ProD2, r5: Agen take move top after 22-16 win over Grenoble; Provence grab first win

28 September 2009

Pre-season promotion favourites SU Agen took over top spot in ProD2 on Sunday, following their 22-16 home win over previous leaders Grenoble.

The combined boots of Agen's Romain Sola (three pens) and Grenoble's Pierre-Alexandre Dut (on pen and two drop-goals) dominated the opening period as the two teams were locked together 9-9 at the interval, but the hosts then surged ahead when Fijian winger Rupeni Caucaunibuca touched down just two minutes after the restart.

Sola was on target with the conversion and yet another penalty just five minutes later as Agen threatened to pull clear, but Grenoble fought back almost immediately through centre Pierre Aguillon's 49th-minute try.

Dut added the extras and it remained 19-16 until nine minutes from the end when Sola's fifth successful penalty finally secured the Agen win. The result lifted them level with Grenoble on 18 points, but the hosts are now top by dint of their narrowly superior points differential (+39 to Grenoble's +37).

ProD2 Table 2009/10 / ProD2 Transfers / ProD2 Fixtures & Results 2009/10

RC Narbonne slipped from second to third after they became the first team to lose to newly promoted Aix-en-Provence, going down 24-19 as fly-half Antonie Lescalmel kicked the home side to a ground-breaking win.

The 21-year-old landed six penalties and a brace of drop-goals as the hosts led from the sixth-minute onwards. Four first-half penalties gave them a 12-9 half-time advantage, and three more successes soon after the restart further extended that to 21-9.

With time running out Narbonne's Christopher Ruiz narrowed the gap with a 61st-minute penalty, before winger Romain Martial grabbed the game's only try just a minute later to set up a nerve-wracking finale. Ruiz added the conversion as the visitors threatened to spoil the day, but Lescalmel's 66th-minute penalty was enough to see Provence home for the win and the massive psychological boost it should also provide after four successive defeats.

It also had the significant affect of lifting Provence out of the relegation zone, at the expense of Colomiers (see below).

Thomas Lièvremont's Dax remain fourth after they lost 16-14 at Pau and missed their own opportunity to claim the ProD2 lead.

The visitors were within two minutes of the league summit before home fly-half Andre Hough kicked the last of his three successful penalties to send the crowd into delirium. It was only Pau's second league win of a so-far stuttering campaign, but could be the springboard to an upsurge in form from Midi-Pyrenees side.

Hough and Dax's Anthony Lagardère kicked a pair of penalties apiece to leave the score 6-6 at half-time, but the hosts opened up a seven-point advantage shortly after the restart when replacement centre Grégory Puyo grabbed the game's opening try.

Lagardère's third penalty success brought Dax back to within four points, and the visitors then looked set for a valuable away win when Fijian winger Narukutabua Ratu Naisa scored his third try in five games with just seven minutes left.  But, crucially, Lagardère missed the ensuing conversion, paving the way for Hough to become the match-winner with his final penalty success two minutes from time.

Fifth-placed Lyon OU also lost as they narrowly failed to fight back from a 9-22 half-time deficit at home to Oyonnax - last season's beaten play-off finalists.

ProD2's top-scorer Pierre-Yves Montagnat gave the hosts an early 3-0 lead when he slotted a seventh-minute penalty - against his former club - but Oyonnax responded with the only try of the match when Romanian centre Dan Dumitru  touched down just two minutes later.

Full-back Sylver Tian kicked the conversion and added four penalties - together with one from Sébastien Bouillot - as the visitors then opened up their commanding 22-9 half-time lead.

Lyon improved their discipline after the break and gradually clawed their way back into contention through three more Montagnat penalties - taking his match points haul to 18 - but in the end the home side had to settle for a losing bonus as Oyonnax held out for the win.

The only other away win was FC Auch Gers' 16-6 triumph at Mont-de-Marsan, who continue to struggle in their first season back in ProD2 following relegation from Top 14.

Replacement scrum-half Anthony Salle-Canne's scored the game's only try when he crossed for Auch in the 65th minute, adding to the earlier nine kicked points from the boots of Mathieu Peluchon (two pens) and Benjamin Felles (one). The latter also added the conversion to round off the win, with 'Les Montois' relying on 16th and 73rd-minute penalties for their six points.

Auch remain sixth despite the win, ahead of La Rochelle on points difference after the latter beat basement club Lannemezan 22-6.

Fly-half Benjamin Dambielle kicked 17 of the home side's points but still win-less Lannemezan remained within sight of a valuable losing bonus until former Brive winger Norman Ligairi scored the game's only try five minutes from time.

The latest reverse was fifth in five games for last season's Fédérale 1 champions, and they are now in danger of being cut adrift at the foot of the table after securing just one point to date, especially after Provence's home win over Narbonne.

Their nearest rivals are now Colomiers, who lost 22-12 at Aurillac despite the home side playing the last 43 minutes with just 14 men after lock Russian lock Andrei Ostrikov was sent off.

The home side were already 13-6 up by then thanks to a 20th-minute try from South African centre Jakobus Kemp, and eight points from the boot of English fly-half Rory Teague. The latter went on to add three more second-half penalties as Aurillac made light of their numerical disadvantage, with Colomiers' points via three penalties and a drop-goal from Frédéric Pujo.

The weekend's other match saw Tarbes beat Union Bordeaux-Bègles 15-12 as Krist Kopetsky (five pens) out-kicked Henri-Pierre Vermis (four pens).

Union had looked set for a crucial away win as Vermis slotted kicks number three and four in 70th and 76th minutes - to give the visitors a 9-12 lead - but Kopetsky replied with efforts in the 77th and 80th minutes as Tarbes dramatically stole it at the death.

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