In front of several thousand spectators in Armandie, Agen, with forceps, disposed of Dax at the end of the game (20-10). Thanks to this success, the SUA temporarily moves back into the qualifying places for the final phase.
He was only gone for a week, but this Pro D2 was already missed by rugby lovers. After a little rest, the teams attacked their second block, which will be loaded with six matches. To begin this new day, Agen, in his lair in Armandie, had arranged to meet Dax, who was left with two setbacks in a row.
Agen did not prove the saying false by inflicting a third defeat in a row on the Landais (20-10). At the end of the game, Calvet’s coaching made the difference with important contributions coming off the bench from the Bellot – Pourteau tandem. In the ranking, thanks to this success, the SUA temporarily climbs back into the upper echelons of Pro D2 (4th, 15 points). Dax (10th, 12 points) is sinking into the soft underbelly of the championship.
A small event for Agen
Everyone knows that to arrive on time, it is better to arrive early. Well prepared for the warm-up by a poignant speech from Captain Duputs, the Agenais struck first in this meeting. This had never happened in the previous five days. Entering the 22 meters thanks to a penalty from Searle, the SUA sent its house battering ram: Kolinio Ramoka. In two strikes, the Fijian center shattered the Dacquoise defense to score under the posts (7-0, 10th).
With a ball made slippery by the bad weather in Lot-et-Garonne, the defenses took precedence over the attacks. After a failure (25th), Searle responded to Seguy (28th and 38th, 10-3). The former Stade Toulousain opener thus sanctioned a voluntary forward from the same Seguy. The Dax flyhalf, cutting off a counter-attack initiated by Ramoka and Darchen, received a more than logical warning. Outnumbered, the visitors put up the barbed wire to prevent Darchen from scoring just before the break (40th + 2).
Bellot changed the course of this game
When we returned from the locker room, the appearance completely changed. Dax changed his mind by avoiding the offshore game. In this area of the field, during the first act, the Dubois gang suffered lightning in the rucks. This strategic choice, based on direct and close play around groupings, paid off. Outnumbered, Benjamin Puntous, on a nice pass from Reteau, finished off his forwards’ effort in a corner (10-10, 48th). Twelve minutes later, 45 meters away, on the left, Cerisier was unable to reward his team’s scrum effort (60th). A fatal turning point!
In great difficulty, SU Agen owed its salvation to its finishers and first and foremost to Dorian Bellot. On his first ball, the pocket scrum half enhanced a counter ruck initiated in the five-meter lane by Etcheverry and Gayraud. Following a follow-up kick, he beat three opponents to dive into the corner. A realization that came out of nowhere (17-10, 62nd).
Pourteau, also in the same role as finisher, sealed his team’s success with a long-distance penalty (20-10, 74th). Despite a last opportunity to try, five meters from the opposing goal, Dax left without a point and may, on the way back, harbor regrets. In eight days, Agen will try to confirm in Biarritz. A little earlier in the evening, Dax will want to avoid a fourth setback in a row when they receive Oyonnax.
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