Moissac Amateurs Advance to the 16th Round of French Regional 1 Championship

Moissac's rugby reserve team advanced to the sixteenth round of the French Regional 1 Championship after defeating Cadaujac 21-7. Despite not scoring any tries, Valentin Bénoni's accurate kicking made the difference, securing a victory for the Tarn-et-Garonne side.

Moissac's Amateurs Reach the Sixteenth Round of the French Regional 1 Championship

Moissac's reserve team continues their impressive run in the French championship, securing their place in the sixteenth round.

After defeating Muret and Val XV in the eighth and quarter-finals of the Occitanie regional tournament, Moissac faced Maubourguet in the semi-finals, who ultimately became regional champions a week later. Moissac's impressive regional ranking earned them the privilege of hosting the subsequent match.

Their opponents, Cadaujac, from the southern part of Bordeaux, had a shorter run in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine playoffs, falling in the eighth finals to Pouillon-Labatut. Interestingly, Pouillon, like Maubourguet, also went on to become regional champions.

Given these circumstances, it was challenging to predict a favorite before the match commenced, though Moissac held the advantage of playing on their home field.

Due to ongoing renovations on the athletic track, the match was played on the less spectator-friendly annex field. With the wind in their favor, Cadaujac initially put pressure on Moissac's goal. Moissac defended staunchly, and Beard's first penalty attempt hit the post and bounced out.

Faced with Cadaujac's dominance, Moissac conceded their first try on the left wing (0-7, 13'). This setback seemed to galvanize Enzo Nicolas' teammates. Valentin Bénoni converted three penalties (9-7, 36'), giving Moissac the lead for the first time. Before the break, he added a fourth penalty, extending their lead.

Moissac had weathered the initial storm and now controlled the pace of the game. In the second half, Valentin Bénoni slotted another penalty, but Cadaujac remained a threat. Fortunately, Alexis Morel prevented a try with a spoon tackle, an illegal move at this level of competition, which earned him a yellow card (53').

Moissac, under the watchful eye of their attentive sports coordinator Benoît Mothes, tightened their grip on the match as time wore on, much to the delight of Alain Serre, the team's loyal supporter. Valentin Bénoni proved to be an invaluable metronome with his boot, converting seven penalties to reward the efforts of his teammates.

Moissac's reserves have earned their place in the sixteenth round of the French championship. This Saturday, they will face Cestas, another Girondin team, who defeated Canton Saint-Lys (28-25).

Match Summary

MOISSAC 21 CADAUJAC 7
Half-time: 12-7; Referee: Mr. Mathias Lonfranc.

Scorers:

Moissac: 7 P Benoni (20, 25, 36, 40+2, 42, 62, 71)

Cadaujac: 1 E Beuque (13); 1 T Beard

Progression of the score: 0-7, 3-7, 6-7, 9-7, 12-7 / 15-7, 18-7, 21-7

AVENIR MOISSAGAIS: Morel; A.Hoeppe, Ayral, Baron, Buret; (o) Bénoni, (m) Nicolas (cap); Alibert, Moncouet, Peraud; B.Hoeppe, Habrouk; Latif, Causin, Julien.

Replacements: Coudert, Henry, Arnosti, Bonnefous, Ducasse, Delluc, Gros.

Discipline: Yellow card: Morel (30); Yellow card: Morel (53).

RC CADAUJAC: Beuque (cap); Bousseau, Lacazette, Laborde, Lacoste; (o) Bax, (m) Beard; Dorier, Rancon, Geffroy; Courtiols, Escalona; Privat, Toujas, Febwin.

Replacements: Clairon, Bellenoux, Varrin, Costemalle, Cousin, Rachet, Duris.

Discipline: Yellow cards: Courtiols (24, 35).