Biarritz offers itself to Pro D2’s leader, Vannes, and relaunches itself in the race to keep up

Biarritz (15th) managed to give themselves some breathing room, fighting off leaders Venice this Friday evening (12-10), at the end of a characterful, if not exciting, match at the end of day 22 of the Pro D2. . If this victory is very important for the Basque club in the race to keep up, the inhabitants of Venice have not won away from home for seven matches.

To understand this victory, it is necessary to put it in context, this Biarritz-Vance is shaping up to be a decisive match at an already crucial moment for the Biarritz Olympics. The historic team of the French championship, winners of five championships including three in the 21st century (2002, 2005, 2006), the Basque team is experiencing major sporting difficulties. Above all, its president Jean-Baptiste Aldigue and its owner, Louis-Vincent Gave, announced this week that they were ready to sell the club with immediate effect for a symbolic euro.

However, this match, although it allowed the Basques some breathing space, did not lead to a peak in the game, far from it. Under the usual heavy Biarritz rain, with strong gusts of wind, the evening’s 30 players focused mainly on the basics. And when Venez approached the Basque line in the 33rd, for a two-minute pick-and-go sequence, it was Bayerotts who won the duel, holding firm in front of their line. Frustrated despite leading on the scoreboard (0-3), the Bretons saw two of their players come to blows at the break, Charles-Henri Berguet and Karl Chatto, when the former did not reprimand the latter, his captain.

In the second half, however, Breton were able to develop their game, opting to restart numerous balls with hands from their camp. And if the first big chance did not result after the 60-meter restart from Massimo Ortolan, the first Venice effort by Thomas Maucoro thanks to the new full-axis success of Theo Bezia, a pulsating session (9-10, 70th) .

But it was on Billy Searle’s final class act that BO went on to victory. The English opener was the author of a sublime 50-22, with a tight kick of devilish precision to bring the Basques closer to the opposition line. Which they took advantage of to take away a penalty, getting Kerry on the ball and converting it through Billy Searle (12-10, 78th). With this win, Bayreuth now has 39 points, like Soyeaux-Angouleme, 14 and first non-relegation.