Massy secured a 25:18 victory over Mont-de-Marsan in the Nасьональ on 2 October 2026. The hosts controlled the tempo from the opening exchanges, with their forward pack setting the tone early. By then it was clear this would be decided at the breakdown.
I remember the 20th minute as the moment the match turned. Massy won three consecutive rucks in quick succession, and here's the thing — the visitors' defensive line began to fragment under that pressure. Mont-de-Marsan tried to respond but could not regain their structure.
Massy had won four of their last five before this fixture, including a convincing 23:12 over Carcassonne. Mont-de-Marsan's away form had been fragile, with defeats to Rouen and Albí exposing vulnerabilities in their set-piece. To be fair, they had shown attacking intent against Bressane with a 42:7 win.
We had predicted an away victory at 73% confidence, but the match went a different way. The hosts' scrum depth proved decisive, and Mont-de-Marsan simply could not find footholds in the tight channels. By the hour mark, the visitors were chasing the game rather than shaping it.
This result keeps Massy firmly in the promotion conversation. Mont-de-Marsan now face a difficult run, having lost three of their last four away fixtures. The table will not tell the full story, but the gap between these sides at the breakdown was evident.
