Vannes secured a 24-19 win over Castres Olympique in the French Super Sevens tournament on Thursday, a result that finally halts Castres' heavy defeat streak.
By then Castres had endured five straight losses, including a 0-36 humiliation at Stade Rochelle 7 just days before. The visitors arrived with nothing to lose, and they showed it in the opening exchanges.
Vannes, meanwhile, have picked up momentum after a patchy run. Their last five results included a 33-26 win over Monaco 7 and a 21-12 victory against Stade Rochelle 7, though they also suffered a 7-29 thrashing by Montpellier.
And here's the thing about this fixture — the history between them adds an edge that pure form doesn't capture. Castres have struggled to find any rhythm in attack, but they held firm enough to keep the scoreboard respectable.
There is unrest in the dressing room at Castres, but that is an assessment, not a fact. The fact is the club sits in a position where every point matters now.