French Top 8: Revenge of the North!
The lack of significant numbers of players from northern teams in the French Six Nations squads this year became something of a talking point during the first few weeks of the year, so the outcome of the final games in the regular club season will have been a source of satisfaction for some.
Published by John Birch, April 8th, 2015
3 minute read
Finishing top of the league after the regular season does not give you the championship in France – though it is some years since the league winner failed to win the playoffs – so the outcome of the match that pitted the top two teams against each other in the final weekend in practice counted for little, other than pride and a better draw in the semi-finals.
Nonetheless Lille travelled to Montepellier on Sunday with a point to prove, not the least of which being their ability to beat their Héraultaises rivals - home of more French Six Nations players than all of the northern clubs put together.
And this they achieved comfortably (though it has to be said that Montpellier were lacking three key players - N'Diaye, De Nadaï and Poublan). Lille also revealed their latest rising star, wing Camille Moncozet who opened the scoring for the visitors in the 31st minute (despite Lille being a player short due to a yellow card for captain Laura Di Muzio). With Sha’nnon Izar accurate with the boot, Lille were 10-0 up at halftime.
Emeline Dupont then added a second try on 55 minutes (also converted), and it was not until the 74th minute that Montpellier managed to reply with a typical forward drive resulting in a touchdown for Gaelle Mignot. It was not a recovery that lasted long, however, as two minutes later Moncozet added her second try to give Lille a 22-5 win.
The result gives Lille a significant psychological advantage (Montpellier had not been beaten at home for over three years), plus a semi-final against fourth-placed Perpignan on 26th April.
Not that that game will be easy. Perpignan have been inconsistent this season, but struck a rich vein of form on Sunday with a nine-try 59-15 win over Caen.
Montpellier, meanwhile, will meet Blagnac St Orens in their semi-final after BSORF confirmed third place in the league after a surprisingly difficult 12-5 win at bottom club La Valette, a result that gave the hosts only their second league point of the season (though they still finish on zero having had two point deducted last week for forfeiting a fixture). La Valette will now have to play the winner of the second division to retain their Top 8 place.
CLUB
P
W
D
L
PD
BP
F
Pts
LILLE METROPOL RC VILLENEUVOIS
14
12
0
2
212
6
0
54
MONTPELLIER R C
14
11
0
3
103
6
0
50
BLAGNAC SAINT ORENS RUGBY FEMININ
14
10
0
4
101
5
0
45
U S A P XV FEMININ ROUSSILLON
14
8
0
6
177
10
0
42
A C BOBIGNY 93 RUGBY
14
7
0
7
-72
4
0
32
L OVALIE CAENNAISE
14
5
0
9
-59
5
0
25
STADE RENNAIS RUGBY
14
3
0
11
-81
6
0
18
RUGBY CLUB VALETTOIS REVESTOIS
14
0
0
14
-381
2
1*
0
*-2 points for a forfeited game.-------------------------------------------------Don’t forget tovote for Scrumqueensin the Women's Sports Trust Awards for "Media Organisation of the Year"!De vote depuis la France est acceptée!