The victory against Provence (25-0) was to serve as a copy to remember by heart, a reference match. The one on Aurillac this Friday (23-6) is clearly more forgettable. Handicapped by their slag, their indiscipline and their catastrophic success in touch (10 lost throws), the Biarrots took an interminable time to sanction the Cantalous who were not brilliant either. The essential is there, but it was laborious.
Apart from the color of the jerseys, it is difficult to differentiate the Aurillacois from the Provence players, completely dominated two weeks ago. In the first period, the Cantalous missed almost everything: their touches, first, with seven lost shots; their rare attacks, by dropping the ball or being pushed into a counter-ruck; their kicks, finally, clearing a little in a hurry each time, passing not far from the counter and unable to get out of their camp cleanly.
Sterile possession
The statistics at the half-hour mark spoke for themselves: 64% possession and 60% Biarritz occupation. Not enough to take the lead in the score though. The fault, once again, is a very bad touch. Before his exit in the 45th, Beheregaray suffered five lost shots. Far too much to really be able to establish the base of his team against the Cantalous who are nevertheless very undisciplined. Too bad, everything started well, with a try on a maul in the 5th minute for Beheregaray.
The result was a match without any real rhythm, and long minutes of discussing the other scores of the evening in the stands. And when not much is happening, we entertain ourselves as best we can. This Friday, it was the Biarritz pillar Dzamanashvili who amazed the gallery by stealing two hits and working to save three of his own, with more or less success and grace. In the score, we noted the penalty of the visiting opener Seunes who responded to Dolhagaray for a half-time at 10-3.
That it was long
The second half, more balanced, was hardly more enjoyable. Biarritz was failing in too many areas to drive the point home on the Cantalous a bit better. When it wasn't forwards or missed transmissions, it was still touches, even from five meters away, that Boris Bouhraoua's players collected. And this despite the return of Tolai as a heel. While also making a mistake, with a total of thirteen penalties conceded in the match.
We will have to do better, much better to take even just a point on Maurice-Boyau's pitch in Dax next Friday
We had to wait until the very end of the match to finally see a constructed try from the Biarrots with Hébert at the finish of a very beautiful movement and a school txik-txak from Aurrekoetxea.
The BO locker room challenged itself to get its second away victory in this block of four matches. We will have to do better, much better to take even just a point on Maurice-Boyau's pitch in Dax next Friday.
Kibirige injured
Holder in the last five matches of the BO and for nine of the first eleven days, winger Zach Kibirige was still scheduled with the number 14 on his back for the reception of Aurillac this Friday. But Biarritz's top scorer this season (five tries) was injured the day before the match and therefore took his place in the stands. He suffers from hamstring problems for an indefinite period of absence.
Biarritz 23 – Aurillac 6
Lieu Biarritz (Aguilera) Spectators 4 888 Referees M. Santamaria Half time 10-3
Biarritz 2 tries from Beheregaray (5th) and Hébert (80th); 2 Dolhagaray transformations (5th, 80th); 3 penalties from Dolhagaray (29th, 68th, 76th).
The team Jaminet – Tapie (Perraud 54e), Acebes (c), Vergnaud (David 59e), Cordin (Tapie 65e) – (o) Dolhagaray, (m) Biscay (Aurrekoetea 52e) – Hébert, Ma'afu (Douglas 50e), Jergerlehner (Imaz Agirre 59e) – Fa'asalele (Ma'afu 79e), Matthews – Dzmanashvili (Tukuafu 50e), Beheregaray (Tolai 45e), Nutsubidze (Plantier 50e)
Aurillac 2 penalties from Seunes (37th, 63rd).
The team Bevia (Cilliers 41e) – Pieters, Martin, Talalua, Coertzen – (o) Seunes, (m) Delarue (Hadinegoro 54e) – Oudard, Tison (c) (Perrin 58e), Masterson (De Jong 52e) – Moala (Bloemen 41e) ), Rolland (Moala 71e) – Robertson-McCoy (Welsch 63e), Khonelidze (Loughnane 41e), Rodgers (Mtchedlidze 57e)
