Watch: Huge crowd celebrate Bayonne promotion to Top 14

It was not your typical Monday in Bayonne. After their rugby team won promotion back to the Top 14 at the weekend, locals showed up in droves to celebrate with the players and coaches. Bayonne defeated Mont-de-Marsan 49-20 to take the ProD2 title on Sunday, scoring six tries in the process.

Check out this clip of supporters, while players and staff watch on from the balcony of the town hall.

As you can see, thousands showed up to laud the team – all dressed in white, with branded neckerchiefs and baby blue berets – and when songs were sung, it was inevitable that the Bayonne anthem of Peña Baiona would ring out.

Here’s another clip of that song being belted out, full-throated, at the ProD2 semi-final.

It wasn’t just about singing either.

As France Bleu Pays Basque showed in one tweet: “The Aurresku (a traditional Basque dance). made in tribute to the Aviron Bayonnais players who have just arrived at the town hall fair in. Bayonne.”

Check out those moves.

After the match itself we were also treated to the sight of head coach Yannick Bru wearing a mascot’s head, as the team celebrated. For those who are interested, you could also visit the coach’s personal Twitter page to see a clip of one of the Bayonne players running around with the ProD2 trophy wearing the head… and nothing else!

After seeing La Rochelle fans out in force for the European Champions this is yet more proof of the vibrancy and public buy-in of French club rugby. What an impressive rugby nation they are at the moment.

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