Top 14, r17 preview - In-form Racing-Métro seek perfect 10; Toulon test for Clermont

01 January 2010

Top 14, Round 17 fixtures (Current league position in brackets)

Castres (1st)

SCA Albi (14th)

Stade Pierre Antoine, 03/01/10, 15.00

This looks a straight forward call with top versus bottom as hosts Castres attempt to extend their four-point lead with a bonus-point home win against Eric Béchu's team.  Statistics show that Castres are still unbeaten at the Stade Pierre Antoine this season - with seven wins and a draw - while poor old Albi have lost all eight of their away games since rejoining Top 14. And there's nothing to suggest logic will be overturned here either, with Castres buoyant after Wednesday's efficient 30-7 victory against Montauban, while Albi lick their wounds from a 41-13 defeat in Toulon.
Last season: SCA Albi were in ProD2
This season:
SCA Albi 21 Castres 25
Verdict: Castres win

Racing-Métro 92 (3rd)

Bourgoin (12th)

Stade Yves du Manoir, 03/01/10, 15.00

Just as it's a surprise to see Castres leading Top 14 at this stage of the season, it is equally stunning to be reporting that Racing-Métro 92 are now hunting an incredible 10th successive league victory. Winning has become an addictive habit for Pierre Berbizier's side, with functionability and team cohesion leading them to a string of impressive, if unspectacular wins; Six of those have been by five points or less, with the other three by seven, eight and 13 points respectively. Only Perpignan, of the other top six sides, have scored fewer than Racing's 288 points, with fly-halves Jonathan Wisniewski (113) and Andrew Mehrtens (58) contributing 171 of those, but the fact is that Racing have so far won more matches (11) than any other team in Top 14. They may have made a couple of superstar signings - Sébastien Chabal and Francois Steyn - but the team ethos is all as Berbizier continues to mould his squad. Victory here could see them claim second place outright - they are currently tied with Clermont Auvergne on 47 points - and it would also help avenge their 17-13 defeat at Bourgoin earlier in the season. The visitors are currently going in the opposite direction to Racing, and now find themselves just three points off the drop zone after just one win in their last seven league games.
Last season: Racing-Métro 92 were in ProD2
This season:
Bourgoin 17 Racing-Métro 13
Verdict: Racing-Métro 92 win

Montauban(11th)

Stade Francais (7th)

Stade Sapiac, 03/01/10, 15.00

It's no wins from seven away games now for Stade Francais and head coach Jacques Delmas was far from amused by their latest slip, Wednesday's 25-23 defeat at Montpellier despite leading 9-23 with just over 25 minutes to play. Montauban have lost four of their last five league games, so a trip to the Stade Sapiac might not be such a bad thing for the Parisians, especially with memories of September's 35-40 home reverse still fresh in their minds. It was that defeat above all others in a poor start that precipitated Ewen McKenzie's departure, but the initial good work done by his successor Delmas has somewhat faltered of late with just two league wins from their last seven outings. With that in mind the former Biarritz head coach could have done without scrum-half Noel Oelschig breaking his hand in the Montpellier match. The South African will now be out for up to six weeks, leaving Stade perilously thin at No 9 following Julien Dupuy's 24-week ban. Benjamin Tardy (21) came on for Oelschig on Wednesday, and he will now fight it out with English youngster Charlie Davies (19) for the starting slot. The Parisians have also lost Mauro Bergamasco for this game after spraining his knee against Montpellier. But, despite their faltering results, Stade remain the league's highest scorers (with 412 points), with former rugby league star Mark Gasnier also top of the try-scoring charts (with six). Marc Raynaud's Montauban have plenty of their own problems to worry about, notably how to arrest an alarming slide which has seen them lose seven of their last 10 league games. They are just six points off the drop zone following Wednesday's 30-7 defeat at Castres, and after this match they are on the road for five of their next seven league fixtures. They should at least, however, be buoyed by the playing returns of Karim Ghezal, Emmanuel Etienne, Cédric Rosalen and Jean-Philippe Viard.
Last season:
Montauban 22 Stade Francais 16
Stade Francais 34 Montauban 16
This season:
Stade Francais 35 Montauban 40
Verdict: Stade Francais win

Brive (9th)

Perpignan (5th)

Stade Amédée Domenech, 03/01/10, 15.00

Brive's decision to preserve their artillery against Clermont resulted in a 52-10 derby rout on Wednesday, so they will need to justify their decision with a sterling performance against the champions on Sunday. The Limousin club will no doubt have taken heart from Perpignan's dodgy away record this season, having lost on the road seven times in all competitions as they failed to match their generally sound home form. On Wednesday they went down 22-11 at Stade Toulousain and next up after this is Racing-Métro 92 at home, so a win here would be most helpful in maintaining their top four status. But Brive will be no pushovers and (Clermont game aside) have shown a decent improvement since Ugo Mola assumed the head coach role. They have beaten Bayonne and Stade Toulousain in their last two home league games, and have only lost twice in six Top 14 matches under Mola. England centre Riki Flutey will be the focus of keen attention, but the kickers could be crucial in a match where try-scoring opportunities could be at a premium.
Last season:
Brive 15 Perpignan 18
Perpignan 34 Brive 18
This season:
Perpignan 21 Brive 9
Verdict: Brive win

Biarritz (8th)

Montpellier (10th)

Parcs des Sports Aguiléra, 03/01/10, 15.00

This is another must-win home game for Biarritz as they continue to try and make up ground to force their way back into the top six. They are still five points behind sixth-placed Toulon despite Wednesday's regulation 23-6 home win against Bourgoin. Montpellier have lost six of their eight away games this season, and will probably seek to target next weekend's clash with Castres as they concentrate more on trying to win their home games to stay out of trouble. Biarritz should prove too strong despite still having a few injuries, and it's not impossible to rule out a re-run of last season's 46-3 trouncing. Wingers Takudzwa Ngwenya and Ilikena Bolakoro have both been cleared to play, while English flanker Magnus Lund should also be fit to feature despite picking up a midweek knock. Prop Campbell Johnstone must wait another week after sustaining a calf injury in training. Montpellier, by contrast, have rested most of the side which beat Stade Francais in midweek, with only two starters retained in their match-day XV. France fly-half Francois Trinh-Duc is one of those - the other is Sebastian Kuzbik - while skipper Fulgence Ouedraogo is rested. Flanker Vassili Bost takes over the captain's armband for the first time.
Last season:
Biarritz 46 Montpellier 3
Montpellier 12 Biarritz 9
This season:
Montpellier 22 Biarritz 18
Verdict: Biarritz win

Clermont Auvergne (2nd)

Toulon (6th)

Stade Marcel Michelin, 03/01/10, 17.00

Free-scoring Clermont ran in seven tries against hapless Brive on Wednesday, but sixth-placed Toulon will undoubtedly put up a sterner test as they seek to continue their own good form of late. Philippe Saint-André's team have won nine of their last 11 games in all competitions and Clermont will be only too aware that they cannot afford to gift penalty opportunities to Top 14's leading scorer Jonny Wilkinson. The England fly-half suffered a rare off day as Toulon beat Clermont 26-21 earlier on in the season, with the victory temporarily lifting Wilkinson and company into top spot after four rounds. The moneyed Cote d'Azur club has since stabilized in sixth position and remains on target for an AMC quarter-final too as the French and European seasons turn towards the business end. Clermont may have slaughtered a lacklustre Brive but they were turned over on home turf in November by Biarritz when they suffered a rare collective off-day. Clermont are boosted by the return of Fijian winger Napolioni Nalaga, and could even include fit again South African centre Marius Joubert in their squad, but they do have doubts over Aurélien Rougerie, Brock James and Benoît Cabello.
Last season:
Clermont Auvergne 32 Toulon 5
Toulon 22 Clermont Auvergne 16
This season:
Toulon 26 Clermont Auvergne 21
Verdict: Clermont Auvergne win

Bayonne (13th)

Stade Toulousain (4th)

Stade Jan Dauger, 03/01/10, 20.45

There have been too many false dawns for Stade Toulousain so far this season, but perhaps 2010 will finally bring the best out of Guy Noves' star-sprinkled squad. Successive home wins against Cardiff Blues and Perpignan will have helped restore confidence levels after four defeats in six games, as will the continuing return of internationals from various injuries. Fly-half David Skrela is continuing his on-pitch rehab after a lengthy lay-off, while Frederic Michalak's form at scrum-half has been a revelation of late. This weekend Noves should also have Byron Kelleher and Jean-Baptiste Elissalde back at his disposal, as well as centre Yann David, although skipper Thierry Dusautoir will be absent after aggravating a shoulder injury against Perpignan. They should still have more than enough firepower to beat a Bayonne side which is struggling with the overwhelming pressure of gasping for breath in the relegation zone. Thy have now lost seven of their last eight league games and this week brought former France and Bayonne winger Laurent Polo on board in an advisory role. Club president Francis Salagoity tried to remain upbeat after Wednesday's home defeat against Racing, but now they must take on the mighty Stade Toulousain to avoid a fourth home loss in five games. "The players are sad because they wanted to raise the head," said Salagoity. "They were not far away, you can not blame them much. Our forwards have been performing, three-quarters also. But we ran into a team with confidence, unlike us. Hopefully 2010 will start with a victory." Wingers Pepito Elhorga and Benjamin Fall could return for the home side.
Last season:
Bayonne 9 Stade Toulousain 12
Stade Toulousain 32 Bayonne 11
This season:
Stade Toulousain 21 Bayonne 17
Verdict: Stade Toulousain win

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