French Top 10: Down to the wire
There is only one week to go in the pool stage of the French Top 10 – but there’s still plenty to play for with three teams fighting to avoid relegation. Cruel though the new format of the Top 10 may be, it has resulted in a incredibly tense and exciting competition with – in one of the two pools – the drama likely to go down to the final kick of the final game.
Published by John Birch, December 10th, 2013
5 minute read
Action from Perpignan v Montpellier (thanks tococc's du mhr)
Of the two pools, Pool 1 has been the simpler story. The threat of relegation for anyone other than Bordeaux has only been mathematical for some weeks, and ended this week when the Bordelais travelled to Paris to meet Bobigny and came away with another drubbing. Six tries to one was the outcome, 40 points to five the score, as Bobigny completed their programme and all-but ensured runners-up spot and therefore a favourable quarter-final draw when the play-offs begin in January. For Bordeaux, still pointless after seven games, relegation is now certain.
As a result Perpignan can breathe easy, for now at least – which will make a pleasant change after Sunday’s emotion-charged “local derby” with perennial rivals Montpellier. Backed by a big, loud, highly partisan home crowd, Perpignan did everything they could to derail the current French champions and pool leaders, but to no avail.
However the reception Montpellier received – both on and off the field – certainly unnerved them at the start. Punches were being thrown within five minutes of the start, and shortly after that Galle Mignot was in the sin-binned after reacting a little too much to the pressure - but that really was the high point for the Catalonians.
Truth be told, Perpignan still have an injury and illness list of Crimean War proportions. With so many of the squad injured, ill or otherwise unavailable there were yet again big gaps on the replacement bench – indeed it was only with the help of the walking wounded that the minimum regulation squad size was achieved at all. Among those absent was Marie Alice Yahe, her illness, first reported last week, being worryingly persistent.
Partly as a result – and despite the efforts of players such as France U20 hooker Wendy Divoux, who had a great game - the weakened Catalans were unable to take advantage and with no damage befalling them from being a player down, Montpellier soon regrouped and took hold of the game. The result was a story not dissimilar to that of five of their previous six games – six tries, including yet another brace from Mignot, backed up by another kicking master-class from Aurelie Bailon. Perpignan’s only score came from a rare moment when Bailon proved herself human after all and allowed a kick to be charged down by Clare Canal, the bounce favouring Julie Billes whose pace was too much for the Montpellier defence. Christelle Le Duff converted, but the seven points made little impact on Montpellier’s 39. As a result the champions will now finish top of Pool 1, regardless of the final weekend’s results.
Pool 2, on the other hand, is not nearly so clear cut, with three of the five teams are still threatened with possible relegation. The only two teams that are safe – Rennes and Lille – played out a 10-10 draw which leaves the question of who will win the pool (and play Perpignan in the quarter-finals) and who will finish runners-up (and meet Cannes) undecided. Lille will go into the weekend with the advantage of a single point, and had several penalty opportunities to take all of the points at Rennes, but failed to take all but one.
The big game, however, was at Blagnac where the Blagnac St Orens (BSORF) took on La Valette in a must win game. After defeat at Lons in the last round, BSORF began their final game of their campaign in relegation position and, unlike at Lons, immediately took command and kept it, opening the game with a try by Khadija Camara in the first minute. A series of penalties by Mélanie Sabatier allowed BSORF to stretch the lead but – perhaps crucially, only time will tell – a second try did not come until the last minute of the game, so no bonus point.
As a result both BSORF and La Valette are now tied on 12 points, with Lons on 10. BSORF have no more games, but next week Lons travel to Lille and La Valette entertain Rennes. As a result it remains possible for any of the three to be relegated – though Lons have the toughest task, having to at least draw in Lille to avoid the drop.
Pool 1
Points
Tries
P
W
D
L
F
A
F
A
PD
TB
LB
Pts
Montpellier (1)
7
6
0
1
226
77
35
12
149
5
0
29
Bobigny (8)
8
6
0
2
177
123
19
17
54
1
1
26
Caen (4)
7
4
0
3
166
100
27
14
66
3
2
21
Perpignan (5)
7
2
0
5
114
143
14
23
-29
1
1
10
Bordeaux (9)
7
0
0
7
47
280
8
37
-233
0
0
0
Pool 2
Points
Tries
P
W
D
L
F
A
F
A
PD
TB
LB
Pts
Lille MRCV (2)
7
5
1
1
103
52
17
8
51
3
1
26
Rennes (6)
7
5
1
1
120
48
13
5
72
2
0
24
Blagnac St Orens (7)
8
2
0
6
82
89
9
9
-7
0
4
12
La Valette (PR)
7
3
0
4
58
130
8
19
-72
0
0
12
Lons (3)
7
2
0
5
74
135
10
16
-61
0
2
10