“There, no one said that we were the team at Ferrasse…” Pierre Berbizier looks back on the 1987 semi-final lost by SU Agen against Toulon

Player as usual, often dominant and yet eliminated. The semi-final lost against Toulon (18-16) in 1987 left a very bitter memory at the SUA, as evidenced by the emblematic scrum half Pierre Berbizier who, as a fine strategist, knew how to learn from it. “It's not a big game. It was close, like all the matches against Toulon. We had already had a difficult quarter against Clermont, won narrowly (13-12). So those were phases. very competitive finals. In these matches, everything counts, and we were not able to swing this match to our side. We did not control the details and I also remember that we were missing points. This will explain our season. 1988 where our approach changed. We came out of two years where we were very close and we realized that pragmatism often prevails, which the spectator does not always understand.

“There, no one said we were the Ferrasse team…”

A penalty from Var full-back Bianchi crucified the Agenais in the 79th minute. “It’s quite hard, quite cruel. There, no one said that we were the team in Ferrasse…” The opportunity for the international to clarify the label of protected team which stuck to Sporting's skin: “This context weighed on the refereeing. I experienced a period in Agen where I did not feel the effects of these elements… We knew from the inside the rivalry between Guy Basquet and Albert Ferrasse while everyone outside thought that it was the opposite, we were as much advantaged as we were penalized… and even more often penalized… It's this paradox that I experienced at the SUA.

A year earlier, Agen had completely dominated these same Toulonnais, at the same stage of the competition (38-18). “In 1986, everything had succeeded for us. We had experienced the exceptional and it's difficult to understand for the spectator again: we expected the SUA to always be like that. But in 1986, the first half had was difficult. In 1987, the Toulonnais had learned from the previous year. And then they had a very good team.

“When I see that we are talking about infernal rates today…”

From a more personal point of view, this meeting saw Pierre Berbizier face Jérôme Gallion, often presented as a rival in this rugby of the 80s. But he assures us, this parameter did not weigh on the meeting: “During the match, we put it aside. It was not the first confrontation. It had lasted since 1981, it was not new.

Stunned, the SUA will collapse following in the final of the Challenge Du Manoir against Grenoble (26-7). One match too many for a tired team: “When I see people talking about hellish pace today… We had to see in our time! And what's more, we had to work. The seasons were very long with little recovery: It started with the Autumn Shield, the tours, the Tournament… All that put together, it weighed.”

“The Brennus of 1988 was not appreciated at its true value”

The following spring, Agen would be crowned at the end of a narrow final, which the former coach accepts: “In 1988, Tarbes was waiting for us to offer. The final phase matches are relatively always closed. For example, we have much has been said about the 1985 final between Toulouse and Toulon but if we remove the extra time, it was a closed match. This Brennus was not appreciated at its true value. Some will have criticized the Agenais for having played against nature. But the disappointment of 1987 had been so great…