Top 14, r10 - Big four clash as Biarritz and Stade Francais put winning runs on the line

22 October 2009

Top 14, Round 10 fixtures (Current league position in brackets)

Bayonne (12th)

Castres (2nd)

Stade Jean Dauger, 23/10/09, 20.45

Just one point separated these two teams in last season's league games and while they currently occupy opposing ends of the table - Bayonne 12th, Castres 2nd - it seems another close match could be in store on Friday evening. That might seem a strange thing to say given their divergent form but all six of Bayonne's league defeats have come on the road so far this season, with the Basques still boasting a 100% win record at home. Richard Dourthe's side should also have been boosted by a brace of victories in the Amlin Challenge Cup, including a hard-fought 20-16 away win at Racing-Metro, as well as the somewhat bizarre fact they remain the league's third most potent attacking force. Bayonne could certainly do with another league win to lift them up from lowly 12th spot, but they will have to raise their game against a Castres side which has only twice in Top 14 so far this season. The management duo of Laurent Travers and Laurent Labit used the European break to rest some weary legs and they will be keen as mustard for win No 7 as it would result in them leading the division, for 12 hours at the very least. Craig Gower and Salvatore Perugini are both in the Bayonne squad after a midweek training session with the Italian team, but No 8 Marc Baget is out for the rest of the season after rupturing his cruciate ligament. Winger Pepito Elhorga has still not recovered from a torn thigh muscle, while other absentees include Nicolas Laffite, Arnaud Heguy and Dwayne Haare. Castres will be without the injured trio of scrum-half Alexandre Albouy, former All Black prop Carl Hoeft and South African Michael Coetzee.
Last season:
Bayonne 13 Castres 13
Castres 26 Bayonne 27
Verdict: Bayonne win

Stade Toulousain (5th)

Biarritz (3rd)

Stade Ernest Wallon, 24/10/09, 14.15

This match has the makings of a classic as 17-time champions Stade Toulousain play host Biarritz, currently France's in-form side which arrives on the back of seven successive victories. The Basques have been imperious in recent weeks and their run of wins gains even more credence when you look at which teams they've beaten: Stade Francais (h), Bayonne (h), Brive (a), Toulon (h), Perpignan (h), Glasgow Warriors (a) and Gloucester (h). If a word of caution is needed then it's because five of those games were at home, but their away wins at Brive and Glasgow were also significant results and will be causing Toulouse head coach Guy Noves much cause for concern. But the wise old sage relishes challenges such as this and in many ways this game becomes an extension of the past fortnight in terms of profile, quality and significance. Toulouse themselves go into the game boosted by three impressive wins of their own and appear to be showing signs of finding some consistency at last after a spluttering start to the season. The half-back partnership of Jean-Baptiste Elissalde and Byron Kelleher continues to be key to their rhythm and the home supporters' drums will be urging their side to maintain their recent upsurge. Biarritz will be without international centre Damien Traille, who is rested along with Magnus Lund and Jerome Thion.
Last season:
Stade Toulousain 20 Biarritz 6
Biarritz 17 Stade Toulousain 13
Verdict: Draw

Montpellier (13th)

Clermont Auvergne (1st)

Yves du Manoir, 24/10/09, 14.30

Leaders Clermont Auvergne will travel to Montpellier fully expectant of registering their third away win of the season, despite their hosts having already downed Perpignan, Biarritz and Toulon at the Stade Yves du Manoir so far this campaign. The reason? Montpol are currently on a run of three successive league defeats and have also lost their last two home games (one in the ACC) as they continue what looks to be a season-long battle to avoid relegation. Clermont, by contrast, have won six and drawn one of their nine games so far in Top 14 and also looked good value in the Heineken Cup where they trounced Viadana and only lost by a solitary point away to the Ospreys. That's the sort of form that breeds confidence, and Vern Cotter's men will be doubly keen for the win as they seek to consolidate top spot while other contenders take points off each other (in the Toulouse-Biarritz and Stade Francais-Perpignan clashes).
Last season:
Montpellier 3 Clermont Auvergne 30
Clermont Auvergne 43 Montpellier 20
Verdict: Clermont Auvergne win

Toulon (7th)

Bourgoin (8th)

Stade Félix Mayol, 24/10/09, 14.30

Strange as it may seem you would have to say that visitors Bourgoin go into this match as the form team, arriving on the back of four successive victories, including two in the Amlin Challenge Cup. Toulon also won both their European games - including an excellent 31-23 home win against Guinness Premiership leaders Saracens - but their recent league form has been less convincing with four defeats in their last five games. All of those were, however, away from the Stade Félix Mayol, and three of them by three points or less - underlining the narrow line between success and failure. Toulon are still very much a work in progress under new coach Philippe Saint-André, but they remain unbeaten at home and have notched up impressive league victories against both Clermont and Stade Toulousain, as well as their opening-day tie with Stade Francais. The mood in the camp remains good, as epitomised by Georgian prop Davit Kubriashvili signing a new two-year deal this week. Bourgoin have already shown they will be nobody's pushovers this season, and even won their last away match in league as they scrambled a 15-12 victory at Montauban. They have amply displayed their survival instincts throughout a supremely testing campaign to date, and it appears to have bonded rather than fractured squad morale. That said, perhaps Eric Catinot will opt to keep his powder dry against Toulon in preference for putting out his strongest unit at home to Brive next weekend.
Last season:
Toulon 9 Bourgoin 15
Bourgoin 13 Toulon 23
Verdict: Toulon win

Montauban (11th)

SCA Albi (14th)

Stade Sapiac, 24/10/09, 14.30

Montauban's promising early-season form has stalled somewhat after three successive league defeats, but double victory in the ACC followed by a home game against basement boys SCA Albi should go some way to restoring ebbing confidence. Marc Raynaud's first season in charge was always going to be a tough assignment but Montauban have mostly been competitive, even when sliding to defeat. His team will also have the boost of having won 17-7 at Albi just two weeks ago in the ACC, while Saturday's visitors have now lost 10 of their 11 games in all competitions so far. A string of suspensions and injuries won't aid their cause either and it's difficult to see anything but a defensive bonus as the height of their ambitions this weekend.
Last season: SCA Albi were in ProD2
Verdict: Montauban win

Brive (10th)

Racing-Métro 92 (9th)

Stade Amédée Domenech, 24/10/09, 14.30

A season that promised so much is threatening to turn into disaster for Brive as they continually fall short of their lofty ambitions. Their hard-fought for return into Heineken Cup looks like ending at the first hurdle after opening up with two losses, but that in itself could prove a benefit as it re-focuses their minds on their disappointing league form. Problems off the pitch have also emerged this week with the resignation of honorary president Patrick Sebastien, amid accusations that all is not well behind the scenes. The Limousin club has recorded just two wins from 10 games since their opening-day triumph over Montpellier, but the visit of Racing does at least offer an opportunity to regain much-needed confidence. The Paris club arrive in good form after successive league wins, but the absence of star trio Lionel Nallet, Sebastien Chabal and Francois Steyn is a serious handicap for Pierre Berbizier's side as they seek to continue their climb up the table. Scrum-half Jérôme Fillol is also absent.
Last season: Racing-Métro 92 were in ProD2
Verdict: Brive win

Stade Francais (6th)

Perpignan (4th)

Stade de France, 24/10/09, 16.25

The weekend's final game sees champions Perpignan travel to Paris for an eagerly anticipated showdown at the Stade de France. The last time the Catalans were in this stadium they triumphed 22-13 over Clermont Auvergne to win their first French championship in 54 years, but, strangely enough, Saturday's late afternoon battle could prove a far tougher challenge altogether. Stade Francais have been in rollicking good form of late and will fear no-one as they take their show to the Parisian masses for the first time this season. Back-to-back wins in the Heineken Cup can now be safely stored away until December, but the confidence acquired over their current six-match unbeaten run should be on full display. Stade have recorded bonus-point victories in all four home games since Jacques Delmas and Didier Faugeron took charge, and the only game they haven't managed to win was their 9-9 away draw at Stade Toulousain. The boys in pink have regained their swagger and know that another marquee win here would further confirm their status as serious contenders this season. Last year they had a torrid time with the matches they held at the Stade de France, but Delmas' no-nonsense approach is sure to keep players' minds on the task in hand. Perpignan managed a 13-13 draw here last season, but the Catalans have generally been woeful on their travels this season. They have already lost at Bourgoin, Montpellier, Biarritz and (most embarrassingly) at Benetton Treviso. It is an emerging trend that is threatening to seriously undermine their championship defence (and Heineken Cup aspirations), and something that Stade Francais will be only too keen to try and underline again.
Last season:
Stade Francais 13 Perpignan 13
Perpignan 11 Stade Francais 26
Verdict: Stade Francais win

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