Top 14 – Bayonne takes on Vannes without firing a shot

“J“I think there are three times as many mistakes as there can be.” concedes Bayonne coach Gerard Fraser. “When we already have eight fouls for offside, it’s way too many.” Vannes had prepared their meeting on the basis of the reception against Gloucester the previous weekend, with possession as the key word. A possession that they had for more than two-thirds of the match against the Bayonnais suffering in their 22 meters, with more than fifteen penalties conceded in this area and two yellow cards normally inflicted by Kevin Bralley on Tuilagi and Carreras , in the first period.

But Bayonne was able to count on three factors: a slow match, no or almost no momentum between three stoppages in play due to problems with referee microphones, video refereeing; Breton weather with squalls of rain making it difficult to play by hand; finally, their individual and collective quality of density and courage in defense in the (many) highlights of the Vannetais, a few meters from their goal line. “The weather conditions were a little tricky to play”continue Fraser. “In the first half, we were precise, if we have to look for the positive. Our defense is our positive side. We found the energy to make up for losing shots during the match.”

Incredible indiscipline

Bruni will have been the symbol of the Rabine-style ruin of the Vannes attempts as well as the hooker Martin, upwind executioner with 16 tackles. And what can we say about this try, the third and last for Bayonne, scored shortly before half-time when the Vannes had just come back to three points? On the dismissal, Vannes and Ruru delayed too much and a seemingly easy exit from the camp turned into a scrum a few meters away for Bayonne and the break attempt before returning to the locker room (14-21, half-time). Bayonne was then in the lead despite a shortage of balls and incredible indiscipline (14 penalties and free kicks, two yellow cards).

Maxime Machenaud, the Basques scrum half, who has seen others in his career, had never seen this: being able to win despite his very dark red performance markers. “It’s true that it’s an away victory but we don’t have the impression of having won tonight (Saturday evening, Editor’s note). We have to savor because there are still four points, we are fourth tonight but we are lucid about this match, very poor in content. For his hundredth in the Rowing jersey, pillar Swan Cormenier was in unison with the group: happy with the victory, but lucid about performance and discipline. “We take too many penalties, too many cards, we can't manage to occupy ourselves but we “gets paid” every time we approach their line. We were imprecise but in terms of defense, no one gave up. It’s our state of mind that made it happen positively.”