MFewer audiences than expected, this Sunday afternoon, in the Blagnac stands to witness the arrival of the double title holders from Gironde, but there were still plenty of people on the field. Starting with Toulouse suburbanites called to revolt following the setback suffered by Romagnat last Sunday (38-0). Moreover, just a few minutes after the opening score, against the course of the game, to the advantage of rivals more able to see it coming, these same Blagnacaises logically take the lead.
With Melissande Llorens to catch everyone off guard on the left side via one of those excesses of which the little sister of the Rieumes hooker has the secret. Buoyed by its pride as a hegemonic leader, Stade Bordelais abandoned a well-placed penalty on the shooting range for a throw-in. As in the memorable 2023 final, his pack breaks the opposing bridgehead: 8-5. Continuing the collective, by way of alternation, the feat of Morgane Bourgeois who offers herself a “straight” southern hemisphere style for the break test: 15-5. The underdog is not at the end of his troubles because, for good measure, there is nothing like a forward/three-quarter sequence. This time, it's Lachance who tears the curtain, just to widen the gap a little further.
Huge favorites
Returning from the locker room, although Lavabre's first attack was narrowly stopped, the favorite nonetheless delivered an additional blow. Again and again the pack to structure itself in advance, the conclusion being the work of Khalfaoui. The offensive bonus is virtually in the pocket (four tries to one) but the Girondines are not content with managing the ascendancy confirmed on the scoreboard.
The Lionesses are now 9 points ahead of second-placed ASM Romagnat
Their influence on the debates is increasing, and, more importantly, the collective performance is not diminishing, quite the contrary, with the entry on the scene of the substitutes. Fortunately, Blagnac held on in defense and only conceded two tries, which, in absolute terms, is far from being a negligible quantity. Nevertheless, the formation of François Ratier, by finishing this first phase undefeated and on the hats of wheels, is more than ever a favorite in his own succession.
On the Blagnac side, we will console ourselves as best we can, the defeat of Bobigny at home removing, in a certain way, a real thorn in the side of the defeated. Be careful though of the return in force of the Grenobloises, visiting the banks of the Garonne on January 18 for a double or nothing “eight points” with a view to qualifying in fourth position.
Blagnac 8 – Bordeaux 41
Lieu Blagnac (Ernest Argeles stadium) Arbitrator M. Gryselier Half time 22-5.
BLAGNAC 1 try by Llorens (21st); 1 Abadie penalty (42nd).
The team Dupouy (Necer, 77th) – Boulard, Viarouge (Mac Calman, 46th), Vernier (cap), Llorens – (o) Abadie (Lechardoy, 61st), (m) Lenoir (Martin, 61st); Jamet, Dal Lago, Augé – Baret (Simioni, 59th), Desjardins (Mignotte, 56th) – Joyeux (Belebbad, 70th), Necer (Grasset, 65th), Domain (Pereira da Silva, 75th).
Yellow card Grasset (69e)
BORDEAUX 6 tries from Sochat (25th), Bourgeois (32nd), Lachance (38th), Khalfaoui (45th), Cissokho (68th), Barcelot (74th); 1 penalty from Bourgeois (12th); 4 Bourgeois transformations (33rd, 38th, 45th, 68th).
The team Bourgeois – Ibanez (Hellrigel, 70th), Condé (Bernet, 63rd), Lachance (Barcelot, 70th), Lavabre – (o) Arbez, (m) Pelletier – Peyras, Forteza, Annery (Cissokho, 63rd) – Washington (Vander Elst , 60th), Besson – Khalfaoui (Baleinadogo, 73rd), Sochat (cap) (Zdzioblo, 68th), Borak (Kouyaté, 57th).
