RC Metz-Moselle regains victory, and a smile, against Villers-lès-Nancy. An improved success (24-17) which will do a lot of good for Remy Guérimand and his teammates. “Last week’s defeat at CRIG hurt us. We were able to get back up as a team,” confides the opener.
The Messins were jostled by the visitors, who were harder on impact at the start of the match. Guillard rewarded his team’s efforts with two penalties (0-6, 12th). Géraud Gas’s men dominated but made the wrong choices, made handball errors… They relied on great individual inspirations, like a skipped pass from Guérimand which sent Knaff to the test (5- 6, 15th). But after a new penalty from Guillard (27th), and a try from Kilasonia following a carried ball (5-14, 44th), the RCMM had its back against the wall.
The light came from the bench
Finishers play a major role in modern rugby. The Metz substitutes showed it perfectly this Sunday. First thanks to a lot of work from Tomasetto, which allowed Migny to flatten (12-15, 50th). Emboldened, Géraud Gas’s men pushed and ended up equalizing, thanks to an unconverted try from Celic in the corner (17-17, 60th). Then Metz quickly found and played a touch in the opposing 22 meters, allowing Agnes to slip into the goal (24-17, 66th). “The bench did good. All the guys who came into play were at the top,” greets Remy Guérimand. Fabre could even have put his team away for good, but missed a relatively affordable penalty (72nd). RC Metz was scared until the end, but secured its victory with two heroically scratched balls in its 22 meters, on the last two opposing possessions. “It’s positive to have won even after playing average,” summarizes Géraud Gas.
RC METZ – VILLERS : 24-17
Half-time: 5-9. Essais for Metz: Knaff (15th), Migny (50th), Celic (60th), Agnes (66th); for Villers-lès-Nancy: Kilasonia (44e). Transformations for Metz: Sanchez (51st), Fabre (67th). Penalties for Villers-lès-Nancy: Guillard (9th, 12th, 27th, 54th). Le XV messin: Kasses, Maiau, Anton-Rouyer, Kastendeuch, Kouassi, Kimmel (c), Bruder, Migny, Sanchez, Guérimand, Celic, Mathouillot, Knaff, Houplon, Strentz. Finishers: Dalmard, Tomesatto, Zanardini, Agnes, Fabre, Gianoli, Constant.
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