With Tony Gigot in MVP mode (1 try and 3 assists), and a magnificent first half, Albi did not miss his first home match. The Tigers won 30-16 against SO Avignon, who missed the defensive bonus point in the last minutes of the match.
For their first chain, the Albigensians play the shot in their forty meters, and following a breakthrough, Tony Gigot finishes the action by opening the score, and Julien Cancé transforms, (1′, 6-0). During the second foray into the Vaucluse camp, Tony Gigot connects with Nittim Pedrero, for a magnificent kick, concluded in the corner by the leaping winger, (8′, 10-0).
Joris Canton’s men continue to be realistic, and the great Corentin Le Cam, in force, scores another try for the Tigers, (14′, 16-0). The Bisons do not give up despite the difficult start, and Ayoub Mezyani in force, lights the awakening of SO Avignon, (21′, 16-6).
The two teams continue to hold their own, but the magic of Tony Gigot hits the mark once again. A copy and paste of Nittim Pedrero’s first try takes place, with a kick from the Avignon-trained flyhalf, and the winger is better placed than his opponent for the reception (30′ 20-6). On a fifth down played by hand, Albi is surprised, the ball is messed up, and Fabien Jullien does not miss this opportunity to bring his team back to the score before the break, (36′ 20-10).
Indiscipline
The two teams neutralize each other at the restart, and Avignon is on the verge of scoring, but an illegal screen causes the try to be refused. And that was all it took for Albi to take the match back into his own hands. And who else than Brad Wall, on a lightning hook, for Albi to get some air, (49′ 26-10).
Then, a scuffle, following a bad move by Maxime Grosson, led to a red card, which caused the Vauclusiens to end up numerically inferior. The match therefore enters into a false rhythm, and both teams make numerous mistakes. And indiscipline will be the word of this second period, Ben Shea, author of a dangerous tackle, takes a yellow card. And his return will therefore only be for the last two minutes of the match. The Avignonnais succeed in concretizing their domination and Hakim Ed Dermoune manages to surprise the Albigensians, in order to make it happen at the foot of the posts, (73′ 26-16).
On a great action, with a magnificent chistera from Corentin Le Cam, Nittim Pedrero scored his hat-trick, which sealed the Albigensian victory (76′ 30-16). And to end the match, two yellow cards will be shown. To Tony Gigot for refereeing dispute, and to Mouadh Bida for a high tackle.
Albi therefore ends its first match in this Super XIII season with a 30-16 victory after the stoppage at Pia, while Avignon, despite its defeat, will have shown good things.
