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Jerónimo de la Fuente captained Perpignan to Top 14 safety. Les Catalans were 13-11 winners over Grenoble on Saturday in the 2025 Access Match. The result means Perpignan will play in the 2025-2026 Top 14 while Grenoble will compete in the 2025-2026 Pro D2.
Grenoble were very frustrated; the team had two early tries disallowed. de la Fuente also had a disallowed try; the Puma lost control of the ball inches out from the try zone. It mattered not as Perpignan ultimately won the match to retain their Top 14 status.
The loss was beyond a hammer blow for Grenoble. The team finished the season top of the Pro D2 table only to lose the Pro D2 Final against Montauban who, in winning, earned promotion to the Top 14.
Grenoble also missed out on securing promotion to the Top 14 last season. They fell 20-18 to Montpellier in the Access Match in 2024. In 2023, Grenoble fell 33-19 to Perpignan in the Access Match. In 2018, Grenoble were also losers in the Access Match. That day the club fell 28-22 to Brive.
de La Fuente and Joaquín Oviedo both started for Perpignan. de La Fuente played inside center and Oviedo played N8. Oviedo is on Felipe Contepomi’s roster for next Friday’s clash against the British & Irish Lions in Dublin, Ireland.
It remains to be seen whether de La Fuente will add to his 80 test caps this year. In 2024 he played in the July Internationals against France and Uruguay but was unused in the Rugby Championship and the November Internationals.
