The Columérins confirmed their good start to the season, with a third victory in four matches, against Valence-Romans (24-17). But beyond the positive result, Julien Sarraute’s men were disrupted throughout the match by a good opposing team, who lost the defensive bonus in the final moments.
Accustomed to narrow successes at the start of the season, Colomiers could have signed a new victory of less than three points, if Robin Bellemand had not decided to deprive the Damiers of a defensive bonus, at the end of the match (24-17), this Friday, September 20. In the end, the Columérins confirmed their position in the upper echelons of the championship, condemning at the same time the VRDR to a new defeat, the fourth in as many matches. The head at the bottom of the ranking.
Difficulties in touch
However, the evening had started well, with a try in the fourth minute of play, scored by Mosese Mawalu. His conclusion at the end of the line and his nonchalant attitude when he touched down, had suggested the beginnings of a great evening, focused on the offensive. Alas, a screen from his third-row, Spanderashvili, a few passes earlier canceled out this first achievement. We will have to wait to see a show. And wait a long time, because the first forty minutes offer no concrete action.
“No Scrum no win” says the famous Anglo-Saxon formula, to evoke the importance of the scrum in a game of rugby. “No line-out, no game” we could add, to signify the importance of missed touches on the game. Or the absence of play.
A soporific first period
De la Vega nevertheless scored two penalties (18th and 34th). Opposite, Méret equalized for the first time at 3-3 (29th), then missed a drop (40th) and a long-range penalty after the siren (40 + 3rd, 6-3).
As a snub to the first forty minutes, the first try of the game was successive… with one touch. In numerical superiority after the break, the Valentino-Romanais equalized (48th, 6-6) then took the lead thanks to a try by Goze, on a penetrating group (60th, 9-11). The end of a long sequence of domination.
The game is getting heated
The match finally got going, and the locals quickly regained the lead, on a penalty from de la Vega (64th, 12-11). A few minutes later, he missed the target but his team escaped on the scoreboard with a try from hooker Théo Lachaud (68th, 19-11). Without being brilliant, the Haut-Garonnais were heading towards a new success… But Fabien Fortassin’s men, who have not yet tasted victory this season, persevered. They took advantage of Columérine’s indiscipline (70th and 74th) to offer themselves a suspenseful end to the match (74th, 19-17).
Valence-Romans still can’t do it
On the return of the last penalty, Lhusero is knocked out by a charge from Timu. A fact of play, and a long interruption, which seem to cut the legs of the men at the Checkers. Worse, they concede a last try at the very end of the game (80th, 24-17) and go out of the defensive bonus nails. A new defeat which condemns them to last place. The reception of Agen, next Friday, already proves to be very important.
