Bayonne dismantle Oyonnax in dominant Pro D2 display
Bayonne made it four wins from their last five Pro D2 matches with a thorough 52-17 victory over Oyonnax on Thursday evening. The hosts ended a barren spell against their visitors, who had beaten them 36-25 back in May. To be fair, Oyonnax had looked dangerous in their previous outing, a 65-35 thrashing of Dax, but Bayonne found a way through their defence from the outset.
And here's the thing — we had called for a home victory before kick-off, confidence sitting at ninety percent, and the result vindicated that assessment. Bayonne carried the side through the opening exchanges, pressing high and forcing Oyonnax into mistakes. The visitors simply could not handle the intensity, and by then the match was effectively over.
Bayonne sit fourth in the table with eighty-six points from thirty games, while Oyonnax languish in fourteenth place on fifty-three. The gap between them is twenty-two points, a margin that tells you exactly where this season is heading. When you lose to the side that beat you convincingly in May, you need to ask questions about your progress.
What struck me watching was the tactical discipline Bayonne showed. They didn't dallied on the ball, kept their shape, and punished Oyonnax whenever they got into dangerous areas. The high line was picked apart repeatedly, and every time the visitors tried to break from their own half, Bayonne were there to close them down.
Oyonnax's recent form has been inconsistent at best. They beat Dax last week but lost to Grenoble twice this season and were hammered by Vanne 61-24. Fourteen defeats in thirty games suggests a squad that needs to find consistency if they want to climb out of the bottom half.
Bayonne now look like genuine contenders for promotion. Seventeen wins from thirty matches puts them in a strong position, and this performance showed they have the intensity to compete with anyone in the division. Oyonnax will need to regroup quickly if they want to salvage their season.