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The Pro D2 weekend got started on Thursday with Conor Trainor and Nevers pulling out a 23-17 win over Bayonne at home to jump into first overall. With only one team guaranteed promotion and a second forced to play-off with a Top 14 side, the race to the first division is very tight indeed this season.
Also over the 50-point mark and with the potential of moving one ahead of Nevers by the end of the night is Oyonnax. They will hand a third Pro D2 start to Manuel Leindekar, whose influence with Uruguay continues to grow as the 21-year old prepares for the World Cup.
It’s all Argentines from there out, but not a huge number this week with only a half-dozen named for Friday. Two tighthead props will be on opposite sides in Aix-en-Provence. Leandro Assi is a replacement for the home team while Damian Arias starts for visiting Bressane.
Two more mid-table sides do battle at Carcassonne, and it’s a similar situation with two locks opposing each other. Demian Panizzo is on the bench for the home side and Vannes will start with Javier Lagioiosa as their primary lineout target.
Colomiers’ disastrous run continues and they will need a bit of magic from Sebastián Poet if they are to beat promotion contenders Mont-de-Marsan. It’s only Jerónimo Negrotto in the Montois front row this week but they are still heavy favorites.
Sunday’s game sees Brive looking for a win at Angoulême. Giant prop Joël Sclavi should be in the match day 23 for Charente.
