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Top 14, r19 preview - Wilkinson's
return just the boost Toulon need for trip to SU Agen
17 February 2011
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Special: England have allowed Jonny Wilkinson
to play for Toulon against Agen this weekend
Photo: Eoin Mundow/Cleva Media |
This may not be an official
"duplicate" weekend with the RBS Six Nations, but only one
player from the combined France and England squads - Jonny
Wilkinson - has been given permission to play in Round 19 of
Top 14.
Top 14 Fixtures 2010/11
Martin Johnson's decision to
allow Wilkinson to play for Toulon (against SU Agen) makes
general sense - 'Wilko' has made just two sub appearances in
the competition to date - but it's unlikely to have thawed
the RFU's strained relations with Stade Francais, who will
be missing James Haskell and Tom Palmer, among others.
Top 14 League Table 2010/11
And it probably won't have gone
down that well at Stade Toulousain, with the league leaders
again forced to field an unfamiliar backline as they
entertain Biarritz on Saturday. Club backs coach
Jean-Baptiste Elissalde lamented Marc Lièvremont's
insistence that the entire French squad be at their Paris
training camp this weekend, complaining that under-used
substitutes such as Vincent Clerc and Yannick Jauzion should
have been released like Wilkinson.
Words, however, will not change
Lièvremont's mind and so Top 14 will chug on again this
weekend without any of France's 23-man squad for the England
game being involved. Once more that throws the doors open
for a number of surprise results, although Toulouse will be
more than content if they can repeat
Round 18's last-minute win against La
Rochelle.
Leading scorers in Top 14 2010/11
Top 14 takes another break
after this round but with just eight more games to go
(including this weekend's) the season is drawing to another
nerve-jangling climax. The relegation battle is a straight
three-way fight between La Rochelle, SU Agen and Brive - to
see who will join already doomed Bourgoin - while the
scramble for play-off places will go all the way to the
wire.
At present there just eight
points between fourth-placed Toulon and 10th-placed
Perpignan, with the latter hoping to make up further ground
this weekend when they travel to hapless Bourgoin in search
of their second successive attacking bonus.
Top 14, Round 19 fixtures
(Current league position in brackets)
 |
Brive
(13th) |
 |
Stade Francais (9th) |
Stade
Amédée Domenech, 18/02/11, 20.45 |
This match presents a real
opportunity for Brive to make solid progress in their fight
to avoid relegation. The Limousin club may have only
registered one league victory since 11th September 2010, but
they surely must fancy their chances against a Stade
Francais that will be severely weakened by international
absentees. The Parisians will travel without the likes of
James Haskell, Tom Palmer and Sergio Parisse, while winger
Julien Arias is also sidelined due to injury. Michael
Cheika's side were hit by further bad news on Thursday when
fly-half Lionel Beauxis was banned for 20 days for a
dangerous tackle on Castres' Pierre Bernard on January 27th.
Beauxis will now be sidelined until March 7th - missing this
math and Stade's next one against Perpignan. Cheika,
meanwhile, also picked up a ban, with the Stade coach
sidelined for 30 days due to his behaviour in the same game.
Brive have their own concerns with Alix Popham, Damien
Browne and Pat Barnard all set to miss out due to injury -
along with long-term absentees Jamie Noon, Jean-Baptiste
Péjoine and Vincent Forgues - , but the hosts will take
heart from their recent record against Stade. Earlier this
season they pulled off something of a shock by grabbing a
last-minute 29-27 win in the capital, while last season they
downed Stade Francais 24-16 at home. Added to that is the
fact Brive beat Clermont 29-22 in their last home game,
while they have also Perpignan and Toulon this season at the
Stade Amédée Domenech, and drawn with Stade Toulousain.
Those results in isolation would suggest Brive are having a
decent season, but with 12 league defeats from 18 it has
been an undoubtedly troubled campaign. This game, however,
presents the chance to ensure that the season does not end
in disaster, especially given that five of their last eight
matches are at home. As for Stade Francais? They are
currently four points adrift of the play-off zone zone and
also in desperate need of a result, so the match certainly
shouldn't lack for intensity.
Last season:
Brive 24 Stade Francais 16
Verdict: Brive win
 |
Bourgoin
(14th) |
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Perpignan (10th) |
Stade
Pierre Rajon, 19/02/11, 14.30 |
Tenth-placed Perpignan go
into this match knowing only a second successive bonus-point
win will suffice to maintain their slim hopes of making the
play-offs, but given Bourgoin's dire predicament that must
be a realistic goal for under-achieving Catalans. Jacque
Brunel's biggest problem is fielding a fit starting XV, with
the visitors particularly hard hit in the centres following
injuries to Maxime Mermoz and Jean-Philippe Grandclaude.
That precipitated Perpignan's signing of South African
centre Rudi Coetzee from Bourgoin this week, but the new
arrival will not align against his former club despite the
Catalans' diminished resources. The official reason was that
Coetzee had not enough time to "acclimatize" to his new
colleagues, although given Perpignan's obvious needs it
would seem more likely that a "gentleman's agreement" was
struck. Be that as it may, Perpignan will surely go in
search of tries as target only their second away win the
league this season, against a team which has lost its last
nine league games and has already conceded it will be
playing in ProD2 next campaign. Pride remains the key
motivating factor for Bourgoin, but how much of that will be
on display remains questionable after Coetzee became the
fourth player to be released in recent weeks as the
financially stricken Top 14 club effectively conducts a fire
sale to ease their problems. Certainly a repeat of last
season's 17-6 home win appears a most unlikely outcome.
Last season:
Bourgoin 17 Perpignan 6
Verdict: Perpignan win
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La Rochelle (11th) |
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Racing-Métro 92
(2nd) |
Stade
Marcel Deflandre, 19/02/11, 14.30 |
La Rochelle have picked up
nine points in their last four league games despite only
registering one victory, and if they can add to that this
weekend they will again boost their survival hopes. Victory
will be their ultimate aim, especially given that Racing
have lost their last three away games in the league, and
their chances must surely be boosted by the numerous
absentees among the visitors' squad. Racing will travel
without France duo Lionel Nallet and Sébastien Chabal, as
well as a hefty Italian contingent, but they can still count
on the likes of Juan-Martin Hernández (likely to start in
the centres), Sireli Bobo, Frans Steyn and Jonathan
Wisniewski as they seek to maintain their own league
position. They could also name Benjamin Fall in their squad
for his first appearance this year. Last weekend's 20-13
home win against Castres lifted them back up to second spot,
and another win here would further strengthen their position
- especially with third-placed Montpellier away to Castres.
Last season:
La Rochelle were in ProD2
Verdict:
Draw
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Clermont Auvergne
(5th) |
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Bayonne (6th) |
Stade
Marcel Michelin, 19/02/11, 14.30 |
Defending champions
Clermont Auvergne remain unbeaten at home this season but
that record is sure to be tested on Saturday by a Bayonne
side which has won six of its last seven league games -
including two away from home. The Basques will have to make
do, however, without injured captained Pepito Elhorga after
the injured full-back was ruled out for the rest of the
season this week. the visitors also have doubts over Lionel
Mazars and Joe Pietersen, while Troy Flavell and and
Jean-Baptiste Peyras are definitely out. Clermont have their
own problems due to absentee internationals, but head coach
Vern Cotter will be looking for a suitable response after
last weekend's 29-9 humbling away to Montpellier. He could,
however, have done without the news this week that Samoan
centre Gavin Williams will be out for the rest of the season
after rupturing ligaments in his left knee. The club have
admitted they are looking for a "medical joker", but will
only sign one if a player of suitable calibre is available.
Just one point separates Clermont from Bayonne ahead of this
game, so the incentive for success is clearly there for both
sides as they jockey for play-off positions.
Last season:
Clermont Auvergne 38 Bayonne 13
Verdict:
Clermont Auvergne win
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Castres
(8th) |
 |
Montpellier (3rd) |
Stade
Pierre Antoine, 19/02/11, 14.30 |
Montpellier's systematic
demolition of Clermont Auvergne last weekend sent a timely
reminder to rest of Top 14 that Fabien Galthié's side mean
business this season. Their latest win (their 11th of the
season) saw them move one point behind third-placed Racing
and they will travel to Castres with genuine hope of
becoming the first side to emerge victorious from the Stade
Pierre Antoine this campaign. Captain Fulgence Ouedraogo
continues to drive his team forwards by example and the
performance of Argentine Santiago Fernandez last weekend
showed they need not fear the absence of France fly-half
Francois Trinh-Duc. Timoci Nagusa's return - and return to
try-scoring form - also ensures they have attacking
potential out wide once more as they go in search of a first
away win since late October. Castres, for their
part, need a victory to maintain their own play-off hopes
and will be looking to make it a perfect 10 wins from 10 at
the Stade Pierre Antoine this campaign, with the league's
top-scorer Romain Teulet certain to have a significant
impact.
Last season:
Castres 33 Montpellier 18
Verdict: Castres win
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Stade Toulousain
(1st) |
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Biarritz (7th) |
Stade
Ernest Wallon, 19/02/11, 16.25 |
Jean-Baptiste Elissalde
may have railed against the unfairness of it all but league
leaders Stade Toulousain will again be forced to deploy a
make-shift backline when they entertain Biarritz on Saturday.
Still, some stand-ins! Argentine Nicolas Vergallo will
continue at scrum-half in Byron Kelleher's injury-enforced
absence, while Frédéric Michalak looks set for a second
successive start at No 10. Last weekend the European
champions deployed youngster Rémi Lamerat alongside
Fijian Rupeni Caucaunibuca in the centres, with another
Fijian - Vilimoni Delasau - on the wing with Pierre-Gilles
Lakafia, while Cédric Heymans filled in at full-back. Despite
that impressive firepower they were still reliant on a
last-minute penalty from replacement fly-half Nicolas Bézy
for their win at La Rochelle, something that will give hope
to Biarritz. The Basques, however, arrive on the back of
three successive away defeats in the league - including last
weekend's 31-18 loss at Stade Francais, so they will be keen
as mustard to get something from this match to avoid
losing further ground in the fight for play-off places.
Last season:
Stade Toulousain 23 Biarritz 3
Verdict:
Stade Toulousain win
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SU Agen
(12th) |
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Toulon (4th) |
Stade
Armandie, 19/02/11, 20.45 |
The final game of the
weekend sees "the special one" return for Toulon as Philippe
Saint-André's side travel to SU Agen for an extremely tough
looking fixture. Jonny Wilkinson's inclusion - after special
dispensation from the England management team - is a massive
boost for the visitors, however, and they will be looking
for a first away sin since their memorable 29-20 victory at
Perpignan in early November. Gavin Henson remains sidelined
with a calf injury as he awaits he Toulon debut, but Wilko's
unexpected return should give the visitors just the boost
they need against a team which is fighting valiantly for its
Top 14 survival. Christian Lanta's team have found form just
when they most needed it and go into this match having won
five of their last eight league games, with four of those
wins coming at home. They were hammered 41-10 at the Stade
Félix Mayol earlier this season, but this clash should be
afar closer affair as Agen look to bounce back from
last weekend's 31-18 defeat at Perpignan. Agen have
included recent signings Sylver Tian (for his debut) and
Dewald Senekal, with the latter lining up against the team
he left just weeks ago.
Last season:
SU Agen were in ProD2
Verdict:
Toulon win
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