Pro D2 round seven: Top two lose as La Rochelle go level with Racing Metro

28 October 2008

A converted Nicolas Mouret try 10 minutes from time gave Pau a one-point home win against leaders Racing Metro ’92.

The Parisians looked to be heading for their sixth win in seven as former All Black fly half Andrew Mehrtens kicked them into 15-9 lead, but winger Mouret’s late try brought the home side back to within a point before Descons landed the match-winning conversion.

The result was a massive boost for Pau, who had only won twice previously this season, and lifted them to 11th position.

Racing remain top despite the defeat as Albi, who were in second place, also lost at the weekend, going down 19-6 away to Union Bordeaux-Begles.

Both sides slotted a brace of penalties apiece in a tight first half, but Bordeaux pulled clear after the interval as Thomas Duvallet added two further kicks before Canadian lock Joshua Jackson scored the game’s only try 11 minutes from time.

The loss, only Albi’s second of the campaign, saw them drop to fourth place as they were leap-frogged by both La Rochelle and Aurillac.

La Rochelle earned a bonus point for their 23-18 home win over Lyon OU with all the points shared between Remy Vaquin and Sebastien Boboul. Back row Vaquin scored a try in each half, while Boboul kicked two penalties, a conversion and added his own try 15 minutes after the half-time interval.

Peclier’s four first-half drop goals gave the visitors hope but they only had two Jeandre Fourie penalties to show for their efforts after the break as La Rochelle exerted their dominance and climbed level on points with leaders Racing Metro.

Aurillac bounced back to winning ways, and up to third, courtesy of their 20-11 away win against bottom club Bourg-en-Bresse.

The visitors got off to the perfect start when winger Valentin crossed for a first-minute try, but they were made to work hard for their win and had to wait until the second half before adding to their points.

Fijian wing Fero Lasagavibau grabbed Albi’s second try shortly after break and Georgian Malkhaz Urjukashvili added a penalty to extend the lead before Namibian back row Jacques Nieuwenhuis went over seven minutes from time to confirm the result. But the crucial winning bonus point slipped through their hands when Bourg’s Anthony Frenet scored a last-minute try.

Christophe Ruiz contributed 17 points with his boot as RC Narbonne made it back-to-back wins with a 25-22 home win against SU Agen.

The home side followed up last week’s maiden win against Bordeaux – in which Ruiz scored 16 points – with another gritty performance built on Xavier Madaule’s fifth-minute try.

Ruiz added the conversion and three penalties to give them 16-9 interval lead, with all of Agen’s points coming from the boot of Romain Sola.

Tongan Opeti Fonua narrowed the gap when he went over for an Agen try early in the second half, but three more penalties gave the home side enough breathing space despite a late second try from the visitors when Fabrice Culine scored four minutes from time.

The result lifted Narbonne to 13th place, but they are now only three points behind seventh-placed Bordeaux in a congested mid-table.

Tries in each half by Mamadou Koita and Denis Lison secured Grenoble a narrow 23-19 home win against struggling Tarbes.

The hosts led 10-6 at half-time but found themselves 19-17 down with 20 minutes to play after English full-back Rory Teague (four penalties and a conversion) and a Sebastien Caujolle try had given Tarbes hope of an unlikely win. But Lison’s 61st-minute try, converted by Pierre Alexandre Dut, proved decisive, although they still dropped a position after Oyonnax earned a bonus point for their 30-9 hammering of Beziers.

Full back Pierre Yves Montagnat enjoyed a fine game for the visitors, opening the scoring with his 10th-minute try before adding three conversions and a penalty to cap an excellent personal performance.

There was also a pair of second-half tries for Jerome Naves, while Bertrand Guilloux kicked two penalties to complete the scoring.

Thomas Pochelu kicked three penalties for the home side, but they remain rooted in the bottom two, level on points with basement club Bourg-en-Bresse after their fifth defeat in seven.

Colomiers overturned a 9-6 half-time deficit to beat FC Auch Gers 24-15 thanks to tries from Mehadji Tidjini and Julien Tourtoulou. Pujo added 14 points with his boot to secure the home side’s third win of the season, lifting them to ninth position in the process. Frederic Couzier’s five penalties accounted for all of the visitors points.
 

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