Is qualifying directly for a semi-final really an advantage? RC Vannes coach Jean-Noël Spitzer is not convinced. This is what he explained at a press conference this week. “Oyonnax last season took a half before getting into their match and they had difficulty finishing and we almost passed,” recalled the Vannes coach.
“For me, the ideal route is to do a play-off at home and go to the semi-final with a team that is a bit out of the competition. » A course that Vannes experienced was in 2018 during its first qualification for the final phase. After taking out Mont-de-Marsan (50-10), the Vannetais lost in Brive (40-20).
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For him, Grenoble is close this year to having this ideal course. “They will certainly validate their barrage at home against Colomiers. They will be able to rotate and rest their frames during the last day in Provence. Then, they will have this play-off at home, probably against Dax before reaching the semi-final. he predicted again. This is also the course of Biarritz three years ago when the Biarrots were able to turn during the last day before dismissing Grenoble in the play-off and winning in Vannes during the semi then failing in the final and to reach the Top 14 by defeating Bayonne on penalties.
What the history says
Since the implementation of this formula during the 2017-2018 season, the play-off player has finished champion once (Bayonne in 2019), reached the Top 14 twice after the access match (Grenoble in 2018, Biarritz in 2021). ). In 2022 and 2023, none of the play-offs reached the final.
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The first in the regular season has always gone to at least the final. He was crowned champion 3 times (Perpignan in 2018 and 2021, Oyonnax in 2023), went to the Top 14 after the access match 1 time (Brive in 2019). Mont-de-Marsan (2022) lost the final and the access match.
The runner-up in the regular season was champion 1 time (Bayonne 2022), finalist and beaten in an access match 1 time (Grenoble 2023) and eliminated 3 times in the semi-final (Montauban 2018, Oyonnax 2019, Vannes 2021),
For two seasons, the first two have gone to at least the final.
