ProD2, r3: Grenoble, Narbonne and Lyon all win again as Lannemezan get yellow fever

13 September 2009

RC Narbonne are the new leaders of ProD2 after their 33-12 home win against Union Bordeaux-Bègles lifted them clear at the top courtesy of their attacking bonus point.

First-half tries from Fijian duo Jone Tawake – his first since signing from the ACT Brumbies - and Sunia Vuli Koto set them on their way, with full-back Romain Martial grabbing their third midway through the second-half. Christopher Ruiz converted all three, and also landed a trio of penalties, as they eased passed a Union side reliant on Henri-Pierre Vermis’ boot for all of their points.

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Unbeaten Grenoble also made it three wins from three as they overcame Colomiers 22-12 to confirm their early play-off credentials.

Damien Vidal’s four first-half penalties kicked them into a 12-6 interval lead, helped in part by two Colomiers players – Romain Mémain and Sébastien Busato – both being sin-binned.

Vidal’s fifth successful kick extended the lead five minutes after the restart, before Jonathan Best touched down for the game’s only try (on 50 minutes) to ensure the win.

Two late Ben Martin penalties reduced the arrears for Colomiers – adding to Frédéric Pujo’s brace of first-half efforts - but weren’t enough to secure the defensive bonus as they went down to a second successive away defeat.

Lyon OU are the only other team with a 100% win record following their 15-9 away win at Pau, with fly-half Pierre-Yves Montagnat their hero once again. The former Oyonnax player claimed all of Lyon’s points as he scored a try in each half – taking his season’s tally to three - and further added a 39^th-minute penalty for good measure. This follows his 26-point haul against Aix-en-Provence last weekend, and confirms him as the division’s leading scorer.

For their part, Pau were still very much in the game right until the final whistle, but had to content themselves with a defensive bonus point thanks to Andre Hough’s two penalties and a 54th-minute drop-goal from Sébastien Descons. At that point they lead 9-8, but Montagnat’s second try (on 66 minutes) proved decisive as Lyon followed up on their earlier home wins against Union and Aix-en-Provence.

SU Agen - many people's favourites for the title - made it back-to-back home wins as they beat Aurillac 14-6 on Sunday afternoon.

The hosts were 0-6 down when Fijian winger Rupeni Caucaunibuca touched down (for his first try of the season) just before the interval, but powered 14-6 ahead within 10 minutes when scrum-half Sylvain Dupuy doubled their tally. Francois Gelez converted both efforts to give Agen a six-point advantage, and that's how it remained until the end.

Frustratingly for Aurillac all 14 or Agen's points were scored while Australian full-back Graydon Staniforth - who had earlier slotted a drop-goal - was off the pitch for a yellow card.

Relegated Mont-de-Marsan are struggling to re-adjust to life in ProD2 with their 36-12 defeat at Tarbes confirming there is still much work to be done. ‘Les Montois’ struggled to a 22-21 opening day home win against La Rochelle, but followed up with a home reverse against Grenoble in round two.

On Saturday they were thumped by Tarbes on their visit away trip of the season, with their hosts outscoring them by three tries to nil to pick up the attacking bonus despite having Paul Dabrin sent off in the 68^th minute.

South African back row Cilliers Coetzer, former Mont-de-Marsan player Pierre Caillet and scrum-half Krist Kopetsky all touched down for Tarbes, with the latter’s effort four minutes from time securing the extra point. Richard Apanui did the remainder of the scoring with two conversions, four penalties and a drop-goal as he mustered 19 points on his own.

Mont-de-Marsan could only manage four Yannick Lafforgue penalties in reply – two in each half – and also had Julian Florini yellow carded just before the interval.

Dax have adjusted more successfully following their own relegation, and on Sunday clocked up an impressive attacking bonus after their 27-6 home win against Oyonnax - last season's beaten play-off finalists.

Centre Laurent Marticorena got them ticking when he opened the scoring with his 12th-minute try, with full-back David Bortolussi adding the extras. Oyonnax replied through a brace of Sébastien Bouillot penalties, but slipped further behind when Fijian centre Ratu Naisa Narukutabua touched down for Dax's second try shortly after half-time.

Bortolussi converted again, and was on target once more when South African flanker Jannie Bornman got try number three just beyond the hour mark to ensure Thomas Lièvremont's side took maximum points.

Lowly Lannemezan had five players yellow-carded as they lost 28-3 away to local rivals FC Auch Gers.

Christophe Dasque was first off when he got sin-binned with the match less than 60 seconds old, and he was followed onto the sidelines by Romain Miro (30^th minute), Luc Lafforgue (40^th), Damien Costanzo (53^rd) and Eric Lacrampe (77^th) as the ProD2 newcomers struggled to retain discipline.

Auch weren’t blameless themselves, as Mathieu Acebes (20^th minute) and Sergio Valdes (69^th) both saw yellow, but in-between they made their superiority count as Mathieu Peluchon, Alexandre Ricaud and Stéphan Saint-Lary all touched down during a dominant first half.

Vincent Cortes added two out of three conversions, as well as three penalties, as the home side built up a 28-3 advantage at the interval. Lannemezan did at least manage to hold firm in the second half, but a trip before the league beak is probably on the cards after having five men sin-binned during the game.

Aix-en-Provence, like Lannemezan, remain win-less after three rounds following their 16-22 home defeat to La Rochelle on Sunday.

Benjamin Dambielle kicked the visitors into a 6-3 half-time lead, an advantage they stretched to 10 points when he converted Thomas Combezou's 54th-minute try. Three more Dambielle penalties lifted La Rochelle 22-6 clear with just eight minutes remaining, but the hosts then scored a quickfire 10 points to at least earn themselves a defensive bonus.

First, Antonie Lescalmel kicked a penalty - his third of the game - before replacement lock Sylvain Changeat touched down in the final minute. It still required Lescalmel's conversion to seal the bonus, but the fly-half duly obliged to enable Aix-en-Provence to double their season's points haul.

The win was La Rochelle's first of the new campaign, following narrow away defeats at Mont-de-Marsan and SU Agen. 

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