Second away game and second defeat for the Nice rugby players, who only held out for one half against their Var neighbors. Disappointment also came from the missed defensive bonus, leaving the Nice team no choice but to secure a win in their first home game next Sunday against Châteaurenard.
The first half was quite balanced, with both teams neutralizing each other in play and their kickers experiencing varying degrees of success. The only highlight of this first period was a try by Lapierre in response to two successful tries by Arniaud, who would add two more before the break while his Nice counterpart, Malavard, missed three chances to reduce the score. La Seyne led at halftime with a score of 12 to 7.
The return from the locker room was victorious for the Var team with two tries in the first ten minutes of play by Bennour (45th minute) and Viard (54th minute), delivering a heavy blow to the Azureans, who found themselves trailing 24-10 after another successful penalty by Malavard.
Despite a try by Drame a few minutes before the final whistle, the Azureans did not even secure the defensive bonus point, as Malavard’s conversion missed the posts. Many regrets, therefore, for a Nice team that will open the season at home next Sunday at the Arboras against Châteaurenard.
