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Top 14 - Round 21 Preview: Heavyweight clash
dominates weekend fixtures in France
27 March 2009
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A tale of two Stades: Toulousain and Francais
Photos: Michael Paler |
Full focus is back on Top 14 this weekend after the
conclusion of the RBS Six Nations, and what a line-up there
is with the two mighty Stades – Toulousain and Francais –
going head-to-head down in the southwest on Sunday.
The two giants of
French rugby have claimed 12 of the last 15 league titles –
Stade Toulousain in 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2001 and
2008; Stade Francais in 1998, 2000, 2003, 2004 and 2007 -
and both will be keen to claim psychological advantage ahead
of this season’s play-offs, which both are virtually
guaranteed to feature in.
Stade Francais’ extra
incentive – if any were needed – is revenge for their 26-13
defeat by their fiercest rivals at the Stade de France back
in October, a loss which ended their nine-match winning
streak at the start of the season.
Such a massive fixture
has inevitably dominated the week’s build-up, but in truth
there are several other matches which carry more immediate
importance for the teams involved – and no more so than
Brive’s home clash with Bayonne.
Top 14 Table
/ Top 14 Fixtures
Fifth-placed Brive are
the league’s in-form team – on a strictly results-based
analysis – and they go into this match against sixth-placed
Bayonne knowing the loser can basically write off their
hopes of reaching the end of season play-offs. Just one
point separates the two sides at present, and a win would
keep the pressure on fourth-placed Clermont Auvergne – who
face a tricky trip to Montauban. Defeat, on the other hand,
could be terminal in their respective quests for the
ultimate honour – a place in the play-off final.
The other games
attracting fervoured interest feature the sides battling it
out to avoid the dreaded drop to ProD2, with just nine
points separating the bottom five teams (and only five
between 10th-placed Castres and 13th-placed
Dax).
The latter are on an
eight-match losing run and entertain high-flying Perpignan -
currently second - at the Stade Maurice Boyau, while
basement club Mont-de-Marsan travel to face a Biarritz team
still harbouring ambitions of Heineken Cup qualification.
Defeat for Dax and
Mont-de-Marsan – a likely scenario – would further deepen
the gloom at both clubs, especially with Castres and Toulon
coming face-to-face at Stade Pierre Antoine tonight
(Friday).
The two clubs are
currently tied on 33 points and victory for either would be
a massive boost for their own survival hopes. Both have
shown an upturn in form of late and it is bound to be a
match for the committed.
The fifth team in the
relegation shake-up is Bourgoin – a traditional stronghold
of French club rugby now facing up to the prospect of
following the likes of Agen, Pau and Beziers down into
ProD2. They play host to a Montpellier team which has won
both of its fixtures since sacking long-term head coach
Didier Nourault.
With all that going on
it promises to be a tense, tetchy and titanic weekend for
the country’s Top 14 sides. With only six more rounds to go
(including this weekend) every point accrued or lost will be
crucial. Truly mouth-watering stuff as the season draws to a
climactic finale.
Castres v Toulon (Stade Pierre Antoine, 27/03/09, 20.35)
The weekend’s opening
match promises to be a bruising encounter as the two teams
tied in 10th spot vie for a win that would lift
them significantly clear of the drop zone. Both fell to
defeats last time out, although Toulon’s heartbreak was
deeper as they went down 29-32 to Perpignan courtesy of a
last-minute David Mele drop goal. Player-coach Tana Umaga –
who named himself in the squad – will be desperate to make
amends at Castres, and has the added bonus of a fit-again
Jerry Collins back in his ranks for the first time since
mid-January. Both are set to start on the bench. Ross Skeate, Orene Ai’i and Mafileo Kefu all
miss out due to injuries though. Castres welcome back their
two French internationals, although skipper Lionel Nallet
was spared training until Thursday after his Six Nations
exertions, while scrum-half Sebastien Tillous-Borde remains
doubtful due to his bicep injury.
Verdict: Toulon win
Dax
v Perpignan (Maurice Boyau, 28/03/09, 14.30)
Second-placed Perpignan
travel to relegation-threatened Dax with form very much on
their side after just one league defeat since mid-November –
and that at fortress Bayonne. They have successfully
overcome the loss of innumerable players to injury –
including All Black flay-half Dan Carter – and victory here
would see them claim top spot if Stade Toulousain fail to
beat Stade Francais. Their nail-biting 32-29 win at Toulon
last time out may have owed something to fortune, but the
Catalans will point to their bulging infirmary should anyone
accuse them of luck. Dax, on the other hand, haven’t won in
the league since a 13-6 away victory at Toulon four months
ago, and go into Saturday’s clash on the back of a miserable
run of eight successive defeats. Their last home win was way
back on November 1st (against Bourgoin) and
Thomas Lièvremont's side appear destined for ProD2 rugby
next season after taking just three out of the last 40
points on offer. Lièvremont's brother (and captain) Matthew
remains doubtful with an injured back, but winger Laurent
Marticorena should make his comeback.
Verdict: Perpignan win
Bourgoin v
Montpellier (Pierre Rajon, 28/03/09, 14.30)
Differing aims dominate
this fixture too, with Bourgoin battling for their Top 14
survival while Montpellier seek a third successive win to
keep them in touch with the race for Heineken Cup
qualification. The hosts have to go back to January for
their last league win – a 25-15 home victory over Montauban
– but at least they have French international Morgan Parra
back in their team for this match. The visitors are also
bolstered by the return of internationals – in the shape of
Louis Picamoles, Francois Trinh-Duc and Fulgence Ouedraogo -
and they will be keen to make amends for their 19-12 home
defeat by Bourgoin back in October. Successive home wins
against Mont-de-Marsan (33-6) and Biarritz (12-9) have given
them renewed confidence following the dismissal of Didier
Nourault, and the return of Federico Todeschini (to the
bench) after a four-and-a-half-month lay-off will also be
welcomed. English centre Ollie Smith is in the starting XV.
Verdict: Montpellier win
Montauban v Clermont
(Stade Sapiac, 28/03/09, 14.30)
They say familiarity
breeds contempt, but the fourth meeting between this pair is
likely to be a tense and close-fought affair at the Stade
Sapiac. Clermont won both Heineken Cup fixtures against the
green and blacks but Montauban gained a shock 30-25 league
win at the Stade Marcel Michelin in between – Clermont’s
only home reverse of the season. Les Jaunards have been in
free-scoring form of late, racking up 171 points in their
last five league games, and fly-half Brock James continues
on an amazing run that hasn’t seen him miss a place kick
since Christ’s resurrection – or something like that.
Victory here would keep Brive at arm’s length in the race to
secure the fourth play-off berth, but Montauban are a tough
nut to crack at home – with only Stade Toulousain and
Perpignan having triumphed there this season. Stade Francais
were downed 22-16 in their last home game, but I fancy
James’ kicking to make the difference in what could be
another incredibly tight match.
Verdict: Clermont to win
Biarritz v
Mont-de-Marsan (Sports Aguilera, 28/03/09, 14.30)
Both these two go intro
Saturday’s match on the back of narrow defeats – Biarritz
losing 12-9 at Montpellier and Mont-de-Marsan going down
18-16 at home to Brive – but momentum definitely favours the
hosts. The Basques will be grateful for the return of Imanol
Harinordoquy, Fabien Barcella and Damien Traille after their
exploits with Les Bleus, and Dimitri Yachvili’s impressive
recent form – despite being knocked out against Montpellier
– could also be key. Basement club Mont-de-Marsan refuse to
concede that relegation is a certainty, but they have to go
back to January 3rd for their last league win and
are now six points shy of 12th-placed Bourgoin.
They will also have unpleasant memories from being thumped
33-6 at home when these two sides met earlier in the season.
At least they will have winger (and place-kicker) Jean-Marc
Mazzonetto back in their line-up following injury.
Verdict: Biarritz win
Brive v Bayonne
(Stade Amédée Domenech, 28/03/09, 16.30)
Former England winger
Ben Cohen may be on his way out – destination Sale Sharks –
but the ever-swelling British enclave at Brive continue to
forge a side that is seriously challenging for honours this
season after a torrid start to their 2008/9 campaign.
Les
Corrèziens were win-less and bottom of the table after five
rounds, but now find themselves vying for fourth place after
a run of just one defeat in their last 11 league games. Andy
Goode’s boot has been instrumental in that success and
coaches Christophe Laussucq and Ugo Mola have been rewarded
with contract extensions. Victory against sixth-placed
Bayonne – just one point below them – would be another
massive result, especially with Stade Toulousain and
Clermont Auvergne next up as the season draws to its end.
The injury-enforced absences of Antoine Claassen, Alexis
Palisson, Barry Davies and Luciano Orquera will be a blow
and Bayonne coach Jean-Philippe Coyola has tried to lift the
pressure on his players by asking them to “sparkle and
enjoy”. Indeed, Coyola was in prosaic mood this week as he
praised Brive – “it is a team with many internationals in
its ranks and has considerable advantages, both
quantitatively and qualitatively” – and appeared to be ready
for a chess-like encounter when he added: “From a strategic
and tactical view it’s going to be a very interesting
match”. Bayonne have won at the Stade Amédée Domenech in the
last two seasons, but the closeness of the encounters – 6-9
and 21-22 – is likely to be true again. Bayonne will
be without injured South African fly-half Louis Strydom.
Verdict: Brive win
Stade Toulousain v
Stade Francais (Stade Municipal, 29/03/09, 20.45)
Last, but not
least, we come to the face-off between the pride of the
south-west – Stade Toulousain – and their flamboyant
Parisian upstarts – Stade Francais. Much has been said in
the press this week, from both sides, about this is not
really an important match in terms of deciding the
Championship – so expect a full-blooded and physical
encounter as the league’s tightest defence (Toulouse)
entertains its most potent attacking force (Francais). Home
coach Guy Noves maintains that the Heineken Cup
quarter-final against Cardiff Blues on April 11 remains his
top priority, but local pride will ensure no-one walks at
the Stade Municipal with anything other than total
commitment. There are too many individual battles to
highlight, although that between discarded French fly-halves
David Skrela and Lionel Beauxis is bound to be one of the
crucial match-ups - although Skrela's participation is still
in doubt due to a training ground injury to his knee this
week. Argentine scrum-half Agustin Pichot is
set to get his first start since re-signing for Stade
Francais, but the absence of Juan-Martin Hernandez and
Pascal Pape is a continued blow. Stade Toulousain also have
players out with injury – most notably Byron Kelleher and
Maleli Kunavore – but their strength in depth is superior to
Ewen McKenzie’s team at present. Memories of Stade
Toulousain’s 26-13 win at the Stade de France in October are
still etched firmly on both sets of players’ minds, and talk
of revenge has been in the air all week. Defeat here would
be less mortal to the hosts than the visitors, especially
with Clermont Auvergne next up for Stade Francais – but I
expect another triumph for the rouge et noir of the
defending Top 14 champions.
Verdict: Stade Toulousain win
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