With a perfect start – 17-0 in 15 minutes – Bayonne got on track for a prestigious success near Montauban. Until then, almost everyone had broken their teeth at Sapiac. But as much as the first leg had had a breathtaking final, the scenario for the return match was all improbable. After a red card sent to Mikautadze and Paulino for an exchange of punches, Bayonne even found themselves twice reduced to 13 … before Montauban received a second red card at the start of the second period.
Intractable at 15 against 15, the Bayonnais faltered once reduced to 14 or even 13, and conceded too many penalties to valiant Montalbanais who did not give up, before driving the point home by Baget in the 75th with a try. Match report: the commitment to aggressiveness, which had been lacking in Béziers and Aix-en-Provence, but above all the four points of victory, essential to stay in second place in the general classification for another week , while Oyonnax receives Agen tomorrow at Charles Mathon.
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