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They really fought for that win

  • Lilian Saseras
  • Enzo Selponi
  • Pablo Uberti

The "Rouge & Bleu" won their first away game of the season by winning in Carcassonne (19-26)

The FCG players had blamed themselves a lot for the lack of fighting and aggressiveness they showed last weekend against Colomiers. They promised themselves to do much better at this level this Thursday evening in Carcassonne at the opening of the second round of the championship.

And they did it. Quickly behind on the scoremark (3-0, 5'), the Isèrois proved to be effective by scoring in one of their first forays into the 22 opponents, after the dismissal following a penalty from Enzo Selponi (3-3, 21'), on a ball well negotiated by Deon Fourie, well followed, at foot, by Lilian Saseras (3-10, 22').

Grenoble forwards, including JC Janse Van Rensburg, were struggling to adapt to the match referee's commands. The South African losehead prop was caught with a yellow card and Gilles Bosch allowed the home side to come back to the score (9-10, 36'). But, on a new ball gained by the FCG, after the buzzer, Lilian Saseras puts a small kick, into the try zone. Pablo Uberti dives between three defenders and scores (9-17, 40')

The intensity of the fight will increase by a notch or two in the second act. The Carcassonne players will camp for almost every 40 minutes, in the 22 of the FCG. After a first scuffle, Pablo Uberti was caught with a yellow card, while the lock Manchia was given a yellow card. But, a few moments later, Koffi took a yellow card for a shoulder tackle on Lilian Saseras. In numerical superiority for a few moments, Enzo Selponi passed a penalty and allowed the FCG to take a little lead (9-20, 56')

After two penalties from the scorers of both teams (12-23, 66'), the Carcassonne team will continue to camp in the FCG's half of the pitch. After another yellow card (against Mickaël Capelli), the "Rouge & Bleu" will finish the match at 13 against 15. Heroes in defence, and after several minutes of scrum on their line, they finally conceded a penalty try (19-23, 77'). 

But the Grenoble team will be particularly effective in the final moments of the game. Lilian Saseras, first, who gets a penalty on a contest (19-26, 79'), then Deon Fourie, on a new contest after the buzzer.

This first away win allows the Grenoble team to "compensate" for the defeat they lost at the Stade des Alpes last Friday. Above all, it demonstrates the qualities of fighting spirit, pugnacity and solidarity that will be necessary throughout this Pro D2 championship. And this will start next weekend, with a trip to Aix-en-Provence.