Béziers and Nice faced each other as part of the sixteenth day of Pro D2 this Friday, January 10. At the Raoul-Barrière stadium, this duel was marked by numerous cards. Béziers took an 11-point lead at the break before flying away in the second half. Victory 42 to 9 for the Biterrois.
Béziers managed to beat Nice during the sixteenth day of Pro D2. Final victory 42 to 9 for the locals. The Biterrois were very effective in attack in the first period to gain the offensive bonus and stay at the top of the championship.
The first half began with Nice dominating the first exchanges. Ménoret opened the scoring with a superb drop in the 11th minute, followed by a successful penalty by Gimbert (6-0). But Béziers responded quickly with a first try from the inevitable Lorre, transformed by Marques, to take the advantage (7-6). The Héraultais accentuated their domination by scoring a second try by Malie in the 18th minute, followed by a third in the 24th thanks to Votu, bringing the score to 21-6 after two impeccable transformations from Marques.
A match polluted by mistakes
Nice, although determined, struggled to sequence the phases of the game due to several errors and an organization disrupted by changes. Gimbert still managed to reduce the gap with a penalty in the 35th minute (21-9). However, the indiscipline of the two teams marked this first period. Gontineac received a red card for a dangerous shoulder tackle, while Rey and Gimbert received yellow cards for fouls in front of their goal line.
Despite these interruptions, Béziers finished the half in control, maintaining its offensive bonus thanks to solid defense and effective management of highlights. The Niçois returned to the locker room with a lot of work to do if they hoped to reverse the trend in the second half.
A soporific second half
The second half began with Béziers in control despite their numerical inferiority. The Héraultais continued to exploit Nice’s flaws and quickly scored a fourth try through Malie, signing his double in the 51st minute (28-9). Nice tried to react, but indiscipline, with a yellow card for Boulassel, and a lack of realism prevented them from realizing their meager opportunities. Béziers took the opportunity to increase the score with a penalty try in the 59th minute, bringing the score to 35-9.
The Niçois, unable to compete, suffered in all areas of the game. Indiscipline and clumsiness accumulated on both sides, making the match confusing at times. Despite this, Béziers continued to dominate and added a final try thanks to Courtaud in the 76th minute, concluded by a transformation from Lorre, sealing the fate of the match (42-9).
The last minutes, played at a choppy pace, changed nothing in the outcome of the match. Béziers, solid and opportunistic, pocketed an improved victory which confirmed their third place in the ranking. Nice, despite a few late attempts, left the field without a try scored and remained bottom after a ninth consecutive defeat.
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