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Agen v Edinburgh - Pool 2

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An Tarbh

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Captain Luc Lafforgue moves to full-back for Agen for the HEC opener against Edinburgh. Sylvain Mirande returns from injury to line up on the wing. Rupeni Caucaunibaca misses out though as he's not being rushed back from injury.

Edinburgh make 3 changes from their win in Limerick with Ben Cairns for Chris Paterson, Craig Smith for Alasdair Dickinson in the front row and Ross Rennie returns to replace Alan MacDonald. Paterson may still feature though and has made the trip to France.

Agen: 15 Luc Lafforgue ©, 14 Manu Ahotaeiloa, 13 Conrad Stoltz, 12 Arnaud Mignardi, 11 Sylvain Mirande, 10 François Gelez, 9 Nicolas Morlaes, 8 Thomas Soucaze, 7 Colin Yukes, 6 Matthieu Lievremont, 5 Kirill Koulemine, 4 Adri Badenhorst, 3 Alessio Galasso, 2 Jalil Narjissi, 1 Pietman Van Niekerk.
Replacements: 16 Ace Tiatia, 17 Eusebio Guinazu, 18 Fabrice Culine, 19 Opeti Fonua, 20 Max Carabignac, 21 Jérome Miquel, 22 Dave Vainqueur,

Edinburgh: 15 Hugo Southwell, 14 Ben Cairns, 13 Marcus Di Rollo, 12 Rob Dewey, 11 Simon Webster, 10 Phil Godman, 9 Mike Blair, 8 David Callam, 7 Ross Rennie, 6 Alasdair Strokosch, 5 Scott Murray ©, 4 Matt Mustchin, 3 Craig Smith, 2 Dougie Hall, 1 Allan Jacobsen.
Replacements: 16 Andrew Kelly, 17 Alasdair Dickinson, 18 Fergus Pringle, 19 Alan MacDonald, 20 Greig Laidlaw, 21 Duncan Hodge, 22 Mike Pyke.

Referee: Alan Lewis (Ireland)
 
Paterson is going to travel with the team, he might MIGHT get to play. Failing that, we'll have to score tries cause with Hodge on the bench we have no kicker in the starting XV (Godman can't kick 10m infront of himself, Southwell has plenty wallop but heehaw accuracy).
 
Tough to be without Paterson, especially with this being the 'easiest' of the 3 away games and so a must win for the Gunners
 
Agen seem to hve had a change of heart with their team selection. Caucau will start after returning from Fiji, captain Luc Lafforgue starts on the other wing while Pepito Elhorga takes his place at full back. Arnaud Mignardi now misses out with Sylvain Mirande switching to the centre from the wing. Jérôme Miquel now starts at fly-half with François Gelez relegated to the bench. Fabrice Culine and Opeti Fonua join Matthieu Lièvremont in the back row, Sorin Socol lines up beside Adri Badenhorst in the second row while there are also 2 changes in the front row with Eusebio Guinazu and Laurent Cabarry joining hooker Jalil Narjissi.

Agen: 15 Pépito Elhorga, 14 Luc Lafforgue ©, 13 Conrad Stoltz, 12 Sylvain Mirande, 11 Rupeni Caucaunibuca, 10 Jérôme Miquel, 9 Nicolas Morlaes, 8 Fabrice Culine, 7 Opeti Fonua, 6 Matthieu Lièvremont, 5 Sorin Socol, 4 Adri Badenhorst, 3 Eusebio Guinazu, 2 Jalil Narjissi, 1 Laurent Cabarry.
Replacements: 16 Alessio Galasso, 17 Cezar Popescu, 18 Ace Tiatia, 19 Peïo Som, 21 Colin Yukes, 22 François Gelez, 23 Manu Ahotaeiloa

I don't really know what to make of all these changes. Is this a full strength team for Agen or are they taking a similar route that Bourgoin have taken previously?
 
I don't really know what to make of all these changes. Is this a full strength team for Agen or are they taking a similar route that Bourgoin have taken previously?
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I don't think so, it seems to be the full strength team of the moment for Agen. I'm a little bit surprised for Caucaunibuca :huh:
The front row of the bench is very powerfull and the second half time will be interesting.
 
Good to know mate, cheers. Just didn't know what to make of it with so many changes from the original team.
 
Half time in the south of France and Edinburgh have a bit of work to do trailing by 10 points. Agen lead 13-3 at the break with 2 penalties and a try from either Narjissi or Lievremont, obviously a forward orientated try there. Godman with a penalty just before the break to reduce the gap to 10.
 
Agen had to rely on a late penalité from François Gelez as Edinburgh produced a fine second half fightback which proved to be in vain. Trailing by 10 points at the break, Edinburgh led 17-16 into the final few minutes but conceding that penalty gave substitute Gelex the chance to give Agen la victoire. Je crois que j'ai trop bu ce soir.

Originally posted by BBC Sport
Edinburgh's quest to become Scotland's first team to snatch a Heineken Cup win in France ended in cruel frustration.

A brilliant late try by Canadian winger Mike Pyke appeared to have sealed a famous win after a stirring fightback.

But Agen substitute Francois Jelez thumped over the clinching penalty just two minutes from time.

Edinburgh trailed 13-3 at the interval but dug in and four penalties from stand-off Phil Godman ensured that the visitors were always in the game.

The opening 15 minutes looked ominous for Edinburgh but they managed to survive the early storm with their line still intact.

But Lynn Howells' side were making too many mistakes and, when Agen snubbed the chance of a pot at goal, their penalty gamble paid off as hooker Jalil Narjissi was driven across the line.

Jerome Miquel confidently stroked over the conversion - then stretched the advantage after 24 minutes with a penalty for hands in a ruck.

Edinburgh were more composed in the closing stages of the half, but fell further behind when Miquel slotted his second penalty.

However, there was enough time for Godman to get his side off the mark with an identical score.

Miquel was back on target six minutes after the restart before Edinburgh began to rally.

Godman bagged two more penalties in quick succession as the home team began to show signs of nerves.

And the level-headed stand-off found the target again 10 minutes later to pave the way for a tense finale.

Pyke then silenced the crowd with the score that edged his team in front for the first time.

The forwards did the spadework before Godman's beautifully weighted grubber kick fell perfectly for the Canadian to pounce on.

But Edinburgh could not hold on and fell to defeat after the killer blow from Jelez.


Good news for Leinster and Gloucester with Edinburgh coming away winless, just puts more pressure on getting a win for either side in tomorow evening's clash at Lansdowne.
 
Apparantly we were the better side and Agen were there for the taking but, as has been the norm on the road so far this year, indiscipline has cost us victory. It's only the first game though, so lets see how it all pans out.
 
yeah but with it being more likely than not that you won't win at Kingsholm or Lansdowne this was a must win and was there for the taking alright.
 
Apparantly we were the better side and Agen were there for the taking but, as has been the norm on the road so far this year, indiscipline has cost us victory. It's only the first game though, so lets see how it all pans out.
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I have seen the match, a strange match. Agen was more powerfull but they were incapable to keep the ball. So you have had the ball during 75% of the match. You spent your time to try to pass the defence by the hand with your backwards but the Agen's wall was too strong.
 
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Apparantly we were the better side and Agen were there for the taking but, as has been the norm on the road so far this year, indiscipline has cost us victory. It's only the first game though, so lets see how it all pans out.
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I have seen the match, a strange match. Agen was more powerfull but they were incapable to keep the ball. So you have had the ball during 75% of the match. You spent your time to try to pass the defence by the hand with your backwards but the Agen's wall was too strong. [/b][/quote]


Sounds like every match Northampton have played for the last month... All the ball but not using it.
 
Well we were sticking to our normal plan of spread it wide and run fast. Only we didn't penetrate the defence that much.

Leinster aren't invincible, we've beaten them at home before and we've got the abillity to do it again. Don't know about Glouscter at Kingsholm though, might be tough. Certainly we should get 3 wins at Murrayfield.
 
it's a bit of a difference between beating Leinster's second string side and the full strength team, you probably have to go back to the HEC 6 years ago when we were in the same pool and you beat us and got a draw but the teams are completely different now and those results are irrelevant. This should be a tasty affair and in all honesty considering our record in England the one game we can probably get away with losing.
 
Records mean sweet fa. When it comes down to it, it's 80 mins of rugby on a rugby pitch. Nothing that came before matters in my book.
 

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