Outnumbered, the English showed remarkable fighting spirit. Midi Libre – Alain Schetrit
On Sunday, the English won the clash of the co-leaders against Monaco on the 11th day of Fédérale 2.
Outnumbered for nearly seventy minutes, the RCAGR won the top match of group 3 on Sunday, December 15, and now finds itself the sole leader.
The 11th day and the ranking of group 3 of Fédérale 2
We were treated to a suspenseful match, strongly disrupted by the wind. From the start of the match, Monaco and its group of “lumberjacks” camped in the English camp, thanks to a game based on quick and precise passes.
Tension and cards
The first penalty successful by the Monaco striker Le Gal (12th) suggests a difficult match. It was and tempers quickly heated up and a general brawl broke out. We don't really know who was behind it but the referee gave Bertrand from Gard a red card (13th).
We had to wait about twenty minutes to finally see two English penalties in the Monaco camp.
The technical sheet
Les Angles – Monaco: 13-6.
Roger-Pagès Stadium.
Half-time: 0-6.
Referee: Yoan Allegre
For the RCAGR: 1 try, Joly (72nd); 1 transformation, Joly ; 2 penalties, Joly (57th, 65th).
Yellow cards: Dubor (36th), Grangier (67th).
Red card: Bertrand (13th).
For Monaco: 2 penalties, Le Gal (12th, 38th).
Yellow cards: Tsiklauri (33rd), Pieters (36th), Gueit (65th).
On both sides, the game was not flamboyant. The tension was constant, as evidenced by these two yellow cards, one on each side, distributed ( 36th).
Monaco relied on new attacks driven by its backs to obtain a penalty (0-6).
Joly, winning entry
Were the English diminished, were they going to be able to react? In any case, they started the second half with desire, without being able to conclude, due to poorly adjusted passes and a game broken up by the multiple whistles.
The turnover of the RCAGR, with the entry of Joly, proved profitable. The scorer scored two penalties. This equalization gave hope to the Gard supporters, especially since Monaco also found themselves with 14 men following the yellow card received by Gueit (65th). Except that Grangier also got one shortly after (67th).
“We witnessed a real match of leaders”
Laurent Mattera (RCAGR coach): "We witnessed a real leader's match, very tough physically. At half-time, we knew that anything was possible. We showed a lot of patience and that rascal Joly delivered us. We showed a great state of mind because I am demanding. From now on, we are the sole leader of the group."
Alain Sanciaume (president of the RCAGR): "It was a hard-fought victory but an important one. We played with fourteen players from the thirteenth minute but we managed to keep our calm. The wind and the stakes did not favour our usual game. But we remain undefeated at home and Joly's return counted."
The end of the match was more alert. The ASM winger Pieters, powerful and very technical, made breakthroughs on the sides but came up against an iron defense. The end-of-year gift was the work of the rocket Joly who, coming out of the scrum, slipped through to score a try that he converted. The English had climbed to the top of the Rock.
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