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They absolutely had to win to reach the final. Entente des Îles du Nord (Archigirls de Saint-Martin / Rascasses de Saint-Barth) left Bellevue Stadium in Saint Martin with a 40-35 victory over Good Luck de Gosier. It was a closely contested match, but it ended happily for the northerners. “First and foremost, we tried to correct the major mistakes we made in the first leg so we could be more solid for this second match. We managed to pull ahead a bit in the second half. The final minutes were long and intense. We had to hang in there on defense and stick together to make sure nothing got past us,” explains Marine Cantatore, one of the Rascasses’ key players. This is the second year in a row that Entente des Îles du Nord has reached the final against the Good Luck team, which has been the champion for over a decade. But last Saturday’s victory bodes well for the final. “It was a huge challenge for us because we had never beaten Gosier before. Now we’ve done it. We now know how to identify the positives and negatives from our matches to avoid repeating the same mistakes. Taking the lead early in the game can free up the players and encourage them to take risks and produce some great rugby. Finally, the team’s cohesion was truly evident, even during our weaker moments, and that will serve us well in two weeks for the final. “We’re keeping our fingers crossed for a full roster to compete,” says coach Fabien Maurel. Indeed, as is often the case for teams from the Northern Islands playing on the road, player availability will be a key factor in securing Guadeloupe’s first regional rugby championship title.
See you on June 6 in Goyave for the grand final.
The Barras Overclassed
A final in which the Barracudas men’s team will not participate, having been soundly defeated on Gosière soil, 63–3, in the playoff semifinals. With an incomplete roster—as has often been the case on the road this season—the Barras were never able to cross the Good Luck try line, facing an opponent that was stronger in every aspect of the game for much of the match. “It’s tough. We opened the scoring with a field goal, played evenly during the first quarter of the match, and then made defensive mistakes and conceded try after try. In the second half, we were already in deep water, but I told the guys to play freely—that we wouldn’t be able to come back—yet despite that, we didn’t score. Still, I’m proud of my guys. Well, the other team was better; both teams had the ability to win, but they brought more to the table,” said the sky-and-white captain, Gabriel Pont.
Saint Barth would certainly have preferred to end on a higher note to honor the retirements of Romain Viriato and Baptiste Gaudin from the senior squad. “It’s definitely a shame to go out on a lost semifinal… we tried a bit too hard; as soon as we lost the lead, mentally we panicked and lost our way by doing that. Still, I think the players are doing their best. Many of them have to take time off from their professional commitments to play on the road. Not everyone can manage that, and we end up with incomplete rosters, like tonight, and it shows in our performances,” noted Romain Viriato after his final game, in which he was his team’s sole scorer.
Strong at home and fragile on the road—that could sum up the Barracudas’ 2025–26 season... Still, next year, with the core group of players remaining, likely reinforcements, and the four annual road trips better managed, there’s plenty of potential to rebuild a great team. Baptiste Gaudin concludes: “Here, as I wrap up my career, I’ve found more than just teammates with the Barracudas—I’ve found a family, with that unique island atmosphere. I’ve been happy to help the young seniors develop, always keeping fun in mind, and as long as we keep enjoying ourselves, the Barracudas will keep moving forward.”
