Latest news with #Montauban
Yahoo
03-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Tonga flanker Fifita leaves Scarlets for France
Born in Tonga, Vaea Fifita played 11 Tests for the All Blacks before switching to the country of his birth [Huw Evans Picture Agency] Tonga flanker Vaea Fifita is leaving Scarlets to join Montauban in France's Top 14. The 33-year-old, who can also play at lock, moved to Parc y Scarlets from Wasps in 2022 and signed a contract extension in August 2024 to extend his stay in Wales. Advertisement Fifita, who scored 10 tries in 56 matches for Scarlets, joins Montauban following their promotion to France's top division as Pro D2 champions. "It's not been an easy decision for myself and my family to move from Scarlets and I have really enjoyed my time at Parc y Scarlets with a great group of players," Fifita said. "We have been warmly welcomed into the Scarlets community from the moment we arrived three years ago, but I think this is the right move for us as a family at this stage of my career, with the opportunity to experience and play in the Top 14." Scarlets head coach Dwayne Peel said: "We thank Vaea for his great contribution to our club. He has produced some outstanding moments during his time here at the Scarlets and we fully understand and support his decision to want to play in the Top 14. Advertisement "We wish him and his family well for their move to France." Scarlets have signed back row Tristan Davies from Ospreys for 2025-26. when they will play in the European Champions Cup next season. Peel's side have been drawn against defending champions Bordeaux-Bègles, finalists Northampton Saints, Pau and Gallagher Premiership's Bristol Bears. They return for pre-season next week looking to build on an impressive end to 2024-25 which saw the club reach the knockout stages of the United Rugby Championship as the only Welsh side to finish in the top eight. "We have worked hard to retain the core of our squad, a lot of home-grown Welsh international talent and made some exciting additions as well," added Peel. Advertisement "As a group, we are looking forward to getting back together, welcoming some new members into our squad and putting in the work before a big opening to the season at home here against Munster at the end of September."
BBC News
03-07-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Tonga flanker Fifita leaves Scarlets for France
Tonga flanker Vaea Fifita is leaving Scarlets to join Montauban in France's Top 33-year-old, who can also play at lock, moved to Parc y Scarlets from Wasps in 2022 and signed a contract extension in August 2024 to extend his stay in who scored 10 tries in 56 matches for Scarlets, joins Montauban following their promotion to France's top division as Pro D2 champions."It's not been an easy decision for myself and my family to move from Scarlets and I have really enjoyed my time at Parc y Scarlets with a great group of players," Fifita said."We have been warmly welcomed into the Scarlets community from the moment we arrived three years ago, but I think this is the right move for us as a family at this stage of my career, with the opportunity to experience and play in the Top 14."Scarlets head coach Dwayne Peel said: "We thank Vaea for his great contribution to our club. He has produced some outstanding moments during his time here at the Scarlets and we fully understand and support his decision to want to play in the Top 14."We wish him and his family well for their move to France." Scarlets have signed back row Tristan Davies from Ospreys for 2025-26. when they will play in the European Champions Cup next side have been drawn against defending champions Bordeaux-Bègles, finalists Northampton Saints, Pau and Gallagher Premiership's Bristol return for pre-season next week looking to build on an impressive end to 2024-25 which saw the club reach the knockout stages of the United Rugby Championship as the only Welsh side to finish in the top eight."We have worked hard to retain the core of our squad, a lot of home-grown Welsh international talent and made some exciting additions as well," added Peel."As a group, we are looking forward to getting back together, welcoming some new members into our squad and putting in the work before a big opening to the season at home here against Munster at the end of September."
Wales Online
18-06-2025
- Sport
- Wales Online
Rugby fans storm pitch and fight as top players chased into dressing room
Rugby fans storm pitch and fight as top players chased into dressing room 15 riot police attempted to break up the violence as players fled to safety Grenoble and Perpignan fans stormed the pitch after their huge Top 14 promotion play-off match and traded blows in ugly scenes. The two teams had clashed for a place in the Top 14 next season before chaos erupted and players fled to the sanctuary of the dressing room. Grenoble, who Welsh international Sam Davies plays for, lost the match 13-11, but it's the behaviour of fans that's become the story. Footage published by Ovalie Media on X shows fans appearing to throw punches and kicks as others attempt to dispel the chaos. Fifteen French riot police officers (known as CRS), holding shields and wearing helmets, took to the field to calm things down. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby. Perpignan president Francois Riviere confirmed supporters allegedly chased Perpignan players into the changing rooms after the game. He said: "I had two players chased all the way to the locker room entrance. "They were guys who were in the locker room area, a controlled zone, but who wanted to fight my players. Article continues below "It's incredible, I've never seen anything like it! While the Grenoble staff were perfect and very kind." A wider view of the violence can be viewed below. Content cannot be displayed without consent Riviere added: "I am sorry for this atmosphere, which is not (a good) one. I have rarely seen such hostility in my career. "I was struck by this atmosphere, struck to see that you had CRS (riot police) who were forced to enter a rugby field wearing helmets. "My shirt was completely stained with blood, because I came to help supporters in difficulty! I have never seen anything like that." Article continues below For Wales international and former Dragons fly-half Davies, the loss was a second blow in as many weeks, after losing the initial Pro D2 play-off match against Montauban, who will play Top 14 rugby next season. It's three seasons in a row, now, that Grenoble have lost out on promotion. It comes as an even more frustrating outcome considering that they topped the Pro D2 with 98 points, 21 more than Montauban. Davies' electric performances have captured the French second division and his services have reportedly attracted interest from other clubs in Europe, although he signed a new deal with the club in January.
Wales Online
07-06-2025
- Sport
- Wales Online
Wales international left heartbroken amid wild promotion celebrations
Wales international left heartbroken amid wild promotion celebrations Sam Davies and Grenoble were hoping to make it third time lucky in the Pro D2 play-off final, but underdogs Montauban spoiled their day Sam Davies looks crestfallen as Montauban fans celebrate their promotion to the Top 14 (Image: FR-UK YouTube ) Wales fly-half Sam Davies once again suffered Top 14 heartbreak as Pro D2 leaders Grenoble were beaten in a dramatic promotion play-off by Montauban in Toulouse. For the third year in a row, Grenoble were once again beaten in the Pro D2 play-off match - with Montauban sealing their place in the top flight of France ahead of next season. Davies' Grenoble had finished the season top of the Pro D2 with a dominant 98 points - 21 more than sixth-placed Montauban. However, as was the case in 2023 and 2024, Grenoble were unable to win - as Montauban continued their remarkable play-off run with a spirited 24-19 victory. All is not lost for Grenoble and Davies though, with the Top 14 access match still to come. That will see them face the second-to-last team in the Top 14 from this season, with the winner playing in the top flight next season. Having signed a new three-year deal with Grenoble this season, the hope for Davies would have been that the French club could finally make the step back up to the Top 14. Article continues below Ultimately, despite 11 points from the boot of the 10-cap Wales international, that wasn't to be. The Welshman was forced off injured after just six minutes of the match, using his jersey as a makeshift sling for his arm as he left the pitch. However, his absence was short-lived - returning to the field 10 minutes later with Grenoble leading 3-0. Soon after, he extended their lead from the tee with a penalty of his own. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby. However, underdogs Montauban rallied back - taking a 21-6 lead in the early stages of the second-half. The boot of Davies - as well as a try from Wilfried Hulleu - dragged Grenoble back to within two points. Article continues below With 13 minutes left on the clock, Davies had a penalty out wide to nudge Grenoble ahead, but his effort was agonisingly wide. Thomas Fortunel knocked over a long-range penalty six minutes from time to extend Montauban's lead. Desperately needing a try, Grenoble couldn't find a score late on - leading to wild celebrations from the Montauban fans.
France 24
05-06-2025
- Sport
- France 24
Namibia's Mouton eyes Top 14 'dream' with Grenoble
Since the 25-year-old winger was dropped by the Bulls after high shool, he has studied politics while playing at university in Johannesburg, featured at a World Cup and signed a short-term contract in Israel. This weekend, in-form Mouton and his Grenoble side face unfancied Montauban in the final of France's second-tier Pro D2, 80 minutes away from the promised land of the Top 14, the world's richest league. "It's what I've been striving for my whole career," Mouton told AFP on Wednesday. "It took me seven years to get to this point. "So if we can pull it off this weekend, it will be truly a dream come true for me with all the sacrifice and everything that I had to make." Mouton, who can also slot in at centre, made the first of his nine Test appearances for the Welwitschias in 2022 before scoring twice at the World Cup in France a year later. His performances earned him a contract at Tel-Aviv Heat in Rugby Europe's Super Cup but they played all their games abroad following an unprecedented attack on Israel launched by Hamas on October 7, 2023 from the Gaza Strip. "I didn't really spend time in Israel because of everything that was happening at that time," Mouton said. "We travelled quite a lot. "We went to Portugal, Spain, and then we stayed in Cyprus for a few weeks," he added. 'Amazing' Mouton joined Grenoble, nestled in the French Alps and their snow-capped mountains, this season and has scored 14 tries, including 10 of them in his last six games. At the end of the campaign, his focus will turn to Namibia, ranked 25th in the world, and July's qualifying tournament for the 2027 World Cup, weeks after hosting Italy in a one-off Test. "Once the weekend is out of the way, I can start focusing on that," Mouton added. "But I'm quite excited for what's to come because we're going to play Italy in Namibia. That's quite a big deal for us." The politics graduate from Wits University will have a Namibian reunion at a sold-out Stade Ernest-Wallon, the 19,000-capacity home of French giants Toulouse, this weekend. Experienced lock Tjiuee Uanivi is set to feature for Montauban, who only stayed in the second-tier thanks to winning a relegation play-off last season. "It will be quite nice to play against him," Mouton said. "I really don't want to lose because he will rub it in my face when we have to go back to Namibia." Saturday offers Mouton's club, French first division champions in 1954, a chance at redemption. They finished top of the table after the regular season having tasted defeat in two straight Pro D2 finals as they eye a return to the Top 14 after relegation in 2019. "I think for the club it will be more personal because of the past two years," Mouton said. "So if we can go and pull this one off this year, it will be amazing." Fixture (time GMT) Saturday Grenoble v Montauban (1530) © 2025 AFP
