Pro D2 – While they could still hope to play their play-off at home at kick-off, the Agenais took on water in Béziers, who had nothing left to play for. For their last of the season at home, the Héraultais delighted their public with 6 tries and honored their starters and future retirees.
Honored before kick-off, the 7 players who will leave Béziers for another club or retire probably did not imagine such an ideal scenario. A notch above an Agen team, certainly reworked, which had ensured its qualification in the final phase before moving to Hérault land, the Biterrois crushed their opponents by passing them 6 tries and winning 41-14, Friday, May 5. A heavy defeat from which the SUA must recover quickly, which will travel to Mont-de-Marsan on Friday, May 12, for its play-off.
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Our Agenais, who finished in 6th place in the championship, will travel to Mont-de-Marsan for a ????? !
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— Agent Rugby – SUA LG (@agen_rugby) May 5, 2023
The visitors, of whom only one of the fifteen holders of the defeat of the previous week was on the match sheet, were too clumsy, like the first try conceded after 25 minutes when Bernard Goutta’s men chained passes imprecise and forward. Attentive, Gabin Lorre came to throw his foot in the path of a pass between Jantjies and Buttin. The Biterrois winger succeeded and went to score a try after a 40-meter run.
A dream start for Barrere and Estériola
A first test which ignited the Raoul-Barrière stadium which will not see the Pro D2 again for several months for the 2023-24 season. Six minutes later bis repeated with a new interception from Biterroise, this time following a touch from Agenaise. Gabin Lorre, still there, decided to play a penalty quickly and managed to alert Réau on the other side. It was finally Barrère who concluded to perfectly punctuate his career.
Agen is not there and will cash a third try almost immediately after the dismissal, scored by Réau. At the break, the scoreboard showed unchallenged domination: 22-0 for the locals. There was then no longer any doubt that the SUA would end its season in 6th place and have to wait to find out where it should go to try to clinch a place in the semi-finals.
Agen will have to put his head back
In the second half, after an achievement by Votu for Béziers, the visitors finally managed to open their counter, but it took 70 minutes before the Sosene-Feagai try. The teams will each again notice once through Estériola, eager to complete his biterroise adventure like Barrère, and Martinez for Agen.
A result which must leave regrets to the Hérault public who saw what their team was capable of, but who see their players stranded in ninth place. Agen for his part will have to put his head back in place after two consecutive defeats before moving to Montois who only lost twice, including one … against the Lot-et-Garonnais. Data on which Bernard Goutta can rely because his players have won their two confrontations against Stade Montois this season, with the offensive bonus each time.
