For the 23rd round of the National championship, Nissa Rugby traveled north to face Marcq-en-Barœul. A match that seemed winnable on paper but proved to be much more complicated than expected.
Second in the standings before this match, Nissa Rugby needed a result to stay in step with Albi. At Marcq-en-Barœul, the task seemed easy, as the northern club had been struggling in recent weeks. With three consecutive defeats and a ranking stuck at the bottom of the table following the bankruptcy of Niort and Stado Tarbes Pyrénées, the OMR had nothing left to play for this season. On the other side, Nice was on a streak of four consecutive victories, the latest at home against US Bressane.
And from the start of the match, Nice takes advantage of a big scramble to score. Winger Henry Purdy makes the difference and gives the first points of the match to Nissa Rugby: 0-5.
The Azuréens lacked discipline. On a 20-meter ball carry, the OMR equalized following another Nissa Rugby infringement in their 22-meter zone. Flanker Joachim Beaumont crossed the line, providing ammunition to his kicker Dany Antunes, flawless tonight, who gave the locals the advantage: 7-5.
A few minutes later, the OMR took advantage of this indiscipline again and gained confidence. The home kicker made the most of it by adding six more points and creating a first break in this match.
The match completely turned against the Nice players, who were completely out of it. Marcq-en-Barœul’s defense took over against the Maralpin attacks. However, captain Thibaud Rey’s teammates regained possession in the final ten minutes. This paid off on a ball carry following a well-executed lineout. Prop Patrick Leafa scored powerfully. Owen Williams, not in great form tonight, converted the try to bring Nissa Rugby back to just one point. A silver lining given the nature of this first half.
The OMR was even close to extending the lead along the line. At fourteen after the yellow card received by Clément Egiziano, who had sacrificed himself, the Marquois players pushed just before halftime. Strong in the scrum, the Nice players got out of it narrowly in this tightly contested first half: 13-12.
Nissa Rugby not in control
Coming out of the dressing room, the OMR fullback Patrick Fleming was perfectly served to score in the corner and give the locals an eight-point lead again.
Back to fifteen, the Nice players had an opportunity to come back thanks to good work from the forwards. The Maralpins once again lacked control in the final meters. But with determination, they showcased their power. Right prop Farai Tapuwa Mudariki, perfectly set up five meters from the line, caused damage in the otherwise well-placed defense of Olympique Marquois and scored a try converted by Owen Williams, bringing Nice back to just one point again.
Behind on the scoreboard throughout the match, the Nice players eventually made the difference late in the game by bringing more intensity. Just before leaving his teammates, Bastien Berenguel allowed Nice to take the lead on the scoreboard through another excellent piece of forward play. However, the missed conversion by the Red and Black kicker left the OMR within striking distance: 23-24.
It was only twelve minutes from the end that Hugo Sarrasin finished off a movement perfectly orchestrated by Jean-Pascal Barraque. The flanker, in a winger position, escaped several tackles to add five points. However, another miss by Owen Williams left the locals six points behind.
In the final ten minutes, anxiety returned. Despite some tense situations, it was Nissa Rugby who won (23-29) in painful fashion.
With this result, the Nice players remain in contact with Albi before hosting Narbonne next Saturday at 6 p.m.
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