France: Third round of action promises plenty of excitement
The third round of play in the FFFA D1 Elite (Federation Francaise de Football Americain) league features five games.
The Northern Conference will see the Tours Pionnieres (1-1) play host to the Saint-Ouen Cougars (0-2) while the Thonon Black Panthers (2-0) will travel to Paris to face the Asnieres Molosses (1-1) and the Amiens Spartiates (0-2) will take on the defending champion La Courneuve Flash (2-0). In the South, the Aix Argonautes (0-2) are at home to the Grenoble Centaures (0-2) while in the lone Sunday game, the Toulouse Ours (2-0) are on the road to play the Catalans Grizzlys (1-1).
Saturday, February 25
Aix Argonautes (0-2) @ Grenoble Centaures (0-2)
The winless Argonautes travel to Grenoble to face a Centaures team also looking for their first win. The Argonautes lost to the Toulouse Ours 17-7 and to the Marseilles Blue Stars 36-0. Meanwhile, Grenoble has suffered two lopsided losses, 36-3 to the Nice Dauphins and 40-2 to Toulouse. The Argonautes look like the favorites in this one.
Saint-Ouen Cougars (0-2) @ Tours Pionniers (1-1)
The home team Tours Pionniers opened the season by beating the Amiens Spartiates 28-24 but went down to defeat against the Thonon Black Panthers 49-7. The Cougars were dropped by the Panthers 38-14 and then hammered by the La Courneuve Flash 47-6. This game is a toss up.
Thonon Black Panthers (2-0) @ Asnieres Molosses (1-1)
The Black Panthers, 2022 runner ups in France, have opened the year with a pair of lopsided wins, beating the Saint-Ouen Cougars 38-14 and then rolling over the Amiens Spartiates 49-7. Asnieres lost to the La Courneuve Flash 26-14 and then beat the Spartiates 44-33. The edge goes to Thonon in this one but it could be a good game.
Watch the game live. Thonon Black Panthers @ Asnieres Molosses, Feb. 25, 20:00 CET (8 pm, 2 pm ET)
Amiens Spartiates (0-2) @ La Courneuve Flash (2-0)
The undefeated Flash who beat the Molosses 26-14 and the Cougars 47-6, will play host to a Spartiates team looking for its first win. Amiens lost to the Pionnieres 28-24 and then to Molosses 44-33.
Watch the game live. Amiens Spartiates @ La Courneuve Flash, Feb. 25, 20:00 CET (8 pm, 2 pm ET).
Sunday, February 26
Toulouse Ours (2-0) @Catalans Grizzlys (1-1)
The newly promoted Toulouse Ours have started the 2023 season in fine style beating the Argonautes 17-7 and then whipping the Grenoble Centaures 40-2. The Grizzlys have looked solid in their two games losing to Marseilles 26-14 but then beating the Nice Daupins 20-15.
Watch the game live. Toulouse Ours @Catalans Grizzlys, Feb. 26, 13:00 CET (1 pm, 07:00 am ET).
