Pro D2

[Tony Manx]

Update if only to show remarkable turnaround by Biarritz after seven straight defeats......now just 6 points off play off position!!

EQUIPES PTS
1Lyon 45
2Aviron Bayonnais39
3Béziers33
4Stade Aurillacois33
5Perpignan30
6Colomiers30
7Albi28
8Narbonne26
9Bourgoin25
10Mont-de-Marsan25
11Biarritz Olympique24
12Montauban23
13Carcassonne21
14US Dax18
15Provence Rugby13
16Tarbes 8

 

[JJFlash]

Another BO win in ProD2, this time at Béziers! Impressive!
They are now 12th and climbing.
Don't get over excited TM............... until they get into the top half of the table!

 

[JJFlash]

Yet another away win for BO!
Now this is getting mildly exciting - up to 9th!!

 

[Tony Manx]

Yet another away win for BO!
Now this is getting midly exciting - up to 9th!!

I am watching but tending not to get too excited as yet but top six? Not out of the question........!!

Load of Young lads signed professional contracts or extensions so next year may be in with a better chance!

The bigger problem is how they can possibly buy the bigger stars to maintain any promotion they may get in the future? With the finances in the state they are, hard to see where it is coming from.....

 

[Sapinou]

Hey lads! It's been a long time!

Last fixture of regular season Sunday and an awesome battle for the semi finals!

Damn you told me last summer that Bayonne would be semi-finalist I'wouldn't believed it. We started the pre season with 17 pros, the first game at Albi with 23 pros. And exept Lyon, no one is ahead us. 12 years without playoffs here, the city is boilling!

At the end I see: Bayonne-Perpignan & Aurillac-Mont de Marsan next week


I forgot: Midol announced financials concerns for Biarritz, Beziers, Narbonne and Bourgoin. You can add Tarbes (already goin' down) and Dax in a fewer scale. 6/16 clubs in the League. And the FFR wants a pro D3?!

 

[JJFlash]

So we now know the semi final matches :

Bayonne v Colomiers
Aurillac v Mont de Marsan

Aurillac at home are strong and may have too much even for a rejuvenated Mont de Marsan.
Similarly, home advantage should count for Bayonne, even though Colomiers should not be under-rated.

Finally, Bayonne to be promoted with Lyon.

A quick word for Biarritz who finished a respectable 8th - who would have thought that a few months ago? TM, maybe!

 

[Tony Manx]

8th is far better than anyone could have imagined last November!!

However, that is two seasons in the second division for a proud team and never in that time have they looked like being near the hunt for promotion!

At least USAP were there or thereabouts even if they lost to Dax today........Dax?!!

There seem to have been some changes in Biarritz, certainly the PR is better. BUT the rumors of financial irregularities have again surfaced......

Go Bayonne is all I would say!!! Promotion is yours to lose.......

 

[gaston le gaff]

for preferance i would like Aurillac but that is only because there is excellent food especially in winter great cheese as well, but my head is saying Bayonne who i think will be far too strong for Colomiers in the semi, and they should beat Aurillac in the final if they get through, the question is, Lyon have invested strongly, so i do not see them going down next season, so there is one team from the present TOP 14 who would be in the Pro D2 come season 17/18. So once again next season will be even more massive.

 

[Car]

At least USAP were there or thereabouts even if they lost to Dax today........Dax?!!

USAP just suck away from home. It seems there'll be big changes at USAP this summer, let's hope they'll be for the better. The transfers before this season weren't good.

 

[gaston le gaff]

USAP need to get their in house sorted before major changes will happen, the longer they continue with their indifferent in house management the longer they will stay in the Pro D2 at the very best.

 

[Tony Manx]

USAP need to get their in house sorted before major changes will happen, the longer they continue with their indifferent in house management the longer they will stay in the Pro D2 at the very best.

For USAP read BO........

 

[PAC]

Biarritz, Bourgoin and Narbonne are relegated in Federale 1 for financial reasons. They have 10 days to appeal.

http://www.lnr.fr/rugby-pro-d2/actualites-rugby-pro-d2/decisions-du-conseil-superieur-de-la-dnacg

 

[JJFlash]

This is incredible!
What is causing these "financial irregularities"? Incompetent club directors? Excessive player salaries (overseas players, maybe)?
Are there too many clubs in the Top14 and ProD2?
There has already been talk of reducing the Top14 to 12 sides (like the English Premiership).

This may force the re-opening of discussions of a merger between Bayonne and Biarritz.
Let's see what happens in the next ten days if appeals are to be launched.

 

[gaston le gaff]

This is incredible!
What is causing these "financial irregularities"? Incompetent club directors? Excessive player salaries (overseas players, maybe)?
Are there too many clubs in the Top14 and ProD2?
There has already been talk of reducing the Top14 to 12 sides (like the English Premiership).

This may force the re-opening of discussions of a merger between Bayonne and Biarritz.
Let's see what happens in the next ten days if appeals are to be launched.

Exactly that!!!!! they have 10 days to appeal but the DNACG ( they are the finance police) are ruthless if you are losing serious money for wharever reasons and they investigate, down you go, this is not the first time it has happened before, but i think this is the first time more than one club in one season. The clubs have 10 days to find the necessary funds to get to a minimum break even exercise or they will be playing Fed Rugby next season.

 

[Tony Manx]

Interesting but BO say they are working to resolve the problem which, to paraphrase, is more down to legal than financial problems!!

Aye, they cannot legally get hold of any money!!

Will bet that they at least will escape relegation or my name is not Serve Blanco!!

PS why would Bayonne be interested in fusion now when on the cusp of promotion?!!

 

[JJFlash]

Bayonne would probably not be interested in a merger but they'll be among favourites for relegation - as usual for teams promoted fromProD2, and a merger may be the only viable option for a Basque team to remain in the top flight.

 

[Tony Manx]

Bayonne would probably not be interested in a merger but they'll be among favourites for relegation - as usual for teams promoted fromProD2, and a merger may be the only viable option for a Basque team to remain in the top flight.

Rationally you are 100% correct but as is apparent on a different thread here, too many people see the business of running professional rugby, as all emotion and passion and little to do with business!!

Certainly that is why the merger failed to progress when there was the best chance for it a couple of seasons ago!!

On a business basis there really is no alternative but fusion as Basque rugby will find out in due course when both teams find themselves at best mid level Pro2 teams consistently - a prospect many of their supporters would prefer to a merged successful Top 14 team!!

 

[Car]

USAP need to get their in house sorted before major changes will happen, the longer they continue with their indifferent in house management the longer they will stay in the Pro D2 at the very best.

Did you hear about the interview "Pedro" Pérez gave L'indépendant? That didn't sound good at all.

 

[gaston le gaff]

certainly did and the reply from the USAP President did not help his case.

 

[gaston le gaff]

Bayonne back in the TOP 14 they beat Aurillac 21-16 in the Pro D2 final at Toulouse.At LEAST A BASQUE TEAM BACK IN THE ELITE THINK WE WILL BE WAITING A LOT LONGER FOR A SECOND.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!