Like the Top 14, the attacks are in good shape at the start of the season. At the start of the day, two of the best attacks challenged each other. It had to be many tries. And once again, Brive wins with the offensive bonus in its Stadium. As per usual.
For this match, Brive is making some adjustments to start this block. Montauban continues its rotation policy by changing more than half of the team before coming to Brive.
First period: Brive dominates but scores little in the end
Brive puts pressure on from the start with Stuart Olding's kick-off and good defensive pressure preventing Yoan Cottin from clearing in the time allowed. First scrum and first penalty collected by the CAB which decides to go into touch. The forwards want to go in force but Marcel Van der Merwe fails to flatten. The video does not allow us to say whether or not there is a test. Goal kick for Montauban (4′). Brive continues to put pressure on the Montalban defense which makes mistakes. We insist with a penalty but this time, we do not understand each other in the alignment and the ball is returned to Montauban. Not for long because Montauban also makes a mistake and the ball returns to CAB. Asaeli Tuivuaka is thrown full force but the defense resists as best it can but above all it will make a series of mistakes. Failing to score, Brive provokes the fouls and as a result, the sanction falls: carton jaune pour Luka Azariashvili (8′). The CAB continues to insist in front and the lock will finally be released. Léo Carbonneau plays on the short side. Rahboni Warren-Vosayaco fixes and shifts Georges Shvelidze who concludes the action (5-0, 11′).
In numerical superiority, Brive wants to continue to take advantage of it but there are several approximations which prevent it from doing so. Montauban will have finally limited the damage during his yellow card and is now trying to get his hands on the ball a little. But the defense is very present as in this interception by Lucas Da Silva. The hooker taps the foot and the pressure comes quickly and clearly on the Montalbanese and that is the penalty. It's quickly played by Matthieu Voisin who approaches the goal. The ball is spread and in position 10, Erwan Dridi sends a cross to Asaeli Tuivuaka who passes his arms to Mathis Ferté who scores in the corner (10-0, 22′).
In the same action, Fred Quercy makes a mistake and receives a yellow card. On the dismissal, Brive is at fault in the ground game and Thomas Fortunel passes the penalty (10-3, 23′). Despite these first opposing points, the CAB continues its momentum and Tuivuaka is close to a try. It takes the return of two Montalbanians to provoke the forward movement of the Brive winger (26′). The Brive attackers find gaps in the opposing defense but without concluding. This will ultimately happen quickly. Behind a dominating scrum, Sam Johnson is found at the heart of the defense. The center breaks several tackles before flattening his try (17-3, 31′).
Montauban does not manage to get out of his camp and his pack suffers in conquest and particularly in melee. Stuart Olding attempts the penalty but misses (35′). In the game, it's easier for Brive than against the poles. Mathis Ferté is hit by Sihkumbuzo Notshe on a kicking play and Brive is back 5 meters from the goal. The throw is captured but behind it, a screen is set. And the fronts are heating up. The tension is rising and it will not come down. Erwan Dridi suffers two percussions but the action continues. In the end, Tuivuaka resists the return of the defenders to score his try. Actually, no. After video, the try is refused for a forward attack from the Brivist winger. However, it's a 3rd yellow card that came out for Montauban. Kévin Gimeno is guilty of a tackle without the ball on Erwan Dridi (40′). Brive wants to take advantage of its 3rd numerical superiority to score another try before the break but the offensive support makes a mistake. We'll leave it there. Brive dominated this first period and the score may even seem light as the domination is great in favor of CAB.
Second period: the awakening of Montauban but late
Montauban is not behind but will have to do much better in this second half. And it starts badly with a forward from Josua Vici. Behind the scrum, Brive fixes in the axis with Taniela Sadrugu. The ball comes out quickly to Mathis Ferté who plays at the foot for Erwan Dridi. The winger arrives first and flattens his team's 4th try (22-3, 44′).
While Brive lost Rahboni Warren-Vosayaco to injury at the break (shoulder), a new hard blow arrives. On the dismissal, Ringuet and Shvelidze are fighting but in their fight, they unbalance Olding who falls back badly and screams in pain. The left ankle has gone bad and we obviously fear a major injury. The opener is evacuated on a stretcher (45′). On the following action, Montauban perfectly exploits a good position in touch. The ball is spread towards Vici's wing who scores in the corner (22-8, 45′). After a rough contact from Vici, Ferté remains on the ground but regains his place. 3/4 will be highlighted again but not really on a well-constructed attack. Léo Carbonneau hits a candle. At the reception, Maël Castel misses himself. The ball is free and Dridi grabs it. No one will see the Brive winger again who scores a double in less than ten minutes (29-8, 52′).
Brive relaxes somewhat and the sanction is immediate. First-hand action from Montauban. Fortunel sends a cross towards Vici. The winger escapes Hugo Verdu then sharpens Erwan Dridi before going to score a double too (29-15, 58′). Dridi is very close to scoring a hat-trick but is well caught by Fortunel just before flattening (60′). In turn, Brive finds itself in difficulty, both in scrum and in discipline. The mistakes keep coming and Montauban is back in the Brivist camp. While the gap is there, JT Jackson sends a pass directly into the weight while Vici had a boulevard to score a hat-trick (65′). Brive continues to make a series of mistakes and the sanction arrives: yellow for Francisco Coria Marchetti (66′). Montauban is doing to Brive what he himself suffered in the first half. The scrum is dominant and strong, it is Killian Ringuet who scores (29-22, 69′). Neither seen nor known, Montauban is back in the game as we enter the last ten minutes. On the dismissal, what all coaches hate happens: a foul. Asier Usarraga is rewarded for his scratching. Verdu rushes and scores (32-22, 71′). The CAB tries to keep Montauabn in its camp with kicking games. And at the same time, numerical inferiority is nearing its end. The Montalbanais insist on attack but come across Usarraga who scratches a new ball and obtains a penalty for a bad clearance on the neck (76′). Brive returns to the opposing camp and Montauban makes a mistake. Given the time remaining, Brive validates its victory. But there's still a little something left to find. New opposing foul just before the siren. Penaltouche at 5 meters. Retief Marais catches the ball and the maul forms behind. After a passage on the ground, Carbonneau opts for the short side, fakes the pass to make Fortunel bite and score the offensive bonus try (37-22, 82′).
We no longer believed in the return of Montauban and yet that is exactly what happened. Brive was able to keep a cool head despite several contrary events in the second half to win with the bonus.
Technical sheet
Brive : 6 tries from Shvelidze (11'), Ferté (22'), Johnson (31'), Dridi (44', 52') and Carbonneau (80+2'); 1 conversion (31') from Olding, 1 conversion (52') and 1 penalty (71') from Verdu; 1 yellow card for Coria Marchetti (66')
1 Abdaladze (47' Fraissenon) – 2 Da Silva (47' Boudou) – 3 Van der Merwe (47' Coria Marchetti) – 4 Ratuva (67' Mikautadze) – 5 Mikautadze (47' Usarraga) – 6 Voisin (47' Marais ) – 7 Go (Cap) – 8 Warren-Vosayaco (MT Sadrugu) – 9 Carbonneau – 10 Olding (45' Verdu) – 11 Dridi – 12 Johnson – 13 Shvelidze – 14 Tuivuaka (66'-76' Van der Merwe) – 15 Ferté
Montauban : 3 tries from Vici (45', 58') and Ringuet (69'); 2 conversions (57', 69') and 1 penalty (23') from Fortunel; 3 yellow cards for Azariashvili (8'), Quercy (22') and Gimeno (40')
1 Seyrolle (44' Bué) – 2 Greyling (MT Maurouard) – 3 Azariashvili (MT Tuimauga) – 4 Uanivi (44' Bradshaw-Ryan) – 5 Gimeno (48' Kanika) – 6 Quercy (Cap) (44' Wilkins) – 7 Ringuet – 8 Notshe (8'-18' Tuimauga) – 9 Cottin (44' Castel) – 10 Fortunel – 11 Vici – 12 Jackson – 13 Espeut – 14 Ahmed (51' Renda) – 15 Mouchous
In brief
When we look at the appearance of the match, we almost wonder how the score managed to be so close ten minutes from the end.. Brive completely dominated the first period, taking full advantage of the numerical superiorities to score tries. But the second period was more complicated. Brive continues to score but Stuart Olding's injury will hurt. A few minutes later, Montauban begins to play and have the ball. The CAB makes a series of mistakes and must also go through the numerical inferiority box. The Montalbanese score a try and everything is restarted with “just” 7 points difference. With their backs to the wall, Brive will react perfectly by scoring a penalty and a last try, synonymous with an offensive bonus. The balance sheet is excellent with this offensive bonus against a direct competitor. But there is a big downside with Stuart Olding's serious ankle injury.
Images : Canal+Sport
