Top 14 - Round 10 Preview
14 November 2008
It’s back to league action again this
weekend, but with 50 players still absent on various
international duties there is more than a distinct
possibility of the odd shock result or two.
Defending champions Toulouse, suppliers of
half the French side, will be hardest hit, but surely not
even a much weakened XV could lose at home to struggling
Toulon. The current leaders may have to field a youthful and
largely inexperienced side but they will still be able to
call on a formidable half-back pairing of Freddie Michalak
(in his first start since returning home from South Africa)
and Byron Kelleher.
Stade Francais will be another of the team’s
hardest hit, and they travel to Montpellier looking to
bounce back after successive defeats to Toulouse and
Clermont. The latter go to Brive seeking to build on that
victory against Stade, while surprise high-fliers Bayonne
are on the road again – this time at lowly Bourgoin, who
have only won twice this season.
Meanwhile, the bottom two of Castres and
Mont-de-Marsan come face to face in what could be a huge
clash at Stade Pierre Antoine on Saturday afternoon.
If Toulouse or Stade should slip up then
Perpignan will have the opportunity to capitalise when they
entertain Biarritz in the evening game, perhaps even armed
with the knowledge a win could lift them top.
Montpellier v Stade Francais
(14/11/08, 20.30)
Montpellier’s last four results – WLLW –
encapsulate a frustratingly inconsistent season so far, but
at least they were victorious at Castres on their last
league outing, something that eluded fallen leaders Stade
Francais. They also have the memory of an opening-day home
win against Toulouse, while back-to-back defeats for Stade
has seen their eight-point lead stripped in a flash. Head
coach Ewen McKenzie now faces his first real test after a
relatively trouble-free introduction, while rugby league
convert Marc Gasnier – who McKenzie said could play union
for France in the future – could continue his learning curve
with a spell in the centres. The lack of Hernandez and
Lionel Beauxis will leave a massive hole at fly-half.
Verdict: Montpellier win.
Dax v Montauban (15/11/08,
14.30)
This should be a fascinating encounter with
two teams on the up as Dax play host to sixth-placed
Montauban. Dax have climbed to ninth after winning four of
their last six league games, including three on the spin at
home, while Montauban have notched up 72 points in their
recent wins away to Clermont and at home to Toulon.
Confidence should not be a problem with
either side in what could prove one of the weekend’s most
entertaining games.
Verdict: Dax win.
Castres v Mont-de-Marsan
(15/11/08, 14.30)
Thirteenth plays 14th in this basement clash,
providing the home side with the perfect opportunity to
clamber free from the relegation zone should results go
their way. Victory here, combined with Toulon going down at
Toulouse, would lift Castres up to 12th at least. The flip
side is that failure to capitalise on such a scenario could
prove massively costly. Castres could include new All Black
signing Chris Masoe if they can get his registration sorted
in time, just the sort of boost you’d like before
entertaining the bottom club.
Verdict: Castres win.
Bourgoin v Bayonne (15/11/08,
14.30)
Bayonne’s shock away win in the Basque derby
– their seventh victory of the season - should ensure they
travel full of confidence for the trip to 11th-placed
Bourgoin this weekend. AB have shown a willingness to get
stuck in and grind out results this year, a trait which has
lifted them to fourth and made them one of the hardest nuts
to crack in this season’s Top 14. Bourgoin away is just the
sort of fixture they’ve been nailing, and the home side will
need to dig deep to make sure they get anything out of this
one.
Verdict: Bayonne win.
Toulouse v Toulon (15/11/08,
14.30)
People have talked about Toulouse being
seriously weakened for this fixture – and it’s true they’ve
lost a virtual team of internationals – but, “seriously
weakened” is relative as they play host to a team on the
slide and apparently driven with internal conflict. This
“weak” Toulouse side will certainly feature an unfamiliar
name or two, but it will also include the likes of Freddie
Michalak and Byron Kelleher, so don’t go cryin no tears. And
who’s to say the likes of Alexandre Ducasse, Stephane
Clement, Ruslan Boukerou, Julien Reynaud or Nicolas Bezy
won’t go on to become household names. Toulon coach Tana
Umaga won’t mourn their inclusion but he knows Toulouse is
more than just a list if star names.
Verdict: Toulouse win.
Brive v Clermont (15/11/08,
16.30)
This is another tough game to call with two
more teams struggling with inconsistency. Brive may have
lost their last two away games but they were close in both
before going down narrowly in Bayonne and Toulouse. Now they
return home in preparation for a Clermont side buoyed by
their victory against Stade Francais last time out. Both
teams lose players to international duty, but Clermont have
been vulnerable on the road and Brive will fancy their
chances as they seek to climb from a disappointing 10th.
Verdict: Brive win.
Perpignan v Biarritz
(15/11/08, 20.30)
Perpignan are perfectly poised to capitalise
on others’ failures when they entertain Biarritz in the
Saturday evening match. Defeats for Stade Francais or
Toulouse would allow them to pounce, although Biarritz will
be desperate to bounce back after a home defeat to Bayonne
in the hotly contested Basque derby. The Catalans continue
to wait for Dan Carter, but their league form remains true
despite a raft of back line injuries.
Verdict: Perpignan win.
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