Latest news with #Montauban
Wales Online
2 days ago
- Sport
- Wales Online
Wales international left heartbroken amid wild promotion celebrations
Wales international left heartbroken amid wild promotion celebrations Sam Davies and Grenoble were hoping to make it third time lucky in the Pro D2 play-off final, but underdogs Montauban spoiled their day Sam Davies looks crestfallen as Montauban fans celebrate their promotion to the Top 14 (Image: FR-UK YouTube ) Wales fly-half Sam Davies once again suffered Top 14 heartbreak as Pro D2 leaders Grenoble were beaten in a dramatic promotion play-off by Montauban in Toulouse. For the third year in a row, Grenoble were once again beaten in the Pro D2 play-off match - with Montauban sealing their place in the top flight of France ahead of next season. Davies' Grenoble had finished the season top of the Pro D2 with a dominant 98 points - 21 more than sixth-placed Montauban. However, as was the case in 2023 and 2024, Grenoble were unable to win - as Montauban continued their remarkable play-off run with a spirited 24-19 victory. All is not lost for Grenoble and Davies though, with the Top 14 access match still to come. That will see them face the second-to-last team in the Top 14 from this season, with the winner playing in the top flight next season. Having signed a new three-year deal with Grenoble this season, the hope for Davies would have been that the French club could finally make the step back up to the Top 14. Article continues below Ultimately, despite 11 points from the boot of the 10-cap Wales international, that wasn't to be. The Welshman was forced off injured after just six minutes of the match, using his jersey as a makeshift sling for his arm as he left the pitch. However, his absence was short-lived - returning to the field 10 minutes later with Grenoble leading 3-0. Soon after, he extended their lead from the tee with a penalty of his own. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby. However, underdogs Montauban rallied back - taking a 21-6 lead in the early stages of the second-half. The boot of Davies - as well as a try from Wilfried Hulleu - dragged Grenoble back to within two points. Article continues below With 13 minutes left on the clock, Davies had a penalty out wide to nudge Grenoble ahead, but his effort was agonisingly wide. Thomas Fortunel knocked over a long-range penalty six minutes from time to extend Montauban's lead. Desperately needing a try, Grenoble couldn't find a score late on - leading to wild celebrations from the Montauban fans.
France 24
5 days ago
- Sport
- France 24
Namibia's Mouton eyes Top 14 'dream' with Grenoble
Since the 25-year-old winger was dropped by the Bulls after high shool, he has studied politics while playing at university in Johannesburg, featured at a World Cup and signed a short-term contract in Israel. This weekend, in-form Mouton and his Grenoble side face unfancied Montauban in the final of France's second-tier Pro D2, 80 minutes away from the promised land of the Top 14, the world's richest league. "It's what I've been striving for my whole career," Mouton told AFP on Wednesday. "It took me seven years to get to this point. "So if we can pull it off this weekend, it will be truly a dream come true for me with all the sacrifice and everything that I had to make." Mouton, who can also slot in at centre, made the first of his nine Test appearances for the Welwitschias in 2022 before scoring twice at the World Cup in France a year later. His performances earned him a contract at Tel-Aviv Heat in Rugby Europe's Super Cup but they played all their games abroad following an unprecedented attack on Israel launched by Hamas on October 7, 2023 from the Gaza Strip. "I didn't really spend time in Israel because of everything that was happening at that time," Mouton said. "We travelled quite a lot. "We went to Portugal, Spain, and then we stayed in Cyprus for a few weeks," he added. 'Amazing' Mouton joined Grenoble, nestled in the French Alps and their snow-capped mountains, this season and has scored 14 tries, including 10 of them in his last six games. At the end of the campaign, his focus will turn to Namibia, ranked 25th in the world, and July's qualifying tournament for the 2027 World Cup, weeks after hosting Italy in a one-off Test. "Once the weekend is out of the way, I can start focusing on that," Mouton added. "But I'm quite excited for what's to come because we're going to play Italy in Namibia. That's quite a big deal for us." The politics graduate from Wits University will have a Namibian reunion at a sold-out Stade Ernest-Wallon, the 19,000-capacity home of French giants Toulouse, this weekend. Experienced lock Tjiuee Uanivi is set to feature for Montauban, who only stayed in the second-tier thanks to winning a relegation play-off last season. "It will be quite nice to play against him," Mouton said. "I really don't want to lose because he will rub it in my face when we have to go back to Namibia." Saturday offers Mouton's club, French first division champions in 1954, a chance at redemption. They finished top of the table after the regular season having tasted defeat in two straight Pro D2 finals as they eye a return to the Top 14 after relegation in 2019. "I think for the club it will be more personal because of the past two years," Mouton said. "So if we can go and pull this one off this year, it will be amazing." Fixture (time GMT) Saturday Grenoble v Montauban (1530) © 2025 AFP
Hindustan Times
5 days ago
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Namibia's Mouton eyes Top 14 'dream' with Grenoble
Namibia's Gerswin Mouton has experienced a path less trodden by most professional rugby players, but that will count for nothing as he aims to help fire Grenoble to the French Top 14 on Saturday. Since the 25-year-old winger was dropped by the Bulls after high shool, he has studied politics while playing at university in Johannesburg, featured at a World Cup and signed a short-term contract in Israel. This weekend, in-form Mouton and his Grenoble side face unfancied Montauban in the final of France's second-tier Pro D2, 80 minutes away from the promised land of the Top 14, the world's richest league. "It's what I've been striving for my whole career," Mouton told AFP on Wednesday. "It took me seven years to get to this point. "So if we can pull it off this weekend, it will be truly a dream come true for me with all the sacrifice and everything that I had to make." Mouton, who can also slot in at centre, made the first of his nine Test appearances for the Welwitschias in 2022 before scoring twice at the World Cup in France a year later. His performances earned him a contract at Tel-Aviv Heat in Rugby Europe's Super Cup but they played all their games abroad following an unprecedented attack on Israel launched by Hamas on October 7, 2023 from the Gaza Strip. "I didn't really spend time in Israel because of everything that was happening at that time," Mouton said. "We travelled quite a lot. "We went to Portugal, Spain, and then we stayed in Cyprus for a few weeks," he added. Mouton joined Grenoble, nestled in the French Alps and their snow-capped mountains, this season and has scored 14 tries, including 10 of them in his last six games. At the end of the campaign, his focus will turn to Namibia, ranked 25th in the world, and July's qualifying tournament for the 2027 World Cup, weeks after hosting Italy in a one-off Test. "Once the weekend is out of the way, I can start focusing on that," Mouton added. "But I'm quite excited for what's to come because we're going to play Italy in Namibia. That's quite a big deal for us." The politics graduate from Wits University will have a Namibian reunion at a sold-out Stade Ernest-Wallon, the 19,000-capacity home of French giants Toulouse, this weekend. Experienced lock Tjiuee Uanivi is set to feature for Montauban, who only stayed in the second-tier thanks to winning a relegation play-off last season. "It will be quite nice to play against him," Mouton said. "I really don't want to lose because he will rub it in my face when we have to go back to Namibia." Saturday offers Mouton's club, French first division champions in 1954, a chance at redemption. They finished top of the table after the regular season having tasted defeat in two straight Pro D2 finals as they eye a return to the Top 14 after relegation in 2019. "I think for the club it will be more personal because of the past two years," Mouton said. "So if we can go and pull this one off this year, it will be amazing." Fixture Saturday Grenoble v Montauban iwd/lp
BBC News
20-05-2025
- Climate
- BBC News
Huge hailstones hit parts southern France
Severe thunderstorms with large hail hit parts of south-west France on Monday - the French weather service - had issued amber weather warnings in the Midi-Pyrenees and Aquitaine regions for thunderstorms and flash the south of Toulouse, residents captured video of impressive hailstorms which ripped off tree branches and damaged of the large hail was reported to be the size of ping-pong area of thunderstorms, producing approximately 13,000 lighting strokes in south-west France, also gave some significant rainfall weather station in the town of Montauban, about 50km (31 miles) to the north of Toulouse recorded 83.5mm (3.3in) of rain in 24 hours up to 08:00 local time on 30mm - just over an inch - of that fell between 19:00 and 20:00 local put this into some context, the average rainfall for the whole of May here is around 43mm (1.7in).The heavy showers and thunderstorms moved east overnight with an amber warning in place for the Var region into Tuesday morning for a risk of some flash flooding.
BBC News
19-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Saracens sign Samoa prop Tuimauga
Samoa prop Tietie Tuimauga will join Saracens for their 2025-26 Premiership 31-year-old tighthead has won eight caps for his country and joins after two seasons with French second tier side who can also play loosehead, has spent the last three years in France having also head a spell at Brivem, as well as playing for Connacht and New Zealand side Wellington. "He will being plenty of experience and know-how to our front row, and with his scrummaging ability we believe he will be a real asset for us moving forward," director of rugby Mark McCall said.
