History will remember that RC Vannes lost their first European Cup match by three small points. And even if the Challenge Cup is clearly not the objective of the Breton club, a lot of frustration was perceptible among the people of Vannes following this defeat. Because, even if the executives had been left to rest, they had not come to Georgia for tourism.
The players lined up, little if any used in recent weeks, all had a lot to prove. But they failed to compete against the physical challenge imposed by Black Lion. “On the physical deficit and the deficit of desire too,” confided Jean-Noël Spitzer at the end of the meeting. We know it's the Georgia team, we know what they put in the jersey, especially at home. »
“There was plenty of room”
This defeat is all the more infuriating as the Morbihannais did not come up against a vastly superior team. “It’s super frustrating because I think there was plenty of room to win this match,” complained Alex Arrate, the captain for a day. I think we gave them the opportunity to win tonight. »
Despite Stephen Varney's try (19', 3-7), Vannes lost the lead just before the break with a try from serial scorer Akaki Tabutsadze (40', 13-7). And they never took it back, punished by the opener Luka Matkava, author of a major performance, this Saturday, at the Mikheil-Meskhi stadium in Tbilisi. “He completely carried the team,” admitted Spitzer.
Everything is not to be thrown away on the Vannes side. The activity of Jean-Maurice Decubber (17/18 in tackling in 55'), the good performance of Massimo Ortolan at the back (3 defenders beaten, 11 races with the ball…) or of Thibault Debaës at the opening (4 /4 per foot) should be noted.
“We entered the match where they wanted to take us”
But the Bretons, lacking rhythm for some, also lacked lucidity and fell into the trap set by Richard Cockerill's gang. “We entered the match where they wanted to take us,” regretted Debaës. In a physical match, not very rhythmic, and we were unable to be dominant in that regard. »
“We knew that they were certainly going to win the combat challenge,” Spitzer continued. We knew that their commitment was going to go up a notch and that we had to find solutions quickly. But we didn't win this challenge of the game. »
They struggled to get their game going and find gaps in the Georgian defense. The wingers, underserved, must have found the time long. “I'm a little frustrated because I felt that Enzo Benmegal really had legs today and I'm convinced that he could have really given us the spark that turned the match around,” lamented the Breton manager. And he didn't have enough balls in good conditions. »
Lots of regrets therefore, and a defensive bonus point as consolation before returning to Vannes, almost 4,000 km as the crow flies from the Georgian capital. We will now surely have to win two of the last three matches to hope to qualify for the round of 16.
The technical sheet
Referee: M. Cross (IRL).
Spectators: 6 235.
The points. Black Lion: 1 Tabutsadze try (40'); 1 Matkava conversion (40'); 5 Matkava penalties (7', 30', 53', 66', 75').
Vannes: 1 Varney try (19'); 1 Debaës transformation (20'); 4 penalties Debaës (46', 50', 55'), Cotarmanac'h (70').
BLACK LION : 15. Tsirekidze – 14. Tabutsadze, 13. Kakhoidze, 12. Metreveli (Tapladze 51'), 11. Todua – 10. Matkava, 9. Peranidze – 7. Tsutskiridze, 8. Ivanishvili, 6. Mamamtavrishvili (Sinauridze 65') – 5. Chachanidze (Epremidze 58'), 4. Babunashvili – 3. Chkhartishvili (Tchumbadze 51'), 2. Mamukashvili (Kvatadze 57'), 1. Kakovin (Abdushelishvili 51').
Not entered: Khuroshvili, Shvangiradze.
RC VALVES: 15. Ortolan – 14. Bastardie, 13. Taccola, 12. Arrate (cap) (Vili 57'), 11. Benmegal – 10. Debaës (Cotarmanac'h 67'), 9. Varney – 7. Augry, 8. Kamikamica , 6. Decubber (Boulier 56') – 5. Mézou (Desjeux 67'), 4. Van Der Merwe (Uhila 56') – 3. Bourgeois (Tafili 67'), 2. Leafa (Suta 61'), 1. Djehi (Moukoro 56').
