Pro D2 (Round 8) – Provence make it eight, Oyonnax caught at the top

A look back at Pro D2 round 8, played on 22 and 23 October.

Provence Rugby took advantage of Oyonnax’s first defeat to draw level with them at the top on 34 points. Provence are now the only unbeaten side in Pro D2 after eight rounds, with Oyonnax staying first on points difference.

Provence make it eight from eight

Provence Rugby crushed Béziers 54-3 with eight tries, including doubles for Lenoir and Latterrade, against opponents reduced to 14 men after Dufour’s red card (53rd minute). Eight wins from eight: no Pro D2 club had made such a start since Pau in 2014-15. The night before, Oyonnax lost by a point at Montauban (24-23) after seven straight wins, conceding two converted tries in two minutes after the break.

Grenoble on the podium, Angoulême fourth

Grenoble had to wait until the second half to break Biarritz down (24-10). Leading only 3-0 at the break, they scored three tries in six minutes through Soury, Costa Storti and Fusier, all converted by Sam Davies, who finished with 9 points. Grenoble are third, eight points behind the leading pair.

Soyaux-Angoulême handed Dax a fourth defeat in four away games (49-7), with seven tries and a bonus point. They climb to fourth, while Dax, like Béziers, have still not taken a single point on the road.

Strachan drives Aurillac, Narbonne topple Brive

Aurillac beat Nevers 41-16 with five tries. Jack Strachan kicked five conversions and two penalties for 16 points: on 94, he is the league’s second-highest scorer behind Luka Matkava (119). Nevers are still without a win: eight defeats to start the season, a first in Pro D2 since Valence-Romans in 2019-20.

Narbonne beat Brive 34-26 despite four cards, including an orange for Abraham Pole as early as the 7th minute. They scored five tries and were even down to 12 against 15 early in the second half. Brive, who won their first five games, have now lost three in a row and drop to fifth.

Agen and Valence-Romans go to the wire

Agen needed the final minutes to see off Nice (28-24): Ange Soulan, who scored a try on 79 minutes, finished with 13 points. It is a third straight win for Agen. Valence-Romans came from behind to beat Colomiers 28-23 thanks to two second-half tries from Bholi (60th, 66th); Colomiers take a losing bonus point.

Round 8 results

The table after eight rounds

Next round: Oyonnax host Soyaux-Angoulême and Provence Rugby travel to Dax. Full table and fixtures on the Pro D2 page.