This Saturday at 4:30 p.m., RC Vannes welcomes Aviron Bayonnais for a crucial match as part of the 12th day of the Top 14. After a series of matches in the Challenge Cup, the Bretons must absolutely win to stay in the race to maintain.
A return to the Top 14 after the European break
RC Vannes returns to the Top 14 with certain pressure after two matches in the Challenge Cup, one lost against the Black Lions of Tbilisi, the other won brilliantly, against Gloucester. The Breton club, which is having a complicated season, must imperatively win against Bayonne so as not to see its ambitions to maintain move away. This match at the Rabine stadium is of capital importance for Jean-Noël Spitzer’s men.
For this decisive meeting, the Vannes staff decided to rely on their executives. Salesi Rayasi, left to rest during the last European match due to an adductor problem, will make his comeback on the wing. The pair of centers composed of Francis Saili and Théo Costossèque, absent for the last two weeks, will also be aligned to bring their experience and power.
In the third row, Simon Augry will join captain Francisco Gorrissen and Sione Kalamafoni, while Fabrice Metz should find a starting place in the second row. At the hinge, Lafage and Ruru will try to ensure the fluidity of the game to allow Vannes to gain the upper hand over their opponent.
The probable composition of RC Vannes: 15. Surano – 14. Benmegal, 13. Costossèque, 12. Saili, 11. Rayasi – 10. Lafage, 9. Ruru – 7. Gorrissen (cap), 8. Kalamafoni, 6. Augry – 5. Metz, 4. Marks – 3. Medrano, 2. Blanchard, 1. Vunipola.
Substitutes: Leafa, Djehi, Bresler, van der Merwe, Boulier, Le Bail, Ayarza, Tafili.
Aviron Bayonnais, in great shape this season, will not be an easy opponent. With a solid squad and a rising star to watch, the Basques arrive in Vannes with the ambition of consolidating their place at the top of the table. However, Rowing showed weaknesses away from home, a point that RC Vannes will have to exploit to secure a valuable victory. Among the notable absentees, however, hooker Vincent Giudicelli and third row Arthur Iturria suffer from an acromioclavicular dislocation and will be away from the field for three months. Same period of unavailability for pillar Pierre Castillon, victim of an ankle fracture. Winger Xan Mousques, injured in the hand, will be out for 6 to 8 weeks, while Italian winger Federico Mori (adductor muscle injury) will miss between 4 and 6 weeks. Fijian prop Luke Tagi and fullback Yohan Orabe, both injured in the knee and thigh respectively, will be absent for 3 to 4 weeks. Furthermore, second rows Alexander Moon (muscular trauma) and Lucas Paulos (calf injury), as well as hooker Facundo Bosch (rib trauma), are still receiving treatment. Australian center Reece Hodge (knee contusion) and fullback Gaëtan Germain are in the rehabilitation phase.
These absences constitute a real headache for the Bayonne staff, who will have to mobilize their resources to face a Vannes team determined to win at home. The match promises to be even more delicate for Bayonne, already under pressure in this demanding championship.
It’s Mr. Kevin Bralley who was appointed by the arbitration commission of the FFR and the LNR to direct this match of the 12th day of Top 14 against Rowing Bayonnais. This will be his first match at La Rabine this season, but his second for an RCV match because he was on the whistle for our trip to Toulon, during the fourth day of the championship. He will be accompanied by Stéphane Boyer et Pierre-Baptiste Nuchy on the keys and Denis Grenouillet to the video.
A vital issue for Vannes
Beyond the victory, this match symbolizes RC Vannes’ struggle to remain competitive in the elite of French Rugby. Breton supporters, expected in large numbers at the Rabine stadium, will play a crucial role in galvanizing their team against a tough opponent.
The stakes are clear: a victory would allow Vannes to get back into the race for maintenance, while a defeat could seriously compromise its chances of survival in the Top 14.
To hope to win, RC Vannes will have to display flawless solidarity, impeccable discipline and offensive realism at every opportunity. This meeting against Bayonne is much more than just a match: it is a fight to preserve the club’s future in the Top 14.
The Bretons are ready, but the challenge promises to be significant. See you on Saturday for a meeting which could well define the rest of their season, in a Rabine stadium which should be boiling hot.
Photo credit: DR
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