ProD2, r28: Oyonnax falter again as SU Agen pull 13 points clear; Lyon OU up to third

19 April 2010

Runaway leaders SU Agen can put the champagne on ice after their eight-try demolition of RC Narbonne on Sunday took them within a whisker of automatic promotion to Top 14.

Only the most freakish set of results can now deny them after long-time chasers Oyonnax slipped up again – going down 36-20 at FC Auch Gers – meaning Agen have a whopping 13 point lead over second-placed La Rochelle.

With just two games to go that is sufficient to ensure La Rochelle cannot catch them, but third-placed Lyon OU are just a point further back and have a game in hand – meaning they have a theoretical chance of finishing top if they win all three games with bonus points and Agen lose both of theirs without gaining a single defensive point.

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The odds on that happening are probably slightly worse than trying to get an internal flight across France at present and it seems that not even a volcano can stop Agen’s ascent now.

Lyon’s game in hand is, admittedly, against basement club Lannemezan, but their Round 29 league match is away to… you guessed it, Agen.

Agen’s latest win was a thumping 57-12 destruction of RC Narbonne on Sunday, a result which effectively ended the visitors’ own slim hopes of making the end-of-season play-offs.

It was kick-started by a three-try burst in the opening 21 minutes, with 22-year-old Fijian winger Saimoni Vaka getting the initial score (his ninth of the season), before fellow Fijian flyer Rupeni Caucaunibuca and Tongan lock Lisiate Fa'aoso also went over. South African fly-half Conrad Barnard kicked all three conversions to continue his excellent form since joining from Toulon in mid-season.

A 24^th-minute yellow card for prop Bernard Nnomo offered Narbonne fleeting respite as they used their temporary advantage to score a try of their own – through flanker Jone Tawake – but Agen’s free-scoring number eight Opeti Fonua replied in kind for the hosts before half-time as the 23-year-old Tongan touched down for his 10^th try of a superb campaign.

Narbonne’s mounting problems were compounded when flanker Louis Maduale saw yellow on 55 minutes, paving the way for two more Agen tries while he was off the pitch as Caucaunibuca and Jean Monribot both crossed. The former’s latest score was his 10^th in 21 games this season, again underlining the potency of Agen’s free-flowing attack.

Flanker Monribot also double up (on 67 minutes) while Australian centre Junior Pelesasa concluded the home side’s try-fest 11 minutes from time.

Narbonne did manage the final word when Robin Janisson went over in the 78^th minute, but nothing could detract from the feeling of euphoria (and promotion) that echoed around the Agen ground at the end of the match.

Those emotions were in stark contrast to the air of disappointment in the Oyonnax changing room after they slipped to a surprise 36-20 defeat at lowly FC Auch Gers on Saturday – a result all the more surprising for the fact that struggling Auch lad lost their previous seven league matches. Not so long ago Oyonnax were level-pegging with Agen in the race for automatic promotion, but they now find themselves back down to fourth place after their third defeat in four games, and their fourth in seven.

Last year’s beaten finalists should still make this season’s play-offs – they are six points ahead of fifth-placed Grenoble – but their worrying dip in form could not have come at a worse time.

All initially seemed rosy for the visitors after a dominant opening quarter of an hour saw them surge 3-14 ahead courtesy of converted tries from Jean-Maurice Oulouma and Adrien N’Goma, but the match was then turned on its head after ill-discipline cost Oyonnax dear.

Full-back Rudi Vogt’s 24^th-minute yellow precipitated Auch’s opening try from number eight Alexandre Ricaud before a straight red for Oyonnax prop Giorgi Jgenti proved terminal for the visitors.

Auch used their numerical advantage to claim the lead via a penalty try four minutes before the break and although both sides lost a further player each to yellow cards 10 minutes after the restart – Auch’s Yannick Delom and Oyonnax’s Richard Menotti – it was largely one-way traffic thereafter as the home side continued to pull clear.

Auch winger Nathan Thierry scored twice in 13 minutes before  second penalty try just before the final whistle concluded the win. All Oyonnax could muster in the second half was a brace of Sylver Tian penalties as their hopes of a home semi-final took a severe dent.

That result allowed La Rochelle to climb from third to second after they won 28-14 away to Union Bordeaux-Bègles, pocketing the attacking bonus in the process as they outscored their hosts by four tries to one.

Outside centre Thomas Combezou and winger Florian Ninard bagged a pair of tries each, with full-back Benjamin Dambielle knocking over all four conversions. Bordeaux managed a Saia Fekitoa try in response – which helped them to a half-time lead of 11-7 – but they were out-powered after the break as La Rochelle moved second courtesy of their 11^th win in 13 games.

They now have a one point lead over third-placed Lyon OU (who have a game in hand) after the latter won 25-18 at Aurillac. Lyon also had the satisfaction of claiming the attacking bonus thanks to tries from Pierre-Yves Montagnat, Nicolas Botnik – both in the first half – and Arnaud Dorier. Montagnat added two out of three conversions, while Aurillac fly-half Jeremy Bourlon was responsible for all of his sides points as he kicked five penalties and a drop-goal. Both he and Montagnat have now amassed 211 points each this season, although that is still some way behind overall leader Tian, who has 230.

Fifth-placed Grenoble remain in the last play-off spot following their 28-5 home win against Dax on Saturday. The home side got off to a flying start and were 21-0 up after half an hour thanks to tries from Roland Bernard, Wylie Human (his 11th of the season) and Thomas Bianchin. All three scores were converted by South African fly-half Danie de Beer.

Wylie was replaced after the break by Lucas Dupont – who duly ran in Grenoble’s fourth try – with Dax only breaking their duck four minutes from time when AJ Whalley touched down for a consolation score. It wasn’t enough, however, to prevent Grenoble claiming a priceless attacking bonus, especially as they now face a tricky away trip to chastened Oyonnax in Round 29, which could yet open the door for sixth-placed Pau to sneak into the final play-off berth.

Pau maintained their excellent recent form with a convincing 45-10 home win over Federale 1 bound Aix-en-Provence. The play-off chasers ran in six tries, including four in the second half, as they ensured their late run for promotion goes to the wire.

Centre Mickael Drouard began the rout with his 20^th-minute opener before scrum-half Clement Darbo followed in shortly after. Darbo kicked both conversions and was on target again when he doubled his try tally two minutes after the break. There were further Pau tries from Julien Fumat, Mathieu Dourthe and Gregory Puyo before the end, with Provence managing a solitary response via Romain Barriol five minutes from time.

Pau will now be hoping Grenoble (who are two points ahead of them) slip up at Oyonnax while they go in search of another victory – which would be their fifth in a row – at home to Mont-de-Marsan.

The latter were held 29-29 at home by Colomiers on Saturday, a result that finally secured the visitors’ proD2 status for another year after a trying season.

It required a late converted try from replacement fly-half Frederic Couzier to earn the draw after Mont-de-Marsan had led for almost the entire match following a ninth-minute try from full-back Jean-Marc Mazzonetto. Fly-half Yannick Lafforgue added the conversion and two penalties, and was also on target again when Soane Toevalu touched down six minutes before half time.

Colomiers kept in touch through a 14^th try from Lilian Majeste, a Ben Martin penalty and a drop-goal from Mehadji Tidjini, before Pierre Bunce’s 41^st-minute try left the scores 20-16 to Mont-de-Marsan.

Lafforgue then added three penalties for the home side, with Hugo Hernandez replying with a brace of his own before Couzier’s late converted try sealed the draw in an entertaining match.

The weekend’s other match saw Tarbes gain revenge over relegated derby rivals Lannemezan for their home defeat earlier in the season.

The visitors claimed the early initiative after Paul Dabrin and Loic Bernard both crossed in the opening 10 minutes, and they surged further ahead when Dabrin added his second try midway through the opening period.

Two Jean-Marie Heraut penalties left Lannemezan trailing 6-22 at the break, but the home side got a welcome boost when centre Christophe Dasque  grabbed a try just before the hour mark. Heraut’s conversion left it 16-25, but Tarbes ensured the win – and bonus point – after Richard Apanui and Bernard (again) added further tries in the closing 15 minutes.

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