RYAN SMITH AND MONTAUBAN OPEN THEIR SPRING CAMPAIGN WITH A WIN   26th March 2007

 

Ryan Smith played the full game as Montauban Tarn-et-Garonne  defeated SU Agen Lot-et-Garonne at Sapiac their home field, by 22 points to 12 ( Half-time score: 9 to 9 )

 

A packed stadium, a victory that was deserved. What a great way to celebrate the arrival of Spring in Montauban hearts, even if the weather conditions were more conducive to thinking about winter chills than the arrival of tulips and daffodils.

 

To complete the whole party, young Rugby school players arrived on the pitch at half-time to receive their trophies from a Tournament they had just played in. Before the match as well, the match ball arrived on the pitch, carried by four parachutists from Montauban who braved the strong wind to land on the Rugby ground.

The first half really belonged to Agen. But Montauban put their shoulders to the task and did well to reach parity at the half. "We just aksed the players to be patient, insisted coach Laurent Labit. It was a patience well rewarded when from a tapped penalty, after a period of domination by Montauban was finished off with a try from flanker Camille Traversa.  It was the only try of the match. "We knew it was not going to be easy. The players did well to take this match which will help Montauban stay in the T 14 next season.   

 

The next match, in two weeks time, is against Biarritz.

Pour Montauban : 1 try Traversa (55e) ; 4 penalties (6 min, 31 min, 44 min, 61min) and 1 conversion by Mitu, 1 drop goal by Fauqué (40min).

Pour Agen : 4 penalties by Miquel (1min, 21min, 26min, 46min).

MONTAUBAN : Duffau (Pyke 53e) ; Figueiredo, Smith, Jahouer (Viard 68e), Cassin ; (0) Fauqué (cap), (m) Mitu ; Raynaud, Clarkin (Frost 66e puis Vaïtanaki 77e), Caballero ; Frost (Diarra 51e), Rolland ; Sa (Henn 70e), Traversa (Arganèse 61e), Henn (Balan 61e).

AGEN : Elhorga ; Vainqueur (Lafforgue 48e), Ahetaeiloa, Mignardi, Caucaunibuca (C.Stoltz 70e) ; (0) Miquel, (m) Morlaes (cap) ; Culine (Yukes 59e), Soucaze, Lièvremont ; Badenhorst (Koulemine 44e), W.Stoltz ; Galasso, Narjissi ; Cabarry (Van Niekerk 40e).