South Africa joins New Zealand in the final, Zarco’s glory day, another disaster for OL… The sports recap of the weekend

Autumn and its temperatures have cooled France, but you may have taken advantage of the rather mild temperatures this weekend to go out. If you haven’t followed everything that happened on the sports planet, Franceinfo: sport summarizes what you missed.

There will be a lot of talk about rugby and New Zealand, victorious among the men at the World Cup, but beaten among the women by the Blues in WXV. In MotoGP, Johann Zarco scored a first victory in this category after a very long wait, while in Ligue 1, Lyon is sinking further and Monaco retains its leadership throne.

Rugby: a 100% southern hemisphere final between All Blacks and Springboks

The progress of the French XV came to an abrupt end in the quarter-finals a week ago, but the Rugby World Cup continues. On Saturday, the executioner of the Blues, South Africa, got rid of England in the semi-finals, in a remake of the final of the last edition (16-15), thanks to a penalty ‘Handré Pollard two minutes from time.

The Springboks will find another triple winner of the competition: New Zealand. The All Blacks easily dismissed Argentina in the other semi-final on Friday (44-6), and confirmed their rise in power in this World Cup since their defeat in the opening match against France. The final, next Saturday, will offer an unprecedented display since the two teams have never met at this stage. The winner will become the only nation to have four world titles.

MotoGP: Johann Zarco, liberation

He will have had to wait 120 Grands Prix, but Johann Zarco finally has it. The 33-year-old Frenchman won his first victory in MotoGP, on the night of Friday to Saturday, during the Australian Grand Prix. He took the lead on the final lap to win ahead of the Italians Francesco Bagnaia and Fabio Di Giannantonio.

The Ducati-Pramac team rider, who had 19 podiums, had until now never tasted the tastiest nectar of the discipline since his debut, 2,533 days ago. Less in the spotlight since the advent of Fabio Quartararo, world champion in 2021, Johann Zarco is rewarded for his consistency and longevity in the premier category.

Rugby: the feat of the French women in New Zealand

In a new competition, the WXV, launched by World Rugby this year to develop women’s rugby in addition to the World Cup, the French team succeeded perfectly in its entry by knocking down New Zealand at home, which ‘she had never yet accomplished (18-17).

Beaten by a small point (25-24) by these same Black Ferns in the semi-finals of the last World Cup in November 2022, the Tricolores were able to take their revenge on the same gap on Saturday. They will play their next match against Australia next Saturday.

Ligue 1: Lyon hits rock bottom, Monaco still leader

OL continues to dig deeper. The Rhone club lost in front of its audience in the match of fear against Clermont (1-2), Sunday, between the only two teams who had not yet won a match this season. At the end of the 9th day, Lyon are now dead last with only three points on the clock and are six behind the first non-relegation place Lens. If president John Textor, rare in front of the camera, wanted to play down the situation, his team left to fight to stay in Ligue 1.

The other information from the weekend is that the Côte d’Azur continues to reign over Ligue 1. Monaco retained the lead in the championship by gleaning a third success in a row, against Metz (2-1), Sunday. In a match rich in cannon shots, Lamine Camara opened the scoring for Lorraine with a sumptuous lob from 57 meters (4th) before Aleksandr Golovin gave his team victory with two long-range shots (42nd, 55th).

His runner-up is none other than the neighbor Nice, winner the day before of Olympique de Marseille (1-0). Four days before a crucial Champions League match against AC Milan on Wednesday, PSG easily beat Strasbourg (3-0) despite a large squad review decided by coach Luis Enrique.

Tennis: the rejuvenation of Gaël Monfils

Six hundred and fifty-two days after his last coronation, Gaël Monfils won the ATP 250 tournament in Stockholm (Sweden) on Sunday. By defeating the Russian Pavel Kotov in three sets (4-6, 7-6, 6-3), he became, at 37 years and 51 days, the oldest French winner of a tournament since the start of the Open era (in 1968). His 12th career title – the second in the Swedish capital after 2011 – allows him to return to the top 100 (90th) for the first time since January.

Symbol of tricolor tennis which is finding color at the end of the year, another Frenchman played in a final on Sunday. A good omen one week before the Masters 1000 at Paris-Bercy. Unfortunately, Arthur Fils lost to Alexander Bublik (6-4, 6-4) on the last step of the ATP 250 in Antwerp (Belgium).