Trailing at half-time (3-9), the Biarrots turned the situation around in the second half, thanks in particular to a double from Kibirige (30-26). A week after a big disappointment in Brive, Boris Bouhraoua’s troops returned to victory and climbed onto the first step of the podium, tied with Montauban.
We had to wait until the second half to find the Biarritz Olympique that we have known since the start of the season. A powerful, disciplined and managerial Biarritz Olympique. The exact opposite of what the men in red and white showed, this Friday, October 18, for forty minutes, against the quickly sharp Agenais.
Agen masters the first act
The latter are also in the lead thanks to a first penalty converted by Franck Pourteau (4th, 0-3) following a foul in the scrum by Plantier. Cornered in their camp, the Biarrots are particularly undisciplined, contrary to their habits at the start of the season. The little offensive ammunition is quickly squandered by a faulty touch: after the first forty minutes, already four throws have been lost. For their part, the visitors capitalized on Basque errors, after a failure (10th, 0-3), Pouteau quickly caught up (12th, 0-6) then widened the gap (34th, 0-9). Shortly before half-time, on a very rare incursion into the opponent’s half, Dolhagaray took advantage of a mistake to get back on target with a converted try (40th, 3-9).
This transformed test does not take long to arrive upon returning from the locker room. After having tried it several times, in vain, in the first act, this penetrating group is finally a success. Powerfully, the forwards collapse behind the line and take the advantage, for the first time of the evening (45th, 10-9). In reaction, Sébastien Calvet almost empties his entire bench, only Randle does not come into play. With this wave of freshness, the Lot and Garonne manager hopes to ride on the positive dynamic of the first half, and recover very quickly doubt in Basque brains. But the operation does not go as planned. If Pourteau adds three points (53rd, 10-12), Kibirige will come out of his box. Well served by a play at the foot of his opener, while he is alone on his wing, the British winger strikes again in his turn, for himself. He is the first to lie down in the goal (56th, 17-12).
The double for Kibirige
Finally lively and balanced, the meeting seems to be able to swing from one side to the other. Initially solid in defense, Agen began to show signs of weakness, but the attack was doing better. After a long sequence of domination near the line, Ramoka finished the job (67th, 20-17). But too quickly, the SUA made a mistake again and gave possession back to the Basques who scored a third try, through Kibirige, after excellent work from Jaminet, on a restart at the halfway line (73rd, 30 -19). At the very end of the game, while the pace had dropped considerably, Olmstead fought hard to obtain a defensive bonus (80+ 3rd, 30-26). After having long believed in victory, Agen leaves the Basque Country with a defensive bonus point. Biarritz, for its part, moves a little further to the top of the rankings.
