D1 Elite – Pool B: The Argonauts save their place in the elite

This Sunday, the last two meetings of Pool B of D1 Elite were disputed to seal the outcome of this regular season 2023.

After the last matches of D1 Elite pool A which were played this Saturday, it was the turn of pool B to end its regular season with a suspense which was particularly at its peak concerning the descent. Indeed, before this final day of the championship, the qualifiers for the playoffs and their final place were already known: the Blue Stars would finish at the top of the pool ahead of the Bears and the Grizzlys. It remained to be seen who of the Argonauts or the Centaurs would fall in the second division.

In the first match of this tenth day of D1 Elite, the Toulouse Bears received the Marseille Blue Stars in a match that would only serve as a dress rehearsal before the playoffs since both teams were already qualified. If the Marseilles opened hostilities by scoring the first touchdown following a Toulouse fumble, it was the Bears who would ultimately win this match. By relying in particular on their ground game which allowed them to take the advantage by concluding their offensive drives, the Toulouse team offered themselves a prestigious success (21-14) to end the season in front of their home crowd.

The distance match for maintenance

But all eyes were obviously on the race for maintenance between the Centaurs of Grenoble and the Argonauts of Aix-en-Provence. The former were on the field of the Grizzlys Catalans, already qualified in 3rd place for the wild card round of this 2023 D1 Elite season, while the latter had the advantage of receiving in front of their public the Dauphins de Nice who were already on vacation since already out of reach for the qualifying places.

To make sure they stayed in the top flight, the Centaurs had to come out on top! But if the Grenoble residents achieved their most successful offensive performance of the season with no less than 38 points scored, they did not manage to contain the attacks from the Catalans. Already in the first leg, the Grizzlys had relied on their attack to win and this was once again the case during this final day of the regular season of D1 Elite. The Grizzlys took advantage of the generosity of the worst defense in Pool B to score… 50 points! A 50-38 defeat which therefore left the Centaurs awaiting the result of the Argonauts.

With this defeat of the Centaurs of Grenoble, the Argonautes had to win to save their place in D1 Elite. Without a win for 6 consecutive games and with an attack in great difficulty throughout the season, the Argonauts finally released the game they needed at the right time! Already two weeks ago, the Argos had managed a very good attacking match but without obtaining the victory. But this Sunday, the stars lined up with another fine performance in terms of attack, but this time crowned with a most important success (34-32).

A snatch victory which therefore allows the Argonautes to save their place in D1 Elite on the last day… and at the same time to send the Grenoble Centaurs to the second division because of the direct confrontations between the two teams. Indeed, the Argonauts won the first leg 15-0 before losing only 10-7 in the second leg. A season that will therefore play only 12 points between these two teams.

Final classification of Pool B of D1 Elite 2023

1. Blue Stars Marseille (8-2)
2. Ours Toulouse (7-2-1)
3. Grizzlys Catalans (6-3-1)
4. Nice dolphins (4-6)
5. Argonauts Aix-en-Provence (2-8)
6. Centaurs Grenoble (2-8)