France

Preview – Stage 3 French Open League : Clermont-Ferrand

by
UWH News

Published on 28 january 2022

In 2022, the French Open League returns to the Stade Nautique Pierre de Coubertin in Clermont-Ferrand this weekend. If some teams are already qualified for the grand final in Sarcelles next April, others are still looking for the golden ticket. Here’s an overview.

Group A

Fontenay and Moirans had done what had to be done in the first stage by taking the first two places. In La Rochelle, Saintes and Pessac also won their precious tickets after a weekend full of twists and turns. Olivier Flandrin’s Dinan will be determined to qualify for Sarcelles with only four tickets remaining. A slip-up is forbidden for the Bretons even if there is still one stage left, and not the least, that of Saint-Malo on 26 and 27 March.

Present in Puy-en-Velay, Franconville will be in Clermont to try to get their ticket. However, they will have to face some tough opponents in this group, especially as the team’s captain and strategist, Paul Barro, will be absent from the trip.

Sedan will be present in this pool A and will honour its first participation in the French Open League. The team will be ready for the fight and will count on the presence of Maxime Huriaux, who was part of the French U24 team’s training camp.

This pool A promises to be tough and we expect contact and intensity !

IN A FEW STATS…

Group B

At the La Rochelle stage, they created a sensation. Jacques Bréchaire’s Elites women have won their ticket for the Grand Final in Sarcelles. The Elites want more and will be present in Clermont to battle it out and prepare for the next international events.

Present since the first stage, the Occitans Warriors team, Neuilly and Le Puy, will fight it out to secure a place in Sarcelles. The battle promises to be intense, especially as four tickets have already been distributed and Clamart, the newcomer of the stage, has shown up to try and beat the few teams still in the hunt.

IN A FEW STATS…

Group C

Initially non-qualifying for the Sarcelles finals, this pool C has finally become a qualifier. If Moirans, Le Chesnay, Hope and Rendinantes are already qualified, there are still places to be filled in this more open than ever pool C. This pool welcomes three newcomers, Font’n’co, La Gaule (mixed and youth) and Le Puy/Thonon.

It should be noted that these last two teams will be downgraded at the end of the stage because it is an exclusively female pool. Thus, La Rochelle, Font’n’co, Neuilly and the women’s U24s will fight for their ticket to the French Open League final on 23 and 24 April.