|
Refreshed: Racing's rested
fly-half Jonathan Wisniewski
Photo: Michael Paler |
In-form Racing-Métro 92 take on Biarritz
tonight looking to record a seventh straight league win in
Top 14, a result which would see them climb to fifth.
The
delayed round 12 match is being played on the Basque coast
tonight after the original match was postponed due to a
waterlogged pitch on November 5th.
Top 14 Table
/
Top 14 try-scorers
/
Top 14 Results
/
Top 14
Fixtures
Its
proximity to the recently completed international series has
- unsurprisingly - affected team selection, with Biarritz
opting to start with France duo Fabien Barcella and Damien
Traille both on the bench, as well as England centre Ayoola
Erinle.
In
addition former England full-back Iain Balshaw has been
ruled out with an ankle injury. That means youngster Paul
Couet-Lannes gets in the No 15 shirt, with rugby league
convert Karmichael Hunt at outside centre.
American speedster Takudzwa Ngwenya returns to the wing
after helping the US confirm World Cup qualification, while
Dimitri Yachvili and Julien Peyrelongue make up the
half-back pairing.
Racing have yet to confirm that starting XV, but have
included French internationals Lionel Nallet and Sebastien
Chabal in their squad. Half-back pairing Mathieu Loree and
Jonathan Wisniewski have also been recalled after being
rested for Saturday's 9-6 home win against SCA Albi.
Tyro French centre Henry Chavancy also
makes the trip after sitting out the Albi game, while
Italian lock Santiago Dellape has recovered sufficiently to
travel. Conversely, Springbok utility back Francois Steyn
has been rested.
Racing go into the
match high on confidence after six successive league wins,
although none of those has been by a margin greater than
eight points. Biarritz, by contrast, have lost three of
their last four matches, including a 34-6 hammering at
Castres on Friday.
Their only consolation
is that all four of those games have been away, and
tonight's game will be their first at home in the league for
almost two months (since beating Perpignan 27-12 on October
3rd).
A home win could see
the Basques climb back into the top six, at Racing's
expense, and the hosts have the added incentive of knowing
their forthcoming weekend clash with SCA Albi is
likely to be postponed due to the latest outbreak of the
H1N1 (swine flu) virus.
Brive have also
been hit by the virus with both clubs effectively in
quarantine this week as they await further results. Brive
are due to entertain Stade Toulousain this weekend with the
Ligue Nationale de Rugby (LNR) due to make a decision about
whether to postpone one or both of the games on Wednesday
evening or Thursday morning.
They are keen to avoid
the criticism that followed the late postponement of
Bayonne's home match with Perpignan on Saturday
after the Catalans turned back when halfway to their
destination.
The whole swine flu
epidemic has already delayed several other matches this
season - both in Top 14 and ProD2 - and further disruption
is guaranteed this weekend. As a precaution the LNR has
already moved the kick off time for Perpignan's home match
with Montpellier from 14.30 to 16.25 so that broadcasters
Canal + have a fall-back option for live screening should
Stade Francais' home game with Bayonne (also scheduled for
the same time) be affected.
It's all adding up to
an ever-increasing logistical nightmare for schedulers,
coacher, players and fans, although at least we should be
guaranteed some top-class action tonight.
