French Top 8: Champions close on challengers

Action from Caen v Perpignan (thanks to sportcaen.fr)

It is a mark of how things have changed in French women’s club rugby that a crucial top-of-the-table clash took place despite several leading players being absent on international duty. Both home-team Lille and visitors Montpellier were missing players due to the international sevens tournament in Soustons.

On balance it was Lille who were affected most. France’s most northern outpost built its charge into the top division of French women’s rugby on the back of national success at sevens, and it still sends more players to French sevens squads than it does to the test team. On Sunday – in addition to missing Laura Di Muzio due to a muscle tear in her thigh – the championship leaders were also without Shannon Izar and Chloé Pelle due to the sevens tournament. However Montpellier were also deprived of Jennifer of Troncy by for the same reason, as well as missing Élodie Portaries, possibly due to injury

Despite these absences the game was the titanic struggle that had been expected. With little to choose between the two sides a tough first half ended with an advantage of 7-0 for Montpellier. It was a score that failed to reflect the nature of the game as Lille had spent most of the time in the Montpellier half but – as has been Lille’s bane for some years now – they had failed to turn that possession into points, whereas almost Montpellier’s only attack into the Lille half resulted in the inevitable try by by Gaëlle Mignot, needless to say from a maul (Anais Poirot converting)

The second half was more balanced as both of the teams, but ironically despite having less possession Lille found their way onto the scoreboard with two penalties from Laetitia Esteve (recently moved to Lille from  Montpellier) to close to within a point.

The champions quickly responded as champions do with a try in the corner from wing Cyrielle Banet. However with the conversion missed Lille threw everything at the visitors in the final 15 minutes. A try from Gerduyn closed gave Esteve a chance to steal the game, but the angle proved too tight so the visitors went home with a 11-12 win.

Despite this Lille remain six points clear at the top, although Montpellier have a game in hand and a good win for them against La Valette would see them close that gap to a single point.

It is an outcome that seems very likely as La Valette are now even more firmly rooted to the bottom of the table, nine points adrift with just a single point for their first six games. A trip to Blagnac – which is now something for a fortress for home team Blagnac St Orens (BSORF) – is a tough ask for anyone, and so it proved to be for La Valette.

BSORF, led by Manon André,  began the afternoon a little unusually as they played hosts to a display by the French women's Gaelic football team. Despite this they have their eyes firmly fixed on a place in the playoffs and had all-but secured not only a win but also the try bonus within the first fifteen minutes with tries from Auriol, Neisen and, Forlani.

La Valette rallied a little and avoided any further scores in the first half, but rarely threatened BSORF’s line. However two more tries – both from Amedée – in the second half were more than enough to close the game out with a 27-0 win for the home team who move into fourth in the table.

It was a bit tougher for Perpignan, but they stay just a point ahead of BSORF after their 29-22 win away to Caen. Perpignan had to come from behind to win the game, as Caen went into the break with a 7-3 lead after domijating the first quarter.  However four second-half tries from Parnaud, Guiglion and a brace from Boujard – and the help of Le Duff who was on form with the boot.

The final game of the day saw Bobigny return from Rennes with a tight 16-11 win that keeps them in fifth place, but nonetheless only two points from Perpignan.

P

W

D

L

PD

PTS

1

LILLE METROPOL RC VILLENEUVOIS

7

6

0

1

86

28

2

MONTPELLIER R C

6

5

0

1

31

22

3

U S A P XV FEMININ ROUSSILLON

7

4

0

3

62

20

4

BLAGNAC SAINT ORENS RUGBY FEMININ

7

4

0

3

40

19

5

A C BOBIGNY 93 RUGBY

7

4

0

3

-3

18

6

STADE RENNAIS RUGBY

7

2

0

5

2

13

7

L OVALIE CAENNAISE

7

2

0

5

-64

10

8

RUGBY CLUB VALETTOIS REVESTOIS

6

0

0

6

-154

1