A resurgent French XV, biathletes still conquering and a purring PSG… The sports recap of the weekend

The news was also marked, Saturday and Sunday, by big fights in MMA and boxing.

There was knockout in the air this weekend. And not only in the rings or in the MMA cages where the Frenchman Benoît Saint Denis lost and where the long-awaited fight between Baissangour “Baki” Chamsoudinov and Cédric Doumbè was a hit. Long on the ropes after three failed first matches in the Six Nations Tournament, the French XV took up their gloves on Sunday March 10 against Wales. While the tricolor biathlon, whether by Lou Jeanmonnot or Eric Perrot, continues to knock out the competition.

Biathlon: French youth in power

The French biathlon team, this season, definitely has several cartridges in its rifle. Capable of imposing itself on all terrains, it benefits from healthy emulation to continue to establish its world domination. Among the girls, where the blue control is the most significant, it was Lou Jeanmonnot who, this Sunday, did well to win the pursuit of Soldier Hollow, in the United States. If Julia Simon took 3rd place, Justine Braisaz-Bouchet missed out (7th) after her victory in the sprint. Luckily for the French leader, her rival for the big globe, the Norwegian Ingrid Tandrevold, also came through (11th).

Among the boys, on the other hand, not many people saw Eric Perrot coming. At 22, he scored a resounding victory on Saturday in the sprint at the Utah track, beating his compatriot Emilien Jacquelin. A first which ends a long drought for the men’s team, without an individual victory since March 10, 2022, and which calls for many others.

Rugby: the Blues like in the good old days

It’s a feeling that we had almost forgotten: getting excited about a French team match. The adversary, certainly, gave in. But all the same, against Wales, the Blues made us happy on Sunday. And above all, they had fun. In the wake of a Nolann Le Garrec-Thomas Ramos connection, as new as it was inspired, they finally let the horses loose. Thanks to this improved victory (five tries, as many as in the three previous matches), this XV, rejuvenated for the occasion, even retains a tiny mathematical hope of winning the 2024 Tournament.

To do this, we will have to beat the English in style next Saturday, and count on an improbable big defeat for Ireland against Scotland in Dublin. That said, the defeat of the Clover XV on Saturday against England relaunched this edition and there are still four teams (Ireland, England, Scotland and France) able to win the title. For last place, it will be played out, like last year, between Wales, more than ever rebuilding, and Italy, magnificent surprise winner of Scotland.

Football: PSG on a senator’s pace

European qualification in hand, Paris Saint-Germain took care of day-to-day affairs in Ligue 1. Without forcing too much. Against Reims on Sunday, the teammates of Kylian Mbappé, left on the bench at kick-off, were satisfied with the minimum (2-2), thus conceding a third consecutive draw in the league.

Despite this relaxed pace, the capital club increased its lead at the top of the championship since its runner-up, Brest, lost in Lens. Sunday evening, Olympique de Marseille completed this 25th day by dominating Nantes (2-0) thanks to a double from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. Third victory in a row for the Phocaeans, for whom the Champions League is no longer an abstract concept at all.

Combat sports: a fiasco, a setback and redemption

As soon as the tickets went on sale, the Accor Arena in Bercy was sold out within twenty minutes. The PFL (MMA) poster between Baissangour “Baki” Chamsoudinov and the showman Cédric Doumbè was preceded by a hype never seen in France. Unfortunately, the fight ended on Friday, the fault of a splinter stuck in Doumbè’s foot which led the referee to stop the fight and declare his opponent the winner. A blood sausage epilogue, in total confusion, which will perhaps deserve revenge.

Benoît Saint Denis will have to wait to get his. Beaten by American legend Dustin Poirier, the Frenchman missed a great chance to climb to the world top in his category at UFC 299 in Miami. Dried by a right in the second round, “BSD” suffered a defeat which stopped its rise in its tracks.

A fate also experienced by an MMA star, Francis Ngannou, who is trying his hand at boxing. While he surprised during his first fight against Tyson Fury (victory for the Englishman on points), the Cameroonian paid for his lack of practice against the returning Anthony Joshua. The latter, winner by KO in the second round, proved that he still weighed in at heavyweight and that he could legitimately challenge the future winner of the upcoming double confrontation between Fury and the Ukrainian Alexandre Usyk.