The team from Nice traveled to the second place of the group, Vienne, this Sunday. They were defeated 20 to 3, conceding a try on the final play.
Stade Niçois hoped to make a significant achievement in Vienne, which had just been relegated from Federale 1 and was 2nd in the group, but they were unable to bring back any points, in a match of good quality.
However, the red and black started perfectly, holding the ball, and scored the first points of the match with a penalty. Vienne’s sky blue and white team responded by increasing the pace of the game, chaining phases against a Nice defense that didn’t fold but conceded too many penalties! At halftime, the score remained close and the hosts led 9 to 3.
The second half resumed at a slower pace, and Nice had the opportunity to reduce the score but lacked realism and efficiency in the final actions. Penalized too often, the Azur region players couldn’t withstand the repeated assaults from the Viennois, supported by a vocal crowd.
After an hour of gameplay, Nice yielded, conceding two new penalties and held on until the final play, where they conceded the only try of the match for a logical defeat with a score of 20 to 3!
Nice will need to quickly regroup to maintain their position in the top 4 of the group before the Christmas holidays. This will require a good result next Sunday when Stade Niçois travels to Saint-Raphaël for a postponed match that will be worth its weight in points.
