Rugby – Pro D2. Two strong defensive teams, a formidable opponent… what you need to know before the VRDR

The opponent: Colomiers, a strong runner-up

At kickoff, 11 points separate the third-placed team (Valence Romans) from the second-placed team (Colomiers). A gap that the Drômois will struggle to close, making Colomiers the natural favorite for a direct spot in the semi-finals.

On top of that, the Columérins are in good form, with a victory against Provence (20-25) and a big win against Dax (66-21) in their last two matches. This season, they have already won eight times away from home.

The fact: The two best tackling teams

Since the start of the season, no team has performed better than Colomiers (88.7%) and Valence Romans (88.5%) in successful tackle percentage. They are also the top two teams in terms of tackles in Pro D2 (3,838 for VRDR and 3,577 for Colomiers).

This sets the stage for a closely contested game between the best defense in Pro D2 (Colomiers, 401 points conceded) and a team scoring over 30 points per home game (30.8).

The player: Sasha Idoumi, new back row

With injuries (Roux, Moore-Aiono, Bholi) and suspensions (Real), the VRDR’s back row is a bit depleted. Like Grenoble, Sasha Idoumi will be called upon to play in the back row, a position he is relatively unfamiliar with. “The hookers and back rows have similar qualities, and that takes the pressure off his throwing”, acknowledges Fabien Fortassin.

The stat: 3

Colomiers have won the last three matches against VRDR, the best streak in direct confrontations. The Columérins won at home in September 2024 (24-17) and December 2025 (24-10). In between, they also won at Pompidou in January 2025 (24-29). The last VRDR victory over Colomiers was in May 2024 (17-23), and against Pompidou in September 2023 (26-22).

The quote: “We show tremendous solidarity, even if it means putting our bodies on the line”

Since the second half victory of 33-0 against Oyonnax, VRDR has regained its momentum. In Isère, the Drômois have given their all, even at the cost of losing players on the battlefield (Roux, Rodor, Goumat, Bholi, Moore-Aiono, and Martin).

A sacrifice that pleases Louis Suaud: “I have never felt the team worried. I know that when we are neck and neck in the money-time, we show tremendous solidarity, even if it means putting our bodies on the line.”