Saint-Etienne was within Nice’s reach, but a lack of discipline allowed the Stephanois to claim victory on the Azurean field, 19 – 23. This defeat is another blow to the team, which will have to fight to stay in Fédérale 1.
The Nice rugby players have regrets about the outcome of Sunday’s match: indeed, during the first quarter-hour, they had the opportunity to widen the gap with 2, even 3 tries. However, as Josselin Lapierre points out: “We lack teamwork in our way of playing and building our rugby. The individual doesn’t serve the collective enough.”
Despite dominating possession, Nice once again faltered in discipline and rigor. Their play was also mixed: they were strong in the scrum but dominated in the lineout, even on their own throws. The Azureans managed several times to break through the first line, but their movement and support lacked mobility. They failed to provide continuity in the game. The fly-half even added: “Despite having possession of the ball, we realize that it’s not just about having the ball, but knowing how to use it!”
Bottom of the standings
Trailing 8 – 10 at halftime, Nice did not do much better in the second half. At the very end of the match, the Eagles managed to score a collective try, which was not converted. The match ended 19 – 23 for the team from the Loire region.
While this match was supposed to allow RNCA to look towards the middle of the standings, this defeat condemns the team to fight for survival.
Next Sunday, Nice travels to the leader, Bourg-en-Bresse. “The upcoming weekend looks challenging but not impossible,” Josselin notes.
