Final four decided in French Top 8

Montpellier given a tough game at Rennes (Photo:Kathélyne Baslé)

The penultimate weekend began with five teams still in the hunt for play-off places. Lille and Montpellier’s places were all-but sewn up, but Bobigny could still in theory spoil the party for the Toulouse duo of Stade Toulousian and Blagnac St Orens.

This was a particularly promising prospect as Stade and BSORF were playing each other in the second Toulouse derby (their two grounds are barely 2km apart). The two teams met in Saturday evening in front of a good crowd at Stade Ernest Argeles. Stade had won the first game between the two teams in November comfortably 28-7, but things did not go their way this time.

An early penalty for the home team was added to after 20 minutes when Toulouse’s Claire Beauparlant was sinbinned as BSORF scored to put them 10-0 up – a gap that Toulouse could not close, the final score being 13-3.

The win was enough to put BSORF into the play-offs – but Stade Toulousian had to wait to see what happened in Paris, where Bobigny were hosting Lille on Sunday afternoon. A win for the Parisians would put them within a point.

They need not have worried. Lille put in one of the best performances of the season against a team with several international on the field. The score was 13-3 up at half time, thanks to an unstoppable drive from the pack after 18 minutes and a try from Gina di Muzio after 33. The pack extended the lead soon after the restart, and with Izar on target Lille were comfortable winners by 20-10, Bobigny’s consolation score from Ciofani coming too late to change the outcome.

It was a win that also ensured Montpellier’s place in the final four. The champions were up in Rennes where they had a tough time, conceding and early try and never really taking control. The lead changed repeatedly, and Montpellier will have been pleased to hear the whistle giving them a 24-21 win.

Montpellier’s games are now finished as their final fixture in two weeks’ time was due to be against Perpignan. Taking that “win” into account the Montpellier will top the league unless Lille beat BSORF at home, and pick up a bonus point.

Toulousian could sneak third with a good win against Rennes – an incredible performance for a club that is, in effect, only two years old.

CLUB

P

W

D

L

PD

BP

PTS

1

MONTPELLIER R C

14

10

1

3

281

12

54

2

LILLE METROPOLE RC VILLENEUVOIS

13

10

1

2

196

8

50

3

BLAGNAC SAINT ORENS RUGBY FEMININ

13

10

0

3

100

4

44

4

STADE TOULOUSAIN RUGBY FEMININ

13

8

1

4

90

5

39

5

A C BOBIGNY 93 RUGBY

13

6

1

6

39

7

33

6

STADE RENNAIS RUGBY

13

5

0

8

-18

7

27

7

L OVALIE CAENNAISE

13

2

0

11

-338

3

11

8

U S A P XV FEMININ ROUSSILLON

14

0

0

14

-350

0

-28