Wild Card Weekend Turns One-Sided in French D1 Playoffs

The French D1 playoffs opened with a clear message from two contenders: when the stakes rise, so does their level. In wild card weekend action, the Flash de La Courneuve and the Blue Stars de Marseille delivered statement victories to punch their tickets to the semifinals.

At La Courneuve, the scoreline eventually became brutal, but the game did not begin that way. Facing the Grizzlys Catalans for the second straight postseason, the Flash were surprisingly shaken early. A botched punt snap gave the home side an early safety before the Catalans answered through Mandane after an efficient drive led by Badis Grami and De Wavrechin. For a few minutes, the underdogs looked capable of creating doubt.

That feeling disappeared quickly.

Once the Flash offense found its rhythm, the game turned into a showcase of explosiveness. Quarterback Jaylen Tregle connected deep with DeAndre Mister for a long touchdown that completely shifted momentum. From there, La Courneuve never looked back. Tregle added a rushing score, Mister found the end zone again, and the French champions-elect overwhelmed the Catalan defense before halftime. By the break, the contest already felt out of reach.

The second half only reinforced the gap between the two teams. Constantly pressured by the Flash defensive front, Grami struggled to establish consistency and finished with four interceptions. Defensive back Raphael Fourlin capitalized on one of them by returning it all the way for a defensive touchdown, symbolizing a dominant all-around performance from the Paris-area side. The Grizzlys managed a late consolation touchdown, but the outcome had long been decided as the Flash cruised to a commanding 61-15 win.

A few hundred kilometers south, Marseille produced another convincing playoff performance. The Molosses d’Asnières-sur-Seine arrived at Stade Delort with momentum and the reputation of being one of the league’s most balanced teams over recent weeks. Instead, the Blue Stars de Marseille controlled the evening almost from start to finish.

The tone was set early by Jemal Williams, who first intercepted Marquez McCray before later punching in the opening touchdown himself. Marseille’s defense repeatedly disrupted the Molosses offense, while the home team’s attack, sometimes inconsistent during the regular season, suddenly looked sharp and efficient. Hadrien Lynda and Reda Laamiri combined for another touchdown as Marseille steadily widened the gap.

Asnières briefly responded through a quick strike from Gian Fratus, but the Blue Stars answered immediately before halftime to maintain full control. Leading by two touchdowns at the break, Marseille never allowed the visitors back into the game.

The second half became a demonstration of maturity and discipline. Defensively, the Blue Stars shut the door completely, conceding no points after halftime. Offensively, Lynda added another trademark touchdown before Lucas Poutier sealed the result late in the game. The only negative note for Marseille came with Erwan Gentric’s injury near the end of the contest.

With dominant victories on both sides of the bracket, the wild card round ultimately confirmed what many suspected entering the postseason: the Flash and the Blue Stars are peaking at exactly the right moment. Next up, La Courneuve travels to face the Iron Mask de Cannes, while Marseille now prepares for a heavyweight semifinal against the Black Panthers de Thonon-les-Bains.