Top 14, r9 preview - "No pressure" says Chabal as Racing-Métro journey Toulouse

30 September 2010

Top 14, Round 09 fixtures (Current league position in brackets)

Toulon (4th)

Castres (10th)

Stade Félix Mayol, 01/10/10, 20.45

With Toulon's maiden Heineken Cup match just around the corner - at home to the Ospreys next weekend - head coach Philippe Saint-André will be looking for a fourth successive league win to maintain the club's growing self-confidence. The Cote d'Azur side had a sticky start to 2010/11 but consecutive victories against SU Agen (41-10). Clermont Auvergne (28-16) and Bourgoin (26-3) has seen some of their swagger (and attacking rugby) finally return. Fly-half Jonny Wilkinson has been in imperious form and currently leads the Top 14 scoring charts (with 118), while the likes of Kiwi imports Carl Hayman and Rudi Wulf are also beginning to show why they were signed in the summer. England winger Paul Sackey has not settled so well, but has been brought back into the squad for Friday following an injury to Gabi Lovobalavu. Sackey could desperately do with a try to help break the ice after his upheaval from London, and he'll be hoping to get his chance against a Castres side which has lost all four of its away games to date this season. In so doing the have conceded 109 points against the likes of La Rochelle, Stade Francais, Montpellier and Clermont Auvergne, so Toulon will surely fancy their chances. English imports Dean Schofield and Kris Chesney return to the Toulon squad after injury, while Castres have left out Sébastien Tillous-Borde from their 25-strong squad.   
Last season: Toulon 19 Castres 6
Verdict: Toulon win
Referee: Andrew Small (England)

Perpignan (5th)

La Rochelle (12th)

Stade Aimé Giral, 02/10/10, 14.30

Predictions shouldn't come any easier than this with the 2009 champions on a five-match unbeaten run as they play host to a newly-promoted La Rochelle side which has now, contrastingly, lost five on the spin. Add in the ferocious Catalan atmosphere created at the Stade Aimé Giral and the scramble for starting positions in next weekend's Heineken Cup trip to the Scarlets and this really should be a home banker. But statistics can be deceptive at the best of times and perhaps a truer insight into Perpignan's current form should also take into consideration that their past two wins have been by a solitary point, basement boys Bourgoin only went down 27-20 at the Giral and the Catalans even lost at home to Montpellier. That might offer encouragement to La Rochelle, but for the fact they are on their own miserable run. To date they have conceded 140 points in their four away defeats, although the quality of their opponents has been high indeed as they went down at Stade Francais, Stade Toulousain, Racing-Métro and Montpellier. Barring an on-field miracle Perpignan will add themselves to that distinguished list on Saturday as they continue their inexorable rise up the table.
Last season: La Rochelle were in ProD2
Verdict: Perpignan win
Referee: Carlo Damasco (Italy)

Clermont Auvergne (8th)

SU Agen (13th)

Stade Marcel Michelin, 02/10/10, 14.30

The defending champions have had an indifferent start to 2010/11 - with four defeats from eight - but their home form remains imperious as comfortable victories against Brive (33-9), Montpellier (27-10) and Castres (24-6) testify. The Stade Marcel Michelin welcomes struggling SU Agen this weekend with the ProD2 champions arriving on the back of three successive defeats, and no win in five, so a bonus-point victory for 'Les Jaunards' must be the target. To that end Vern Cotter's team will look to unleash their formidable back line once more, with half-backs Morgan Parra and Brock James pulling the strings as they seek another solid win before turning their attention to next weekend's home clash against Saracens in the Heineken Cup. Four of Agen's five defeats have come on the road so far this season, and it's hard to see Saturday changing that record for the better.    
Last season: SU Agen were in ProD2
Verdict: Clermont Auvergne win
Referee: James Jones (Wales)

Stade Francais (9th)

Montpellier (1st)

Stade Charléty, 02/10/10, 14.30

Few could have predicted that his match would see Montpellier travelling to the capital as leaders of Top 14, but Fabien Galthié returns to his former club with held very much held high as his attack-minded side sit proudly atop the league summit. Even more impressively for Montpellier is the fact their ascendency has come off the back of some top results against some of the country's biggest names with an away win at Perpignan supplemented by rousing home victories against Racing-Métro, Stade Toulousain and Castres. France fly-half Francois Trinh-Duc and club captain Fulgence Ouedraogo have been the driving forces behind their superb start, and both players will be out to impress once more as they play their last game for a fortnight ahead a two-game break during the Amlin Challenge Cup. Stade Francais, to their chagrin, are also taking part in Europe's second tier competition this season, but are determined to be back in the Heineken Cup next time round. To that end a home win here is absolutely imperative, especially after losing 27-29 against Brive in the previous match at Stade Charléty.  
Last season: Stade Francais 43 Montpellier 26
Verdict: Stade Francais win
Referee: Peter Allan (Scotland)

Bourgoin (14th)

Brive (11th)

Stade Pierre Rajon, 02/10/10, 14.30

Only three positions separate these two teams at present, but should Brive win then an already considerable points gap (11) will be stretched even further. The Limousin club may arrive in a lowly position but certainly not with sagging morale. In recent weeks they beaten Toulon at home and Stade Francais away, as well as drawing 16-16 with European kings Stade Toulousain. That is the sort of form to get you into the top six and challenging for a Heineken spot, exactly where Brive want to be come the season's end. An away win at Bourgoin, then, becomes an absolute must for Ugo Mola's team, especially as the league's basement club have already gone down three times at home this season. Indeed, Bourgoin have lost seven of their eight games to date, with their solitary victory being at home to SU Agen. That is the sort of form that has 'relegation' stamped all over it, and time is running out fast for Bourgoin as the bottom three become increasingly cut off. A further defeat here would merely expedite that process.    
Last season: Bourgoin 14 Brive 14
Verdict: Brive win
Referee: John Lacey (Ireland)

Stade Toulousain (3rd)

Racing-Métro 92 (2nd)

Stade Municipal, 02/10/10, 16.25

The fact Stade Toulousain have moved this match to the city's football ground is proof indeed of Racing's current status - and draw - in French rugby. The Parisians arrive with an identical win-lose record to leaders Montpellier (six out of eight) and looking for a fourth successive league win before venturing to Ireland to play Leinster on their Heineken Cup debut. 'Les Francilliens' also arrive in the south-west with the league's most potent attacking force (in terms of points scored at least) and with fly-half Jonathan Wisniewski (116 points) also in a rich vein of form. These are all good omens for a team travelling to take on the four-time European champions, but will it be enough? An away win at Toulon illustrated Racing's current "no fear" philosophy, but winning in Toulouse is another matter altogether. They will undoubtedly be bolstered by the return of French international Sébastien Chabal, will have to make do without Pierre Berbizier on the sidelines after the head coach was banned for 60 days for his recent comments about referee Christophe Berdos. "We'll go there without pressure because there is no shame in losing in Toulouse," said Chabal. "We aim to make a good match and we'll see what the result is at the end, but the main thing is to continue to build our game and have fun". Quite how much "fun" you can have playing in Toulouse remains to be seen. Stade Toulousain may not have hit their straps on the road so far this season but they have been mighty efficient at home as they've amassed 157 points in just four games, with only 63 against. They are also warming up for their Heineken Cup defence and will looking for a powerful performance before entertaining London Wasps next weekend.
Last season: Stade Toulousain 28 Racing-Métro 23
Verdict: Stade Toulousain win
Referee: Peter Fitzgibbon (Ireland)

Bayonne (6th)

Biarritz (7th)

Stade Jean Dauger, 02/10/10, 20.45

The final game of the weekend sees local hostilities renewed in the 93rd edition of the Basque derby as Bayonne play host to near neighbours Biarritz. Early-season leaders Bayonne will be without Pepito Elhorga, but Sam Gerber is back after injury and fly-half Benjamin Boyet will be relishing his first appearance in one of France's longest-running domestic squabbles. Successive defeats to Stade Toulousain and Perpignan - the latter at home and by just one point - have slightly tarnished Bayonne's initial good form, but that's nothing that can't be fixed by a win in the match that some fans still believe means more than any other throughout the entire season. A re-run of last year's 15-0 victory would do nicely, but a win by any margin will suffice. Biarritz went down 17-12 at Racing last weekend and have once again been vulnerable on the road this season. A win here, however, would not only give their supporters temporary bragging rights, but it would also propel the team above Bayonne in the league. That would be just the boost they'd want ahead of their opening Heineken Cup game away to Bath next weekend.      
Last season: Bayonne 15 Biarritz 0
Verdict: Bayonne win
Referee: George Clancy (Ireland)

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