The third block begins today and it will mark the end of the first leg. To start, he offers himself a poster at the top of the table with the third who receives the second. Brive receives Montauban in a promising clash, between two offensive teams. Who will continue their two-game winning streak?
That Brive is in the right position to attack this 3rd block is not surprising. Montauban's position is more surprising but after two disputed blocks, it is not really a surprise. The direct competitors of these two teams will be attentive to the result.
Review of the season
Brive : 3rd with 33 points (7 wins, 0 draws, 4 losses)
Montauban : 2nd with 35 points (8 wins, 0 draws, 3 losses)
There is no point in running, you have to start on time. We are not in the fable of the Hare and the Tortoise but in the Pro D2 championship. At the moment, no one is really taking charge and everyone is waiting for the right moment to escape. Brive advances, places its pawns during the fall. The first block is good but with some cracks. At home, it's solid with a controlled victory against Oyonnax and a first improved victory against Aurillac. Outside, it's a little more complicated with, of course, an opening victory at Soyaux-Angoulême but behind it, the discipline weighs down the game at Nevers and on the side of Mont de Marsan, the CAB exists for a quarter of an hour and subsequently disappears from the radar screens. For the second block, we need to find more consistency. It started well against Biarritz who arrived in a leading position. Moved in the game, the Brivists are more realistic and take the offensive bonus. In Provence, history repeats itself for the CAB. In a match controlled for 70 minutes, indiscipline cost the victory with a decisive try for the Provençals at the siren. Dax is very close to achieving the feat. Brive comes close to a first defeat at homewhich would not have been undeserved. Fortunately, the penalty dacquoise to the siren flirts with the posts but moves away at the last moment. After this call to order, Brive must resort to violence. At Valence-Romans, the Brive players create an illusion in the first half before completely sinking after the break. The slap received in the Drôme is still present in the first period against Colomiers who dominates the start of the match and must just regret having only 9 points ahead at the break. Because when we return from the break, it's a whole different story. A tornado hits the Stadium and Brive flies over the match and continues the tests like in training. For the block to be successful, you have to win on the outside. Nice does not let go of Brive but CAB manages to hit the mark when necessary to obtain its second away victory of the season. Well placed in the ranking, we must finish the year well and the 3rd block is full of challenges for the Brivistsstarting with the arrival of Montauban.
From hell to heaven. This is a bit of what Montauban has been experiencing in recent months. Montauban came very close to going down to the National, whether via the championship or via the play-off match in Narbonne. But Sapiac is still there in Pro D2. The Montalbanese are playing it low and above all want to avoid reliving the nightmare of recent seasons. The season begins with the Landes menu: the Dacquoise starter is not good with a defeat but the Mons main course pleases Sapiac enormously with an improved victory. In Provence, Montauban is in the match and leads by 9 points in the 50th minute but the locals take advantage of the opponent's indiscipline to come back and win in the end. Despite everything, Montauban gains a defensive bonus from one of the favorites going up. And then, the unthinkable happens. Montauban has a string of victories in matches forbidden to those with heart problems! The Montalbanese won by 3 points against Biarritz with a try converted at the siren. Again three points difference during the success in Nevers. Against Aurillac, it takes a final quarter of an hour of fire to win and still leave a little taste of unfinished business with the absence of an offensive bonus. Around the hour mark, Montauban took the heat from Valence-Romans but the Montalbanians held on and won at the very end of the match, not without suffering to maintain the victory in stoppage time. Montauban masters his subject against Grenoble and confirms his excellent start to the season. Only regret: leaving the defensive bonus to Grenoble at the siren. Because yes, from now on, Montauban is at the top of the table. In the derby in Colomiers, Montauban was well in his match until the hour mark, with a 12-point lead. But indiscipline and numerical inferiority will hurt the visitors who will manage to save a defensive bonus from this trip. The series of 5 consecutive victories ends in the derby but another series begins against Nice. Not without difficulty because the promoted player plays eye to eye against his opponent in Sapiac. But the highest ranked team has the last word in the final minutes of the match to win. For another derby, Montauban confirms its domination by winning again in Agen, for a 3rd time in a row. This second block confirms the good predispositions of Montauban which places itself in second place. All that remains is to keep your place at the end of the first leg. Element of response this evening near Brive.
Strong men
At the start of the season, we were so used to seeing a Lucas Da Silva try. Will the hooker find his way back to the goal after a 4-match drought? Matthieu Voisin has not had several starts in a row since last season. In the dynamics of Nice, the 3rd line continues and his experience will not be too much against Montauban. He has experience to the brim. Courtney Lawes had an XXL match for Nice and has now got into the rhythm of Pro D2returning to his position as 3rd wing line. After a non-group match and a match started as a substitute, Léo Carbonneau regains tenure. His departure from Racing 92 made official, this will take a weight off his conscience, allowing him to play more liberated. Georges Shvelidze returns from the international period with a little something extra: he is now a Georgian international. The young Brive center will continue to do his job in Brive to obtain other selection opportunities. Down for several matches, Mathis Ferté finished the block well with 3 tries in 2 matches. There is no doubt that he will want to follow up with another match where he scores at least one try.
Coming in the luggage of his coaches, Luka Azariashvili will experience a second start in a row after that in Agen. The Georgian will also find a compatriot in front of him. Special match for Tjiuee Uanivi who finds his training club. Essential piece of the Montalbanese pack, the Namibian will have to be at the top both in conquest and in the ground game to cause problems for his Brive opponents. Fred Quercy is an old hand in Pro D2 and knows how to approach this type of match. The captain is ready to take on the challenge. His name had been mentioned to join the CAB in the South African press but Sikhumbuzo Notshe is indeed a Montauban player. The South African is performing well and quickly established himself in the 3rd line at Sapiac. Very good summer pick from Montauban. If Jérôme Bosviel is not there, he still remains Thomas Fortunel. The opener knows how to lead his team very well and is no stranger to Montalban's good series a few weeks ago. Absent for several weeks, JT Jackson returned in force to Agen, scoring a double. The former Rouen player wants to continue against Brive. There will be a great duel between Stéphane Ahmed and Erwan Dridi. Duel of sprinters and the Montalbanese sprinter is not bad this season with already 5 tries scored.
Results and confrontations
Brive (at home) : VVVVV
Oyonnax (18-9), Aurillac (48-17), Biarritz (31-13), Dax (15-13), Colomiers (49-15)
Montauban (outside) : DDVVDV
Dax (24-12), Provence (30-26), Nevers (13-16), Valence-Romans (31-32), Colomiers (33-29), Agen (18-25)
Brive and Montauban have understood what it takes to be at the top of the ranking: good at home and solid away. Currently, both teams are on this path and the rankings show it. Now, we must maintain this same dynamic as long as possible.
For now, the record is perfect for Brive at the Stadium with as many victories as matches played. Aside from the big scare against Dax, the CAB dominated all its opponents, notably pocketing 3 offensive bonuses. The away journey started badly with two defeats and then, it started and we already have 3 victories on the clock.
Since last season, we have found the duels between Brive and Montauban. On the Stadium side, the Brivists are dominant, having won the last five matches. The last one was in January with a score of 38 to 13. To find a trace of a Montalban victory, we have to go back to January 2007 and a success with a score of 16 to 11.
Here is the composition of the two teams for the Brive – Montauban match (kick-off at 9 p.m., referee: Mr Anthony Lac)
For Brive : 1 Abdaladze – 2 Da Silva – 3 Van der Merwe – 4 Ratuva – 5 Mikautadze – 6 Voisin – 7 Lawes (Cap) – 8 Warren-Vosayaco – 9 Carbonneau – 10 Olding – 11 Dridi – 12 Johnson – 13 Shvelidze – 14 Tuivuaka – 15 Ferté
Substitutes : 16 Boudou – 17 Fraissenon – 18 Usarraga – 19 Marais – 20 Sadrugu – 21 Verdu – 22 Rokoduru – 23 Coria Marchetti
Absent : To consult the status of the CA Brive infirmary, do not hesitate to go to the infirmary tab
For Montauban : 1 Seyrolle – 2 Greyling – 3 Azariashvili – 4 Uanivi – 5 Gimeno – 6 Quercy (Cap) – 7 Ringuet – 8 Notshe – 9 Cottin – 10 Fortunel – 11 Vici – 12 Jackson – 13 Espeut – 14 Ahmed – 15 Mouchous
Substitutes : 16 Maurouard – 17 Bué – 18 Bradshaw-Ryan – 19 Kanika – 20 Wilkins – 21 Castel – 22 Renda – 23 Tuimauga
Absent : Vallée (foot), Tuculet (knee), Aouf (shoulder), Lezana (knee), Pomponio (appendicitis)
Image: CA Brive
