Agen (AFP)
The defending French champion, Toulouse, won Saturday in Agen (13-8) his first victory of the season away from home, after a match marked by an a priori voluntary power cut orchestrated by strikers opposed to pension reform.
Finally. Since the time he was chasing, the Stade, so convincing for export to the European Cup, has reassured itself on its potential on the domestic scene by reporting an undecided Garonne derby during which the wind will have been a major actor.
It took a double flash at the foot of Holmes for Ntamack and the latter for Bonneval for the men of Ugo Mola to take the measure of enterprising Agenais and players.
Backed by the wind and in the lead at the break (8-6), which rewarded his willingness to play despite the deluge, the SUA had to settle for a defensive bonus point which could, however, prove invaluable in the race for maintenance.
Christophe Laussucq's players started the derby perfectly, with a Berdeu (19) penalty following a fault from the former blue and white house Miquel.
Better still, following a candle from Lamoulie, a hesitant visitor guilty of falling and the Decron center, well served at height, slipped into Toulouse's in-goal (8-0, 23). Unfortunately for the locals, two faults in melee then on the ground of Ryan allowed Ntamack, facing the wind, to bring his own to the score before the break (8-6).
Hopeful, the audience at an sold-out Armandie stadium for the first time in nine years was quickly cooled by Bonneval's test (43) before being plunged into darkness following a power failure. for almost a quarter of an hour (51).
The mayor of Agen Jean Dionis accused the strikers of being at the origin of this nuisance, claiming to have known by EDF and Enedis that it was a "wild cut".
A double blow of fate which cut the legs of Lot-et-Garonnais at the resumption of hostilities. Maintained in their half of the field and constantly put under pressure, they could never take failing Toulousains, ultimately pragmatic, who climb to 3rd place in the provisional ranking of the Top 14.
© 2019 AFP