French Top 8: A new era dawns?

BSORF celebrate a first ever win in Montpellier

Has the tide turned against Montpellier? For the great benchmark of French club rugby over the past 10 years to lose the odd home game has been regarded as a misfortune; for them to lose two (in a row) looks like… well, if not “carelessness” at least a sign that the balance of power may be moving elsewhere.

And to do so to your biggest rivals too… In their last game before the international training break, “les coccinelles” (ladybirds) lost (for the first time ever, at home) to Lille. Last weekend, in their first game back after the break, the lost (for the first time ever, at home) to Blagnac St Ores (BSORF).

The margins of defeat have been small – three and five points – but defeats they have been, and Montpellier teams of past season simply did not do that.

The damage was done in the first half, which ended with the visitors 15-5 ahead. In terms of tries, it was just two-to-one, but BSORF had an additional penalty and conversion. Montpellier battled back in the second half with two more tries of their own, but a third BSORF score ensured a happy return journey and retention of the top place in the league. For Montpellier, on the other hand, it is the unusual opportunity survey the world from the final play-off qualification spot – something they have not had to do for many a year.

Happiness was doubled for the city of Toulouse, where BSORF are based, as their rivals over the river – Stade Touloussian – mercilessly pummelled Caen in Normandy with a seven-try 44-0 win that keeps Stade in third, but leaves Caen in a winless seventh place.

Only Romagnat lie below them, the newly-promoted still struggling to find their feet (and a first point) at the top level. As most teams have found, life a league above is tough This week they hosted capital city team Bobigny, and the half-time score of just 8-7 to the Parisians suggests a far close half than it actually was, with Romagnat’s try from second row Mariine Pellegris coming right on halftime in possibly their only visit to the Bobigny end.

The second half was much as the first, with Bobogny hammering on the the solid wall of Romagnat’s defence. Inevitably, in the end, it crumbled starting with young French squad player Madouss Traore breaking through four tiring tackles in the 50thminute. Anne- Cécile Ciofani weaved her way through a few minutes late, before Tratore scored her second just after the hour. Pellegris pulled a score back on 75 minutes, but Lucille Godiveau ensured that the visitors took the bonus point as well at the end.

And what of the champions? Lille were hosting ssixth-placed Rennes, but with Lille missing three Belgians to the European Championships, and Chloé Pelle and Shannon Izar to the demands of sevens, and Rennes welcoming Fiji sevens stars Litia Naiqato and Luisa Tisolo, this was never going ot be the a game that had much regard to positions in the table.

Nonetheless Lille began well with the pack driving over after 17 minutes, and then Steph Ricart addin a second two minutes later. But Rennes did not fold, and battled back to take the lead early in the second half. The lead then swapped back and forth three more times, with two penalties in the last ten minute being enough to see the champions home 23-18.

CLUB

P

W

D

L

PD

BP

PTS

1

BLAGNAC SAINT ORENS RUGBY FEMININ

4

4

0

0

122

3

19

2

LILLE METROPOLE RC VILLENEUVOIS

4

4

0

0

49

1

17

3

STADE TOULOUSAIN RUGBY FEMININ

4

3

0

1

60

2

14

4

A C BOBIGNY 93 RUGBY

4

2

0

2

14

3

11

4

MONTPELLIER R C

4

2

0

2

58

3

11

6

STADE RENNAIS RUGBY

4

1

0

3

-48

1

5

7

L OVALIE CAENNAISE

4

0

0

4

-145

1

1

8

A S M ROMAGNAT RUGBY FÉMININ

4

0

0

4

-110

0

0