THE NEW PRO D2 season kicks off tomorrow evening as Biarritz host Oyonnax in a huge clash featuring the two sides viewed as the strongest contenders to be promoted.
With seven more games to come on Friday evening, the 16-team championship is all set to launch into what should be an absorbing 2022/23 season.
France’s second tier is a ferociously competitive league played out in front of big, passionate crowds. The Pro D2 has increasingly become a destination for Irishmen, with a steady flow of players from these shores ending up in the league.
As the new campaign gets underway, several Irishmen are set to play key roles.
Darren Sweetnam [Oyonnax]
The three-times capped Ireland international would have hoped to jump straight into the Top 14 with Oyonnax last season but they were beaten by champions Perpignan in the semi-finals.
Former Munster wing Sweetnam featured prominently in his first season with les Oyomen, scoring six tries in the Pro D2 as he added valuable experience to their backline, as well as showing off his aerial skills and pacy running game.
29-year-old Sweetnam has competition out wide from the likes of New Zealand 7s international Joe Ravouvou, Canada international Taylor Paris, and new Kiwi signing Gavin Stark, but his class should be important again for Oyonnax, who are the outright favourites for promotion in many quarters.
Dave O’Callaghan [Biarritz]
As Biarritz bid to bounce straight back up to the Top 14, former Munster flanker O’Callaghan will be a crucial player once again.
The Youghal man has been superb for the Basque club since joining from his native province in 2019, featuring at openside or blindside whenever available and even covering the second row occasionally.
The 32-year-old has added lineout calling to his repertoire in France and still possesses all the dogged qualities and mobility that saw him play for Munster 85 times across his eight seasons with the senior team. O’Callaghan starts in the number six shirt against Oyonnax tomorrow.
Biarritz’s squad also includes Irish-qualified out-half Brett Herron, who previously had a two-year stint with Ulster. Among the club’s coaching staff is kicking consultant Alan Kingsley, the former Young Munster and Garryowen man.
Eoghan Masterson [Aurillac]
A new addition to the Irish Abroad, 29-year-old back row Masterson signed for Aurillac after being released by his native Connacht at the end of last season. He has penned a two-year deal, with the option of a third year.
Having been such a consistent performer for the westerners, the departure of Masterson came as a surprise to some Connacht fans. He now takes on a new adventure in the Pro D2, where his combativeness and set-piece qualities are likely to be appreciated.
Aurillac have been long-time overachievers in the French second tier, including during Jeremy Davidson’s impressive spell as the club’s head coach, with their performances regularly belying their small budget.
Ronan Loughnane [Aurillac]
21-year-old hooker Loughnane moved to Aurillac last summer and enjoyed a positive first campaign as he helped the club’s espoirs [U23] side to national success and also earned his first couple of Pro D2 caps off the bench.
The Birr RFC man, who came through Cistercian College Roscrea, will be aiming for much greater involvement with Aurillac’s senior team this season as he heads into the second year of a three-year contract.
Loughnane played with Leinster’s underage sides before representing the Ireland U20s last year, starting four games in the Six Nations. He was understood to be very close to joining Munster’s academy last year but instead confirmed a move to France. We may be hearing lots more about the talented hooker in the future.
Robin Copeland [Soyaux Angoulême]
The former Munster and Connacht number eight is back in the Pro D2 after Soyaux Angoulême earned promotion from the Nationale – France’s third tier – last season. There were rumours of Copeland retiring but he is playing on as they bid to stay up this time around.
Copeland has been a pivotal presence in the number eight shirt since joining from Connacht in 2020 when he admitted to being close to retirement until a call from France came out of the blue.
He remains in excellent physical condition and will relish the battle of the Pro D2 as Soyaux Angoulême attempt to prove predictions of another relegation wrong.
Peter Lydon [Rouen]
The 29-year-old Kilkenny man is heading into his third season with Rouen, who will be hoping for a more enjoyable campaign after they narrowly avoided relegation last time around.
Lydon was a vital influence in the club remaining in the Pro D2 as he starred at fullback and also played several games at out-half.
The former Stade Français and Ealing man has a cannon of a left boot and is one of the finest kickers in the Pro D2, while his attacking and defensive qualities have continued to improve in recent years.
Team-mates have wondered how Lydon isn’t playing for a bigger club, perhaps even back in Ireland, but he will continue to be pivotal for Rouen.
Darren O’Shea [Vannes]
The towering 6ft 9ins second row has been with Vannes for the past two seasons, joining from his native Munster in 2020 after making 44 senior appearances for the southern province.
The Crosshaven RFC product first played pro rugby with Worcester before returning home to Munster in 2016. He left again in a bid to play more first-team rugby and has been a regular starter for Vannes since first moving to France.
The Brittany-based club had an 11th-place finish last season so 29-year-old lineout specialist O’Shea will be hoping to inspire better performances this time around as Vannes aim to compete for a play-off spot.
Johnny McPhillips [Provence Rugby]
The 25-year-old former Ulster and Ireland U20s out-half was on the move this summer as he left Carcassonne for Provence ahead of the new campaign.
McPhillips first moved to France last year after a couple of seasons with Leicester. His time with Carcassonne was disrupted by injury but he came back for the closing months of last season in impressive fashion.
McPhillips was excellent in the number 10 shirt as he helped to drive Carcassonne into the play-offs and he will be aiming to do the same with Provence, who were only two points off the barrages places last season.
Jamie Hagan [Béziers]
Capped once by Ireland back in 2013, former Connacht and Leinster prop Hagan has become a stalwart for Béziers over the past six seasons.
The 35-year-old’s nous and experience remain valued within the squad and Hagan will compete with the likes of Spain international Jon Zabala at tighthead again this season.
Hagan moved to the Pro D2 after a year in Australia with the Melbourne Rebels and has enjoyed a unique career that has also included a spell with London Irish. He continues to thrive in a league where the set-piece can be a vicious battle.
John Madigan [Béziers]
Former Munster lock Madigan is heading into his sixth season in French rugby, having spent three years with Massy before his move to Béziers in 2020.
The powerful 27-year-old second row has been well-received at the club, a regular starter whose set-piece work is considered outstanding. Irish rugby doesn’t produce many 123kg heavyweights but Madigan’s strengths are aligned with what most Pro D2 clubs look for.
The Charleville man is said to be very happily settled in France but it will be intriguing to see what the future holds for him. For now, Madigan and Béziers will look to improve on last season’s 12th-place finish.
With O’Shea playing at Vannes and Frank Bradshaw Ryan having recently earned a move to Ulster from Nevers, the Pro D2 has been a happy home for Irish locks. Former Connacht man Joe Maksimyw, who is Irish-qualified, is now with Agen.
James Hart [Mont de Marsan]
Another ex-Munster player now plying his trade in the Pro D2, scrum-half Hart was on the move this summer as he relocated from Biarritz to Mont de Marsan in search of more game time.
The 31-year-old only made four appearances in the Top 14 last season and will hope for a more prominent role with his new club, who agonisingly missed out on promotion last season.
Stade Montois, to give them their official name, topped the Pro D2 table at the end of the regular season but lost the promotion final to Bayonne and were then beaten by Perpignan in the last-chance access match, meaning they remain in the second tier for 2022/23.
Hart will have competition for the nine shirt in Mont de Marsan but he will be targetting a return to the top flight.
In other news: the laws around the breakdown, lineout and offside line have been abolished.
Saracens win then! Him and Barnes are in a league of their own for blinkers.
@David Coyne: get your excuses in early
@David Coyne: Barnes is actually one of the best out there these days.
@Bungee Aky:
Did not expect to see you on here after Jim took your head off the other day ?? Did you Email him and say sorry !! You know he is having a good laugh at you !!
Has not been kind to irish teams so far this year
Not sure who this suits more but I suspect that the more cynical team at the breakdown will be rewarded.
@Jim Demps: suits Sarries I’d say as Garces as red means no offside and free for at rucks
@Conor Sexton: have you watched Leinster recently? Furlong and Fardy haven’t been legal at rucktime in an age. The only ruck I remember furlong staying on his feet for this season was the one he put Cloete on a stretcher at. Saracens are no angels at the ruck but neither are Leinster.
@Jim Demps: I don’t know whether to laugh or to pity you when I see how bitter you are towards Leinster. Read Nietzsche and set yourself free!
@Andrew Hurley: yawn. Not bitter at all, I’ll be supporting them in Newcastle. You going?
@Jim Demps: No, why?
@Andrew Hurley: thought you might make the effort to actually go to a game. You’re a leinster fan right? Or are you just anti munster?I could have pointed out all the finer points of the sport to you that you wouldn’t know having not played it.
@Andrew Hurley:
Ask him if he played ::and to what level since he is making fun of your participation in the game, he is having a go at you.
“The only ruck I remember furlong staying on his feet for this season was the one he put Cloete on a stretcher ” he must have said that at least 10 times over the last Month. Then he says” I’ll be supporting them in Newcastle.” not a chance will he !!
@Jim Demps: I go to plenty of games of rugby dear Jim. You’re such a fanboy, and so typical of a Munster fan (but I don’t think you see why).
Another insult to genuine rugby followers from the powers that be. This guy should have been put out to grass a long time ago. I hope Leinster can cope with Saracens illegal tactics because Garces will let them away with everything.
@Peter O’ Dowd: it’s up to both teams to play the referee. While Saracens have the advantage of already experiencing him and his interpretation of the laws already, the onus is on leinster to figure out what they will and will not be allowed get away with – which was a lot – I’m sure they have the experience to adapt accordingly
@Norris Kevin: fair point and it’s not as if Garces has never refereed any of the Leinster lads before. Stu and Leo will do their homework on the ref and what they need to watch out for!
@Norris Kevin: The ref should be fair and impartial & should apply the laws of rugby. It should not be up to the contestants to figure out what laws the ref will not apply n the day. If Saracens continue to cheat at the breakdown Leinster should take the law into their own hands.
@Locojoe: all very true in theory but referees are human and the laws can be ambiguously interpreted at times (e.g – deliberately weeling a scrum, clearing out etc) All you can ask from a referee is that he applies his interpretation of the laws consistently to both sides. In this day and age, teams prepare for games and also for the ref.
If he referees the final the way he did the semi then the ruck is going to be a free for all again. At least Leinster now have a template to work off and can plan accordingly.
@Eddie Hekenui: He’s a great referee, the best team always wins when he refs. Only Barnes close to him at a world level.
@Andrew Hurley: I’m guessing by that you mean Saracens were the better team and his performance had no impact on the result and if so that would be correct. Saying the best teams always win when he refs is a nonsense statement. The best team tend to win 99% of games. But he has made bad decisions in big games that have cost teams. Ask Gloucester fans for their opinion on him after he cost them a European title last season.
He is a very good referee but like all referee’s they have flaws. He doesn’t take full advantage of the tools at his disposal (namely the touch judges and TMO) and he can let the breakdown turn into a mess.
@Eddie Hekenui: I think he’s excellent and doesn’t try to be the headline in a match (like Barnes years ago and Owens throughout his career). Matches always better to watch when he refs, I think Ge’s an absolute treasure.
Very disappointing! A compensationary token to French Rugby? Could ruin the game as a spectacle as synical play will dominate.
Not good news about Garces, he does not see the offside, Itoge is off most of the time
Ah facksticks, it was going to be hard enough
Irish rugby football fans have to accept that Nigel Owens can’t referee every match involving the national team or a provincial franchise.
@Treaty Bhoy: just as well, Owens has been poor for a while now. While he is decisive he is often factually wrong. Would have preferred Poite or Raynal myself.
@Kevin Colman: Agreed, I don’t rate Owens as a ref either.
It’s just certain elements within Irish rugby football think the sun shines out of “Nigel.” I know he gives the Irish national and provincial sides plenty of decisions so that’s why they idolise him but I think he makes it more about him than the two teams, the stupid attention seeking gags about soccer etc.
@Treaty Bhoy:
I would be very happy with him as my ref, still one of the best in the world. Also Billy would be stopped from all that illegal running over players ::he would stop him from doing that (with a smile on his face)
He let’s a good contest at the breakdown. So we need to be on the sarries ball and commit numbers to defend our own properly. Not overly worried as Sarries dont have an out and out 7 but the do have an effective back row
@Dean Soady:
Players going in off their feet and from the side is a common occurrence in top14 rugby, at least we know what to expect from him and can be prepared
It was always going to be a Frenchman, but I would have preferred to see Poite in charge. Is Raynal injured?
Would you every all stop with your complaining, he’s a consistent ref, it’s up to the teams to play within his approach of the game, and they have plenty of time to get ready, he is not as prone to a howler as other refs are and won’t be the reason any particular team loses the game.
His approach to the breakdown is more lenient than other refs, but he always favors the team with the ball so whoever wins the possession game will also win the penalty count and in a final which will be a super tight affair that is huge.
@Bungee Aky:
Are you OK Bungee Aky ?? Jim is not a nice person and he should not be laughing at you. I don’t agree with you much of the time but you are a Rugby man and that is enough for me !!
Well another Irish side for a roasting – he clearly impressed Saracens
Is there a dictat to referees from the authorities to keep games flowing at any cost? Watching both semi finals I couldn’t help but think that is the case. The rules regarding the breakdown are not being enforced. Side entry, clearing beyond the ruck, offside at the breakdown are not being policed at all. Has there been a rule change or are the ref’s just not policing it anymore? It’s bloody infuriating!