Fourteen against fifteen, SU Agen inflicted a scathing 34-0 on Biarrots who were ahead in the score. Hans Lombard-Buret's red card was the turning point of this match. Return to a “comeback” which should never have taken place for the BO.
We only played the 23rd minute of this match. Despite a perfect start punctuated by a try from Loris Tolot, the SUA is led by the BO (5-14). In a ruck, Yohan Beheregaray tries to challenge Agen possession. He was returned by Hans Lombard-Buret and landed on the neck. Benjamin Hernandez does not tremble and draws a red card against the left-hander from Lot-et-Garonnais. Continuing on, Edgar Retière scores a third try to give his team a considerable advantage in numerical superiority (5-19). We then say to ourselves that we are heading straight towards a new setback at home for the SUA which would plunge the club into a new sporting crisis. However, it was quite the opposite.
A revolt in ten minutes
Well helped by a large audience (more than 3,000 tickets were offered by the club to fill the stands, editor's note), the SUA then rose up and a revolt took place. A revolt led by Captain Peyo Muscarditz, omnipresent Thursday evening. In just over ten minutes, the Agenais scored three tries by said Muscarditz, then Gayraud and Tolot. And this, to finally go into the break with a seven-length lead (26-19).
Bluffed, Adel Fellah did not really explain this turnaround in the situation at the press conference. “ This revolt belongs to the players. We, on the bench, can only encourage and bring positive things to the team. It was they, on the pitch, who demonstrated a remarkable state of mind. It's not our best match of the season, but in terms of spirit, it's undoubtedly our benchmark performance. »
No scrum for forty minutes
At the end of the meeting lost by the BO (39-26) we then have a reflection. The AUS third line and three-quarter line got the better of their opponents. Shouldn't the Basques have chosen a scrum during a penalty to bring in the opposing left replacement pillar in order to remove density in the third line or an element among the Agen three-quarters?
-Boris Bourahoua does not explain it: “ We fell into the trap after the red card. We took it easy and that’s the worst thing about rugby. When you have penalties, you gain ground through the touchline. What bothers me the most is how we suffered in front with a guy who had a card. It was quite strange. »
Still, Florent Guion only came on in the 63rd minute of play in place of Valentin Gayraud. Man of the match, by the way. Strategic error on the part of the Basques.
Founding victory for Agen?
On the Biarritz side, this new setback calls many things into question. “ I have no problem saying that I have to question myself, the staff and the players. Those who don't want to do it… Unfortunately, they are not top athletes. There, the opportunity we have is to see who the high-level athletes are, who the high-level athletes are. Who wants to raise their heads for the Olympic Biarritz. »
For Agen, this type of success is necessarily positive after the defeat against Aix-en-Provence a week earlier. “ I hope it will be a seminal match with this turnaround », concludes Adel Fellah. Next week in Nevers, there will be points to make up.
