Forgotten Ireland star leads way as Pro D2's 'foreign tries' skyrocket

The Pro D2 has crossed into the second half of the season and a record has already fallen: the number of tries scored by foreign, non-France eligible players.

In the 2022/23 season, overseas players scored 337 tries. That figure rose to 357 in 2023/24 and sat at 356 last season. Already in 2024/25, the tally has reached 357, underlining the growing influence of non-French players in the country’s second tier.

Former Western Force and Melbourne Rebels scrum-half Michael Ruru currently co-leads the Pro D2 try-scoring charts with ten, alongside USO Nevers winger Perry Mayo. Two more non-France eligible players complete the top five, with Portugal’s Samuel Marques and Fiji’s Setareki Bituniyata both sitting on nine tries.

The Home Nations’ impact has also grown this season. A total of 39 tries have been scored by 18 players, with 11-cap Ireland international John Cooney setting the pace.

The former Ulster scrum-half has been in excellent form for CA Brive, crossing the whitewash six times while also contributing 18 points from the tee through four penalties and three conversions.

After a slow start, Brive have steadily worked their way back into the top six, with the leading six sides qualifying for the play-offs.

Next on the list is England’s Ben Stevenson, who has scored five tries. Former Cardiff Blues winger Owen Lane has four, while Ireland’s Eoghan Barrett and England’s Zach Kibirige have each scored three since the start of the campaign.

As for which nations have scored the most tries overall in Pro D2, Fiji once again lead the way with 59. Setareki Bituniyata has nine of those, with Jope Naseara, Asaeli Tuivuaka and Albert Tuisue all contributing five apiece.

New Zealand follow with 44 tries, led by Michael Ruru on ten and Lisati Milo-Harris on six. Portugal currently sit third with 42, thanks largely to the efforts of Samuel Marques, Raffaele Storti and Lucas Martins.

Among the Home Nations, Ireland lead with 18 tries, followed by England with 14, Wales with four and Scotland with three.

With plenty of rugby still to be played, the overall tally looks set to climb further, and the 500-try mark remains firmly within reach.