25th day of Pro D 2, new block of four matches, the penultimate of the ordinary phases. This Friday evening, 8:45 p.m., live on France Bleu Gascogne, after “Les Têtes à Packs”, Stade Montois, first, eighty points, receives Aviron Bayonnais, second, seven lengths away.
The context
After this shock there will then remain five days to play before the final stages. This meeting can therefore allow the Gascons to send their main competitor back from an even greater distance. But the most important thing is to make an impression by maintaining invincibility at home. Happy memory! 33-14, four Mons tries which impose themselves with panache and without possible discussion in Jean-Dauger suddenly silent. The Mons made a strong impression on November 5th by punishing the Bayonnais who were then said to be on the almost quiet road to the Top 14. In view of their plethoric workforce. And their claimed goals. Du Plessis and Coly masterful maneuver, a pack of all the devils and gallopers who gallop, the Mons this autumn day explained to the oval that their status and their ambition were not overused. In Boniface, the Mons then beat or even bruised all of the competition. Tonight puts the regional clocks back a bit on summer time. In a winter climate. Which will not be conducive to offshore actions. A priori. The Bayonnais, who are closely followed by two lengths by Oyonnax who receive Bourg-en-Bresse, 13th, know that they will have to do exploits in the plural to keep their chance of playing a semi-final at home. The people of Mons, without Du Plessis or Alvès but with all the rest of the beautiful band, just want to make the Basques understand that Boniface is a hostile land abroad. A Mons victory would be significant. And would ensure the scratches to play their semi-final on their meadow.
– pap
What a game ?
One certainty, the weather! Wet and cold to say the least. This could determine some evidence in the game of both teams. We know that they are on the offensive even if the Mons, second best attack behind Oyonnax, are a bit more convincing than the Basques. Rowing’s defence, meanwhile, is more porous than that of the Gascons. Corn on both sides, solidity and rigor are the key words. And the tactics. With two designs. That of the Mons is transcended by Stephane Prosper, fine strategist, who fixes the game where it is not expected. Disconcert the adversary, create fixation in particular by managing the foot, the movement then send the light cavalry. The Basques have for them almost a Top 14 workforce and of course the big desire for revenge after the spanking received at Dauger in the first leg. The Bayonne are in good shape. Yannick Bru, technical boss of the azure and white, recovered many of the injured. We have further densified the already tremendously thick group. Basques have three options. Do not play, do not expose yourself, wait, let the Mons come, or immediately engage in confrontation with the big front, or finally put pressure with repeated kicking to force the strikers to restart, out of their base