Even if RC Vannes already had its half at La Rabine in its pocket, this penultimate meeting of the regular phase of Pro D2 was not a walk in the park. Opposite, the Brivists needed a success to still believe in a final phase play-off and they presented themselves with weapons in hand and knives between their teeth.
And what was shaping up to be a small dress rehearsal for the Vannes residents hoping to keep their leadership chair turned at times into a trench battle. The Corréziens started by flirting with the Breton goal line but were stopped by a forward 5 meters (4′).
Just one step ahead at halftime
The Vannes then got their hands back on the ball and on the match. Conquerors in the scrum as well as on the touchline, the Vannes residents only took around ten minutes to show their power and score the first try by captain Edwards (11′; 7-0).
However, the leader’s domination faded and the CAB, still in search of a hypothetical participation in the final phase, rushed into the breach and took advantage of Morbihan’s relaxation to show its teeth and score first on penalty (Olding , 15′; 7-3) then with a try (Carbonneau 15′; 7-10). And if the RCV, sharp and efficient offensively, was not far from finishing the first period with a significant gap, Leafa’s try was refused (38′) and Vannes ultimately only had a very small point. ahead (14-13, after Bordelai’s try in the 28′) at the break.
Brive takes off
The second half was of the same ilk: a tough fight during which the two teams did each other no favors. Brive even pushed the leader (who did not show his best face) to his limits after Shvelidze’s try between the posts (55′; 14-20). Olding tried twice to attempt long-range penalties (64′ and 66′) and the second gave the visitors a nine-point lead. Thus, we had to wait until the 70th minute to see Vannes deploy a victorious offensive (21-23). But Brive did not give up (Raffy’s penalty in the 74th minute; 21-26). And the RCV conceded a third loss to La Rabine, after those against Provence and Grenoble.
Datasheet
Referee: Mr Bru
Spectators: 11,865.
Dots. RC VANNES: 3 tries: Edwards (11′), Bordelai (28′), Surano (68′); 3 conversions: Lafage (12′, 28′, 69′). CA Brive: 2 tries: Carbonneau (19′), Shvelidze (55′); 2 conversions: Olding (20′, 55′); 4 penalties: Olding (15′, 31′, 65′), Raffy (74′)
RC VALVES: Debaes – Surano, Vilaseca (Taccola, 67′), Arrate, Camou – Lafage, Ruru (Le Bail, 69′) – Edwards (cap), Bazin (Gorrissen, 48′), Pedemonte (Marks, 67′) – Desjeux, O’Shea (Kalamafoni, 48′), – Tafili (Bourgeois, 54′, Tafili, 75′), Leafa (Beziat, 48′), Bordelai (Bessonart, 58′).
IT BRIVES: Krone – Ferte, Shvelidze, Johnson, Bonneval – Olding (cap) (Delannoy, 67′), Carbonneau (Raffy, 67′) – Sadrugu (Voisin, 54′), Moriarty (Sadrugu, 67′), Marais – Ratuva (Usarraga , 51′), Van Eerten – Van Der Merwe (Marchetti, 23′, Van Der Merwe, 67′), Da Silva (Boudou, 54′), Brennan (Fraissenon, 29′).
