Pro D2 – After three defeats, danger already awaits the eleventh-ranked Agenais

It takes time for Sébastien Calvet and his staff to build their project. That's a certainty. Do they really have any? That's less certain. After eleven days, the Lot-et-Garonnais are only two small units ahead of the fifteenth in Pro D2 and five over Nice, the bottom of the championship.

The fault of the last three meetings of the last block. By rotating, the SUA lost heavily in Grenoble (37-10) even if he deserved better given the appearance of the match. Behind, he lost by one point to Angoulême (30-29) when he could (should?) have won. Finally, it was the Sapiacan neighbor who came to plunge Armandie into doubt (18-25) by winning there for the third time in three years. With ten points taken in six matches, for fifteen targets, it is therefore a failed block for the SUA. At the same time, the group lost its captain, Arnaud Duputs, for the next three or even four months due to a serious shoulder injury. There is therefore concern, even if Sébastien Calvet's first words after the rout against Montauban were clear: “We are not in crisis!” Either. But his men no longer have time. And the upcoming schedule is not going to help them. Two trips to Béziers and Brive for two receptions from Oyonnax and Aurillac which are in approximately the same situation as Agen. There is no more calculation to do, you just have to earn points.

Duputs (in)dependence

Arnaud Duputs' partners will have to take on this challenge without him. And this is where the other leaders will have to take over. The captain of the group is unanimous and his absence is felt as soon as he is not on the field. This is evidenced against Sapiac, where the Agenais were heckled in the rucks, an area in which they usually perform well. The Olmstead, Demotte, Farré or Lebian will be responsible for taking over, and Raoul-Barrière will have to respond as of Friday.

After a few days of rest, the Armandie residents returned to training on Thursday, almost in full force since only the injured and Kolinio Ramoka, recently concussed, were missing. The objective now is to remove the danger before the winter break period. This, by making up for the points forgotten at home against Montauban, while ensuring the two crucial receptions in quick succession. Suffice to say that the challenge is great, but the Lot-et-Garonnais (already) no longer have the time.