Rugby: Grasse-Nice, no winners for the derby

A man’s match, a forward’s match. For 80 minutes, Grasse and Nice players were not afraid of combat, of engaging the opponent or of being hit while trying not to give ground on impact. The draw is not illogical even though both teams could claim victory. Laurent André, president of Rugby Olympique de Grasse, would have liked to win and laments some rugby mishaps: “In terms of refereeing, we deplore quite a few unwhisled offsides but overall we are satisfied. It was a balanced match. Grasse played the game up front and Nice was slightly superior in the backlines. The objective remains promotion and we are eager to recover our many injured players.” Philippe Buchet, manager of Rugby Nice Côte d’Azur, is also satisfied: “It was super tight. It’s a good point against a direct opponent and a good thing not to have lost. Few teams will come away with points here. The draw is logical with a very strong Ladies team. Everything went well in terms of spirit. It was virile but correct.”

The encounter had been similar to the first leg with the only difference that Nice did not have in its ranks a kicker and fly-half of the caliber of South African Rudi Dames. He was able to clear his half opportunely. A great kick allows you to push the opponent back, to boost the morale of his teammates but especially allows them to breathe while positioning for the lineout. A group of players has bonded since October. A real collective was created. It allowed them to resist against more enterprising Grasse players in the second half and dangerous in the final minutes.

The match struggles to get started. Perdigon is tense. The match is of capital importance. Both teams want victory. Rudi Dames succeeds on his first penalty attempt from 40 meters on the right but fly-half Barhoumi replies immediately with a 25-meter penalty (3-3 at 17′), then 6-6 at 26′. The match hardens. Grasse ramps up. Nice coach Olivier Achaintre exhorts his troops and demands discipline: “Don’t talk. Be strong in combat”. A general brawl, a traditional element of derbies, has the merit of reviving ROG. Henceforth, the inland forwards will cause damage. The little scuffle between friends served as an adrenaline shot, this extra bit of courage. It will inconvenience the Nice forwards who had been dominant until then. Just before halftime, Barhoumi succeeds on his third penalty and allows Grasse to lead 9-6 at the break. A first half very balanced without any exciting plays. Nice showed a bit more with more varied play. Grasse contented itself with mastering the fundamentals (lineout and scrum). Difference in style and even effectiveness.

The RNCA thanks to Dames on penalty and Marras on drop regains the advantage (12-9 at 51′). As usual, Barhoumi, immediately after, equalizes from 40 meters (12-12 then 15-15 at 65′). Nothing more will be scored. Grasse throws its last weapons into the battle and puts pressure on Nice in the final minutes which bends but does not break. The RNCA defends without faulting or at least without the referee calling fouls, rightly for the Nice players and too indulgently for the Grasse players. The players came out exhausted, swollen like hooker Khaled Khalouchi, his mouth bloodied, remaining after the final whistle on the sideline to replay the match with his prop Frédéric Mohl: “It was a forwards’ match with a lot of solidarity. It would have taken a bit more control to win. They always stayed close to the score. In the end, they had the ball. It was tough. Their forwards have been playing together for four or five years. They are very solid. In two weeks, we have another big match against Romans. It’s a team that resembles us a bit. They are more playful. And they came here to win!”. The comment from the two Nice front rows sums up this Grasse-Nice well and shows that the Nice players, as soon as the match ended, were thinking about welcoming Romans, the leaders and another giant of the pool.

The azure derby will not remain in the annals of rugby. It thrilled a stadium that was packed. It took place in a very good spirit even if some name-calling circulated. Tension and pressure explain it. Some anecdotal slaps were thrown but simply to symbolize rivalry. Nothing too nasty. What we take from this match: both teams showed themselves to be pugnacious, strong in their heads and bodies. They will fight, sacrificing themselves if necessary, until the end of the season to achieve promotion to Federal 1.