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The W is back in Grenoble

  • Benito Masilevu
  • Taleta Tupuola

FCG won against Valence-Romans (28-25)

The FCG was under pressure for this meeting of the sixth day of Pro D2, which saw the "Rouge & Bleu" welcome their neighbors of Valence-Romans, for a derby of the Dauphiné played behind closed doors, because of the sanitary crisis which touches Isère in particular.

The Grenoble players rather control the beginning of the match, but it is the VRDR which marks the first try of the game, for one of its first incursions in the 22 of the FCG (3-10, 23'). The "Rouge & Bleu" react very quickly on penalty (6-10, 31'), then by scoring two tries in two very different styles. The first one follows a very long sequence of play, which opens up space in the opponent's defense. Clément Ancely rushes in and then serves as a pivot Benito Masilevu, who goes behind the line (13-10, 36'). The second is directly following the return: Deon Fourie escapes on the closed side, he serves inside Eric Escande, who hands over to Taleta Tupuola. The winger marks his first try of the season (20-10, 38').

At the beginning of the second half, Fijian FCG winger Benito Masilevu scored his second try of the game: after a big ball from his forwards, Eric Escande kicks a small kick over the Drôme defense, Benito Masilevu is faster than Javaux and Jenneker (25-13, 49'). 

After a strong time of the VRDR players, stopped by a contest of Deon Fourie, the "Rouge & Bleu" come back in the 22 opponents. Grenoble's forwards push on the opponent's goal line, but the Damiers' defensive curtain is impassable on this action. It was at this point that the Grenoble players' machine got the flu. After 3 fouls signalled by the referee, the visitors come back into the Grenoble players' camp and score a second try (25-18, 68'), then a third on a carried ball (28-25, 78').

During the last two minutes of the match, Grenoble's forwards were forced to do a pick-and-go, right down to the mermaid.

The FCG put an end to a negative spiral of 5 games without victory. Of course, there is still work to be done, but this victory allows the "Rouge & Bleu" to gain a little more serenity, and to go to Vannes next weekend with a little less pressure.

FCG - Valence-Romans: 28-25 (MT: 20-10)

Tries: Benito Masilevu (2), Taleta Tupuola

Penalties and conversions: Enzo Selponi