How could RC Vannes let a match slip away that it had so well in hand at half-time? It is not yet time for analysis but this comeback suffered against UBB will surely have consequences for the rest of the season.
Because Jean-Noël Spitzer's men had managed an almost perfect first period. Flamboyant in the running game, ultra-dominant in the scrum, the Vannes players went it alone for more than half an hour. Around thirty minutes during which they scored four tries and took a 29-point lead thanks to Michael Ruru (3'), Francis Saili (13'), Paul Surano (19'), then Mako Vunipola (32').
Vannes, which had almost 80% occupancy of the field during the first period, seemed to be heading towards an incredible victory against the second of the Top 14. Certainly, Yannick Bru's team was deprived of several internationals (Bielle-Biarrey , Moefana, Lucu, Tameifuna, Tatafu…), was handicapped by the failures of Penaud and Buros then the very rapid injury of his flamboyant opener Jalibert (10') but the finalist of the last exercise has resource.
Three tries conceded in five minutes
The Bretons quickly noticed this. Ben Tapuai escaped just before half-time and went to queen (40', 29-7). Anecdotal at this moment of the match but a harbinger of a nightmarish second half for the Morbihannais, now against the wind. As often this season, the RCV was harshly penalized for its air gaps, conceding three tries in five minutes, straddling the two periods, Cyril Cazeaux (42') and Arthur Retière (45') putting the UBB back in the lead. match upon returning from the locker room (29-19).
Two yellow cards and a penalty try
The people of Vannes were powerless to witness the Bordeaux-Beglaise revolt. And one fact of the match definitely tipped the scales to the opposing side. After long minutes of video analysis, the referee awarded a penalty try to Bordeaux Bègles and sanctioned Vannes with two yellow cards against Paul Surano and Francis Saili (29-26, 55'). Nothing was going right anymore. Cyril Cazeaux scored twice and put his team in front for the first time in the match (29-31, 63'). Frustrated, the La Rabine public whistled the scorer for the first time this season. The Vannetais lost all their means, like this final penalty missed by Lafage, although well within his ropes, which even deprived the RCV of a defensive bonus. Nightmarish…
