Americas Rugby News Rugby news from across the Americas!
Week 2 of the 2017-2018 Pro D2 season starts today. The opening round of France’s second division saw started-out performances from Biarritz, Charente, Grenoble, Massy and Perpignan. With the dream of earning promotion to the Top 14 these and all other sides look to gain valuable competition points.
The opening match of the round is Carcassonne vs Biarritz. It is to be the only Thursday fixture in week 2. Carcassonne lost badly against Massy in round one and needs to rebound. Argentine second-rower Demian Panizzo will start for Carcassonne.
Action will resume on Friday with six matches. No players from the Americas will feature in Grenoble vs Massy. The remaining matches will all have one or more players from the Western Hemisphere involved.
In Angoulême Charante will have home advantage against Dax Starting on the right wing for ths home side will be Lucas Caneda. Also involved from Argentina is Joel Sclavi. He is to cover prop from the bench.
South from Angoulême will be Mont-de-Marsan playing at home to Narbonne. Starting for Mont-de-Marsan will be Carlos Muzzio. He will do so at Loose Head prop. Fellow Argentine Jerónimo Negrotto will also play prop for Mont-de-Marsan, doing so as a replacement. Former Jaguar Segundo Tuculet will run out for Narbonne on the right wing.
Also kicking-off at 8pm local time will be Montauban vs Aurillac. For the Week 2 fixture Victor Damian Arias will feature as a replacement for Montauban. Both clubs have been close to earning promotion in recent seasons.
Pro D2 newcomers Nevers are at home to Vannes. Eagles prop, Eric Fry starts for the visitors at Loose Head prop. Having been overshadowed by others he will be looking for a strong performance to push for a return to the starting Eagles for November.
Friday’s final fixture starts at 8:30pm. It wil see Bayonne at home to Béziers. Chilean Pablo Huete and Argentine Martín Bustos Moyano have both been named to start for Bayonne. Rugby World Cup 2015 Puma Juan Pablo Orlandi will feature as a replacement.
Week 2 will conclude on Sunday. The final fixture of the round sees Colomiers at home to Perpignan. The Catalans are flying high after having thumped Bayonne 66-6 in round one. Colomiers were also victorious, defeating Aurillac 30-23 in an away match. Line-ups for the Sunday fixture will be named on Saturday.
