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Following a bye round last weekend the Pro D2 returns for week 5 of the competition. France’s second division is easily the most competitive and successful of any second-flight professional competition in the world. With there being many players from the Americas involved it is a vital part of focus for supporters from the Western Hemisphere.
Week 5 will feature one Thursday fixture. It is to be Vannes vs Brive, a match seeing 13th playing host to 9th. Involved for Vannes will be Eric Fry. The 31-year-old veteran of RWCs 2011 and 2015 will start at Loose Head. The match is to be historic with the club’s never having played each other before.
On Friday the Pro D2 enters overdrive with five matches. Near the Swiss border Bourg-en-Bresse play host to Carcassonne The club is to do so with Victor Damian Arias on the bench. From Argentina, Arias is uncapped.
Bayonne play host to Jamie Cudmore’s Aix en Provence. They do so with former Puma Martín Bustos Moyano starting at fullback. Chile’s Ramón Ayarza has been named as a replacement while unacpped Argentine prop Leandro Mario Assi starts at Tight Head for Cudmore’s club.
A player linked to a move to Los Jaguares for 2019 is Sebastián Poet. He will start at fly half for Colomiers against Biarritz on Friday. Curiously Biarritz was formally coached by Gonzalo Quesada, the man now in charge of Los Jaguares.
In Paris Massy welcome Charente. The visitors have named two South American forwards on their bench. Chilean Pablo Huete will be covering second-row while Joel Sclavi is to be a replacement prop.
Week 5 of the Pro D2 will also see a Sunday fixture. Former Top 14 clubs Mont de Marsan and Oyonnax will battle it out in the heartland of French rugby. Line-ups for the match will be confirmed on Saturday afternoon.
