Flash clinch, Molosses survive: France’s D1 playoff race takes shape
FFFA’s Week 8 recap confirmed Flash La Courneuve in the playoffs and kept Molosses alive after a major win over Léopards.
France D1 Elite is moving from regular-season sorting into playoff positioning. Flash La Courneuve’s 35-6 win over Diables Rouges confirmed another playoff ticket for one of France’s benchmark clubs, while Molosses Asnières kept themselves alive with a 54-19 win over Léopards Rouen.
That combination matters because it gives the league two useful storylines at once. Flash are doing what elite programs do: controlling the games they are supposed to control and arriving at the postseason conversation early. Molosses, meanwhile, keep the lower playoff line alive and make the remaining schedule more than a formality.
The Pigskin Europe read is that France has both the traditional power story and the chase-pack drama. Black Panthers and Flash remain the names everyone measures against, but D1 is most interesting when the teams underneath them are still dangerous enough to disturb the bracket. Week 8 suggests there is still movement left before the final playoff picture locks in.
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