Nissa Rugby dominated Rennes (47-5) to conclude the regular season. A bonus-point victory that secures direct qualification for the finals for the team from Nice, who finished second in the Nationale regular season.
For this last match of the Nationale regular season, Nissa Rugby hosted Rennes at the stadium Marcel Volot. Two teams on opposite trajectories. Nissa Rugby arrived with a productive attack and an encouraging series despite the heavy defeat suffered in Albi fifteen days ago. Rennes was in a completely different state of mind, having nothing left to play for this season (11th). The Bretons were on a more irregular dynamic and a defense often troubled far from home. According to statistics, this match was expected to be quite unbalanced. The match confirmed this, with constant control by Nice and limited resistance from Rennes.
The game quickly unfolded with the try from the winger from Nice, Clément Egiziano, his 7th of the season as early as the 6th minute, converted by Owen Williams. Rennes conceded a yellow card shortly after, which did not help matters for the visitors. The center Tana Morgan capitalized on this to add a second try in the 23rd minute, once again converted by the No. 10 of Nissa Rugby. Seta Taufua scored before the break, bringing the score to 21-0 at halftime in a one-sided match.
Nissa Rugby reassured themselves
The return from the locker rooms did not change the dynamic. Rennes received another yellow card as early as the 42nd minute. The penalty try that followed increased the gap, offering the offensive bonus point to the team from Nice, and consequently, almost ensuring a direct qualification for the semifinals. Clément Egiziano boosted his statistics by adding another try soon after. The other center, Andréï Septar, added another score, converted by Owen Williams (35-0).
A series of substitutions occurred around the 48th minute, as is customary when Nissa Rugby had control of the game, without altering the pace of the match. However, Quentin Lebrun, who had just entered the game in the back line, managed to catch the Nice defense off guard in the 51st minute, before another yellow card on the Rennes side. Nice maintained control with a 7th try by the substitute scrum-half Jules Gimbert in the 59th minute, converted by Owen Williams, who was impeccable in his kicking tonight. The end of the match offered nothing more and Nissa Rugby won (47-5) without a hitch.
Good omens before approaching the knockout matches. The first semifinal is scheduled to be played on the weekend of May 9-10. The team from Nice will face the winner of the playoff match between Chambéry and Périgueux, which will be played next week.
