Difficult travel for the RCSA to Elne

Patrick Galtier, président du RCSA : “Mathématiquement il n’y a rien de perdu pour la qualification.” MD

Les Saint-Affricains espèrent toujours accrocher une place qualificative pour les phases finales. 

After his defeat at home (17-27)   against leader Servian, the RCSA travels to Elne on Sunday February 11 to face J S Illibérien/Latour/Théza. In the first leg, the Saint-Affricains won 18 to 12. by scoring two tries, their opponents having scored their points thanks to four successful penalties.

This will be a match between 6th and 7th. With 29 points, the RCSA is ahead of the Catalan club by one point. A situation which gives particular relief to this meeting in the race with a view to securing a hypothetical qualifying place. What Patrick Galtier, the president of the RCSA, confirms: "We are separated by one point with the Catalans, the outcome will be interesting for whoever goes earn. Subsequently our calendar is more favorable. Mathematically there is nothing lost for the qualification."

The task promises to be difficult, it is never easy to impose yourself on Catalan soil, especially as there should be people at the stadium with a supporters' meal which will make therefore postpone the kick-off of the game to 3:30 p.m. Olivier Vallet, the president of the club, is relatively calm:  "Our first objective is to get closer to the top of the table. We are on a good dynamic. Qualification, why not, but that requires a victory. This is an important match between two direct competitors. The Aveyronnais are on a good dynamic, we must not miss it." 

The accounting situation should hardly change for fifth place held by US Thurinoise with 4 points ahead. The latter  must receive the Avenir Bleu et Blanc last in the group and in great difficulty in terms of numbers. Even in the event of victory, the Saint-Affricains should not gain an additional place.

The trip promises to be complicated especially since "the workforce will be a little limited due to the holidays and that’ it will be necessary to integrate juniors" specifies Patrick Galtier. Their last trip ended in a victory against Thuir (12-14), the race for qualification requires this kind of performance to make up for the points lost at home.