Last-Minute Call Denies Lombez-samatan Federal 2 Victory Over Prades
PRADES, FRANCE – november 10, 2025 – A controversial late decision by the referee has left Lombez-Samatan Rugby Club believing a hard-fought Federal 2 victory slipped through their fingers against JOP Prades this afternoon. Despite a dominant penalty performance and a late surge, Lombez-Samatan fell 28-23 after a final try by Prades’ Marti Casals, followed by a triumphant conversion, in a match marked by a yellow card and tense exchanges.
The narrow defeat is a meaningful setback for Lombez-Samatan in the competitive Federal 2 league,impacting their standing in the standings and playoff aspirations. The outcome hinges on the final moments, sparking debate over the referee’s interpretation of play within the 5-meter line, and leaving the Lombez-Samatan squad questioning whether they were unfairly denied a deserved win.
The match began with early struggles for Lombez-Samatan, as Prades quickly established a lead, capitalizing on a 22nd-minute yellow card issued to Prades’ Marti Casals. “We missed our start to the match,” acknowledged Saviste coach Bruno Cot. Despite playing a man down, Prades maintained their momentum, and following the return to a full complement of players, extended their advantage with a try from Gonzalo Hassan, leading to an 18-14 halftime score.
The second half transformed into a grueling battle of attrition, with both teams locked in a fierce contest for territory. Lombez-Samatan’s kicker, Peyret, repeatedly narrowed the gap with six successful penalties, bringing the score to 21-20 for Prades with 25 minutes remaining. However, Prades ultimately broke the deadlock with a sustained offensive push, culminating in a try by Casals in the 73rd minute. Anthony Durand’s subsequent conversion widened the margin to eight points.
The final score saw JOP Prades emerge victorious 28-23. JOP’s points came from three tries - scored by Montagne (3), Hassan (33), and Casals (73) – alongside two Durand conversions (3, 73) and three Durand penalties (6, 12, 47). Lombez-Samatan’s points were solely attributed to Stefani’s try (23) and peyret’s six penalties (9, 16, 19, 44, 52, 78). Both teams received white cards – Dussac for LSC (70) and Casals for JOP (80) – in addition to Casals’ earlier yellow card.
LOMBEZ-SAMATAN: Peyret, Parat, Dussac, Darrieux (cap), Denis, Bensalla, Pommies, Stefani, Aragon, Sanda, Massarin, Barrau, Duplantier, Allabert, Marty. Finishers: Batbie, Charlas, Rancon, Berhamel, Ane, Massonnaud, Bouquet.
The match, played at the Clément-Padrixe stadium before approximately 400 spectators, was officiated by Mr. Lorenzo Riperto.
