Pro D2 (R9) – Provence Rugby held at Dax

Dax and Provence Rugby drew 16-16 in the opening game of Pro D2 round 9.

Provence Rugby remain unbeaten in Pro D2, but their winning run ended at Maurice-Boyau. Trailing 16-3 after the break, the leaders snatched a 16-16 draw at Dax on Thursday night, in the opening game of round 9, despite a red card.

Dax thought they had it

Thomas Salles opened the scoring in the 3rd minute, but US Dax then took control through their scrum. Two penalties from Romuald Seguy put the hosts in front before the fly-half chipped over the defence for Jekope Sovau, who gathered a kind bounce to score under the posts (13-3 at half-time). After Teimana Harrison was sin-binned, Seguy stretched the lead to thirteen points (16-3, 47th minute).

The game turned around the hour mark. Paul Cellio-Zwiler was sent off for a head-on-head collision with Theo Duprat (54th), but 14-man Provence hit back through a Valentin Ibanez try after he beat his man one on one (16-13, 58th), before Salles levelled with a penalty (16-16, 62nd). Despite a late yellow card for Dax’s Paul Laperne, neither side scored again.

A costly draw for Dax

Dax captain Jean-Baptiste Barrere went off with a knee injury in the 61st minute and was replaced by Brice Ferrer. “There isn’t a guy who can replace him in the dressing room in that role,” head coach Vincent Etcheto told Sud Ouest. Further scans are due.

Provence, beaten 33-21 on their previous trip to Dax in February, had not dropped points in the Pro D2 regular season since losing 53-13 at Brive on 3 April: thirteen straight wins. Their last draw in the competition dated back to 11 October 2024. On 36 points, they go top, two clear of Oyonnax, ahead of the rest of the round and Oyonnax’s home game against Soyaux-Angouleme on Friday. Dax, unbeaten at home since a 33-31 defeat by Valence Romans on 8 May, have 21 points and sit sixth for now.