Pro D2 – Update on the squad for the ninth day

Valence-Romans

For the Brive reception, few changes to note in the ranks of the Drôme infirmary compared to the Nice match. Among the forwards, Fabien Fortassin must do without the right pillar Kévin Goze, affected in the hamstring and the hooker Brice Humbert, in difficulty with his foot. Gareth Milasinovich returned to the squad after suffering a calf injury. Among the three-quarters, Thomas Rozière, who had nose surgery, remained uncertain at the time of writing these lines. As for Charles Bouldoire, he is still unavailable following his wrist operation.

Brive

The match against Dax left its mark. Center Guillaume Galletier went out in the first half with a calf injury, when third row Ross Moriarty injured his ankle but did not suffer any fracture. Stuart Olding suffered a back injury last week. Adrien Pélissié (knee), Renger Van Eerten (shoulder), Sasha Gué (pectoral), Paul Pimienta (shoulder), Timilai Rokoduru (ankle) are still absent. Thomas Laranjeira is suspended after his red card.

Béziers

Captain Clément Ancely will be suspended for this match, after his red card received against Oyonnax. Charly Malié and Youssef Amrouni return to the group after being spared on the last trip, as do Yanis Boulassel and Clément Doumenc. Tim Nanai-Williams has a thigh injury and will not be well enough to apply. As part of extra-sporting matters affecting the club, Hans Nkinsi and Taleta Tupuola are still suspended by their managers until further notice.

Soyaux-Angoulême

Second row Matt Beukeboom, who has been continuing his rehabilitation after a muscle injury since the start of the season, returns to the squad for the trip to Béziers. The Canadian will be a substitute. Absent since the first match at Aurillac due to a hernia, left pillar Sami Zouhair, who has been training normally for several seasons, will be a replacement. Slightly injured in the shoulder and preserved for the last two weeks, full-back Rémi Brosset returns to the starting fifteen.

Biarritz

Victim of a ruptured Achilles tendon against Bayonne, Dyer will not play all season. Du Preez (inner lateral ligament) could return for the final two games of the block. Tuataane (posterior ligament rupture) will be stopped for three months. Fariscot (kneecap and ankle) will not return until January. Dakuwaqa (knee), Retière (acromio) and Morgan (torn ischio) are not yet fit. Perraux is recovering. Hébert (knee) and Dolhagaray are back.

Nevers

After more than a year of absence (disinsertion of a hamstring), the second row Barjaud will return to the field with an emotion that we imagine immense. Feelings will also jostle in the heads of third row David, absent since March, and that of second row Lindor, for his first sheet. The young player with “sluggish” measurements (1.97 m and 153 kg according to the club), arrived in Nevers during the summer of 2023 to relaunch a promising career. The infirmary is never empty, however, with the entrances to Kundiona and Bastide.

Provence Rugby

Second row Andres Zafra has recovered from his back and will therefore start against Mont-de-Marsan. On the other hand, his partner Jérôme Dufour, victim of a shock to a rib, will miss this home match. Just like the scrum half, Joris Cazenave who sported a magnificent pigeon egg on his forehead at the end of the match against Nevers and who, logically, will be absent this evening. On the good news side, the probable return of Australian third row Ned Hanigan is announced for the reception of Aurillac next Friday.

Mont-de-Marsan

It’s a completely overhauled team that has headed to Aix-en-Provence. Nicolas Garrault and Yann Brethous are back on the bench, Simao Bento in the starting XV. On the other hand, Aston Fortuin and Semi Lagivala, slightly injured against Aurillac, are absent and join Raphaël Darquier (shoulder) and Pierre Sayerse (thigh) on the list of unavailable. Patricio Fernandez, replacing last week, will play the opener position while Baptiste Grulovic will make his first appearance at center.

Aurillac

At the end of the last trip, fly-half Ugo Seunes suffered rib damage and third row Aleksandre Burduli was injured in the knee. They were spared this week. Still in rehabilitation, it is still too tight for Jean-Luc Cilliers, Jordan Van Resburg, Elijah Niko, Gymaël Jean-Jacques and Hugo Huurman while AJ Coertzen and Heath Backhouse finally see the end of the tunnel. Aurillac should line up almost the same group as last week with most certainly the return of Tedo Abzhandadze at the opening.

Oyonnax

Injured in a tackle and evacuated on a stretcher during the match against Béziers, second row Phœnix Battye will be unavailable for a few weeks, while he recovers from a concussion and neck bruises. On the infirmary benches remain Abraham (knee), Grice (back), Ramotabua (knee), Bouraux (shoulder), Holmes (shoulder). Scrum-half Jonathan Ruru is awaiting the results of a further examination. Third line Victor Lebas and center Maelan Rabut are back in the group.

Dax

For his first start against Oyonnax, in mid-October, second row Alexandre Manukula fractured a thumb. He had surgery and will be out for several weeks. Third row Paul Ausset, who left with an arm injury, will have to wait at least four weeks before resuming. Second row Matthieu Bidau is treating his operated shoulder. Winger Alexandre Pilati (adductors) is in the rehabilitation phase. Hugo Cerisier, injured in the internal lateral ligament in Brive, is absent for two weeks. Reteau, spared last week, returns to the group.

Nice

The Nice staff will field a profoundly modified team to face Dax. Delas will return after a six-month unavailability and Daly has treated his thigh and resumes his place in the center alongside Courtade. Stade Nice will try the experience of Menoret at the opening, who has finished treating his aponeurosis, and who had not appeared on the match sheet since the first day against Béziers. Otherwise, Tivoli (hernia), Vola (elbow) and Vigne continue to receive treatment.

Grenoble

Closer than ever to a resumption, fly-half Sam Davies (clavicle) was not included on the match sheet for this meeting, although he nevertheless appeared in the extended group. A sign that his return to competition should probably take place in Oyonnax next week. Rookie Hanru Sirgel (hamstring) will have to wait a few more weeks before being included on the match sheets. The only uncertainty concerns the right-hander Pertaia, whose participation will be decided on the morning of the meeting.

Agen

The injured are rare on the Agen side. Among the forwards, Tomasi Fineanganofo and Martin Devergie return to the group. Only Hayam El Bibouji (foot) and John Madigan (biceps) are on the sidelines. The first mentioned should apply for a place in the group during the next block. Behind, Loris Tolot (thigh) resumed the race. Théo Belan should also return very quickly while Jean-Marcellin Buttin will not return before the start of 2025. Otherwise, Sébastien Calvet is spoiled for choice.