North Faces Former Foes as Provence Rugby Clash with Vannes in Pro D2 Showdown
Vannes, France – RC Vannes face โtheir first major test of teh Pro D2 โseason on Friday night (9 p.m. local time) as they โhost a formidable Provence Rugby โฃside. Led by โformer french national teamโข coach Philippe Saint-Andrรฉ, Provence Rugby boasts a squad brimming with international experience adn established Top 14 talent. A key figure for the visitors will be Welsh rugby legend George North, who isโ settling into life โฃinโ France โขafter a storied career with Wales and the Britishโฃ & Irish Lions.
North, a center/winger, joined Provence Rugby for the 2024-2025 season,โค marking hisโฃ first foray into club rugby โขoutside of the UK.โข His arrival immediately โinjected a wealth of experience into โคa squad already chaired by Denis โPhilipon. Withโฃ 121 caps for Wales, North ranks as the third most-capped player in Welsh rugby history and is renowned for his finishing ability, โฃhaving โฃscored 47 international tries – the second-highest total for โขhis nation.
However, โNorth’s start to life in Pro D2 was initially โhampered by injury. He arrived in France โrecovering from a ruptured Achilles tendon โขsustained during the Wales-Italy match in March 2024 – a game that proved to โbe his final appearance forโข the Welsh national team. โ He made his debut for Provence Rugby in January and has โคquickly become a key component ofโ the team, forming โa strong โpartnership with Inga Finau. โข
Despite aโข recent setback – a defeat to Valence-Romans โ(30-33) – which ended Provence Rugby’s year-and-a-half winning โstreak,North’s presence is sure โto be a meaningful factor as โthey travel to โคBrittany to face Jean-Noรซl spitzer’s RC Vannes. The match promises to beโ a thrilling encounter between two sides vying for promotionโ in the competitive Proโค D2 landscape.
Keywords: pro D2, RC Vannes,โฃ provence Rugby, George North, Philippe Saint-andrรฉ, Rugby, France, Welsh Rugby, Jean-Noรซl Spitzer.