Tarbes 30 – Périgueux 23
Lieu Tarbes (Maurice-Trélut stadium). Spectators 1 500 environ. Arbitrator M. Maset (Occitanie). Half time 13-6.
TARBES Three tries from Mamao (18th, 47th), Waqaninavatu (78th); three transformations and three penalties (3rd, 38th, 58th) from Pérez.
The team: Artaud – Latorre (Lhomy, 80th), Mamao, Rawaca, Paulet (Waqaninavatu, 72nd) – (o) Perez, (m) Thebault (Brocal, 67th) – Salman, Matalaweru, Armary (cap., Manu, 73rd) – Manu (Mirtskhulava, 28th-39th then St. William, 63rd), Peytavi (Soufflet, 53rd) – Vea, Lamothe (Dolier, 53rd), Baggiani (Bessonart, 53rd, Mirtskhulava, 73rd).
Yellow cards: Paulet (14th), Baggiani (25th), Matalaweru (52th).
PERIGEUX Two tries from Merigan (45th), Couturier (80th + 4); two transformations and three penalties (15th, 26th, 53rd) from Camou.
The team: Camou – Fouillade, Lavernhe (Neisen, 41e), Couturier (cap.), Hickes – (o) Kotze, (m) Green (Bordenave, 69e) – Konate (Lambert, 65e), Merigan, Storm (Amosa, 48e) – Lavergne (Pace, 71e), Lanen – Tawake (Pelmard, 55e), Leiataua (Martin, 55e), Vidal (Tindilière, 55e).
Yellow card: Konate (47e).
Friday the 13th did not bring luck to CA Périgueux. Although it was not just bad luck that the Capistes let their last match of the year slip away, in Tarbes (30-23).
In the corridors of a refrigerated Maurice-Trélut stadium, the words disappointment and inefficiency recurred on everyone's lips in Perigord. The sky and white can harbor regrets, as they had the space to overthrow Tarbais who were more aggressive and opportunistic than talented. “We chased the score, we generally lacked control. The players showed desire but, at this level, you have to be efficient,” underlines Didier Casadéi, the Périgord manager.
Upside down
According to the technician's accounts, his players entered the opposing 22 meters 14 times, for only two tries, including one at the very end of the match, to bring back the defensive bonus point, scored by Cyril Couturier who confirms his status as top scorer capiste (five). “We have a team of character, which allows us to save a little furniture,” he explains. The discipline was catastrophic, we got our game plan wrong, these are the ingredients for defeat. »
By adding five lost throws in touch, it complicates things. “We made disciplinary errors, we were deficient on throws. We had the cards in hand to win but we conceded 30 points…”, lists Casadéi, who dismisses any idea of complacency after the victory in Rouen (9-19).
Encore 30 points ?
Despite the disappointment, the Capistes can be satisfied with a successful first part of the season. “We could have been 2nd in the British rankings [NDLR : calculé en soustrayant les points perdus à la maison à ceux gagnés à l’extérieur]regrets Casadéi. But we would have signed for this assessment at the truce. We realize that we have qualities and that gives us motivation. »
“The results could have been remarkable if we had won in Tarbes. There, he is positive. We all have the idea in mind of playing a play-off at home with the new stadium arriving, says Couturier. This motivates us and provides us with a common thread. » CAP is 4th with 50 points, knowing that, last season, Chambéry qualified with 80 points (91 were needed to play the play-off at home). By the end of the season, the Ciel et Blanc will play six times at Dantou for five trips. To achieve the objective, “we have to justify our new status of being among the big guys,” says the center. We see it by losing here, we cannot rest on our laurels. »
Reprise
The success in Rouen convinced the Capiste staff to grant an additional day of vacation to the players. They would have had two more in the event of victory in the Hautes-Pyrénées. Alas, the resumption was therefore set for Friday January 3, two weeks before the first match of the year 2025, January 18 in Chambéry (the CAP is exempt on the 11th).
