Rugby – Pro D2. An FCG in revenge mode, Pieterse's new costume: what you need to know before Grenoble

The challenges: showing who is boss

FC Grenoble lost a match a week ago in Aix-en-Provence (18-24), and it remains a small “event” because it was only the fifth time in the 2024-2025 season. But they say about great teams that they never lose twice in a row… and FCG has never lost twice in a row since January 2024.

It's time to put things back in order. And also to keep a margin ahead of the competition because, if Grenoble remains leader (56 points), Béziers (2nd, 51 points, which hosts Colomiers this Friday) and Provence Rugby (3rd, 49 points, traveling to Aurillac) eye his throne.

The FCG group

The starting XV: Farnoux – W. Hulleu, Mouton, R. Fusier, Rasaku – (o) Davies, (m) Bar. Couilloud – Pieterse, Sirgel, Madeira – Phillips, T. Lainault (cap) – C. Thomas, Rossi, Gauthier.

Substitutes: M. Sarragallet, Eglaine, Jonker, Javakhia, Martel, Escande, Clément, Hériteau.

The opponent: Biarritz in turmoil

Where has the successful and feared Biarritz Olympique gone at the start of the season? He had a hard time entering winter. In December, the Rugby Regulatory Authority (A2R) removed five points from the BO ranking, to sanction the lack of transparency in the management of its leaders.

Then the Basques began a series of three losses, which culminated in January with an unlosable match in Agen (5-19 to 36-24, playing 15 against 14). The Basques thus fell from 4th to 12th place.

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What future for the Biarrots? On the non-sporting level, their leaders will go to the federal appeals committee next week, hoping to recover all or part of their five points. On a sporting level, they came to Isère (from Wednesday, via a stopover in Montpellier) with a reshuffled group.

Still led by the temperamental Mathieu Acébès but relieved of numerous executives (Fa'asalele, M. Dakuwaqa, Hébert, David, K. Jaminet). And then, without his Grenoblois: winger Bastien Guillemin, victim of a knee crutch in Agen; 2nd line Levi Douglas, scheduled for the roster but injured this week in training; opener Enzo Selponi and Gervais Cordin, not selected.

The man to watch: Ryno Pieterse

It was thought that the FCG had recruited a 2nd line, in the person of Ryno Pieterse, Brandon Nansen's medical joker. But since his arrival in Isère at the end of November, the 26-year-old South African has played almost exclusively on a wing of the 3rd line. And this will be the case again, this Friday against Biarritz, for his third start and his fifth match in Rouge et Bleu.

We don't know if the former Castres player appreciates this flanker role; in any case, we're still waiting for him to show us his best face. With his size (1.96 m, 106 kg) and his ferocity, he will have to help the Grenoble XV to dictate its law against the Basques who are expected to be vengeful.

Extra info: a spare referee

This Grenoble – Biarritz was originally to be refereed by Pierre-Baptiste Nuchy. But the referee of the Ligue Nouvelle-Aquitaine was recalled for a Top 14 match, Perpignan – Bayonne (Saturday), replacing Mr. Brousset (injured). It was therefore Jérémy Rozier who was designated with the whistle.

The declaration

“We know that we are going to meet a team, which, certainly, is in a bad situation, but a team which beat us by thirty-five points. We must have that in mind. » From Patrick Pezery, co-coach of FC Grenoble, about the BO and in reference to the first leg.

Direct confrontations: red alert with Biarritz

Great, great classic of French rugby from the 80s and 90s, Grenoble – Biarritz has been held 19 times since 2004 (in Top 16, then in Top 14 and in Pro D2), and the Basques lead 10 victories to 7 (and two null). A balance sheet enhanced by their victory with offensive bonus in the first leg (35-15), September 26.

Above all, the FCG suffers against the BO at the Stade des Alpes. During the last four visits of the Biarrots to the foot of the Bastille, the FCG conceded two draws (13-13 in February 2020 and 13-13 in December 2022) and one defeat (14-18 in December 2020), for only one success (40-22 in September 2023). It is up to the Dauphinois to remind their guests what kind of wood we use to heat ourselves down here…