Rugby: Millau gives itself the right to dream of the Fédérale 1 and advances to the round of 16!

Le SOM peut fêter sa qualification pour le prochain tour. Centre Presse – Jean-Louis Bories

Malgré leur courte défaite (19-20), dimanche 19 mai à domicile, les Millavois ont arraché leur ticket pour les 8es de finale de Fédérale 2, ce qui leur permet encore de croire à la montée en Fédérale 1 !

The Bourges team had warned that they would not come to Aveyron without a fight and they kept their word. To the point of imposing itself on Millavois soil by a length. Insufficient, however, to deprive Som of a qualification that was nonetheless deserved, given the two matches (19-25 in the first leg). A real consecration for him, who had failed at this stage of the competition last year.

“We played a really big song and I’m proud of what the boys produced today” Press Center – Jean-Louis Bories

From the start of the match, Bourges attacked with full force, charging their forwards, thus logically opening the score thanks to a penalty from Fesser in the 8th minute. That's four minutes before Escalaïs equalized. A start made up of a lot of blunders on both sides of the field, as if the stakes were killing the game. Escalaïs, still on penalty, then allowed Som to take the advantage (25th ). Little by little, Millau put his game in place. Following a magnificent action, during which more than 10 players touched the ball, full-back Calvi flattened it into the in-goal. An unconverted try: 11-3!

Millau enjoyed a great afternoon of rugby in front of its home crowd. Press Center – Jean-Louis Bories

Best attendance of the season

With the support of the wind in the first period, Bourges attempted penalties, even distant ones, to reduce the gap on the scoreboard. What he did through his scorer Fesser (35th). At the very end of the period, and when they had very few visits to the Millavois camp, the visitors found the fault by pounding in front of the line with their very powerful forwards. The second line Holisi, and Fesser for the transformation, allowed, against all expectations, Bourges to lead 13-11 at the break. Enough to cast a chill over the sports park and its 1,300 supporters present, for what is therefore the best attendance of the season!

Reactions

Baptiste Majorel, Millau coach: We are happy this evening. We played a really big song and I'm proud of what the boys produced today. Of course there is defeat, but it’s almost anecdotal. Millau can be proud of its first team. Now another challenge awaits us.

Victor Baronnet, Bourges coach: The two teams were equal, but we managed our weak times badly today. Our squad is young but we will come back.

Emmanuelle Gazel, mayor of Millau: I am very proud to see 1,300 people at the stadium and to see that the players fought and are, despite the defeat, qualified, which was the goal. objective.

Clément Vergne, Millau fullback: This group is not giving up, but we still have to work to kill the matches earlier. We all want to go far so that the adventure is great. Personally, 11 years ago, I experienced the rise to Federal 2 and it was fabulous. I want to relive it.

Kitou Garcia, former Millau player from the Fed years. 1: I had a great afternoon at the municipal and I saw a team with a lot of desire and determined to qualify. This group seems to be having a good time and I always come back to Millau with pleasure to meet lots of friends again.

However, the Som did not tremble or panic. Playing with the support of the wind after returning from the locker room, he regained the advantage through Escalaïs with a drop in the 43rd minute, after a strong moment. Against the elements, Bourges was initially unable to recover the balloons, often being penalized. In the 53rd minute, a breakthrough from Wadelle, author of some flashes of which he has the secret yesterday, allowed Fekitoa to score a corner try, bringing the score to 19-13. The public finally breathed and we said to ourselves that Millau held its qualification. Especially since a big domination followed, with very good movements initiated by the Som, which did not succeed…hellip;

Gauthier Escalaïs is enjoying a great end to his career with the SOM. Press Center – Jean-Louis Bories

The technical sheet

Sports park.
Half time: 11-13.
Referee: M. Camus.
Spectators: approximately 1,300.

Millau: 2 tries Calvi (31st), Fekitoa (55th); 2 penalties (12th, 25th); 1 drop (43rd) Escalaïs.
Bourges: 2 tries Holisi (40th), Vaskou (80th); 2 penalties (8th, 35th); 2 transformations (40th, 80th) Fesser.

Teams
Millau: Calvi – Delouis, Austruy, Fekitoa, Wadelle – Escalaïs (cap., o), Rorato (m) – Coste, Fournier, Metral – Mezair, A. Bourrel – Herail, Petit, Roques. Then: De March, Mariamon, Naudan, G. Bourrel, Heinderschiett, Vergne, Perraux.
Bourges: Souyri – Khalifa, Bourdariat, Vedel, Vaskou – Fesser (o), Arthus (m) – Robin, Canivet, Tufuui – Holisi, Ferraro – Mabokela, Falatea (cap.), Visagie. Then: Compin, Schirck, Bratu, Croisy, Touleron, Hendricks, Bourdin.
Federal 2B
Millau – 4 Cantons 9-15
 

Sarlat on the program

The Millavois did not kill the match and a try, fortunately without consequence, at the last minute by the visitors gave them a cold sweat, also depriving them of the victory. Bourges wins 20-19, but it is the Som which is qualified and which gives itself the chance to compete for promotion to Federal 1. To do this, it will be necessary to win against Sarlat in round trip, with a first meeting on Sunday. All that's left is!