Preview French Open League – The Final : Pool A

Published on 22nd April 2022

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This weekend, the French Open League will take place in Sarcelles for its final round. 18 teams divided into three pools will fight to win this first edition of the French Open League. We end this series of previews with the A pool.

Fontenay :

In great shape this season, Fontenay is coming to Sarcelles to confirm their perfect record in the UWH League. With three wins in the first three rounds, Fontenay are clearly one of the favourites for the French Open League title. Led by the inevitable Hervé Taurus and Stéphane Royer, the Trésifontains will be at full strength for this final. That promises us intense matches with a crazy physical impact !
A place out of the podium would be a disappointment for Fontenay. A title to fetch, a round 3 of D1 to prepare to do better than their fourth place in round 1. The challenge is dual for the CSMB.

Moirans :

After winning the first stage of the points challenge in Montpellier and finishing runner-up in the TDV, Moirans confirmed their good form in the D1 round 1 (2nd) as well as in Clermont (3rd) in the 3rd stage of the League. In Sarcelles, this team always ranked high will be able to count on several international players, like Maxime Piaser in Elite and the pair of former U24, Clément Arocas and Maxime Chalayer. The Moirans‘ team is a serious contender for the podium as they will have one of their leaders, Quentin Marant, back from injury.

Southsea :

The surprise guests of this final.

Winners of the British Open League in Leeds, the first club in the world also won their ticket to the final. Southsea are no strangers to big events. With the Euroclubs and a squad full of British internationals (Matthew Willis, Karol Gyba, James Finnimore …), the Portsmouth players will also be able to count on two new faces : Nathan Archer and Matthew Oliver. Once the adaptation time is over, Southsea could threaten a lot of teams with their physical game.

A French-English duel in the final, would you sign ?

Dinan :

It’s been a long road for Olivier Flandrin’s team!

After two failures in Le Puy and La Rochelle, Dinan finally qualified after finishing second in the Clermont stage. Will Dinan, eternal outsiders, be able to take a step forward to victory?

They will be able to count on a strong squad used to playing together both in the D1 and in the League stages. The British Tom Pitchforth, member of the team in the French championship and second in the British Open League with Yorkshire will join the team for this final round.

Speed, vivacity and explosiveness. Three qualifiers that the teams facing Dinan will have to assimilate well.

Pessac :

Known for providing a big physical challenge, Pessac could be one of the troublemakers in this final. If the Girondins did not qualify in Puy-en-Velay, they did in La Rochelle by beating Dinan ! Proof that despite their relegation in group B of D1, Pessac remains a dangerous team.

Despite a lighter squad than in the autumn round, Pessac will be able to count on their young internationals, Guillaume and Pierre Ratier as well as their captain Jérémy Plaquin.
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Franconville :

Qualified following their fifth place in Clermont (3 of the 4 teams in front of them already qualified), it is difficult to imagine Franconville playing for the win in this pool A final.

Led by French internationals Damien Chevalier and Cedric Ramialiarison, the Crocos will be reinforced by British internationals Graham Fletcher and Joseph Moss.

Franconville, who finished seventh in Round 1 of the D1, are certainly not among the favourites, but they must be careful not to be trapped by a team that seems to be stronger than when they qualified.