Undefeated after two matches in Fédérale 1, Stade Niçois suffered their first defeat of the year yesterday on the field of Chambéry (24-21).
Stade Niçois arrived in Chambéry full of confidence, as evidenced by their two victories in the first two days of Fédérale 1. The first was at home against Vienne in a very tight match (11-3) and the second on the field of Macon (27-39). For the Chambéry players, the start of the season has been mixed: an inaugural victory at Grasse (19-20) and a defeat at Dijon (30-23).
Thus, we witnessed a tough match between a reshuffled Chambéry team with many injured players and the surprising unbeaten newcomer, Nice. The Niçois took the lead for a long time during the match, even leading 21-10. However, David Bolgashvili’s players couldn’t manage to “kill” the game and quickly paid the price.
The locals gradually clawed their way back to equalize at 21-21 in the final moments. The Niçois long believed they held the victory and then the draw until a foul at 55 meters out. What followed was worthy of a Top 14 finale. A penalty for the Savoyards in their own camp, and their homegrown kicker secured victory for his team (24-21).
Final score 24 to 21 for Chambéry and a defensive bonus point for the Niçois, who return disappointed. There’s no time to overthink, as next week they host CS Beaune at Stade des Arboras.
