Photo by Felix Brown – Templiers de Sénart.
Above: Les Cometz de Metz will face the Templiers. Of the 10 teams competing for the French championship, only 4 have emerged. A quick look at the six unfortunate ones.
Six teams have indeed joined the play-downs. « It’s not pleasant » as Uncle Anatole would say, as this stage is always contested by default. We would have obviously preferred to be part of the final four. But this second act, even if it groups the « losers » or rather the « non-winners, » is a period rich in spectacular games, where the standings are far from set. The two groups will cross paths. It’s finally a chance to get out of their respective pools. New pitchers, new fields… The higher-ranked teams host.
First round, July 30 and 31:
Above: Esposito of Stade Toulousain.
Montigny, who were expected to reach the semifinals (though that’s debatable), finished the regular season third in a brutal pool with a solid record of (10-6). The Lions and the Huskies are to blame. Now the big cats will host the Toulouse side at Stade Jean Maréchal. Three games if needed to try not to fall back. Stade Toulousain (3-13) are not favorites in this one. The Cougars are clearly the pick. In Montigny, they’re hitting .266 compared to .172 in Toulouse. The Montigny mound boasts a 2.41 ERA compared to 5.64 for the Occitans.
Above: the solid Cougars de Montigny squad.
Sénart (tied at 12W-4L), who are suffering from a disadvantageous TQB against the Boucaniers and the Barracudas, took a real beating this season after participating in the grand European circus last year. The valiant Templiers find themselves forced to defend their leader status against the outsiders. In this case, it’s the Cometz de Metz. The Grand-Est players have proven they can be impactful, finishing Pool A with an 11-5 record. What to think of this clash?
We’re clearly leaning towards the Templiers who have the « Aura. » Statistically, the Templiers have slightly weakened at the plate: (.279 in 2021 compared to .251 this year). Metz has a .232 average. The Cometz are giving up too many runs with a 7.74 ERA and are second-to-last in that statistic. In the Paris region, it’s more solid with Priest leading the way (0.95 ERA). The Sénart side boasts a 2.33 ERA. Two wins are within reach for the Templiers, even if the Messins can snatch a game in between.
Above: the Cometz de Metz squad.
Lower in the standings, it’s a straight-up fight for survival in D1. In Nice (.222 avg, 6.45 ERA), Montas and his teammates managed to secure a win against the Toulouse side at the end of July. Paris (.193 avg, 9.53 ERA) carries an extravagant burden: 0-16. Nice, not much better off with 1-15, must absolutely do everything in their power to gain as much advantage as possible over the Parisians.
Will we see a relegation of the PUC? In whose favor? The Arvernes? The Pirates? Will Nice crack, right on the edge of the precipice? These two clubs unsurprisingly have the worst statistics. What about a clash with the best of D2?
Honestly, we don’t see either the Cougars or the Templiers stumbling and losing their third-place spot. The fight should be more uncertain one level below, for fourth place. The one that saves next season in D1.
As early as the following weekend, the second round of the play-downs kicks off. The winners will form one pool and the losers another between the 3rd and 4th places. The 5th-placed teams in each group (A and B) have reason to worry. They may have to cross paths with the « Maple Leaf » and the D2 champions.
Vincent Picard
