in the 39th minute, with Lafforgue landing the resultant penalty to narrow the gap.

Oyonnax paid further when winger Damien Cler then scorched in just one minute after the restart, but they were back on level terms on 57 minutes when Tian landed his second penalty of the match.

Lafforgue and Tian then traded a further penalty apiece before Cler doubled up with nine minutes left to give Mont-de-Marsan a five point advantage. Lafforgue's seventh successful penalty of the afternoon extended that to eight with just three minutes to go, but Tian's last-minute reply at least earned Oyonnax a defensive bonus.

It also took the 29-year-old full-back's season tally to an impressive 220 points - three points clear of nearest rival Thibault Duvallet.

Third-placed La Rochelle missed the chance to move above Oyonnax after Mathieu Lescure's late converted try condemned them to a 21-22 home defeat by Aurillac - only their second loss in 12 matches.

It was nip and tuck throughout a tense match, with the kickers initially dominating as Rochelle's Benjamin Dambielle and Aurillac's Jérémy Bourlon landed three penalties each to leave it 9-9 at half time.

Bourlon's fourth success edged the visitors ahead six minutes after the restart before both sides were temporarily reduced to 14 men following yellow cards for Romain Carmignani (48 minutes) and Jacques Nieuwenhuis (52).

Rochelle, however, profited most from the reshuffle, with prop Alexandre Bares touching down on 55 minutes for the game's opening try, soon followed by former Brive winger Norman Ligairi, who added a second 10 minutes later. Dambielle converted the latter to put the home side 21-12 ahead, but Bourlon's fifth penalty cut the deficit back to six points with 11 minutes to play.

And there were just two minutes on the clock when Lescure's late try brought Aurillac back to within a point, allowing Bourlon to seal the win with his conversion.

La Rochelle remain third despite the loss and are still odds-on to make the play-offs, while Aurillac continue to push for a top five slot and are now just three points off the play-off zone.

The other two play-off places are currently occupied by Lyon OU and Grenoble, who met each other on Sunday afternoon with Lyon emerging triumphant with a 27-19 home win.

The match was all but over by half-time after a try double from Fijian centre Vinaya Wakanivuga helped the hosts surge into an 18-6 lead. Full-back Romain Loursac added a conversion and two penalties, but prop Xavier Rush was sin-binned in the closing stages of the first period.

Pierre-Alexandre Dut kicked the resultant penalty - adding to his eighth-minute effort - and the Grenoble fly-half offered his team vague hope when he went on to slot a third just eight minutes after the restart.

Loursac replied with his own three-pointer on the hour, before Grenoble's hopes were further raised when free-scoring South African winger Wylie Human ran in for his 10th score of the season just two minutes later. That left the visitors 21-14 down, but two more Loursac penalties ensured there was no slip up from Lyon - who can now go second if they take maximum points from their game in hand against Lannemezan - despite lock Régis Sigoire adding a second try for Grenoble in the final minute.

Danie de Beer's missed conversion could prove crucial, however, as it meant Grenoble missed out on the defensive bonus and are now just two points ahead of sixth-paced Pau - who won 29-12 away to lowly Colomiers.

The visitors didn't get off to the ideal start as they saw Lionel Campergue and Andre Hough both sin-binned in the opening 10 minutes, but Colomiers failed to take advantage and could only manage Frédéric Couzier's 12th-minute penalty while two men to the good.

Indeed, Pau were quickly back on level terms thanks to Clément Darbo's 16th-minute reply, with the scrum-half adding a second penalty four minutes later to put them ahead. Couzier than landed two penalties and a drop-goal in a 12-minute purple patch for the hosts, with Darbo's 40th-minute response leaving Colomiers 12-9 ahead at the interval.

The Pau No 9 brought his team back level with his fourth success on 49 minutes before centre Mickaël Drouard went over for the game's opening try shortly after as Pau began to assume control.

Hough added a second try on 55 minutes, and with Darbo converting both the play-off chasers were suddenly 26-12 ahead. Darbo added yet another penalty to complete the scoring seven minutes from the end, although there was still enough time for Colomiers to see Sébastien Bruno sin-binned (on 75 minutes) and Olivier Caisso sent-off (79), while Pau's Loic Charlon also saw yellow.

The victory was Pau's third in succession and they must now fancy their chances of squeezing through to the play-offs with their next two games both at home - to Aix-en-Provence and Mont-de-Marsan - before a final day away trip to FC Auch Gers.

Eighth-placed RC Narbonne haven't given up on their play-off hopes, but it required a 77th-minute converted try from replacement Joachim Algisi to secure their 20-19 home win against FC Auch Gers.

Flanker Benjamin Beaux appeared to set them on their way with his 14th-minute try, and the hosts moved 8-0 ahead shortly before half-time when Robin Janisson added a penalty. But Auch fought back via a Mathieu Acebes try four minutes before the interval - converted by Patrick Bosque - and then moved ahead when Thomas Bastellica went over just one minute after the restart.

Narbonne's problems were then compounded by full-back Sébastien Regy being yellow-carded on 45 minutes, paving the way for Acebes to go over for his second try of the afternoon. The Auch centre then converted his own score to put the visitors 8-19 ahead.

Narbonne winger Romain Martial gave the home side hope when he raced in for his 10th try of the season 15 minutes from time, setting up th dramatic finale that saw Algisi go over with three minutes to spare and set up Delkeith Pottas for the winning conversion.

The victory left Narbonne on 68 points - five behind Grenoble - and they were joined on that total by Union Bordeaux-Bègles after the latter thrashed basement cub Lannemezan 46-17 and finally confirmed the visitors' relegation.

Bordeaux ran in three tries in either half as they ensured the attacking bonus, with winger Laurent Ferreres teeing off the rout with his 21st-minute opener after Camille Lopez's earlier two penalties.

Mathieu Badel and Altenstadt Hulme both went over before the interval as the home side powered 27-3 ahead, and Frédéric Montagnat added a fourth shortly after the restart.

Lannemezan's woes were compounded when lock Maxime Guiho was yellow-carded on 48 minutes, with Bordeaux's Charlie Ternisien going over for the hosts' fifth try just one minute later to put them 39-3 up.

Ferreres added his second try of the match 17 minutes from time - making it 46-3 - but Lannemezan did at least finish with a flourish as Nicolas Mouret and Nicolas Sentous both crossed in the closing stages.

It obviously didn't prevent them slipping a 23rd defeat of the season but the Federale 1 bound side will now turn their attention to next weekend when they entertain derby rivals Tarbes, whom they beat 13-12 away earlier this season.

Tarbes warmed up for the Lannemezan clash with a thumping 40-21 home win against Dax on Saturday, running in five tries as they registered their fourth successive home win - and an attacking bonus point.

Flanker Christophe André got them off to the perfect start with his second-minute try, before Scottish centre Martin Worthington added the second 10 minutes later, with Richard Apanui converting both.

Dax prop Christopher Poulain then pulled a try back for the visitors, but Pieter Loftus replied in kind for Tarbes just before the interval to leave the hosts 21-7 ahead at the break.

Winger Romain Dumestre added Tarbes' fourth try on 54 minutes, with Thierry Lacrampe and André (again) also scoring before the end of an entertaining match. Frédérico Martin Aramburu and Nicolas Vergallo got consolation scores for Dax, but it wasn't enough to prevent them slipping to their third defeat in four, and their 13th loss in total in a disappointing season.

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