Before the meeting, despite flattering statistics (two victories and a draw in the last three trips to Tarn-et-Garonne), the Grenoble coach, Nicolas Nadau, had alerted his players to the metamorphosis of the Montauban team , saved at the last minute from relegation last season and who are at the top of the Pro D2 rankings this year, as we play the eighth day.
“They have a much more dynamic, more airy game and they seek to play in spaces whereas last year, they had a much more direct game. Today, they can surprise at any time, in all areas of the pitch. They are one of the teams that makes the most passes between two rucks and that clearly shows the dynamic they are in. »
Finalist last season, third in the standings before the match, the Grenoblois paid the price for this radical change, driven by the new manager of Montauban, the former international scrum-half Sébastien Tillous-Borde, who intends to take advantage of the new Sapiac pitch, a synthetic pitch not very common in Pro D2 – Oyonnax being the only other club equipped.
Grenoble snatches the defensive bonus
While the Isérois had started better in a match which was mainly played in front, scoring twice by their Georgian second row Giorgi Javakhia (7th and 19th), Montauban took the lead at the break (17-15) after responding with two tries from third-row Fred Quercy (12th) and Kevin Firmin (31st) after mauls which systematically put their opponents in difficulty and which they also used in the second half to make the break, again thanks to their hooker Firmin (54th, 27-18).
Ten minutes later, the Grenoblois were kept in the match as winger Stéphane Ahmed had just crossed the field, tapping his foot twice to score, but the referee refused the try, the ball having slightly bitten the line . Trailing 30-18, Nadau’s men continued to fight, camping in the opposing 22m for the last ten minutes to end up scoring and snatching the defensive bonus after the siren and an endless series of pick-and-gos (Giorgi Pertaia , 80 + 3).
