Pro D2's opening encounter between Brive and Vannes ends in a draw

In a gripping season opener, Brive and Vannes fought tooth and nail in the Pro D2's first major clash. The match ended in a nail-biting draw, with the scoreline reading 30-30.

The contest began with John Cooney, the Irish scrum-half playing for Brive after eight years with Ulster, taking the lead. He scored all of Brive's points in the first half, including two tries and a penalty. Cooney's impressive performance set the tone for the game, but Jean-Noël Spitzer's Vannes team initially struggled to keep up.

However, Vannes managed to turn the tide, thanks to tries from Mikheil Alania and Pierre Boudehent. Alania scored in the 28th minute, followed by Boudehent's try at the end of an offensive harassment by the visitors in the 55th minute. Maxime Lafage, Vannes' fly-half, added two penalties to extend their lead to 20 points.

Brive, bolstered by their new squad of fifteen players, refused to give up. Joe Edwards scored a try following a powerful drive in the 37th minute, and Curwin Bosch equalised from the touchline in the final moments of the game.

The match was not without controversy. In the 16th minute, Francis Saili of Brive was sent off for a shoulder tackle on Julien Tisseron. Despite intense pressure, Vannes managed to secure a draw in the final minutes, thanks to Lafage's two penalties in the 63rd minute.

Both teams will be back in action next Friday. Brive will face Dax at 7:30 PM, while Vannes will take on Soyaux-Angoulême at 9:00 PM.

Last season, Vannes missed out on survival in the final rounds, but they showed resilience in this match. Brive, on the other hand, experienced the disappointment of being defeated in the semifinals despite having a large budget. This season promises to be an exciting one for both teams, and fans are eagerly awaiting their next performances.