Saturday at Jean Dauger, Bayonne resisted against Castres in a tough Top 14 match. Relive the highlights of this meeting and find out who made the difference…
This Saturday afternoon at the Jean Dauger stadium, Aviron Bayonnais supporters were treated to a thrilling match against Castres Olympique on behalf of the 13th day of Top 14. A duel between two teams in search of points to ensure their place at the top of the ranking.
Bayonne gets off to the best start
From the start, the Bayonnais put pressure on the Castres camp and were rewarded in the 9th minute. On a great collective action, it's the Argentinian Rodrigo Bruni who flattens with force in the in-goal. The try is converted by Gaëtan Germain and the locals lead 7-0.
But Castres was quick to respond. Taking advantage of a penalty 5 meters from the line, the Tarnais opt for the penalty. A profitable choice since on the maul which follows, Rory Kockott quickly serves Remy Baget who goes for the try in the 12th minute. Julien Dumora misses the transformation, 7-5 for Bayonne.
The rest of the first period is messier with numerous mistakes and forwards on each side. We had to wait until the 38th minute to see the Bayonnais widen the gap thanks to a penalty from Gaëtan Germain in front of the posts. 10-5 for Rowing at the break.
Castres pushes but Bayonne holds on
Upon returning from the locker room, the Castres made their intentions clear. With greater control and possession, they moved into the Bayonne 22 meters. But as is often the case this season, Rowing's defense stands up.
Like the second line Mariano Galarza, impressive in the rucks and in defensethe Bayonnais thwart the opposing offensives. And against all expectations, they are even on the verge of scoring at the hour mark, but center Eneriko Buliruarua is caught at the last minute.
The Bayonnais delivered a match full of self-sacrifice and desire. They fully deserve this victory which allows them to consolidate their place in the top 6.
Yannick Bru, manager of Bayonne
Despite an end to the match under pressure, with a yellow card received by pillar Ugo Boniface in the 65th minute, the partners of Michael Ruru, valuable in the scrummaintain their score advantage. With this narrow but precious success (10-5), Bayonne consolidates its surprising 4th place in the ranking.
The debrief
In a close and very tactical encounter, Bayonne was able to demonstrate realism to win against a direct competitor in the final stages. Yannick Bru's players confirm their excellent first part of the season.
Despite the defeat, the Castres brought back a defensive bonus point from their trip to the Basque Country. They remain in the fight for the top 6. The two teams will meet next weekend for a new crucial match in the race for qualification.
The lessons
- Bayonne confirms its status as a surprise and solid team at home
- Conquest and defense, keys to Bayonne’s success
- Castres misses the opportunity to overtake its opponent in the rankings
- Eneriko Buliruarua, Mariano Galarza and Michael Ruru, men of the match on the Basque side
The duel between these two contenders for the final stages kept all its promises. The Bayonnais made Jean Dauger respect their invincibility and asserted themselves as one of the great surprises of the season. The Castres will have to work hard to get on the right wagon.
