Pro 2 Day 16

[Tony Manx]

After a two week break over Christmas, the best league in France re-commences the fight for promotion into the Top 14 next year with Pau in the prime automatic prmotion spot with the in form Biarritz after five wins on the trot coming up fast behind them!

The weekend starts on Saturday with five games kicking off at 18.30, the first of which is Agen against Tarbes. Agen have signed the gnarly old prop Denis Avril (ex Bayonne and Biarritz) as their scrum consultant no doubt to try and encapsulate his spirit as much as the tricks of the trade he can bring. The 9th placed team (6 Wins and 1 Loss at home) take on the disappointing Tarbes (12th place) who are 1 Win /7 Losses away. Their away record has seen some thumping losses with 293 against them and 173 for but the win was an away win at Pau in their local derby! I will go for Agen.

Albi (4th place) who are 5 wins/2 losses at home take on Bourgoin (15th place) who's record is just 2 wins from 7 away games. It is hard to see an away win.

The (once again) mighty Biarritz (2nd place) travel to Aurillac (7th place) hoping to put some more distance between them being only 7 points above them at present, and this is nothing in this league as BO have already shown! BO are on a five match winning run and, although their away record has not been great (5 Losses/2 wins), the confidence is back and they should overpower Aurillac even though they are unbeaten at home after 7 matches this season...or is that my heart speaking!!

Beziers (11th place 5 wins/2 Losses at home), otherwise known as Montpellier seconds may need more of the latter's players as reinforcements when they host Colomiers (8th place 3 wins/5 Losses) and if Colomiers have targeted this match, they could take it narrowly.

Narbonne (16th 3w/5L) in hosting Montauban (6th 2 wins/5 Losses ) are going for the double having beaten them 17-18 away but with 4 losses out of the last five games (and Montauban the opposite) they do not look like they have the form that they had in the earlier match.

Bottom club Dax (14th 5w/2L) take on the top club in Pau (1st 5w/3L) and the only thing that Dax can take comfort from is that the early form of Pau has disappeared with only 2 wins put of their last five games, However, this is the game for Pau to gain in the confidence of winning in their last game.

Massy (13th 5w/3L) take on Mont-de-Marsan (5th 5w/2L) with little real hope!!

The improving USAP (3rd 7w/1d) take on Carcassonne (10th 1 w/7L) and is hard to see how Carcassonne will overcome the unbeaten home record of USAP on the back of their having lost six out of seven of their away matches......

Enjoy your weekend!!

SU Agen v Tarbes​

Saturday,10th January 2015 @18:30
​

Albi v Bourgoin​

Saturday,10th January 2015 @18:30​

Stade Aurillacois v Biarritz Olympique
Saturday,10th January 2015 @18:30​

​

Béziers v Colomiers​

Saturday,10th January 2015 @18:30

​

Narbonne v Montauban​

Saturday,10th January 2015 @18:30

US Dax v Section Paloise
Sunday, 11th January @ 15.05
​

Massy v Mont-de-Marsan​

Sunday, 11th January @ 15.00

​

Perpignan v Carcassonne
Sunday, 11th January 2015 @17.00

​

 

[Big Ewis]

thanks for the hard work and good write-up Tony, as always. Without you, there's basically no Pro D2 presence here whatsoever. Really appreciate the (quality) efforts.
You talk about scrums: have you seen any prop in "the best league in France" that you thought was interesting ? For e.g. Karim Bougherara was in Pro D2 last season and Toulon acquired him this off-season. For a tighthead with so little gametime, he's looked very good in the scrum. Any interesting front row specimens you've seen ?

 

[Tony Manx]

thanks for the hard work and good write-up Tony, as always. Without you, there's basically no Pro D2 presence here whatsoever. Really appreciate the (quality) efforts.
You talk about scrums: have you seen any prop in "the best league in France" that you thought was interesting ? For e.g. Karim Bougherara was in Pro D2 last season and Toulon acquired him this off-season. For a tighthead with so little gametime, he's looked very good in the scrum. Any interesting front row specimens you've seen ?

Unfortunately, I get to see very little of the actual games only the highlights of a few games per week. So am not really in position to comment on players and particularly overall performance of scrummagers. They tend not to feature in highlights..... cannot see why mind you!!!

 

[Tony Manx]

Pau got back into a winning run to open up an 8 point lead at the top and both Albi and Perpignan scored home wins to move ahead in the table over Biarritz who lost on the road again, this time at Aurillac. There are only 10 points between 2nd and 10th positions whlst the bottom three clubs are now 5 points adrift of the 13th placed club and beginning to drift away.


[TABLE="class: matches, width: 556"]
<tbody>[TR="class: even match no-date-repetition"]
[TD="class: day no-repetition"]Sat[/TD]
[TD="class: date no-repetition"]10/01/15[/TD]
[TD="class: team team-a strong, align: right"]RC Narbonne[/TD]
[TD="class: score-time score"]28 - 24[/TD]
[TD="class: team team-b"]Montauban[/TD]
[TD="class: events-button button"][/TD]
[TD="class: info-button button"][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: odd match no-date-repetition"]
[TD="class: day no-repetition"][/TD]
[TD="class: date no-repetition"][/TD]
[TD="class: team team-a strong, align: right"]SU Agen[/TD]
[TD="class: score-time score"]31 - 9[/TD]
[TD="class: team team-b"]Tarbes[/TD]
[TD="class: events-button button"][/TD]
[TD="class: info-button button"][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: even match no-date-repetition"]
[TD="class: day no-repetition"][/TD]
[TD="class: date no-repetition"][/TD]
[TD="class: team team-a strong, align: right"]AS Béziers[/TD]
[TD="class: score-time score"]22 - 6[/TD]
[TD="class: team team-b"]US Colomiers[/TD]
[TD="class: events-button button"][/TD]
[TD="class: info-button button"][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: odd match no-date-repetition"]
[TD="class: day no-repetition"][/TD]
[TD="class: date no-repetition"][/TD]
[TD="class: team team-a strong, align: right"]SC Albigeois[/TD]
[TD="class: score-time score"]16 - 9[/TD]
[TD="class: team team-b"]Bourgoin[/TD]
[TD="class: events-button button"][/TD]
[TD="class: info-button button"][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: even match no-date-repetition"]
[TD="class: day no-repetition"][/TD]
[TD="class: date no-repetition"][/TD]
[TD="class: team team-a strong, align: right"]Aurillac[/TD]
[TD="class: score-time score"]24 - 20[/TD]
[TD="class: team team-b"]Biarritz[/TD]
[TD="class: events-button button"][/TD]
[TD="class: info-button button"][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: odd match no-date-repetition"]
[TD="class: day no-repetition"]Sun[/TD]
[TD="class: date no-repetition"]11/01/15[/TD]
[TD="class: team team-a strong, align: right"]Massy[/TD]
[TD="class: score-time score"]39 - 32[/TD]
[TD="class: team team-b"]Stade Montois[/TD]
[TD="class: events-button button"][/TD]
[TD="class: info-button button"][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: even match no-date-repetition"]
[TD="class: day no-repetition"][/TD]
[TD="class: date no-repetition"][/TD]
[TD="class: team team-a, align: right"]US Dax[/TD]
[TD="class: score-time score"]8 - 20[/TD]
[TD="class: team team-b strong"]Section Paloise[/TD]
[TD="class: events-button button"][/TD]
[TD="class: info-button button"][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: odd match no-date-repetition"]
[TD="class: day no-repetition"][/TD]
[TD="class: date no-repetition"][/TD]
[TD="class: team team-a strong, align: right"]Perpignan[/TD]
[TD="class: score-time score"]40 - 15[/TD]
[TD="class: team team-b"]US Carcassonne[/TD]
[TD="class: events-button button"][/TD]
[TD="class: info-button button"][/TD]
[/TR]
</tbody>[/TABLE]

[TABLE="class: leaguetable sortable table, width: 556"]
<tbody>[TR="class: sub-head"]
[TH="class: rank sortcol, align: center"]#[/TH]
[TH="class: text team large-link sortcol"]Team[/TH]
[TH="class: number total mp sortcol, align: center"]<acronym ***le="Matches played" style="border: 0px; cursor: help;">MP</acronym>[/TH]
[TH="class: number total won total_won sortcol, align: center"]<acronym ***le="Wins" style="border: 0px; cursor: help;">W</acronym>[/TH]
[TH="class: number total draw total_draw sortcol, align: center"]<acronym ***le="Draws" style="border: 0px; cursor: help;">D</acronym>[/TH]
[TH="class: number total lost total_lost sortcol, align: center"]<acronym ***le="Losses" style="border: 0px; cursor: help;">L</acronym>[/TH]
[TH="class: number total gf total_gf sf total_sf sortcol, align: center"]<acronym ***le="Score for" style="border: 0px; cursor: help;">SF</acronym>[/TH]
[TH="class: number total ga total_ga sa total_sa sortcol, align: center"]<acronym ***le="Score against" style="border: 0px; cursor: help;">SA</acronym>[/TH]
[TH="class: number gd sd sortcol, align: center"]<acronym ***le="Score difference" style="border: 0px; cursor: help;">D</acronym>[/TH]
[TH="class: number points pct sortcol, align: center"]<acronym ***le="Points" style="border: 0px; cursor: help;">P</acronym>[/TH]
[TH="class: form sortcol, align: center"]Last 5 matches[/TH]
[/TR]
[TR="class: odd"]
[TD="class: rank rank-dark-green, align: center"]1[/TD]
[TD="class: text team large-link"]Section Paloise[/TD]
[TD="class: number total mp, align: center"]16[/TD]
[TD="class: number total won total_won, align: center"]12[/TD]
[TD="class: number total draw total_draw, align: center"]0[/TD]
[TD="class: number total lost total_lost, align: center"]4[/TD]
[TD="class: number total gf total_gf sf total_sf, align: center"]380[/TD]
[TD="class: number total ga total_ga sa total_sa, align: center"]286[/TD]
[TD="class: number gd sd, align: center"]+94[/TD]
[TD="class: number points pct, align: center"]53[/TD]
[TD="class: form, align: center"]WLLWW[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: even"]
[TD="class: rank rank-light-blue, align: center"]2[/TD]
[TD="class: text team large-link"]Perpignan[/TD]
[TD="class: number total mp, align: center"]16[/TD]
[TD="class: number total won total_won, align: center"]9[/TD]
[TD="class: number total draw total_draw, align: center"]1[/TD]
[TD="class: number total lost total_lost, align: center"]6[/TD]
[TD="class: number total gf total_gf sf total_sf, align: center"]408[/TD]
[TD="class: number total ga total_ga sa total_sa, align: center"]299[/TD]
[TD="class: number gd sd, align: center"]+109[/TD]
[TD="class: number points pct, align: center"]45[/TD]
[TD="class: form, align: center"]WWWDL[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: odd"]
[TD="class: rank rank-light-blue, align: center"]3[/TD]
[TD="class: text team large-link"]SC Albigeois[/TD]
[TD="class: number total mp, align: center"]16[/TD]
[TD="class: number total won total_won, align: center"]10[/TD]
[TD="class: number total draw total_draw, align: center"]0[/TD]
[TD="class: number total lost total_lost, align: center"]6[/TD]
[TD="class: number total gf total_gf sf total_sf, align: center"]340[/TD]
[TD="class: number total ga total_ga sa total_sa, align: center"]330[/TD]
[TD="class: number gd sd, align: center"]+10[/TD]
[TD="class: number points pct, align: center"]44[/TD]
[TD="class: form, align: center"]WWLLW[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: even"]
[TD="class: rank rank-light-blue, align: center"]4[/TD]
[TD="class: text team large-link"]Biarritz[/TD]
[TD="class: number total mp, align: center"]16[/TD]
[TD="class: number total won total_won, align: center"]10[/TD]
[TD="class: number total draw total_draw, align: center"]0[/TD]
[TD="class: number total lost total_lost, align: center"]6[/TD]
[TD="class: number total gf total_gf sf total_sf, align: center"]351[/TD]
[TD="class: number total ga total_ga sa total_sa, align: center"]301[/TD]
[TD="class: number gd sd, align: center"]+50[/TD]
[TD="class: number points pct, align: center"]43[/TD]
[TD="class: form, align: center"]LWWWW[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: odd"]
[TD="class: rank rank-light-blue, align: center"]5[/TD]
[TD="class: text team large-link"]Aurillac[/TD]
[TD="class: number total mp, align: center"]16[/TD]
[TD="class: number total won total_won, align: center"]8[/TD]
[TD="class: number total draw total_draw, align: center"]2[/TD]
[TD="class: number total lost total_lost, align: center"]6[/TD]
[TD="class: number total gf total_gf sf total_sf, align: center"]307[/TD]
[TD="class: number total ga total_ga sa total_sa, align: center"]302[/TD]
[TD="class: number gd sd, align: center"]+5[/TD]
[TD="class: number points pct, align: center"]40[/TD]
[TD="class: form, align: center"]WLWDW[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: even"]
[TD="class: rank, align: center"]6[/TD]
[TD="class: text team large-link"]Stade Montois[/TD]
[TD="class: number total mp, align: center"]16[/TD]
[TD="class: number total won total_won, align: center"]9[/TD]
[TD="class: number total draw total_draw, align: center"]0[/TD]
[TD="class: number total lost total_lost, align: center"]7[/TD]
[TD="class: number total gf total_gf sf total_sf, align: center"]364[/TD]
[TD="class: number total ga total_ga sa total_sa, align: center"]316[/TD]
[TD="class: number gd sd, align: center"]+48[/TD]
[TD="class: number points pct, align: center"]39[/TD]
[TD="class: form, align: center"]LWLWW[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: odd"]
[TD="class: rank, align: center"]7[/TD]
[TD="class: text team large-link"]SU Agen[/TD]
[TD="class: number total mp, align: center"]16[/TD]
[TD="class: number total won total_won, align: center"]8[/TD]
[TD="class: number total draw total_draw, align: center"]0[/TD]
[TD="class: number total lost total_lost, align: center"]8[/TD]
[TD="class: number total gf total_gf sf total_sf, align: center"]396[/TD]
[TD="class: number total ga total_ga sa total_sa, align: center"]366[/TD]
[TD="class: number gd sd, align: center"]+30[/TD]
[TD="class: number points pct, align: center"]38[/TD]
[TD="class: form, align: center"]WWLWL[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: even"]
[TD="class: rank, align: center"]8[/TD]
[TD="class: text team large-link"]Montauban[/TD]
[TD="class: number total mp, align: center"]16[/TD]
[TD="class: number total won total_won, align: center"]8[/TD]
[TD="class: number total draw total_draw, align: center"]0[/TD]
[TD="class: number total lost total_lost, align: center"]8[/TD]
[TD="class: number total gf total_gf sf total_sf, align: center"]346[/TD]
[TD="class: number total ga total_ga sa total_sa, align: center"]301[/TD]
[TD="class: number gd sd, align: center"]+45[/TD]
[TD="class: number points pct, align: center"]38[/TD]
[TD="class: form, align: center"]LWWLW[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: odd"]
[TD="class: rank, align: center"]9[/TD]
[TD="class: text team large-link"]AS Béziers[/TD]
[TD="class: number total mp, align: center"]16[/TD]
[TD="class: number total won total_won, align: center"]8[/TD]
[TD="class: number total draw total_draw, align: center"]0[/TD]
[TD="class: number total lost total_lost, align: center"]8[/TD]
[TD="class: number total gf total_gf sf total_sf, align: center"]320[/TD]
[TD="class: number total ga total_ga sa total_sa, align: center"]303[/TD]
[TD="class: number gd sd, align: center"]+17[/TD]
[TD="class: number points pct, align: center"]35[/TD]
[TD="class: form, align: center"]WLLWL[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: even"]
[TD="class: rank, align: center"]10[/TD]
[TD="class: text team large-link"]US Colomiers[/TD]
[TD="class: number total mp, align: center"]16[/TD]
[TD="class: number total won total_won, align: center"]8[/TD]
[TD="class: number total draw total_draw, align: center"]0[/TD]
[TD="class: number total lost total_lost, align: center"]8[/TD]
[TD="class: number total gf total_gf sf total_sf, align: center"]312[/TD]
[TD="class: number total ga total_ga sa total_sa, align: center"]311[/TD]
[TD="class: number gd sd, align: center"]+1[/TD]
[TD="class: number points pct, align: center"]35[/TD]
[TD="class: form, align: center"]LLLWL[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: odd"]
[TD="class: rank, align: center"]11[/TD]
[TD="class: text team large-link"]US Carcassonne[/TD]
[TD="class: number total mp, align: center"]16[/TD]
[TD="class: number total won total_won, align: center"]7[/TD]
[TD="class: number total draw total_draw, align: center"]0[/TD]
[TD="class: number total lost total_lost, align: center"]9[/TD]
[TD="class: number total gf total_gf sf total_sf, align: center"]384[/TD]
[TD="class: number total ga total_ga sa total_sa, align: center"]399[/TD]
[TD="class: number gd sd, align: center"]-15[/TD]
[TD="class: number points pct, align: center"]32[/TD]
[TD="class: form, align: center"]LWWLL[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: even"]
[TD="class: rank, align: center"]12[/TD]
[TD="class: text team large-link"]Tarbes[/TD]
[TD="class: number total mp, align: center"]16[/TD]
[TD="class: number total won total_won, align: center"]7[/TD]
[TD="class: number total draw total_draw, align: center"]0[/TD]
[TD="class: number total lost total_lost, align: center"]9[/TD]
[TD="class: number total gf total_gf sf total_sf, align: center"]342[/TD]
[TD="class: number total ga total_ga sa total_sa, align: center"]434[/TD]
[TD="class: number gd sd, align: center"]-92[/TD]
[TD="class: number points pct, align: center"]31[/TD]
[TD="class: form, align: center"]LWWWL[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: odd"]
[TD="class: rank, align: center"]13[/TD]
[TD="class: text team large-link"]Massy[/TD]
[TD="class: number total mp, align: center"]16[/TD]
[TD="class: number total won total_won, align: center"]6[/TD]
[TD="class: number total draw total_draw, align: center"]0[/TD]
[TD="class: number total lost total_lost, align: center"]10[/TD]
[TD="class: number total gf total_gf sf total_sf, align: center"]366[/TD]
[TD="class: number total ga total_ga sa total_sa, align: center"]402[/TD]
[TD="class: number gd sd, align: center"]-36[/TD]
[TD="class: number points pct, align: center"]30[/TD]
[TD="class: form, align: center"]WLLLW[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: even"]
[TD="class: rank, align: center"]14[/TD]
[TD="class: text team large-link"]RC Narbonne[/TD]
[TD="class: number total mp, align: center"]16[/TD]
[TD="class: number total won total_won, align: center"]6[/TD]
[TD="class: number total draw total_draw, align: center"]0[/TD]
[TD="class: number total lost total_lost, align: center"]10[/TD]
[TD="class: number total gf total_gf sf total_sf, align: center"]297[/TD]
[TD="class: number total ga total_ga sa total_sa, align: center"]397[/TD]
[TD="class: number gd sd, align: center"]-100[/TD]
[TD="class: number points pct, align: center"]25[/TD]
[TD="class: form, align: center"]WLLLW[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: odd"]
[TD="class: rank rank-red, align: center"]15[/TD]
[TD="class: text team large-link"]US Dax[/TD]
[TD="class: number total mp, align: center"]16[/TD]
[TD="class: number total won total_won, align: center"]5[/TD]
[TD="class: number total draw total_draw, align: center"]0[/TD]
[TD="class: number total lost total_lost, align: center"]11[/TD]
[TD="class: number total gf total_gf sf total_sf, align: center"]260[/TD]
[TD="class: number total ga total_ga sa total_sa, align: center"]352[/TD]
[TD="class: number gd sd, align: center"]-92[/TD]
[TD="class: number points pct, align: center"]22[/TD]
[TD="class: form, align: center"]LLWLL[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: even"]
[TD="class: rank rank-red, align: center"]16[/TD]
[TD="class: text team large-link"]Bourgoin[/TD]
[TD="class: number total mp, align: center"]16[/TD]
[TD="class: number total won total_won, align: center"]5[/TD]
[TD="class: number total draw total_draw, align: center"]1[/TD]
[TD="class: number total lost total_lost, align: center"]10[/TD]
[TD="class: number total gf total_gf sf total_sf, align: center"]301[/TD]
[TD="class: number total ga total_ga sa total_sa, align: center"]375[/TD]
[TD="class: number gd sd, align: center"]-74[/TD]
[TD="class: number points pct, align: center"]21[/TD]
[TD="class: form, align: center"]LLWLL[/TD]
[/TR]
</tbody>[/TABLE]

 

[gaston le gaff]

Not quite the same without BE

 

[Tony Manx]

Not really but appreciated his last post on here!!

Looks like you will have to do the Top 14 now.....................I will continue to do the "inferior" Pro 2 for the moment!!!