**Welsh Rugby Icons in the Spotlight as France’s Pro D2 Promotion Battle Intensifies**
Welsh rugby’s presence in the French Pro D2 league is drawing significant attention as the season nears its dramatic conclusion, with several high-profile Wales internationals playing pivotal roles in their respective clubs’ campaigns for a prized place in the Top 14.
One of the standout players has been George North, whose recent performances for Provence in the French second-tier have attracted glowing praise from French pundits and fans alike. North’s display against Biarritz—highlighted by assertive line breaks and a thrilling early try—exemplified his dominance at this level. On social media, French rugby followers have not hesitated to call him a “freak” in the most admiring sense, noting the stark contrast in physicality that North brings to the pitch compared to many of his rivals.
The Pro D2 is currently on a knife-edge, with all final regular season matches scheduled for Friday, 16 May at 8pm. Teams are fiercely competing not only for the prestige of lifting the Pro D2 trophy, but also for the lucrative chance to join France’s top rugby union division. Among the leading contenders are Provence, who boast both North and fellow Wales international Tomas Francis, as well as Grenoble, driven by ex-Dragons fly-half Sam Davies and positioned at the top of the table alongside Brive.
Brive and Grenoble currently share first place, accumulating 94 points each, while Colomiers, Provence, Soyaux-Angoulême, and Montalbanaise round out the top six. The competition’s format, which has evolved in recent years, now guarantees the leading two teams a direct route to the semi-finals, bypassing the quarter-finals. The next four clubs contest those quarter-final fixtures for a coveted spot in the next round.
The play-off system is intensely competitive. The ultimate Pro D2 champion is awarded automatic promotion, while the defeated finalist still has a shot at the Top 14 but must face the team that finishes 13th in the elite division in what’s known as the ‘access match.’ This dynamic means that even clubs finishing as low as sixth retain an outside chance of promotion, much like the system used in the United Rugby Championship.
For some of these Welsh figures, this season represents a crucial juncture. Sam Davies, fresh from committing his future to Grenoble after reportedly attracting Top 14 interest, hopes to push his team to promotion after enduring the heartbreak of missing out last year. In 2024, Grenoble narrowly lost their play-off final to Vannes, missing direct promotion, and then endured further disappointment in the access match against Montpellier, thwarted by the boot of Louis Carbonel.
Meanwhile, North and Francis at Provence will need to navigate an additional knockout round should they hope to join their compatriots in the top flight next season. With Provence safely ensconced in fourth place prior to the final round, their task is clear: win a sequence of crucial play-off encounters.
The Pro D2’s end-of-season showdowns will also feature a host of familiar faces from the international stage. England’s Jonny May plays for Soyaux-Angoulême, a team that could meet Provence in the quarter-finals, whilst Brive—likely semi-finalists—feature experienced England lock Courtney Lawes. Injuries, too, have played their part in this narrative, with Ross Moriarty suffering two torn shoulder ligaments and ruled out of the play-off run just as he prepares for a move to the Ospreys next season.
On the Top 14 side, the coming weeks promise just as much intrigue. Vannes currently occupy bottom spot and are at risk of automatic relegation, with Stade Français just above them facing the possibility of an access match. With three fixtures remaining, the final make-up of promotion and relegation places is subject to fierce contest and could still shift dramatically.
As the regular season wraps up and the knock-out action commences, Welsh rugby fans will be keeping a close eye on their national stars striving for glory in France. It is a contest not just for silverware, but for a place among the game’s European elite—a journey that for some could mean career vindication, and for others, a taste of redemption.