Grenoble, without forcing, concluded the 18th day of Pro D2 with an improved success against Biarritz. An evening, also marked by the resounding away victories of Colomiers and Montauban. The record of the evening is to be credited to the match between Valence Romans and Nice.
Waking up late in the evening: Provence Rugby reacted too late
You shouldn't arrive too early to have some suspense at Jean-Alric this Friday evening. Mauricio Reggiardo's men took to the pitch at Aurillac, fourteenth before the match, with intentions, after having scored three victories in the last three days, including a success in Agen. However, the Provençaux showed themselves clumsy and undisciplined during the first half, leaving Aurillac leading 12-3 at the break.
The Cantalous, fourteenth before the match, felt that there was a chance for them to play at the start of the second act. They therefore accelerated and scored twice through young second row Mehdi Slamani. Moment chosen by Aix-en-Provence to wake up. The Australian Ned Hanigan scored a strong try following a handball penalty to revive his partners. Inga Finau also came to score his try in the 70th minute to cast doubt on Stade Aurillacois. But, too solid in defense, Roméo Gontineac's men held on during the last ten minutes to achieve a success allowing them to move away from the red zone.
The end of the evening: Nevers in the snatch
78th minute: Agen leads 28-22. Pénaltouche for Nevers within 22 meters of Agen. THE spear is perfectly negotiated, the ball is organized and the young 22-year-old hooker, Stefan Buruiana, collapses in the in-goal to allow his team to get within a point. In the process, Yohan Le Bourhis does not tremble and gives his team the advantage. USON will hold the result until the 80th minute. The Pré-Fleuri exults.
Note that, a few minutes before the test, the Nivernais thought they would lose everything. While they were in the 22 meters of Agen, Xavier Péméja's men obtained a penalty. However, a scuffle broke out, and a Nevers player was guilty of a blow with his outstretched arm in the middle of this chaos. The penalty was returned, and the Nièvre players found themselves in their camp, having to rebuild everything. The feat was nevertheless achieved, and it allows Nevers to move up to tenth place, seven points from the top 6.
The record of the evening: fireworks between Valence-Romans and Nice
Honestly, not many people saw it coming. And yet, the match between Valence-Romans and Nice broke the record for points scored in a single Pro D2 match this season, with 91 points scored. VRDR beat Stade Niçois with a score of 57 (8 tries) to 34 (5 tries). The highest mark set until tonight was 84 points. It was to the credit of the match between Colomiers and Béziers (40-44) during the tenth day, as well as that between Grenoble and Colomiers (65-19).
Before this meeting, Nice had the worst attack (307 points) in Pro D2, and Valence-Romans only the tenth (399). A performance that will perhaps give a little balm to the heart of the men of Alexandre Compan, who, following this defeat, are fourteen units behind their evening opponent.
The good operation of the evening: Soyaux-Angoulème returns to the top 4
It's always a great moment when fourth gets fifth at this stage of the season. Having recovered Noah Nene, released by the XV of France on Wednesday evening, lhe men of Jeff Dubois were hoping to achieve a big blow on the Chanzy pitch this Friday to consolidate their place in the top six. And the game didn't start so badly. Landais and Charentais were neck and neck after twenty minutes (13-13). Then, Soyaux-Angoulême accelerated at the end of the first half, in the wake of the powerful George Tisley, author of a double. By scoring six tries against two for Dax, the SA Dax is now seventh.
Confirmation of the evening: Colomiers continues its perfect month of January
When a team shows so much superiority against an opponent in every possible and imaginable sector of our beloved sport, there is not much to add. However, we will focus on it, because the improved away victory of the Columérins deserves to be highlighted, as much, or even more, than the disappointment in Béziers. Because, in addition to the already clear scoreboard (17-29), it is above all in the general impression that Colomiers impressed Raoul-Barrière. It's simple: Béziers – despite being runner-up to the Grenoble leader – will never have believed in this game. This is due to a rather remarkable performance from Rodrigo Marta's teammates, the quick first scorer of the evening after just four minutes of play after a spectacular recovery.
-We will remember the visitors' third try, at the end of a well-executed action between a chistera from Nu'u for his number 8 Timu, and a judicious inside hook from the latter. But also the performance of Sadek Deghmache. The scrum half, on loan from Perpignan, performed well for his first start with Colomiers, with a try, the last for his team, synonymous with an offensive bonus.
By stringing together a fourth consecutive victory, the third in three matches in 2025, Colomiers enters the top 6 and benefits from the defeat of Dax in Angoulême. Disappointing, like its leaders, the ASBH lets the FCG take the lead.
The scorers of the evening: Bosviel had the last word
This is the other surprise of the evening after the Columérine victory in Béziers: Montauban confirms its (re) rise in power. Summarizing the 33-21 success of the Montalbanais in the Landes to a duel of scorers may seem far-fetched, especially when the match offered five tries to the spectators at the André-et-Guy-Boniface stadium, but it is audacious that we recognize the courageous, and the funny evening of Jérôme Bosviel and Willie Du Plessis is worth telling. Already, because it concerns two of the best fireworks in the championship (Bosviel even holds the points record in the history of the second division). Above all, because it explains, in part, the victory outside the USM.
As in every story, there is a lucky person and an unlucky person. Considering the final score, it is easy to deduce that Du Plessis, although usually so reliable, was out of success with an ugly 1/4 against the poles. For a long time, we believed that the choice to leave this responsibility to Laousse Azpiazu (also a very good scorer) would make the difference when the fullback succeeded in his three attempts and allowed his team to get back on track.
But the last word went to the Montalbanese opener, who had started as badly as his opposite number, but who managed to score seven consecutive kicks, including a final distant penalty with the help of the crossbar, which gave his team a five-point lead three minutes from time. Like many times in his career, Jérôme Bosviel shone in this exercise to eclipse the good first start of center Mosese Dawai, the injury to the left calf of Jérémie Maurouard, but still not the third magnificent try scored by Uanivi at the end of an action where the right pillar Facundo Pomponio made a spectacular and decisive chistera for his second line.
The evidence of the evening: the FCG alone in its division
They have so much room that they can even relax without it having any impact. Very logically, and despite a sluggish last 20 minutes where the Biarrots rebelled, the Grenoblois won with the offensive bonus at the conclusion of this 18th day of Pro D2. In total, this five-point success gives last season's unfortunate finalist a nine-point lead at the top of the standings. Fijian winger Kaminieli Rasaku improved his statistics by scoring a hat-trick.
After 24 minutes, the FCG was already leading 14 to 3 at the time of Adrian Motoc's second yellow card, first at fault for collapsing a maul, then author of an unfair play synonymous with exclusion. Taking advantage of this numerical superiority and in full control, Grenoble went for a sixth consecutive victory, without forcing. Like a leader. Undisputed. And undoubtedly indisputable for the coming weeks. But it is not to the people of Isère that we will learn that the road is still long towards the ultimate objective: promotion to the first division.
