French Top 8 returns

Lille take on Bobigny(© Eric Morelle and thanks to voxstadium.fr)

League leaders (and now Challenge Cup winners) Lille opened the weekend with a home game against Bobigny, with the Parisian visitors still entertaining a theoretical chance of a play-off place. After their success against Perpignan, Lille were again invited to use the main Lille Metropole Stadium, but it was the visitors who opened the scoring with a try after eight minutes and it was not until midway through the half that a try from Belgian international Florence Van der Plancke pulled them level. Two more tries at the end of the half pulled Lille into a 17-5 lead, and though Bobigny fought back a with a try late in the game, Sha’nnon Izar was on hand to finish the game and give Lille a 22-10 win.

However, whether they would stay on top depended on the outcome of Montpellier’s trip to Caen on Sunday. With Gaelle Mignot as captain, and much of the French pack available, Montpellier’s tactics are very similar to those of the national team and a “typical” French drive opened scoring for the visitors. However, as in Lille the day before, the favourites did not have it all their own way and responded with a penalty try but after that the problems Caen have exhibited all season returned with scoring chances being missed through mistakes and handling errors.

Montpellier, on the other hand, exhibited their usual patience, retaining possession and dominated possession to regain the lead near the end of the first half and add two more tries in the second.  That would have been enough for the bonus point that would have sent them top of the league – but a last minute try from the Caennaise snatched that away.

Lille and Montpellier are therefore tied on 50 points at the top of the table – and they fittingly meet next Sunday, in Montpellier in what looks like being a dress rehearsal for the championship final.

The two team who will join them in the semi-finals also met, with Blagnac St Orens (BSORF) hosting Perpignan. And, although the Catalans scored the games only try – through Elodie Guiglion – it was the home team who came away with the points thanks to the accuracy of the kicking of Audrey Abadie, who took advantage of the visitors indiscretions to slot three penalties for a 9-7 win.

As for the final game this was, for the first time for over three years, forfeited with bottom club La Valette unable to make the journey to Rennes, who were credited with a 25-0 win.

CLUB

P

W

D

L

PD

BP

F*

PTS

1

LILLE METROPOL RC VILLENEUVOIS

13

11

0

2

195

6

0

50

1

MONTPELLIER R C

13

11

0

2

120

6

0

50

3

BLAGNAC SAINT ORENS RUGBY FEMININ

13

9

0

4

94

5

0

41

4

U S A P XV FEMININ ROUSSILLON

13

7

0

6

133

9

0

37

5

A C BOBIGNY 93 RUGBY

13

6

0

7

-87

3

0

27

6

L OVALIE CAENNAISE

13

5

0

8

-15

5

0

25

7

STADE RENNAIS RUGBY

13

3

0

10

-66

6

0

18

8

RUGBY CLUB VALETTOIS REVESTOIS

13

0

0

13

-374

1

1

-1

F* -match forfeited. -1 point.

Next weekend BSORF seem certain to guarantee third place as they play La Valette, while Perpignan host Caen. BSORF will therefore play the loser of Montpeller v Lille in one semi-final, while Perpignan will have to meet the winner. The semi-final and (televised) final will be played on neutral grounds.