TWELVE-MAN Albi reached their first championship final in 47 years after defeating title holders Limoux in a match full of open play and suspense as well as controversy.
Albi’s Nittim Pedrero, the star of the semi-final up to that point, was sent off on the stroke of half-time by referee Mohamed Drizza following an altercation in which the top-scoring winger did not appear to be involved.
After fullback Christopher Hellec had opened the scoring for Albi with a try and conversion, Limoux threatened to hit back as full back Zac Santo broke more than 80 metres but was overhauled by Pedrero.
A breakaway try from Limoux winger Quentin Crunel helped level the scores at 6-6.
Pedrero replied by touching down from Tony Gigot’s kick, before creating a try for Gigot, converted by Hellec for a 16-6 lead.
Limoux came right back when Johnathon Ford cut through and handed on to second row Yann Belmaaziz for the first of two tries in three minutes. The second came when hooker Justin Bouscayrol bustled his way over the line.
At 16-16 and with their strikeforce diminished, Albi went behind for the first time when Matis Dall’asta landed a penalty-goal.
But Gigot took control, first when intercepting and going over for his second try, Hellec goaling, and also kicking a penalty-goal.
The former Catalans stand-off found touch with a 40-20, from which his own angled kick was collected by Julien Cancé as Albi forged a 30-18 lead, stretched further when Albi captain Tristan Dupuy crashed over for a 34-18 scoreline which made the victory look far simpler than it was.
League leaders Carcassonne hammered fourth-placed Pia 44-4 in a game that became increasingly one-sided after Pia were reduced to twelve, then eleven men.
Forward Marc Janicot was red carded following alleged foul play in the tackle while earlier, Théo Bonneriez was initially shown a yellow card, which referee Stéphane Vincent changed to red when the centre contested the decision.
Carcassonne led 14-0 at half-time from tries by Vincent Albert, Georgy Gambaro and Alexis Escamilla.
The Canaries added five more, Gambaro and Escamilla both going over a second time as Pia’s play became strewn with errors.
Thomas Ambert touched down for Pia but the second half belonged almost entirely to the Canaries, setting up the final in a fortnight’s time between the league’s top two.
RESULTS
Championship semi-finals
Albi 34 Limoux 18
Carcassonne 44 Pia 4
FIXTURE
Sunday, 26 May
Championship final
Albi v Carcassonne 15:00 (at Parc des Sports et de l’Amitié, Narbonne)
First published in League Express newspaper, Issue 3,430 (May 13, 2024)
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