Friday evening in the Tarn, Albi and Périgueux delivered a high -level match with serious certainties at the dawn of the final phase for which they qualified.
To observe the Albigensian’s face at the final whistle on Friday, we would have thought that they had just bowed to a solid team of Périgueux. The dordognots, during a final effort beyond regulatory time came, by marking their second test of the evening, just removing the offensive bonus from their opponents and to snatch a defensive bonus. Théo Siboul, one of the Albigensian jointnters, will entrust it: “In the end, the players were all a little headless but I told the guys when we won!” »» This is undoubtedly that the new face of Albi. Since six games (including five victories) and the sidelining of the Duo Bonello Albouy, this team has been completely transformed and is hungry for rugby. She does not hesitate to send games everywhere, even if it means taking risks. But she has this ability to undermine her opponent. Even if the latter, like Périgueux, manages to disrupt the game plan, they show adaptability and manage to regain control.
Against Périgueux, faced with a tip defense which cut the exteriors, they mastered the alternation of the game at the foot to offer four trials to an audience with angels. Always Théo Siboul: “We push the players to adapt. We do it a lot in training and it has been seen. Despite their young age, by putting healthy learning conditions, confidence, enthusiasm and pleasure, it makes it possible to harvest the fruits. »» Qualified for the dams, which they will certainly play outside, they have already achieved their objective. They even risk being a scarecrow, as their appetite is great. released outside and on the field, the players are transfigured and no longer seem to fear anything. A major asset at the dawn of the final phase, especially since they will be in the shoes of the hunter and not the hunt.
Two teams, two assets
On the Périgueux side the smiles were also in order. The defensive bonus, torn off at the end of the match, keeps them in the race at a home dam before the reception of Rouen. This real eighth finals, in a rebuilding gongrairales, could have a follow -up in the event of a victory against the Normans. Didier Casadéï, the lucid capist manager, knows that there is still work: “Against Albi, we were inside and it is a good point in view of the match. Our goalscorer allowed us to hold the scoring when we were dominated. Defensively, we were not good, we fell. We were dominated on all the combat phases. I do not know if this bonus point is deserved but in any case, we take it. Now, if we go in the final phase without fighting, we will take a look and it will stop. »» Admittedly, but when we look at the power released by his men and the experience they have, we can serenely think that they will be difficult to maneuver in May.
The performance delivered by the two teams shows that even if they are not part of the favorites announced at the start of the season, such as Chambéry, Narbonne or Rouen, it will be necessary to count on them. Each has its own story. Périgueux again tastes at high level after years of scarcity and legitimately becomes ambitious. Albi freed himself from his obligation to find Prod2 and has a group with unsuspected resources. Clearly, they have nothing to lose and everything to gain. These are their future informed opponents.
