Before we move on to the numbers and the 50 key men who could make up the starting XVs, a quick look back at the two semi-finals that took Vannes and Provence Rugby to Toulouse.

Vannes – Oyonnax (48-7): a demonstration with no suspense

In front of their own crowd at La Rabine, RCV never wobbled. Deprived of fly-half Maxime Lafage, a late withdrawal, the Bretons handed the keys to Thibault Debaes. The stand-in’s answer was perfect: 5 penalties from 5, 3 conversions, and the decisive kick-pass for Paul Surano’s opening try.

Oyonnax struck first through Karim Qadiri (25′, conv. Holmes), but the Breton response was immediate. Théo Beziat went over in the corner (28′), and Pierre Boudehent followed him in from a Debaes kick over the top (32′). By half-time it was already done: 21-7.

The second half turned into a festival. Six tries in all for Vannes (Beziat, Boudehent, Surano with a brace, Gorrissen), two yellow cards for Oyonnax (Ruru on 38′, Abraham on 65′). Final score: 48-7. Vannes into the final, no argument.

Colomiers – Provence Rugby (28-36): the Aix upset

Everything happened fast from the off at Michel-Bendichou. Vareiro put Provence ahead with a penalty (2′), Delpy levelled straight afterwards (6′). On 10 minutes, the match turned: Vareiro read a pass inside his own half, kicked ahead, Lapègue gathered and Coville put Charly Gambini away at full tilt. The back-rower ran 60 metres to score the first Aix try (3-10, conv. Vareiro). The Portuguese boot then did the rest: three penalties in a row, 9-19 at the break. Colomiers were on one knee.

The second half confirmed the sentence. Rodrigo Marta did give the hosts a little air (49′), but Gambini claimed his brace soon afterwards (50′), and with a man down at that. Then it swung for good: Giral tried a blind pass in his own half on 68 minutes, Coville intercepted, Vareiro touched down (14-29). Bituniyata delivered the coup de grâce at the end of another 50-metre raid (73′, conv. Cazenave). Marta (77′) and Maurel (80+2′) saved face, but Provence Rugby had their first Pro D2 final in the club’s history.

Regular season: what the numbers say

Vannes did not finish top by accident.

Team	Pts	W	D	L	Points for	Points against	Tries scored
Vannes	116	24	1	5	1,092	543	158
Colomiers	95	21	0	9	847	522	107
Provence Rugby	92	19	0	11	905	726	126
Oyonnax	86	17	0	13	953	659	128

Vannes had the best attack (158 tries, 1,092 points) and the best defence (543 points conceded) in the league. Provence Rugby, third overall, are the most prolific attacking side among the chasing pack with 126 tries, but they concede a lot (726 points). Two opposite profiles.

Vannes: who are the 25 men who made RCV’s season?

#	Player	Position	Minutes	Matches	Starts
1	Ben Stevenson	Wing	1,600	20	20
2	Paul Surano	Wing	1,600	26	26
3	Michael Ruru	Scrum-half	1,600	23	23
4	Pierre Boudehent	Wing	1,520	23	23
5	Steeve Blanc-Mappaz	Back-rower	1,520	21	21
6	Elliott Roudil	Centre	1,520	21	21
7	Maxime Lafage	Fly-half	1,520	19	19
8	Enzo Benmegal	Full-back	1,440	18	18
9	Fabrice Metz	Lock	1,440	20	20
10	Simon Augry	Back-rower	1,440	21	21
11	Santiago Medrano	Prop	1,360	19	19
12	Eric Marks	Lock	1,280	21	21
13	Anthony Bouthier	Full-back	1,200	23	23
14	Robin Taccola	Centre	1,200	22	22
15	Mako Vunipola	Prop	1,120	14	14
16	Juan Bautista Pedemonte	Back-rower	1,120	16	16
17	Sione Kalamafoni	Back-rower	1,120	23	23
18	Mattéo Desjeux	Lock	960	18	18
19	David Cherry	Hooker	960	16	16
20	Théo Beziat	Hooker	960	17	17
21	Léon Boulier	Back-rower	880	22	22
22	Francisco Gorrissen (capt.)	Back-rower	880	13	13
23	Francis Saili	Centre	800	11	11
24	Wayan de Benedittis	Prop	720	18	18
25	Thibault Debaes	Fly-half	720	20	20

RCV’s key men this season are called Surano, Ruru, Stevenson and Boudehent among the backs, not forgetting Lafage at fly-half. Lafage’s absence in the final would be a blow, but Debaes showed against Oyonnax that he could hold the fort.

Provence Rugby: who are the 25 men behind the upset?

#	Player	Position	Minutes	Matches	Starts
1	Setareki Bituniyata	Wing	2,080	26	26
2	Albert Tuisue	Back-rower	1,840	29	29
3	Tornike Jalagonia	Back-rower	1,760	23	23
4	Izack Rodda	Lock	1,680	23	23
5	Léo Drouet	Wing	1,600	23	23
6	Caleb Muntz	Fly-half	1,600	20	20
7	Adrien Lapègue	Wing	1,520	20	20
8	Arthur Coville	Scrum-half	1,520	27	27
9	Charly Gambini	Back-rower	1,440	21	21
10	Andres Zafra Tarazona	Lock	1,280	19	19
11	Manuel Vareiro	Wing	1,200	16	16
12	Mathias Colombet	Full-back	1,200	19	19
13	Renger Van Eerten	Lock	1,200	22	22
14	Romain Latterrade	Hooker	1,120	22	22
15	Pierre Lucas	Centre	1,120	20	20
16	Federico Wegrzyn	Prop	1,040	18	18
17	Tomas Francis	Prop	960	16	16
18	Kaveinga Finau	Centre	960	14	14
19	Sione Tui	Wing	880	16	16
20	Kapeli Pifeleti	Hooker	800	20	20
21	Sébastien Taofifenua	Prop	800	19	19
22	Joris Cazenave	Scrum-half	720	24	24
23	Nadir Bouhedjeur	Wing	720	11	11
24	Guillaume Piazzoli	Back-rower	640	11	11
25	Thomas Sauveterre	Hooker	640	18	18

Setareki Bituniyata has spent more than 2,000 minutes on the pitch this season, an extraordinary workload for a wing. Albert Tuisue (29 matches) and Tornike Jalagonia confirm that the Provence pack kept up the pace all season long. Behind them, Charly Gambini came out of the semi-final with his stock raised, and Manuel Vareiro remains the number one attacking weapon off the tee.

The final: Vannes favourites, but Provence fear nobody

Next Saturday at the Stadium de Toulouse, Vannes will turn up wearing the favourites’ suit: the best attack, the best defence, a captain on fire (Gorrissen), an ever-decisive Bouthier, and a Lafage-Debaes kicking duo should they need it.

Facing them, Provence Rugby will arrive with the momentum of outsiders who have nothing to lose. Gambini on fire, an unstoppable Bituniyata, and a Vareiro who is accurate off the tee and in open play. Everything is in place for a hot final.

Over to you: pick your starting XV for the final

We’ve given you the 50 key men of both finalists. Now it’s your turn to become the selector. If you had to name a starting XV for Vannes, or for Provence Rugby, who would you put on the team sheet on Saturday in Toulouse?

A heavy pack or a fast back line? Experienced heads (Bouthier, Ruru, Tuisue, Rodda) or young guns in form (Vareiro, Debaes, Gambini)? Is kicker Lafage fit again? How do you build the bench for the last twenty minutes?

Give us your line-up in the comments or on ItsRugby’s social media. We’ll gather your selections and put them up against the real thing at kick-off on Saturday.

Pro D2 final: who should make up the starting XV for Vannes and Provence Rugby?