The Bretons beat Grenoble on Saturday in the second division final (16-9) and will play in the elite next year, having been promoted to Pro D2 in 2016.
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It is historic in the history of the French rugby championship. Brittany will be represented for the first time in the Top 14 next season thanks to RC Vannes’ victory against Grenoble (16-9) in the Pro D2 final, Saturday June 8, in Toulouse.
The black and white stripes of “gwenn ha du” will float in the coming months in Toulouse, Perpignan or Clermont, all strongholds of French rugby in the midst of which the Vannes residents will almost appear as an anomaly. After three failures in the semi-finals (2019, 2021 and 2023), this time they won the title of Pro D2 champion and the ticket for the Top 14 that goes with it.
Despite being novices at this stage of the competition, the Bretons got into the match better and their domination was rewarded by a try from winger Romaric Camou (11th). Dominant in the melee but struggling in touch, the RCV of the irremovable Jean-Noël Spitzer, in office for almost 20 years, relied in the second act on his iron defense and the equally solid foot of its opener and scorer Maxime Lafage (4 out of 4), native of Toulouse.
Beaten by Oyonnax (14-3) in 2023, the Grenoblois, not spared from the twists of fate this season, lost their second consecutive final without managing to express their offensive qualities. Despite everything, they retain hope of returning to the elite, five years after leaving it, through a play-off at home next Sunday.
It will be against Montpellier, the 2022 French champion in distress. The Grenoblois will this time have the support of their audience at the Stade des Alpes, where there should be a few fewer Breton flags.
