Father and son duo to line-up alongside each other in Pro D2

Heart-warming: Father and son duo, Paga and Rayane Tafili, are going to share a special moment together tonight, with both set to take part in tonight’s Pro D2 match between RC Vannes and AS Béziers-Hérault.

39-year-old and tighthead prop Paga Tafili arrived in Vannes in 2016, making the Brittany club his home for the last 10 years.

A legend of the club, the front-rower helped Vannes win their first Pro D2 in 2024, playing 23 games of the triumphant title campaign. Having played more than 220 games since he started playing for Vannes, the experienced front-rower decided to hang up his boots when the season comes to a close, hoping to help his forever team conquer another Pro D2.

As for Rayane, the eldest son of Paga, he was enlisted in the Vannes academy in 2017, and after several years of development, the 22-year-old loosehead prop is about to debut for the current Pro D2 leaders.

As for tonight’s clash against Béziers-Hérault, both props will likely take up the field in the second half, in what is expected to be an easy win for the hosts.

Fixture

Pro D2

Vannes

71 - 0

Full-time

Beziers

All Stats and Data

RC Vannes have been unbothered since the season start, having claimed 21 wins out of 25 games, sitting comfortably at the top of France’s second tier with 99 points.

Although they were relegated after their first Top 14 season, the club hasn’t backed down from its aim to return to the top, with the board allocating more funds and resources.

With Mako Vunipola and Paga Tafili having made their decision to leave the club once the season comes to an end, there might be a window of opportunity for Rayane to stay with Vannes’ main squad.

This is the first time a father-and-son partnership has occurred in France since the game turned professional, although several offspring of former players have taken their parents’ mantle, like the Romain Ntamack, Damien Penaud and Jean-Baptiste Élissalde.