By Guy Williams, Date: 10/4/13
AVIGNON Bisons secured a home semi-final after upsetting minor premiers Pia Donkeys 32-12 on Sunday afternoon.
The Bisons cruised to a 20-point win against an understrength Donkeys outfit, securing fourth place of the French Federation of Rugby League Elite One season at the completion, and a home semi-final.
Toulouse Olympique now travel to Avignon next weekend to tackle the Bisons in the first semi-final, while third-placed Lezignan host AS Carcassonne.
The winner of the match between Toulouse and Avignon plays Pia Donkeys on April 27-28, while St Esteve XIII Catalans face the winner of Lezignan and Carcassonne.
Villeneuve-sur-Lot look set to keep their finals hopes alive after leading 22-10 at half-time, but couldn’t hold out a fast-finishing Lezignan Sangliers side, who finished 56-22 winners.
Meanwhile, Toulouse Olympique advanced through to the fourth round of the Tetley’s Challenge Cup after their 56-18 win over Swinton on Sunday and will travel to York in a fortnight, while Carcassonne were eliminated by Workington Town following their 24-16 loss.
RESULTS
FFR XIII Elite One round 19
AVIGNON 36 (Bissière 2, Jullien, Romano, Wood, Armani, Pourret tries; Arnaud 4 goals) def PIA 12 (Maury, Ambert tries; Gehenot goal).
LÉZIGNAN 56 (Poggi 3, Piquemal 2, Fifita 2, Calegari 2, J Boudebza, tries; Wynn 8 goals) def VILLENEUVE-SUR-LOT 22 (De Martini, Yakan-Besson, Rory Bromley, Ben Bromley tries; Villegas 3 goals).
SAINT ESTEVE-XIII CATALAN 46 (Cardace 3, Springer, Scimone, Jamil, Baile, Capdellayre tries; David Guasch 7 goals) def LESCURE 10 (Shaw, Rigal tries; 1 goal).
Challenge Cup round 3
WORKINGTON 24 (Olstrum 2, Lupton, Connor tries; Forber 4 goals) def CARCASSONNE 16 (Aitken, V. Anderson, A. Sabri tries; Alexis Escamilla 2 goals).
TOULOUSE OLYMPIQUE 56 (Mark Kheirallah 2, Mourad Kriouache 2, Bastien Ader, Tony Maurel, Samy Masselot, Johnathon Ford, Guy Williams, Cyril Moliner tries; Mark Kheirallah 8 goals) def SWINTON LIONS 18 (Mark Smith, Neil Holland, Ryan Shaw tries; Ryan Shaw 3 goals).
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