Pro D2: “impracticable” and “not up to standard”, is the pitch at the Armandie stadium up to the ambitions of SU Agen?

At the SUA, the tension rises a little. If, on the pitch, everything is going well, as evidenced by the nice success against Dax, it is on the pitch that tensions appear. Until provoking the anger of Jean-François Fonteneau. The president issued a clear message on his social networks: “A serious victory for the SUA. A beautiful, complicated fight on an impassable pitch. »

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A concluding word clearly showing all the irritation of a president wanting to win back the hearts of the Agenais. Because Sporting showed game intentions, quickly slowed down by a heavy pitch. “It is not in the most glorious state… It is not at the level of the team’s desire to play, and is a drag on the show,” admits vice-president Frédéric Péchavy.

“Investments must be made”

There is a gray expression in the ranks of the Agen staff when it comes to mentioning this green rectangle. Even more so when they learned of the arrival of the National Rugby League this Thursday evening. “People came to assess the quality of the pitch to rank the best pitches in Top 14 and Pro D2. We are awaiting the report, not with concern, but it is deteriorating,” recognizes Frédéric Péchavy.

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The ranking should be bleak for the SUA. This Thursday, the players regularly lost their support. And, even if Dorian Bellot scored the winning try on a slip, that was not enough to put a smile on the club’s vice-president’s face: “The pitch was heavy and the first supports were complicated. The players felt like they were going uphill… It’s not up to the level of the show on offer. »

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Because Sporting is forced to use the pitch “as little as possible”. “We can’t have a curtain raiser. Today, it is a tool on which the team expresses itself. But, depending on the condition of the road, there is a speed to adapt. We can’t drive any faster…”

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Implied, Sporting will not be able to claim to offer play from the four corners of the pitch if the pitch does not follow suit. A precise message when the winter period arrives. “From October to March, the land is lush. But we play three-quarters of the championship during this period… This will level out the values. »

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If the club and the town hall are linked by an agreement lasting until 2026, the vice-president admits a need “to make investments”. “This is a subject discussed with Jean Dionis and Alain Klajman. But we are not yet aligned on the calendar. They are nevertheless aware of it. We have the infrastructure capable of hosting events, but we cannot do activities, because that would penalize the first team…”