Top 14 - Round 20 Preview: Time running out
as the spectre of relegation looms large
13 March 2009
It may
be the annual cross-Channel rugby battle this weekend – as
‘Les Bleus’ take on ‘Les Rosbifs’ at Twickenham – but Top 14
ploughs on regardless, with round 20 offering another
opportunity for upsets given the number of players away on
international duty.
Leaders
Stade Toulousain will be keen to bounce back from last
week’s Catalan mauling, but a home game against battling
Castres may not be the predictable five-pointer it would
have been without international absentees.
Second-placed Stade Francais, likewise, will have a plethora
of first-choice players unavailable for their testing trip
to the Stade Sapiac to take on Montauban.
That
could pave the way for Perpignan to build on last week’s
convincing victory over Toulouse – although they will have
to overcome a revived Toulon side still fighting for their
Top 14 survival.
Top 14 table
The
spectre of relegation has hung over basement club
Mont-de-Marsan all season and they surely must record a home
win against play-off chasing Brive if they are to harbour
serious hopes of remaining at the top table.
Bourgoin
also need to start picking up points to ensure against
relegation, but a trip to Clermont Auvergne looks ominous
for their hopes this weekend, while Dax’s seven-match losing
streak faces further extension with a visit to Bayonne’s
Jean Dauger – where the division’s fifth-placed team have
yet to lose so far this season.
Montauban v Stade Francais,
Stade Sapiac, 13/03/09, 20.35
Montauban go into tonight’s game looking to bounce back
after successive away defeats (at Castres and Stade
Toulousain), and the visit of second-placed Stade Francais
could be perfectly timed. The capital’s giants lost 26-11 at
Brive when they were handicapped by international absentees
two weeks ago, and this time around they will also have to
contend without the injured duo of Juan-Martin Hernandez and
Pascal Pape, as well as the suspended David Attoub.
Montauban, by contrast, welcome back their captain and
future coach Marc Raynaud, as well as Vilimoni Delasau and
Rida Jahouer, both away on sevens duty last weekend. Stade’s
Lionel Beauxis is available, and recent recruit Agustin
Pichot could make his (second) debut for the men in pink
after being named among the subs.
Verdict: Montauban win
Toulon v Perpignan, Stade
Mayol, 14/03/09, 14.30
Confidence shouldn’t be a problem for Perpignan after their
32-8 downing of champions Stade Toulousain last week, but
Toulon have shown greater cohesion of late and go into this
match having taken 12 points from their last four games.
Player-coach Tana Umaga is still sidelined, and the lack of
a reliable goal-kicker remains a problem – hence the
confirmed summer signing of Leinster’s Felipe Contepomi –
but there’s no doubting the renewed spirit within the camp.
South African Joe van Niekerk continues to lead
impressively, Sonny Bill Williams appears to be improving
with each game and the Stade Felix Mayol remains a tough
venue to visit. But, having said all that, Perpignan have
only lost two of their last 13 league games and know another
five points here could see them claim top spot by the end of
the weekend.
Verdict: Perpignan win
Mont-de-Marsan v Brive, Guy
Boniface, 14/03/09, 14.30
Time is
rapidly running out for basement club Mont-de-Marsan to make
their move, and memories of their 53-11 hammering at Brive –
their biggest defeat of the season – will hardly prove
inspirational. Until last week their recent form had been
combative – even if they were losing – but a 33-6 humbling
at troubled Montpellier hinted at battle fatigue beginning
to set in. Brive, by contrast, travel with confidence after
just one league defeat in 10, although they will have to
make do without two fly-halves as Andy Goode (England) and
Luciano Orquera (Italy) are both in international duty.
Verdict: Brive win
Clermont v Bourgoin,
14/03/09, 14.30
This is
a vital game for both sides, although for contrasting
reasons as Clermont seek to consolidate fourth place while
Bourgoin need points to avoid the relegation zone. Les
Jaunards have only lost once at the Marcel Michelin this
season – to Montauban – and will be desperate for a win
after last week’s defeat at Biarritz – their eighth of the
season. Bourgoin, meanwhile, are just three points clear of
13th-placed Dax and remain vulnerable after two
successive losses. A defensive bonus point would be
considered a success, but Clermont have passed 40 points in
each of their last three home games. Fly-half Brock James
goes into the match on an amazing run of 29 consecutive
successful goal kicks in the league.
Verdict: Clermont win
Bayonne v Dax, Jean Dauger,
14/03/09, 14.30
If Brive
are currently Top 14’s form side – on results alone – then
Dax are its fall guys. Thomas Lièvremont's men have now lost
seven consecutive league matches and are in such freefall
that Pro D2 seems just a missed tackle away. And yet,
Bourgoin (three points ahead), Toulon (five) and Castres
(six) are all within reach if they can somehow halt their
inexorable slide. But not this week. Bayonne remain unbeaten
at the Jean Dauger in Top 14 and need the points themselves
to continue their push for Heineken Cup qualification. Last
week they lost fifth place to Brive and a win is essential
to stave off the emerging threat from re-born Biarritz.
Verdict: Bayonne win
Toulouse v Castres, Ernest
Wallon, 14/03/09, 16.30
The Top
14 leaders and defending champions have stuttered of late,
and will be further taxed on Saturday by another raft of
international absentees. News that Byron Kelleher is back in
training is a welcome boost but Frederic Michalak will have
to continue at No 9 for the time being with Jean-Baptiste
Elissalde also sidelined by injury. International discards
Clement Poitrenaud, Benoit Lecouls and Vincent Clerc ensure
Stade continue to carry players of the utmost quality, and
Castres will have to make do without their own international
duo of Lionel Nallet and Sebastien Tillous-Borde. The
visitors may go in with the better recent record – one loss
in four compared to Toulouse’s two – but Guy Noves’ team
know they can’t afford any slip-ups at home after last
week’s drubbing at Perpignan.
Verdict: Stade Toulousain win
Montpellier v Biarritz, Yves
Du Manoir, 14/03/09, 20.35
The
final game of the weekend offers an intriguing match up
between coastal rivals Montpellier and Biarritz. The hosts
will be buoyed after trouncing Mont-de-Marsan 33-6 last
weekend as they finally halted a depressing run of six
league defeats in eight, but was that result a blip or
really the beginning of a brighter post-Didier Nourault
future? Biarritz are bound to test their resolve after four
wins in five, and the players will be keen to give president
Serge Blanco a boost after the French legend underwent minor
heart surgery this week. The ever impressive Imanol
Harinordoquy will be missed but American speedster Takudzwa
Ngwenya is back from sevens duty with the US.
Verdict: Biarritz win
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