Rugby union: a Béziers-Montpellier fratricide in a play-off match to win its place in the Top 14 ? It's possible a little, a lot…

Dominated by Paris, the MHR finds itself in tough situations again. MAXPPP – JEAN MICHEL MART

Accroché par Biarritz, Béziers a conservé sa place de co-leader de Pro D2. MAXPPP

This unprecedented duel between the two Hérault clubs is no longer just a fantasy of the mind… hellip;

While the 20th day of Top 14 and 24th day of Pro D2 resulted in a defeat for the MHR (10-12 against Stade français) and a success for the ’ rsquo;ASBH (35-31 against Biarritz), a bundle of ’clues" increasingly consistent allows us to imagine a fratricidal duel between the two teams on the weekend of June 15/16. With, as a dramatic challenge, a place in Top 14. There will therefore be a death. 

That day will indeed pit the 13th in the Top 14 against the finalist of the Pro D2 final in a play-off match, a decisive match played on the latter's home ground. In view of the photograph of the two current rankings, the scenario of a (crazy) derby is possible for the two Hérault clubs.

If the ranking situation remains there…

Montpellier, beaten at home while Lyon (27-10 against Lyon) and especially Perpignan (43-12 against Castres) were a hit, fell back to penultimate place, with four points behind the 12th six days from the end of the regular season.

Authors of a mediocre match where the conquest was in vain, Patrice Collazo's men do not encourage frenzied optimism with regard to their game and calendar. It will be difficult to get out of 13th place.

For Béziers, the path towards a confrontation with the neighbor of 34 also seems clear, although more tortuous, because it will have to fight until the end of the final phases. Pro D2 with Vannes (Provence Rugby is in ambush one point behind), the Biterrois are still stuck in the first two places, the key to a semi-final at home.

In the event of qualification for the final, on June 8 at the Ernest-Wallon stadium in Toulouse, they would still have two access points to the Top 14: the first by winning the title, the other by going through a play-off match against the 13th in the Top 14…

The Raoul-Barrière stadium is reportedly in meltdown

Which could lead to a new ASBH-MHR featured at the Raoul-Barrière stadium, transformed for the occasion into a real arena. We imagine the immense pressure that would weigh on the shoulders of Montpellier, given the favorite on paper but faced with the weight of the history of a Béziers (11 Bouclier de Brennus) in search of a rise in the elite for two decades.

At a time of fantasies or bad dreams, it’depends on, it’s’therefore not forbidden to plan on a match at all explosive point. Official response on June 8, on the evening of the last day of the championship.