After their away defeat last week against Rugby Club Narbonnais, Nissa Rugby lost in the final moments tonight for the first time this season at home against Sporting Club Albigeois at the end of a close match. A new disappointing result for the Maralpins.
Before the kickoff of this top-tier clash, the men of Gareth Baber, defeated away against Narbonne last weekend were keen to show a different face to their supporters and make amends against Albi, who was 3rd in the standings before this championship day, having achieved two consecutive home wins against Rennes and Tarbes Pyrénées.
You had to be on time for this start to the match! The Maralpins start strong in this first quarter-hour! They quickly earn a penalty following an unconverted knock-on by Owen Williams (1st).
The Albigeois try to respond but are stifled by a well-organized Maralpins defense.
Artur Vignole (4th) scores his first try of the season from a rolling maul. Still struggling in this early return, Owen Williams still can’t convert (5-0).
Without any downtime, Nissa Rugby strings together quick and incisive phases against Albigeois who fall back into tactical errors and ball losses in the lineouts and scrums, just like in their last match against Rennes last weekend.
Nissa Rugby gets a penalty from another technical error and creates a break (8-0) in the 20th minute converted by Owen Williams. The Welsh player reassures himself as the ball finally passes between the posts after his two failures earlier in the match.
Albi capitalizes on Nissa’s technical errors against the run of play
In the 23rd minute, from their only tactical error, Nissa Rugby concedes a try against the run of play, on a breakaway by Christian Bouzeran, who retrieves the ball and touches it down behind the Maralpine goal line, Théo Vidal converts the Albigeois try (8-7).
Albi tries to spice up the match and creates action after action, recovering balls from the Nice rucks several minutes after opening the score.
The Azuréens chain ball losses, and on a technical error, the Albigeois defense gets a penalty converted by Théo Vidal. For the first time since the start of the match, Albi takes the lead (8-10).
The two teams exchange blows, and game actions follow one another on each side.
Before halftime, the Maralpins catch their breath and show more cutting edge even though it does not reflect on the scoreboard.
A still undecided start to the second half
Nissa Rugby returns first from the locker room, determined to regain the lead over the Albigeois. From the start of the second half, the Niçois set up in Albi’s last 40 meters, but new technical and defensive errors by the Maralpins allow the Albigeois to play behind them.
At the hour mark, both teams are still neck and neck (8-10) despite successive phases of play from both sides.
In the 54th minute, the referee whistles an Albigeois error less than 20 meters from their goal line and Guillaume Rouet scores a try from a rolling maul, converted by Owen Williams. Nissa Rugby retakes the lead (15-10).
The Maralpins struggle to get out of their half and are punished three minutes later by an Albigeois try and conversion in the 58th minute. Albi regains the lead (15-17).
Albi overturns the Maralpins in the final minutes
Nissa Rugby attempts to react to regain the lead, and the lineouts in their favor follow one another. In the 65th minute, the referee whistles an Albigeois error, and Nissa Rugby opts for the penalty, with Jean-Pascal Barraque splitting the uprights, allowing the Maralpins to regain the lead with 15 minutes remaining (18-17).
In the final minutes of this match, the tension and suspense reach their peak, with both teams exchanging attacks and continuing the phases of play.
On a second successive scrum error by Albi, Nissa Rugby earns a penalty. Jean-Pascal Barraque converts it with seven minutes remaining, extending Nissa Rugby’s lead (21-17).
The Maralpins think they are safe from an Albigeois conversion, but with four minutes remaining, Albi recovers a ball, counters down the flanks, and scores a try which is converted. The Albigeois regain the lead over the Maralpins by 3 points (21-24).
The Niçois don’t break, react, and set up in the last 15 meters of the Albigeois goal area through wing changes and rolling mauls. The Maralpins attempt a final try to retake the scoreboard lead but the match ends.
Nissa Rugby is defeated for the first time this season at home (21-24). The Albigeois achieve a significant coup and solidify their third place in the standings.
With their two consecutive defeats, Nissa Rugby appears to be losing momentum and will need to quickly make amends in 15 days against Rennes to try to reconnect with the top trio in the standings.
