Bayonne will make a welcome return to Top 14 action next season after they came out on top in their ProD2 (French second division) promotion play-off against Aurillac. They won 21-16 at the Stade Ernest Wallon in Toulouse.
The victory is also a welcome piece of good news for Basque rugby, as neighbours and fellow ProD2 opponents Biarritz were provisionally relegated to Fédérale 1 after having fallen into financial difficulties along with Narbonne and Béziers last week.
Bayonne have had no such worries this season and will make the jump back up to the top flight of French rugby with Lyon.
A late Aurillac try caused a few nervous moments for Bayonne, but in reality the result was never really in doubt. The trusty boot of Argentine full back Martin Bustos Moyano made sure of that, kicking seven penalties to secure the win.
Bayonne’s place in the Top 14 will no doubt be celebrated by many neutrals due to the incredible passion their supporters display.
Once more the choruses of “La Pena Baiona” are sure to ring around the Stade Jean Dauger come their first game of the new season. It is perhaps a passion on par with those of the Marcel Michelin in Clermont and Felix Mayol in Toulon.
Match highlights of the final plus an insight into Bayonne’s passionate pre-match atmosphere can be viewed in the video below:
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