Welsh rugby exile Sam Davies and his team Grenoble suffered a heartbreaking defeat in the French Pro D2 play-off final in Toulouse. The fiercely contested match saw Vannes emerge victorious with a 16-9 score, dashing Grenoble’s hopes of promotion to the Top 14. Despite this setback, Grenoble will now prepare to face Montpellier in a promotion/relegation play-off.
Despite a valiant effort from Davies, who scored all nine of Grenoble’s points, Vannes secured the win through a try from Romaric Camou and 11 points from the boot of Maxime Lafage. Davies’ accurate kicking managed to keep Grenoble in the game as they relentlessly pressed against the Vannes defense in the tense final moments of the match.
Following the conclusion of the game, scenes of high emotion erupted as fans flooded the pitch, with Vannes supporters overcome with tears of joy. Despite the heartbreaking loss, Grenoble came agonizingly close to forcing extra time, being held up over the try line and missing out on a critical overlap opportunity in the closing stages.
Looking ahead, Grenoble faces the formidable task of going up against a star-studded Montpellier side, who are heavily tipped as favourites to defeat Davies’ team. The upcoming match poses a significant challenge for Grenoble as they aim to secure a spot in the coveted Top 14 of French rugby.
As the new season approaches, Davies will find familiar faces in the Pro D2 league, with Wales legend George North and tighthead Tomas Francis set to join Provence Rugby, the team that Grenoble managed to defeat in their recent encounter. Despite the disappointment of the play-off defeat, Davies will undoubtedly be keen to regroup and push forward with determination as he and his team prepare for their upcoming showdown with Montpellier.
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