Agen (AFP)

"Fanny" last season with 26 defeats in as many Top 14 days, Agen returned to Pro D2 on identical bases with already four losses in four matches, the last of which was very worrying against the promoted Bourg-en-Bresse.

The SUA no longer responds!

While he could finally start his season last weekend against the Bressans, the eight-time champion of France missed his chance (24-28), suffering a 31st setback pushing him back to 15th place in Pro D2 , before a delicate trip on Friday evening on the land of the surprising leader from Mons.

With 3 small points on the clock, three defensive bonuses, the situation is dramatic for the fifth budget of Pro D2 (9.5 million euros), whose objective set this season is a qualification in the Top 6 to compete in the phase final accession.

After a year and seven months without a win (16-30 in Brive on February 22, 2020), and even more than 700 days of famine now at home (27-14 against Stade Français on October 19, 2019), the Agen supporters inevitably find the long time.

- Suspended sounds -

Manager Régis Sonnes, installed last November after the ousting of the Laussucq-Vaquin tandem after seven days and who had to resolve to accept the sacrifice of last season, thought he had the recipe for success with the well-targeted recruitment of 16 players, ambitious young people and vengeful executives, and a reinforced staff (18 people in total) according to the will of its management.

It is visibly still missing ingredients.

President Jean-François Fonteneau no longer hides his impatience to reap the fruits of these investments, while a brand new high performance center is born at the Armandie stadium, which will remain under construction until September 2022 to then ensure the club additional revenue.

In the meantime, the SUA must straighten out the sporting bar as quickly as possible if it does not want to tumble even lower.

After putting pressure on his management the day after the setback against Béziers (9-12, 2nd day), Mr. Fonteneau reassured Régis Sonnes, who has the support of his players.

He spoke at length with him last Saturday to "take stock and clear up some disagreements".

- Municipal state of emergency -

"The idea is to be very united, united, with a collective line of conduct and that we are all behind what is put in place, even if it takes longer than we had imagined", insists Jean-François Fonteneau who receives "many proposals" for the succession of Régis Sonnes, at the end of the contract next June.

Agen manager Régis Sonnes (left) and club president Jean-Francois Fonteneau before a Top 14 match between the SUA and Pau on May 2021 at the Armandie stadium THIERRY BRETON AFP / Archives

"We need a little stability, we need serenity to move forward, he continues. It works a lot, I'm waiting to see the fruits of this construction."

A strategy not easy to follow in a city that has always lived rugby, where the mayor and president of the Agglomeration Jean Dionis du Séjour has just declared a "state of emergency", and calls for "to unite everyone on the same line "after being challenged on social networks by the former president of the club, Alain Tingaud, who had sold his shares in 2018 to Fonteneau and said he was" ready to participate in a real project ".

On the banks of the Garonne, we still want to believe that this failed start to the season is only a false start.

In 2014-2015, the SUA lost its first three matches and ended up regaining the Top 14 by beating Mont-de-Marsan (16-15) in the accession final.

© 2021 AFP