the essential
After their first victory last week, the Tarasconnais hoped to do well on Catalan soil. But facing an Elne team that was also vengeful after a severe defeat the previous weekend, the Ariégeois were unable to do anything (44-21).
JS ILLIBERIENNE/LATOUR/THEZA 45 – TARASCON-SUR-ARIEGE 21
(MT: 19-11) Field referee: Mr. Tanguy Gau. Federal representative: Mr. Pascal Lemaire.
For Elne: 7 tries from Filatreau (1st), Olibeau (11th), penalty (25th), Calls (50th), Fabre (63rd, 70th) and Ixart (79); 4 transformations from Calls (1st) and Armengau (63rd, 70th, 79th).
Tarascon-sur-Ariège: 2 tries from Marchand (35th) and Audabram (53rd); 1 transformation (53rd) and 3 penalties (20th, 30th, 45th) from Audabram.
JEUNESSE SPORTIVE ILLIBESAINT-GIRONS SPORTING-CLUB. Raynal, Costa, Benjumea ; Nou, Cantarero ; Fillatreau, Aufort, Olibeau (cap.) ; Hubert (m), Garcia (o) ; Ixart, C. Martinez, Barniol, Zanuy ; Calls. Substitutes : Tadjer, Raynaud, Six Jacob, R. Martinez, Fabre, Armengaud, Soriano.
Yellow card: Nou (34th).
US TARASCON-SUR-ARIEGE. D’Amario, De Macedo, Aouari ; Lapeyrigne, Alozy ; Fernandez, Dumas (ch.), Rivière ; Laffont (m), Audabram (o) ; Claverie, Commenge, Klapper, Charenton ; Trape-Salomon. Remplaçants: Marchant, Asna, Vuillen, Emeriau, T. Pesqiuié, Lacroix, Calmejane.
White card: Aouari (15th).
Quillan’s ghosts from last week (17-46) mutated into vampires yesterday. Sucking the blood of the Ariégeois from the first sighs. Barely a minute into the game and Filatreau plants his nose in the grass. A little further on, it was Olibeau, in force, who doubled the lead. On each offensive, visitors see zombies flying everywhere. Obviously, the afternoon will be long. And already after 25 minutes, the bonus for Elne LT is validated on a penalty try. “The players wanted revenge after last week’s non-match. In all accounts, it’s mission accomplished. Afterwards, in terms of manner, that’s for sure, we could have done better,” admitted co-coach Manny Palau at the end of the match. Yes but now, far from attracting the Ariégeois towards darkness, those who were already thought to be dead are very much alive again at the end of the first period. Stuck in the darkness of the ranking since the start of the season, but winners for the first time last week (against Sainte-Affrique, 36-8), the Reds and Whites have regained color and mishandle Olibeau and his team (19- 11). “I said it was a trap match,” mutters Pierre Jampy, the co-president, as he walks along the fence. And it’s true that the Ariégeois cling like bats to a branch. And the opener Audabram, like a demon, brings his team closer (24-21, 53rd). Plunged into a sort of torpor until then, the Illiberians have nothing of Casper, but hey… Fabre sounds the revolt at the hour mark. Finally. Olibeau then Ixart, like two leprechauns, will find the opening for a fairly flattering success in terms of the score (45-21).
