The challenges: the podium in the viewfinder
Thanks to the points collected in Béziers (25-22 victory) and Montauban (25-20, defensive bonus), the FCG retained 5th place (22 pts) acquired on the evening of the improved victory over Valence/Romans (44-22 ). Which is far from satisfying him… Grenoble wants to play for the top places and that requires a series of positive results, notably at the Stade des Alpes.
The reception in Agen offers him a great opportunity, especially since Friday evening, Brive (2nd, 24 pts) and Soyaux/Angoulême (3rd, 22 pts) will be away, to Valence and Béziers. A positive result from Thomas Lainault and his partners against the SUA could have a multiplier effect.
The opponent: Agen in reconstruction mode… and turnover
Taken over by Sébastien Calvet (former manager of France U20, world champion in 2023), Sporting Union Agenais is a team in reconstruction. “We are a group that is building itself. In each match, we have the feeling of not progressing very quickly, but of always having a little more progress and control in our project,” the Agen manager told us this week.
He has already brought his touch to his new team, competitive in Armandie as well as away from Lot-et-Garonne (a victory and three defensive bonuses). Will this still be the case in Grenoble? Maybe. Even if the Agen staff decided to deprive themselves of many regular starters (Socino, Demotte, Duputs, Lokotui, Maunder, Searle, Ramoka, Muscarditz, Etcheverry, etc.) to (re) launch young players (Jouvin, Randle, Kurukukuruvatakini, Darchen ) or less used elements (B. Farrance, Idjellidaine, Dayral, Purdy). A bet to try, at a complicated end of the block.
The man to follow: Hugo Trouilloud
So far, it has been reduced to the bare minimum: 53 minutes of play in seven days, between team composition choices and small physical glitches. But in Montauban, Hugo Trouilloud illustrated what his coaches have been proclaiming since August: they are counting on everyone and everyone has something to contribute.
On the Sapiac pitch, the young full-back showed reliability under the lights and nerve in his restarts. Sixty-seven minutes of good quality, which made his coaches want to see him again. Holder for the second time in a row, the first at the Stade des Alpes, the youngest Trouilloud (21 years old) will have to show the same explosiveness against the Agenais. To confirm that he is establishing himself as a real alternative to Julien Farnoux, the captain of n°15.
The number: 4
Like the number of internationals who will play their last match with the FCG, this November 1, before joining their national team for the Autumn Nations Series: the Portuguese Cody Thomas and José Madeira (two matches) as well as the Georgians Giorgi Javakhia and Giorgi Kveseladze (three matches, accompanied by Giorgi Mamaiashvili, not selected against Agen).
The declaration
“Accounting, we are good in terms of the ranking and our results, especially at home, where we are winning. But we can't play a full match over 80 minutes. This is the goal for Friday; manage to be in it throughout the match, even if we expect a difficult match. » By Barnabé Couilloud, FC Grenoble scrum half.
TO FOLLOW: the Grenoble – Agen match will be followed live with commentary on www.ledauphine.com/sport on Friday from 8:30 p.m.
>> Pro D2 results, rankings and schedule
Direct confrontations: Agen advantage
As with Biarritz, Grenoble – Agen are great, great classics of French Rugby. With numerous group A final phase matches (1980s and 1990s) and even a final of the Yves-du-Manoir challenge (in 1987, 26-7 for the FCG, one of its last trophies).
Since 2004, the chronicle has recorded 20 duels, with eight victories for Grenoble and ten for Agen (two draws). Last season, everyone won at home: 24-19 for the FCG at the Stade des Alpes and 40-3 for the SUA at Armandie.
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