Rtowards these Agenais. There are certainly not many people who would have bet on them after 24 minutes of play this Thursday evening. Trailing 5-19 and 14 against 15 for the rest of the game (red card to Lombard-Buret, 23e), the affair seemed to be off to a bad start in a very frosty freezer version of Armandie. But despite nearly an hour outnumbered, Peyo Muscarditz’s partners found the resources to turn the tables and achieve a first success in 2025 (39-26). A week after losing their last hopes of qualification with a fourth loss at home this season against Provence Rugby (10-17), the Agenais give themselves a big breath of fresh air by joining the Biarrots in 9e place.
After receiving 5 penalty points to complete 2024 and suffering its first home loss of the season (10-25 against Soyaux-Angoulême) to start 2025, the BO passed in one month right on the 4e place at 10e (the SUA is ahead on the particular goal average) before going to challenge the leader Grenoble next Friday. Boris Bouhraoua’s men have probably also definitively given up on their hopes of entering the top 6. And from what they showed this Thursday evening in Armandie, it is perhaps much better that way . The SUA will go to Nevers next Friday with more peace of mind.
Placed at the back with the suspension of Franck Pourteau, Loris Tolot scored a double this Thursday (3rd, 40th) against the BO.
Loïc Déquier
The Agenais saw red
Leading at the break (26-19), the Agenais went through all the emotions during a spectacular first period with seven tries in total as a bonus. However, we didn’t give much of their skin when they were trailing by 14 points (5-19) in the 24the minute. The partners of former Bayonnais Peyo Muscarditz had just spent ten minutes in hell. After a test refused by the video to Bellot (14e), a Biarrot counter had allowed Acebes to launch his winger Tapie who hit over Searle to open the way to the goal (20e). The Agen left pillar Lombard-Buret then saw red for a cathedral tackle on Beheregaray (23e). And on the following action, Retière already scored the third try of the BO (24e).
“The Agenais give themselves a big breath of fresh air by joining the Biarrots in 9th place”
Loïc Déquier
Third row Valentin Gayraud scored the equalizer (19-19) in the first period.
After this quadruple blow of fate, the SUA could have collapsed a week after seeing its last hopes of qualification disappear. But outnumbered, Sébastien Calvet’s men rebelled to get back into the match in just five minutes. Captain Muscarditz first showed the way by taking a mousehole (28e). Then the third center line Valentin Gayraud played the bulldozers following a penalty to tie the scorers (19-19, 33e). Euphoric against the stunned Basques, the Agenais took advantage of a new penalty at 13 against 14 to take the advantage on a short side concluded by Tolot (40e). The rear of the SUA thus signed a double after a festival of entry canes (3e).
Loïc Déquier
Center Kolinio Ramoka scored the fifth and final try of the evening for an SUA which could even have claimed the offensive bonus.
The BO no longer responds
Because there had been no observation round in this duel between two injured animals. The Agenais needed barely more than 120 seconds to find the gap in the Biarritz defense. On a first-hand attack after a throw-in, fullback Loris Tolot came in to score his third try of the season (3e). The Basques responded in force straight away with third line center Hebert who was dragged behind the line by Faasalele (5-7, 7e). This start had at least the merit of warming up the atmosphere in the Armandie icehouse. And to confirm the (good) intentions of two teams determined to prove in prime time that they are better than their ranking. This was before the BO breakdown…
With six forwards on the bench, the Biarritz staff hoped to still be in the game at the hour mark to make the difference against the worst team in Pro D2 in the last twenty minutes. With two penalties from ex-Biarrot Billy Searle (49e58e) and a fifth try from the Ramoka center following a penalty (60e), the SUA had already secured a comfortable 20-point lead (39-19) after an incredible 34-0 in numerical inferiority! Heroic these Agenais who could even have added to the bill if Gayraud had not been caught 5 meters from the line (56e). On its momentum, the SUA even believed it could get the offensive bonus. The BO ended the suspense with a try from Dolhagaray (79e). But the cold shower was good for the Basques.
Agen 39 – Biarritz 26
Lieu Agen (stade Armandie) Spectators 8 169 Arbitrator Mr. Hernandez (Auvergne-Rhône Alpes) Half time 26-19
Agen 5 tries from Tolot (3rd, 40th), Muscarditz (28th), Gayraud (33rd), Ramoka (60th); 4 Searle transformations (28th, 33rd, 40th, 60th); 2 penalties from Searle (49th, 58th).
Yellow card. Etcheverry (39th, brutality).
Red card. Lombard-Buret (23rd, dangerous tackle).
The team. Tolot (Dayral, 71e) – Martins (Tolot, 80e), Muscarditz (cap.) (Ramoka, 75e), Ramoka (Garrigues, 65e), Etcheverry – (o) Searle, (m) Bellot (Idjellidaine, 70e) – Olmstead (Lokotui, 55e), Gayraud (Guion, 63e), Bonnet (Gayraud, 77e) – Eissmann (Madigan, 54e), Farré (Olmstead, 68e) – Burin (Farrance, 62e), Jouvin (Socino, 41e), Lombard-Buret.
Biarritz 4 tries from Hebert (7th), Tapie (20th), Retière (24th), Dolhagaray (79th); 3 transformations from Retière (7th, 79th) and Dolhagaray (20th).
Yellow cards. Beheregaray (39th, brutality), Morgan (49th, dangerous tackle).
The team. Cordin (Dolhagaray, 38th) – Tapie (Morgan, 75th), Acebes (cap.), Morgan (Vergnaud, 59th), Guillemin – (o) Retière (Dolhagaray, 10th-22nd), (m) Aurrekoetxea – Imaz Agirre (Du Preez, 41st), Hebert, Hourcade (Douglas, 60th) – Faasalele (Hourcade, 71st), Matthews (Dakuwaqa, 46th) – El Fakir (Shengelia, 60th), Beheregaray (Tolaï, 50th), Nutsubidze (Taofifenua, 50th).
