Top 14 - Round 14 Preview
01 January 2009
So, the
run-in starts here. New Year, new hopes, same old story at
the top and bottom of the league. Toulouse, as one would
expect, head Top 14 with a three-point cushion over nearest
rivals Stade Francais, while Mont-de-Marsan bring up the
rear having won just three out of 13 games so far this
season.
That
much was predictable, but in between there’s been a
catalogue of surprises with the Basque clubs Biarritz and
Bayonne featuring heavily for contrasting reasons.
Bayonne
have far exceeded expectations to turn around for the second
half of the season in fourth, while Biarritz and have so
woefully underperformed that they have now been dragged into
an unforeseen relegation battle on the back of five
successive league defeats. This week they travel to Bourgoin
for a must-win match that could define the rest of the
season for both clubs.
The
plight of Castres has been the other major story of the
season, with the team that finished fifth last year now
staring at the very real possibility of dropping down to Pro
D2.
Their
home form has been their real problem, losing five out of
seven and conceding more points (140) than any other club,
but this weekend they travel to Bayonne hoping to turn
around a disastrous first half to the campaign. The news
that captain Lionel Nallet is in discussions with
Montpellier won’t have helped team morale either.
Elsewhere, Stade Francais and Toulouse look nailed on for
home wins (against Dax and Montpellier respectively), while
the intriguing match up between in-form Brive and
third-placed Perpignan could be the match of the weekend.
Welcome
to 2009. Enjoy.
Bayonne v Castres (20.35, 02/01/09,
Stade Jean Dauger)
Fourth-placed Bayonne were the surprise package of the first
half of the season and go into this match as one of only two
sides (Toulouse being the other) still boasting a 100% home
win record. They may have lost ground on the leaders after
successive away defeats – to Toulouse and Stade Francais –
but they should still prove way too strong for relegation
threatened Castres. The visitors have only won once on the
road all season and it’s difficult to see them turning that
around at fortress Stade Jean Dauger. Want-away captain
Lionel Nallet – subject of a contract offer from Montpellier
– is doubtful after injuring his back in training, but the
visitors could be buoyed by the returns of full-back Romain
Teulet, hooker Romain Terrain and Alexandre Bias.
Samoan-born centre Afeleke Pelenise, signed as a replacement
for the injured Brad Fleming, could also make his Top 14
debut. But New Zealand fly-half Cameron McIntyre and South
African back row Daron Neill are definite absentees.
Bayonne are also likely to be without Australian fly-half
Manny Edmonds – who returned from a Christmas break with
bronchitis – with Daniel Larrechea set to deputise. Fijian
wing Filimone Bolavucu will have a late fitness test after
going down with flu, while there are also concerns over
hooker David Roumieu.
Verdict: Bayonne win
Stade Francais v Dax (14.30, 03/01/09,
Stade Jean Bouin)
The
early-season pacesetters scuffed their lines somewhat
towards the end of 2008 and the continued loss of fly-half
Lionel Beauxis has hit them hard. Opponents appear to be
better prepared now for their powerful but limited game
plan, but a home match against lowly Dax should ease the
Paris club gently into the New Year. Their double Heineken
Cup loss to Harlequins still rankles, but Stade smashed
Bayonne 35-8 in their last league outing, with human
battering ram Matthieu Bastareaud continuing to make an
impression – in more ways than one. David Auradou, injured
in pre-season, has resumed training after a lengthy lay-off
following an operation on a dislocated left shoulder. Dax
prop Julien Brugnaut is doubtful after injuring his left
knee in training.
Verdict: Stade Francais win
Clermont v Toulon (14.30,
03/01/09, Parc des Sports Marcel Michelin)
Clermont’s woeful away form (five defeats from seven) has
been the bug in the ointment this season for France’s
perennial bridesmaids, but a home game against teetering
Toulon shouldn’t present too many problems. International
back Benoit Baby, who signed a contract extension this week,
has been ruled out with a shoulder injury, together with
back row Fabien Alexandre.
Tana Umaga’s Toulon have only been spared a relegation slot
so far by the inadequacies of those below them (Castres and
Mont-de-Marsan), but an away record of six defeats from six
looks unlikely to be improved at the Parc des Sports Marcel
Michelin. Umaga will no doubt try to recall the spirit of
the opening day, when Toulon surprised Clermont with a 22-16
home win, but a torrent of water has gone under a multitude
of bridges since then. Indeed, they have only won two of
their subsequent 12 matches. They will be hoping that
Mafileo Kefu and Jerry Collins have both recovered from the
gastroenteritis which sidelined them from training earlier
in the week.
Verdict: Clermont win
Mont-de-Marsan v Montauban (14.30,
03/01/09, Stade Guy Boniface)
Mid-table Montauban will be hoping to add to their solitary
away win when they travel to basement club Mont-de-Marsan,
but the hosts will take heart from victories in their last
two home games (12-6 v Dax and 12-11 v Clermont). Another
home win here would really put the cat among the relegation
pigeons, especially if Castres and Toulon both lose. Pro D2
seemed Les Montois’ inevitable destination midway through
November, but the gap to Castres has now been cut to just
four points, with both Bourgoin and Toulon a mere solitary
point further ahead. They are boosted by the return of
winger Damien Cler, who has been out with a calf injury
since mid-December.
Financial concerns continue to dog Montauban off the pitch,
with the club requesting extra time from the DNACG to find
the €1.2m required before an initial deadline of December
27. The club has already collected €900,000 and is hoping to
amass the remaining €300,000 before a general assembly on
January 16.
Verdict: Mont-de-Marsan win
Bourgoin v Biarritz (14.30, 03/01/09,
Stade Pierre Rajon)
Eleventh
versus ninth may not sound like the most attractive fixture
but this is an absolutely crucial game for both sides.
Biarritz travel to the Stade Pierre Rajon on the back of
five successive league defeats (seven in total including the
Heineken Cup) and remarkably seeking their first win since
October 25. The pre-season hopes of a top seven finish have
all but vanished, with discord in the camp and Serge Blanco
threatening wage reductions and contract terminations. To
add to their woes their totem Imanol Harinordoquy remains
sidelined after surgery. Bourgoin are hardly in a position
of strength either, and have bizarrely won more on the road
(twice) than at home (once).
Verdict: Bourgoin win
Toulouse v Montpellier (16.30,
03/01/09, Stade Ernest Wallon)
Eighth-placed Montpellier have a decent away record this
season – three wins from six – but any which way you look at
this fixture it has ‘Toulouse victory’ written all over it.
The leaders and defending champions are currently on a run
of nine successive league wins – 13 in total including the
Heineken Cup – and still have a 100% success rate at home.
They have also scored more points (311) and conceded less
(178) than anyone else so far this season, and have a galaxy
of stars at Guy Noves’ disposal. Vincent Clerc continues his
comeback from knee surgery looking for his first try since
April and Jean-Baptiste Elissalde could feature after
recovering from a fractured finger. Manu Ahotaeiloa and
David Skrela also returned to training this week and could
play in front of yet another full house at the Ernest
Wallon. But Toulouse captain Jean Bouilhou has warned
against complacency. “This is a match which could be very
dangerous for us,” he said in the French press this week.
Montpellier, who have confirmed their interest in signing
French locks Lionel Nallet and Sebastien Chabal, will take
inspiration from their opening day home win against
Toulouse. Ex All Blacks scrum half Justin Marshall could
feature against his former rival Byron Kelleher.
Verdict: Toulouse win
Brive v Perpignan (20.45,
04/01/09, Stade Amédée Domenech)
The Dan
Carter show rolls into Brive for its third episode on Sunday
night, and it could be the All Black superstar’s toughest
assignment yet in a Catalan shirt. Not many would have
predicted that five weeks into the season, when Brive were
struggling at the foot of the table after an unbalanced
fixture calendar sent them away from home in four of their
opening five games. Now, however, it’s payback time with the
fixtures reversed and Les Correziens set for four out of
five at home. What’s more, they go into this game backed by
six consecutive victories (four in the league) and brimming
with the confidence one might expect of a side that is now
within striking distance of a play-off slot. Perpignan, on
the other hand, need a fifth away win to keep them in touch
with the top two. Carter will be up against Andy Goode, the
league's top scorer and in fine form of late. Could be the
match of the weekend.
Verdict: Brive win
|
