This is the norm this season. At home, the Paloise Section has developed the bad habit of showing two very different faces between the two halves. Problem, this time, it's the first that the Béarnais have played. If Picquette quickly scored (7-0, 11th), Racing 92, despite being 13 against 15, resisted. And even marked by the foot of Lancaster (7-3, 14th). Simmonds with a penalty (10-3, 28th) then a drop (13-3, 32nd) restored the lead. But Lancaster reduced it (13-6, 35th). “Given the energy spent, we pay ourselves too little with a +7,” regrets Sébastien Piqueronies.
The half-time return, as too often, is catastrophic for the Green and White. Delhommel (42nd) then Picquette (45th) receive a yellow card, Palu brings back Racing (13-13, 48th). Then Naituvi escapes Attissogbe (13-20, 50th). Simmonds restarts the debates (20-20, 61st). And again, after Tuisova's try (20-25 65th then 23-25 69th). In the finale, Pau breaks down. Gibert hits a drop (23-28, 73rd) then James goes for the try (23-33, 75th). A 0-8 to finish and a terrible 10-27 in the second act…
The observation: what inefficiency!
“We spent 10 minutes in their 22 meters, with around twenty opportunities to score,” said the manager of the Paloise Section. From the start, the Béarnais wasted two huge opportunities, by losing a penalty from 5 meters (5th) then by sending Decron to embed himself on the opposing defense 5 meters away, without support (6th). In the 15th minute, the maul seemed to win. But Auradou and Capelli obstructed to allow Delhommel to flatten. Test refused! (15th).
Five minutes later, a well-timed double opened a boulevard for Grandidier-Nkanang, who blocked his decisive pass from Roudil, alone in the corridor. At the hour mark, Simmonds' try followed an XXL sequence lasting several minutes, during which the Béarnais forwards hit the Ile-de-France wall. In the 67th minute, the sky and white pack still resisted. And Simmonds resolves to take the points (23-25, 69th).
Conversely, Racing 92 only came twice in the Pau camp in the first period, for 6 points gleaned. And scored two tries in 10 minutes after the restart, on the first pair of good forays by the visitors into the locals' camp. 20 points for four appearances, it's profitable!
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The bad idea: persisting with carried balls
The Béarnais had worked on it all week and were counting on taking the Racingmen in front, on carried balls. The idea was initially excellent, because Picquette's first try came from a well-executed maul (7-0, 11th), just after Mr. Trainini sanctioned an Ile-de-France defense on a green and white casserole. Then, Delhommel went to visit an ephemeral paradise, following his refused attempt (15th). Convinced of having found a vein of gold, the Palois continued to thread their way into the sector. But everything fell apart. Warmed up, the ball fell forward (16th). In the 36th minute, the carried ball remained unproductive, giving possession back to Racing 92 in its 22 meters.
And what about the final moments of the game. Pau struggled to send his big guys to the mine, until a not straight throw from Ruffenach 5 meters from the opposing line. The third penalty lost so close to happiness (5th, 57th, 83rd). And quite a few easily snubbed points. “The end result shows that perhaps we should have chosen other options […]. The game plan is not doing us any good,” recognizes Rémi Picquette.
The number: 22
According to the counts, Racing 92 conceded between 19 and 22 penalties at Le Hameau, compared to 10 for Pau. Worse, the Racingmen evolved for almost 10 minutes at 13 (Tarrit 10th then Sordoni 11th), then again at 14 from the 68th to the 78th, when Woki joined the bench 10 minutes in. A boon for the Paloise Section? Nay! In the first period, they did not score a single point and conceded three during the double inferiority. In second, they remained silent again and took 10!
Conversely, Racing 92 took full advantage of its minutes with one (yellow of Delhommel 42nd) or even two (yellow of Picquette 45th) additional players. By insisting near the line with its big guys, the sky and white club opened the door with Palu (13-13, 48th) then Naituvi put the visitors in front straight away (13-20, 50th).
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A man in the match: Théo Attissogbe
When he came on in the 45th minute, he was treated to a huge ovation from the Hameau stadium. But quickly, the stadium cooled down because the young French international (2 caps), returning from Marcoussis in the middle of the week, went through completely. After a double breakthrough from Lancaster relayed by James, Gibert raises his head and sends a diagonal kick towards Naituvi. The Fijian pretends to put it back inside, the Pau winger bites and the Racingman can go to point, whistling (13-20, 50th).
Fifteen minutes later, while the Section returned to level (20-20), Gibert, again, hits Tuisova. Attissogbe hesitates, try (20-25). On James' latest achievement, the Landais is not celebrating either, beaten in the air then unlucky on the decisive rebound of the overhand kick (23-33, 75th). Two minutes later, Attissogbe was called back to the bench, his face closed. A bad evening for the young 19-year-old talent.
La perf : le full house de Joe Simmonds
This is a rare performance, which will therefore have remained useless in accounting terms. With one try (61st), two conversions (11th, 61st), two penalties (28e69th) and a drop (32nd) scored, English opener Joe Simmonds (27) made a full house, scoring in every possible way.
The tiles: wounded, again…
Around the 50th minute of play, there was a lot of hesitation. After the Palu test (48th), Mickaël Capelli injured his knee. The 2nd line left the pitch, replaced by Jolmes. Eliott Roudil, replaced then returned to the game, held his thumb for a long time and will take exams. Loïc Credoz thought he had broken his jaw, came off in the 48th minute but replaced Auradou in the 65th minute. But the most serious concern concerns Lekima Tagitagivalu. Hit in a group, the Fijian 3rd line remained on the ground for a long time. He was evacuated on a stretcher, with a neck brace, so as not to take any risks. He could suffer from a cervical sprain but this remains to be confirmed.
The ranking: Pau slips to 12th place
While waiting for the result from the Stade Français in La Rochelle (in progress), the Section Paloise, which continues a third match without taking the slightest point in the standings (loss against Toulouse at Hameau, in Bordeaux and against Racing 92 at home), is slipping inexorably down the rankings. At the end of the 9th day and before the 15-day international break, the Béarnais will be 12th or 13th with 15 points, tied with Montpellier, where they will go to the restart on November 23 and 4 units ahead of Vannes , bottom of the Top 14. A critical situation.
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