The Awakening of RNCA

Monday, October 26, 2009
26-9, 3 tries to zero, Rugby Nice Côte d'Azur completed the task in hand against Tournefeuille on Sunday in their fourth scheduled match of the Fédérale 1 season by winning and gaining the bonus point.
This was their third match played so far in 09/10 with a match in hand to be played at the Stade des Arboras against Chateaurenard this coming Sunday, 1st November at 3pm. In the event that Nice win this coming match on Sunday they will reinforce their position high in the top four of the table, more in line with their ambitions.

However, the team must raise their game. Even though they were the superior team on Sunday they are still a long way from playing to the level which is expected of them "There was not enough accurancy and discipline around the ruck which led to us giving away penalties" stated Christophe Moni "it is a question of attitude and agressiveness during the game. Everyone agrees that this team has a huge amount of quality and potential".
The team played to a high level despite numerous injuries (Yates, Guarese, Johnson, Moxham, J.Malavard, Fa’Atau, Ngawini…) The scrum worked well and the lines outs were smoothly executed around the duo Boukanoucha and Saint-Croix however the team did not impose their rhythym on the game enough to truly dominate their opposition.
The arrival of Chateaurenard on Sunday the 1st November (3pm) will give 'les Niçois' the chance to live up to the expectations.

Photo: Richard Zanca

NICE-TOURNEFEUILLE : 26-9 (11-3)
Good weather, pitch-good.
Referee : M.Chenadier (Drôme-Ardèche)
Nice : 3 tries, Dramé (4th), Boukanoucha (50th), Caminiati (62nd) ; 3 penalties (17th, 23rd, 44th) et 1 conversion, Caminati. Injury to McHugh (thigh).
Tournefeuille : 3 penalties (11th, 45th, 54th) Caussimon.

NICE TEAM : Caminati – Lapierre (Warwick, 18th), Benstaali, Kacharava
(Keil, 60th), Dramé (Chambon, 63rd) – (o) McHugh (Lapierre, 18th), (m) Delmonte –
Sainte-Croix, Herrera (Orméa, 65th), Mezencev – Derrstroff (Beattie, 55th),
Boukanoucha – Traversa (G.Hill, 40th), Feldis (MacKie, 40th), Canizares (Langlade,
58th).