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Top 14, r18 preview - Absentees level
the field as the battle for survival hots up
10 February 2011
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Set to start: Frédéric Michalak
Photo:
Michael Paler |
This weekend sees the
"duplicate" fixtures as they call them in France, with Top
14 swinging back into action at the same time as the ongoing
RBS Six Nations.
The doubling up of games
inevitably means France's bigger clubs lose a number of
their international stars, with the likes of Stade
Toulousain, Clermont Auvergne, Biarritz and Perpignan
usually hit the hardest.
Top 14 Fixtures 2010/11
It's not a popular piece of
scheduling for coaches such as Stade Toulousain's Guy Noves
but it does lend added intrigue to the weekend league
fixtures as it offers renewed hope to some of the lesser
lights as they battle at the other end of the table.
Top 14 League Table 2010/11
This weekend is no exception
with La Rochelle at home to a decimated Stade Toulousain on
Friday night, before Brive travel to Toulon and SU Agen
visit Perpignan on Saturday. Elsewhere, Racing-Métro are at
home to a Castres side still seeking its first away win of
the season, doomed Bourgoin travel to Bayonne and defending
champions Clermont Auvergne hit the road to play high-flying
Montpellier.
Leading scorers in Top 14 2010/11
It should all add up to another
fascinating round of league fixtures as the ongoing battles
to avoid relegation or secure play-off qualification rumble
on.
Top 14, Round 18 fixtures
(Current league position in brackets)
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La Rochelle (12th) |
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Stade Toulousain (1st) |
Stade
Marcel Deflandre, 11/02/11, 20.45 |
This is the beginning of a
crucial few weeks for La Rochelle as they fight to maintain
their precious Top 14 status, with their home game against
Stade Toulousain the first of four at the Stade Marcel
Deflandre in their next five league matches. Indeed, six of
their remaining nine Top 14 games are at home, and their
record in front of their own supporters to date has been
impressive. Of their seven home matches so far the have won
four, drawn one and lost two, with losing bonuses picked up
in both those defeats. One would still normally imagine
Stade Toulousain to be good enough to overcome that but this
weekend their squad has been decimated by international
calls, injuries and suspensions. In total they will be
without 13 first-team regulars, but they can still call on
such talents as Frédéric Michalak, Vilimoni Delasau, Rupeni
Caucaunibuca and Cédric Heymans. Despite that incredible
depth I still back La Rochelle to cause an upset, simply
because I believe the result will mean more to them as they
continue their three-way battle with Brive and SU Agen to
avoid the drop. Toulouse, by contrast, will remain in top
spot whatever the outcome as they go into the weekend seven
points ahead of both Clermont Auvergne and Racing-Métro 92.
La Rochelle also have the small matter of trying to avenge
their 50-3 pasting in Toulouse earlier this season.
Last season:
La Rochelle were in ProD2
Verdict:
La Rochelle win
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Toulon (7th) |
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Brive (13th) |
Stade
Félix Mayol, 12/02/11, 13.45 |
Seventh-placed Toulon
simply must keep winning if they're to force their way into
the play-off reckoning and try to secure a crucial home
berth - or avoid the quarter-finals altogether. At present
they are four points behind Clermont and Racing in a
congested upper table, so a home game against struggling
Brive presents an ideal opportunity to make up ground. Brive
have certainly improved of late, but they still remain in
the relegation zone and nerves will become an increasingly
dominant factor as the season draws in. The break-up of
their current squad has already begun with confirmation that
Alexis Palisson and Gerhard Vosloo will depart at the end of
the season - the former to Toulon - but the Limousin club
must concentrate on the hear and now, and probably try and
target a losing bonus for their trip to the Mayol. Toulon
are surprisingly not affected a great deal by international
calls at present, although the notable absence of Jonny
Wilkinson is hard to cover. New recruit Gavin Henson will
wait until Round 19 to make his debut, so it will be up to
Philippe Saint-André to galvanise his troops and try to
avoid a repetition of their disappointing first-half display
against La Rochelle in Round 17 - when they were 9-0 down at
the break before winning out 12-9.
Last season: Toulon 19 Brive 10
Verdict: Toulon win
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Perpignan
(10th) |
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SU Agen
(11th) |
Stade
Aimé Giral, 12/02/11, 14.00 |
This is turning out to be a strange season
for Perpignan, with the 2009 league champions continuing to
struggle in Top 14 while flourishing on the European stage.
Jacques Brunel's team had been a model for consistency over
the past two seasons as they finished first on both
occasions, but they currently languish 10th in the league
and go into this match having registered just one win in
their last six Top 14 outings. That has left them with a
veritable mountain to climb if they are to make this
season's play-offs, with the Catalans currently 10 points
behind sixth-placed Castres. SU Agen find themselves just
one place below Perpignan, although eight points adrift, but
they will travel in good spirits after winning five of their
last seven league games. That run has given them real hope
of avoiding the drop in their first season back in Top 14,
and a losing bonus would probably keep them happy if they
can achieve that this weekend.
Last season: SU Agen were in ProD2
Verdict: Perpignan win
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Racing-Métro 92 (3rd) |
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Castres
(6th) |
Stade
Yves du Manoir, 12/02/11, 14.00 |
Racing-Métro 92 may be
missing several internationals for this match but they go
into it knowing that it is one of just three remaining home
games for them this season, and as such is un-losable. From
that regard they will be cheered by Castres' travails on the
road this campaign - they have lost seven and drawn one of
their eight games - but the visitors will take heart from
last season's 24-24 draw at the same venue. A repeat result
is not too hard to imagine with Racing's recent form being
unconvincing, even if they have largely managed to get the
results they need.
Last season: Racing-Métro 24 Castres 24
Verdict: Draw
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Bayonne
(8th) |
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Bourgoin
(14th) |
Stade
Jean Dauger, 12/02/11, 14.00 |
Bayonne go into this math
having won five of their last six league games and they must
be overwhelming favourites to continue that run. Victory is
the minimum requirement against a Bourgoin side that raised
the white flag this week in terms of Top 14 survival, and a
repeat of last season's 53-6 demolition could even be on the
cards. Bourgoin, for their part, have nothing but pride and
future contracts to play for, although that combination can
prove potent in certain circumstances. It is difficult,
however, to see that happening here with the Isere club
already releasing players to ease their financial problems,
22 points adrift of survival and without a league win in
over four months now.
Last season: Bayonne 53 Bourgoin 6
Verdict: Bayonne win
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Montpellier
(5th) |
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Clermont Auvergne
(2nd) |
Stade
Yves du Manoir, 12/02/11, 14.00 |
Montpellier head coach
Fabien Galthié will be a notable absentee for this clash
with the defending French champions as he fulfils previously
agreed television commitments as an analyser for the
weekend's Six Nations games. Whether that will have any
detrimental affect on his players remains to be seen, with
one suspecting the loss of France fly-half Francois
Trinh-Duc perhaps being more keenly felt. Clermont will also
be without several internationals and league form to date
this season points to another home win for Montpellier as
they seek a repeat of last season's 16-9 victory.
Montpellier go into this match defending an unbeaten home
record so far this campaign, while Clermont have managed
just one away win from eight - and that at lowly Bourgoin.
Last season: Montpellier 16 Clermont Auvergne
9
Verdict: Montpellier win
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Stade Francais (9th) |
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Biarritz
(4th) |
Stade
Charléty, 04/12/10, 20.35 |
The weekend's final game
sees a traditionally heavyweight encounter between Stade
Francais and Biarritz somewhat diluted by international
absentees. That won't stop the match being a fiercely
contested affair, with Parisians seeking to follow up on
their last home game - a 31-3 thumping of Stade Toulousain.
Biarritz arrive having won their last two league games, but
on a two-match losing streak away from home. They will also
be without a recognized scrum-half, with Julien Peyrelongue
forced to take the No 9 shirt. That also means no Dimitri
Yachvili - their diminutive points machine - while the loss
of club captain Imanol Harinordoquy is always hard to
overcome.
Last season: Stade Francais 25 Biarritz 15
Verdict: Stade Francais win
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