Nationale (R9) – Massy nine from nine, Albi fall at home

A review of Nationale round 9, played on Friday 30 and Saturday 31 October.

Massy remain unbeaten at the top of Nationale, five points clear of Chambery, who broke Albi at the Stadium. Carcassonne won in the 79th minute and Mont-de-Marsan snatched a win on the night Bernard Goutta’s arrival was announced.

Massy, a start without recent precedent

US Bressane led 12-10 at half-time despite conceding a penalty try in the 19th minute, thanks to four penalties from Adriaan Van Der Bank, who scored all their points. Massy pulled away after the break through Alexandre Loubiere (50th), a second penalty try (60th) and Gonzalo Lopez Bontempo (78th), for a third try bonus.

No club had won its first nine games in the previous six Nationale seasons: the best start was US Bressane’s 8 from 9 in 2020-21. Massy have also won all five of their away games. Yet they have only the third-best points difference in the league (+99), behind Chambery (+125) and Carcassonne (+110): four of their wins came by seven points or fewer. US Bressane, for their part, remain the only side without a single bonus point this season.

Chambery bring down the Stadium

Albi had not lost at home since 13 December 2024, 23 Nationale games ago. Chambery made it six wins in a row there (22-15), thanks to a 6 from 6 by Thibault Moreno (17 points) and a try from Rokoua Rasaku (55th). The visitors picked up three yellow cards, but Albi played almost the entire second half with fourteen after a red card for hooker Romain Maurice, and got back to within four points only through a penalty try (15-19). Both starting props went off injured at half-time.

With 315 points scored, Chambery have the highest total after nine rounds in the last seven Nationale seasons, well ahead of the previous best at this stage (270). Albi, 4th, take a losing bonus point.

Carcassonne by a drop goal, and one missed kick

Carcassonne led 12-3 at the break through Samuel Marques and Theo Vassallo, but were caught by Lohan Sabbia, who scored 8 points in the second half. Back in front in the 78th minute with a Florian Remue penalty (15-16), Suresnes saw Jerome Bosviel reply with a 25-metre drop goal a minute later. Remue had one more penalty after the hooter to turn the game around, and it went wide on the right. “I’m mostly aware of how lucky we were,” manager Joel Rey told L’Independant. Carcassonne stay 3rd and keep the league’s best defence (151 points conceded).

Mont-de-Marsan breathe, Goutta arrives

Stade Montois had lost three in a row and twice trailed Bourgoin-Jallieu in the second half, the last time after Eloi Nottet’s try (22-25, 76th). A final try in the corner, converted by Willie du Plessis, gave them the win (29-25) and lifted them to 6th. After the game the club confirmed Bernard Goutta as manager from 1 November. The former Agen and Carcassonne manager joins the existing staff. President Jean-Robert Cazeaux set out the goal: “to qualify and give ourselves the best chance of winning promotion back to Pro D2.”

Rouen turn it round against Marcq

Marcq-en-Baroeul led 12-10 after 65 minutes with four Maxime Javaux penalties, without scoring a try. Kevin Fabien won it for Rouen in the 70th minute (17-12), a third straight win for the 5th-placed side. Marcq take their fifth losing bonus point from eight defeats.

Vienne, by a single point

The promoted side led 20-3 after 36 minutes with tries from Jules Dorrival (18th) and Theo Minodier (22nd), then were overhauled by three Perigueux tries (20-22, 60th), with Minodier also in the sin-bin (57th). Clement Doucet, who scored 13 points, put them back in front in the 70th minute (23-22). Tom Raffy had a shot to win it on the hooter from 40 metres, straight in front, and missed. It is Vienne’s third win of the season and takes them level with Rennes on 16 points before their trip to Bourgoin-Jallieu.

Orleans win at Rennes

Ahead 10-7 at half-time, Orleans pulled clear between the 42nd and 69th minutes with tries from Matteo Faucher and Hufangahau Sunia Latu and the boots of Thomas Piquemal and Johann Hiltrude (14-33). Rennes, who also lost Sasha Lepeigneul to the bin from the 16th minute, scored three converted tries, the last by Lucas Dufourcq (75th) during Olivier Ibaka Yeleza’s yellow card, kicked no penalties and left with no bonus. Orleans move level with Mont-de-Marsan.

The table after round 9