the essential
Despite a good performance, Avenir Valencian conceded a draw, 21-21, against Auch, frustrating players and supporters. A missed opportunity to celebrate Captain Guillaume Dulay’s birthday with dignity.
The day before Sunday’s meeting, the “sky and white” were determined to offer a great victory to their oldest member of the team, Guillaume Dulay who was just celebrating his 40th birthday at the Auch reception.
Alas! there was a little missing for the balance to tip to the right side, it remained in balance, with a draw result, 21 to 21. It was really disappointment in the Valencian ranks, players, staff and managers felt frustrated, begin the co-president Alain Demo who was cursing at the end of the meeting: “It’s annoying not to have won, it would have been a nice gift for Guillaume (Dulay) who was celebrating his 40th birthday this On Sunday, we really would have liked to give him the victory.”
This meeting had started well with an icy cold, from the first minute, the locals were on the attack from the second minute, Thomas Piquemal threw a ball back as he knows how to do well and a pass for Alexis Rey who pointed completely in the corner . Alas! the transformation will barely be missed.
Departure with fanfare, and a few minutes later, a favorable scrum, Roy Lolesio who escapes 5 meters from the goal line but the try will not be scored, this would have allowed Guillaume Dulay’s teammates to comfortably lead in less of a quarter of an hour. At half-time, 11 to 11, everything is still possible but after a back and forth at the end of the game, victory will elude the locals. The Valencian locker room was disappointed, the two points from the draw were not enough, we hoped for better.
Nicolas Crubile’s analysis
We will build our week around the positive points of this match: our defense, our transition game, our touch, our ability to link our forward-three-quarter play, even if we can, and we will, do even better on these sectors. I also find that we marked them physically, which is a reference indicator of our game. We have three highlights, in which we do not score, in close matches, like this weekend, that counts a lot. We know we have to improve on this to be harder to play. This will also involve a little more alternation of forms of play. Concerning the melee, after reviewing the images, the shift is made more on decisions than on real domination. This is regrettable, because these are decisions with variable geometry. There is also a lot of lobbying in this area, it is up to us to do what is necessary to show a different image and to adapt to observables which evolve every week.
The hull for “Guigui”
Valencian leaders had planned to mark the birthday of Guillaume Dulay, b. 9, captain on Sunday, by offering him a beautiful hull which was tasted on the spot by his teammates. To blow out the candles, he was able to count on his granddaughter Elaia and mother Maëliss.
Pre-match meal. Once again, the pre-match meal brought together more than 130 guests, including Auch supporters and many former Valencia players. We also noticed the presence of Michel Ambal who had coached the Valencian Future before joining the USM and Alain Demo, in his welcome speech, did not fail to underline this with a thought for Marceau, the father.
The aligot-sausage, concocted by the Benoît Guizot and Greg Rachail gang, was very popular.
The kick-off. It was given by Sébastien Bagni in the presence of Telethon representatives.
