Pro D2

Provence rugby did the job this Thursday evening in front of its Maurice-David audience. By winning against Colomiers (25-18), the Aixois won the first of the six finals they have left to play in the regular season. With three tries and the offensive bonus at stake, the Blacks temporarily return to one point behind Biarritz, sixth and last qualified for the finals.

Colomiers had however started this match very strongly, determined to stop a series of three consecutive defeats away from home. Without managing to flatten, the Columérins capitalized thanks to the foot of Thomas Girard (9-0).

Temporarily reduced to 14, the Aixois paradoxically played better at that time. Just before the siren, it was the Occitan hooker Thomas Larrieu who was sent to the fridge for ten minutes and Provence rugby took the opportunity to catch up thanks to the incoming Guillaume Piazzoli (10-12).

The Aixoise comeback continues in the second act

Back from the locker room, Provence still enjoyed a numerical superiority. Fijian prop Luke Tagi seized the opportunity to flatten a corner and put the hosts ahead for the first time in this game. Ten minutes later, the third line Piazzoli offered a double and Aix-en-Provence took the road to victory (22-12). Always impeccable in front of the poles, Thomas Girard gave hope to the Columériens but the match was somewhat chopped up to finish without a new try at 25-18 in favor of the Aixois.

With this success against a direct competitor five days from the end, Provence Rugby returns to a length of Biarritz, sixth. Colomiers remains fifth in Pro D2 but could leave the qualifying places in the event of victory for Nevers against Massy and for Vannes against Rouen on Saturday.

In the first leg, Colomiers won in Agen by the narrowest of margins last September (21-22). This Thursday, the Columérins again won the derby against the SUA (20-15) and consolidated their place in the top 6, synonymous with qualification for the final stages at the end of the season. They even return to the race for second place, directly qualifying for the semi-finals.

Max Auriac stung the first in front of his audience. Well served by Mathis Galthié on the 22-meter Agen line, the back flattened and quickly gave the advantage to the locals with this try. Maxime Javaux converted it before giving his team three extra points two minutes later.

The awakening of Agen

Derby obliges, Agen recovered by punishing his opponents, who were at fault three times. AUS flyhalf Elton Jantjies was clinical against the poles and Bernard Goutta’s men came back to 10-9 at the break.

The South African even allowed the Agenais to take control of the game with a fourth penalty goal, but Colomiers answered him in the 56th minute through Thomas Larrieu. The hooker completed a good streak on a carried ball after insisting on several occasions in touch.

The scorers then answered each other in turn but it was Maxime Javaux who scored the last to give Colomiers victory in front of his home crowd (20-15). At the end of a chopped match and in the rain, Agen was too ineffective in the opposing camp and lost against a direct competitor. The Agenais still leave with the defensive bonus point but the good operation is to be credited to Colomiers, who goes back to fourth place.

This is what the Columériens (4th) and the Grenoble (6th) succeeded on Friday evening. Dominant by undertaking, Colomiers easily won against Béziers, with the offensive bonus point (39-20, five tries to two). The Haut-Garonne are two points behind second, Agen.

In Rouen, Grenoble had to fight to win, thanks to a try from their young winger Wilfried Hulleu (21). A convincing victory against the Normans who had brought down the leader Oyonnax the previous day. Grenoble keeps 6th place, Rouen falls to 12th place.

In his lair, Aurillac disposed of Carcassonne (30-26) thanks to two successful penalties at the end of the game by Antoine Aucagne and Marc Palmier, already author of 14 points. Aurillac climbs to 11th place and leaves Carcassonne in 14th place, five small points behind the first relegation player, Soyaux Angoulême (15th), who beat Massy (21-19) in a bottom-ranking duel. Thanks to this victory, the Charentais leave the place of red lantern to Massy. But they remain far (5 points) from the first non-relegation, Carcassonne.

Vannes gets scared

At the end of an incredible end to the match concluded by the test of the pillar Ximun Bessonart, Vannes snatched the victory against Montauban (40-37), after the siren. Andrés Vilaseca thus has a double. The Bretons go back to 8th place, while Montauban remains 13th.