Toulouse. Colomiers wants to capitalize against Provence rugby
The success against Rouen relaunched the Columérins in the race towards the final stages. Beating Provence rugby would be a great opportunity to sideline an outsider.
What if all the lights were (finally) green on the Colomiers side? The victory against Rouen last week was built in an astonishing scenario. And the way the Columérins returned to the score could well establish a base for the matches to come. It is indeed a Colombe similar to that of the beginning of the season which is essential. A delay in ignition followed by a grip on the ball and some good sequences of play. “I’m happy because the content was very interesting but we have to raise our rigor”, pointed out head coach Julien Sarraute. This one targeted the discipline which was greatly lacking in his proteges. Not that the number of penalties whistled against Colomiers was excessive (10), but rather the area and the succession of these made the building tremble. The example of the start of the match is obvious: Peter Lydon converted nine points on foot following three columérine fouls in almost five minutes, all in an area within reach of the Rouen striker. And in Aix-en-Provence, on the meadow of Florent Massip, you might as well correct this kind of blunder so as not to be punished in the same way.
“We didn’t play perfect rugby, acknowledged Fabien Berneau, forwards coach. It’s a big piece that awaits us, we have to be really applied to our discipline.” In addition, the recent history of confrontations between these two teams has revealed a form of rivalry since the Haut-Garonnais have won the last four games against the Provençals. Above all, the first leg (34-19, 1st day) will be on everyone’s mind. “We know very well that Aix are a very good team that receives well. We also know that they will have the resentment of the first leg. It was their first league match, they lead by 16 points and there are 31- 0 in the second half.” Finally, the ambitions of Aix-en-Provence make it a natural competitor for Colomiers rugby at the top of the table since the objective of the men in black is to reach the elite in the near future. And if the tenth place they occupy is not threatening for the time being, they should not however be put back in progress…