ALBI 26 CARCASSONNE 16
MIKE RYLANCE, Parc des Sports et de l’Amitié, Narbonne, Sunday
AFTER 48 long years Albi’s wait is over.
The Max Rousié Shield, which they had not laid their hands on since 1977, is finally in their grasp.
But until three minutes from the end of this gripping contest it looked very much as if the trophy was heading back to Carcassonne.
The Canaries led 16-14 and had never been behind. But Albi, who in the later stages had looked disorganised, found the match-winner in Clément Tailhades’ burst through, swiftly underlined by Corentin Le Cam, who touched down shortly before the hooter sounded.
Like in the Cup final, it had looked very much as if favourites Albi would pay the price for a slow start as the Canaries built a 10-0 lead.
Winger Georgy Gambaro took Clément Herrero’s kick to the corner and planted the ball down, with video-referee Mohamed Drizza taking a long time to validate it. Three minutes later Edenn Rogers-Smith charged on to Herrero’s short pass, taking four defenders with him over the line, Herrero converting for a 10-0 lead.
With plenty of possession, Albi levelled when Tony Gigot passed to the outstanding young fullback Maxime Rostang, whose pace took him through a gap, with Gigot goaling.
From a scrum soon after, centre Hnaloan Budden went over from Brad Wall’s pass as Albi began to find a way to break down the Canaries’ hitherto solid defence. Lucas Albert failed with an ambitious field-goal attempt and the scores remained equal at the break.
A second big drive from Jowasa Drodrolagi gave the position for Morgan Escaré to shoot over, Herrero adding the conversion and Carcassonne went ahead again.
And their lead could have been extended when Gambaro intercepted Wall’s floated pass, but Rostang caught him in pursuit.
Carcassonne were down to twelve men when Bastien Canet was sin-binned for a late tackle on Rostang and the initiative swung back towards Albi.
From Rostang’s pass, winger Nittim Pedrero did well to get over at the corner but Gigot could not convert, leaving Albi trailing by two points.
Albi’s Tristan Dupuy was yellow-carded for a dangerous tackle and although Tailhades went close, Escaré kicking the ball dead, Albi seemed to be squandering the possession they had.
The outcome could have been very different if Escaré, touching down from Herrero’s kick to the centre, had not been ruled offside by M. Vincent.
Instead play switched to the other end, where Albi, as the tension mounted, sealed their long-awaited victory.
GAMESTAR: Young fullback Maxime Rostang had an outstanding game for Albi.
GAMEBREAKER: Two tries in the last three minutes from Clément Taillades and Corentin Le Cam were the killer blows.
MATCHFACTS
ALBI
1 Maxime Rostang
2 Nittim Pedrero
3 Clément Tailhades
14 Hnaloan Budden
25 Romain Franco
6 Brad Wall
31 Tony Gigot
8 Ben Shea
9 Mathieu Liauzun
13 Chase Bernard
15 Corentin Le Cam
12 Tristan Dupuy
35 Mickael Goudemand
Subs (all used)
14 Maxime Puech
12 Jayson Goffin
16 Louis Tailhades
17 Thibault Corrèges
Tries: Rostang (31), Budden (34), Tailhades (77), Le Cam (79)
Goals: Gigot 5/7
Sin bin: Dupuy (68) – dangerous tackle
CARCASSONNE
1 Morgan Escaré
2 Alexis Escamilla
3 Walid Bouregba
4 Thibault Franck
5 Georgy Gambaro
6 Clément Herrero
7 Lucas Albert
8 Clément Boyer
18 Nolan Lopez-Buttignol
24 Damel Diakhaté
11 Maika Serulevu
30 Edenn Rogers-Smith
13 Bastien Canet
Subs (all used)
14 Thomas Malfaz
16 Alexis Alberola
10 Jowasa Drodrolagi
9 Dibryl Dauliac
Tries: Gambaro (15), Rogers-Smith (18), Escaré (45)
Goals: Herrero 2/3
Sin bin: Canet (47) – late tackle
SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-4, 0-10, 6-10, 10-10; 10-16, 14-16, 20-16, 26-16
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Albi: Maxime Rostang; Carcassonne: Clément Herrero
Penalty count: 5-8
Half-time: 10-10
Referee: Stéphane Vincent
Attendance: 5,191
