Vannes take home Pro D2 to return to Top 14 next season

One year after facing relegation, RC Vannes will get to rejoin the Top 14 for another season, as the Brittany-based club overcame a spirited Provence Rugby 18-14 to claim the Pro D2 crown in front of a full Stade Ernest-Wallon.

At Toulouse, the Bretons were quick to add their first points, with centre Robin Taccola grounding the ball in the corner after a cleverly worked team move. Maxime Lafage added the extras and a penalty conversion, giving Vannes a 10-point lead before the 20-minute mark.

When everyone expected Vannes to keep the pressure on and extend their lead, Provence instead found their way to the whitewash, thanks to a massive break from showstopper Setareki Bituniyata. The Fijian speedster ran through a gap, offloading the ball to Manuel Vareiro, who sent it on to Paul Zwiler, for the winger to score his side’s first try of the final.

With Vareiro converting the two additional points, Philippe Saint-André’s side were back in the game. Both contestants tried their best to nail another strike, but the score remained unchanged until match official Benoît Rousselet sent teams in for the half-time break.

While neither side scored in the second half’s opening quarter, RC Vannes looked more threatening, creating several good opportunities and edging closer to Provence’s in-goal area. On the 56th minute, Maxime Lafage added another three points to Vannes’ lead, before Ben Stevenson bagged the Bretons’ second try. The English winger pulled off a sensational side step and went for a spectacular dive before grounding the ball mid-air, edging Vannes closer to the title.

However, Provence weren’t going down without a fight. Les Noirs pushed through, and after a long phase of play, Joris Cazenave breached the line to score a try, keeping Provence in the fight until the last second. Nevertheless, Vannes’ experience kicked in, helping them control the oval ball for the remainder of the match and ensure they would be crowned this season’s Pro D2 champions.

Established in 1950, RC Vannes are now heading back to the Top 14 for the second time in their history, again under the command of Jean-Noël Spitzer.

As for Provence, while they fought to the end for a different outcome, they will have another shot at promotion in just two weeks, in a make-or-break barrage match against USA Perpignan, scheduled for June 21.