If the epilogue of the 6 Nations Tournament and this clash of the Blues against Scotland was on everyone’s lips as the weekend approached, the Top 14 also resumed its rights after three weeks of truce. Castres received Pau in particular, in a high-stakes game, especially for visitors struggling to maintain. Under a beautiful spring sun, the conditions being ideal, the actors of the meeting offered us an open and pleasant part to follow. The locals started the game with a bang, and scored in less than 20 minutes, two tries by Tyler Ardron and Gaëtan Barlot. The Palois fed on the Tarn indiscipline to hang on by the boot of Antoine Hastoy who converted no less than six kicks in this first act. But one last try before Nakosi’s lemons give back the advantage to CO (22-18), allowing the resident of Pierre-Fabre to temporarily take the offensive bonus.
Pierre-Henry Broncan’s men then consolidated their good after returning from the locker room, when, following a solo act by Filipo Nakosi along the Touche, Julien Dumora plunged into the Promised Land. But Pau in search of a defensive bonus will believe in their luck. First on a try from Habdel Kuffner, then in the last seconds, on a final victorious pick and go from Quentin Lespiaucq (38-33), they snatch a defensive bonus point.
With this success Castres goes back to eighth place, five points behind Lyon sixth and first qualifying, but may regret having let slip in the last moments the offensive bonus. Despite the defeat, Pau won a point that could count for the future. However, with Bayonne’s victory against Racing, the Béarnais thirteenth, are now seven lengths from their Basque neighbor, twelfth. The direct confrontation between these two teams on the next day, April 16 will be worth its weight in gold..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v04qXWx12Ok
Video Credit: Top 14 Official
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