Top 8 returns in France

Action from Montpellier v Caen (Photo:Sportacaen.fr)

The “Top 8” is back to eight teams again this year with the promotion to ASM Romagnat, champions of last season’s Amelle Auclair. Based in Clermont Ferrand, the club is now officially linked men’s Top 14 team ASM Clermont Auvergne, and – as with every season – as the new team in the league they opened their season with a game against the champions, Lille.

An impressive crowd of over 2,500 people turned out for Romagnat’s first Top 8 fixture, which was also broadcast live on French Eurosport as part of the TV deal for French women’s domestic rugby announced last season.

The champions were well in control for most of the game, going into the break 20-3 ahead, thanks to the superior power of the Northerners, whose pack drove over the line four times in the opening period.

In the end it was a clear victory, 37-10, with coach Damien Couvreur pleased with the outcome: "The goal was to get our mindset right and use the game to see where we were. And this is a good start. Not everything was perfect, but there was really a lot of that was good and playing like this we could repeat our achievements of last season.

Romagnat will do well to match the performance of last season’s new team - Stade Toulousain – who reached the semi-finals. Stade look like being an even greater threat this year after going on a recruitment spree, signing up Camille Boudaud and Ian Jason from Rennes, Laetitia Bobo from Montpellier and Meryl Dubertrand from Lons. In the other direction Morgane Peyronnet has moved from Stade Toulousain to Montpellier. Fijians Litia Naiqato and Luisa Tisolo are also moving to France this season, though they have yet to sign for a team.

Toulouse’s new team had a tough opener against Bobigny, but nonetheless came away with a win. Both sides had key players absent, with Bobigny especially missing Comba Diallo. Toulouse Coach Philippe Gleyze was happy with the outcome: "Last year, we would not have won – we would certainly not have held onto our small lead late in the game."

The improvement came from Camille Boudaud, the new signing from Rennes, "a rare goal kicker in the women rugby", according to his coach. Indeed Boudaud scored all the points – a converted try and three penalties – which was just enough to beat the home team’s two tries.

"We made an excellent start in the first half, moving the ball wide, but because of two to three handling errors, nothing came of it.” Bobigny, on the other hand, took their chances. And lead 5-3 at halftime. In the second half, we took the points. It was really positive."

Toulouse’s neighbours, BSORF, also had a winning start at home to Rennes. Semi-finalists last season they put together an exceptional second half to overturn the visitors 12-5 lead at the break to run out 36-17 winners, picking up a bonus point along the way.

Jade le Pesq did most of the damage for Rennes at the start. Backed by Rennes powerful pack, she scored twice in the opening half hour to apparently put her team in command. But three tries in six minutes in the middle of the second period turned the game decisively in favour of the home team.

Coach Eric Carrière was delighted: "In all honesty at halftime I would have grabbed with both hands just the four points for a win. The team has great physical and mental potential, and that's what allowed us to go into overdrive. "

In the final game, last year’s beaten finalists Montpellier hosted Caen, who had an incredibly tough season last time around – and that looks like being repeated.

Ovalie Caennaise have expanded their pool of younger players coming up from Rouen, Rennes and Nancy, and the team also has a new coach, Jean-François Mouton. Nonetheless they knew his first game of the season was extremely tough. And so it proved to be as Montpellier were in control from start to finish.Under a blazing sun and sweltering heat, the Normans suffered from the Montpelliéraines power and speed as they scored ten trials, nine of which were converted.

"The score is heavy”, says the Caen’s assistant coach Gilles Rabier. “However, the game has nothing like last season, even if the score is the same ilk (69-0 last season). Many tries were conceded due to big defensive errors - you pay for the slightest mistake against teams like Montpellier. And after reviewing the match on video, there is no reason to put our tail between our legs. Almost every time we made it into the opposing 22 meters we returned with points.

Final score – a win for Montpellier by 62-19.

CLUB

P

W

D

L

PD

BP

PTS

1

MONTPELLIER R C

1

1

0

0

54

1

5

1

LILLE METROPOLE RC VILLENEUVOIS

1

1

0

0

27

1

5

1

BLAGNAC SAINT ORENS RUGBY FEMININ

1

1

0

0

19

1

5

4

STADE TOULOUSAIN RUGBY FEMININ

1

1

0

0

4

0

4

5

A C BOBIGNY 93 RUGBY

1

0

0

1

-4

1

1

6

STADE RENNAIS RUGBY

1

0

0

1

-19

0

0

6

A S M ROMAGNAT RUGBY FÉMININ

1

0

0

1

-27

0

0

6

L OVALIE CAENNAISE

1

0

0

1

-54

0

0