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Top 14 preview: Round 23

Thursday 22nd May 2008

It's crunch time for Biarritz and Montpellier

The battle for Heineken Cup qualification reaches fever pitch in round 23 as the four clubs in contention for the final spot - Biarritz, Montauban, Montpellier and Bayonne - go head to head.

The news of the week however is undoubtedly the French League's decision to retrograde Albi by a division for irregularities in their finances. It seems a very harsh penalty and if the Tarn club lose their appeal the sanction will translate into a lifeline for Dax.

The struggle to avoid relegation was set to be an intriguing three-way fight between Albi, Dax and Brive. Who will sink and who will swim now lies in the hands of the sports administrators rather than the players who sweat blood week in and week out. What a shame.

With four rounds remaining, Toulouse and Clermont are already guaranteed a semi-final spot. The leaders will now have to walk the fine line between conserving their strength and losing their winning form.

Both clubs are out to better a host of records: Clermont have already broken the record for consecutive victories and both teams are in line to better the previous record of six defeats in a season.

The focus of the week however will be on the middle of the table. Bayonne's trip to Montauban is a make or break voyage for their European aspirations. Montpellier are in a similar position as they try to turn the heat up on the flaying former champions, Biarritz.

Fixtures:

Friday May 23

Clermont Auvergne v Brive

Saturday May 24

Biarritz Olympique v Montpellier
Montauban v Bayonne
Bourgoin v Albi
Auch v Stade Français
Castres Olympique v Dax

Wednesday June 3

Perpignan v Stade Toulousain

Table after Round 22

1 Clermont Auvergne 85
2 Stade Toulousain 81
3 Stade Français 69
4 Perpignan 62
5 Castres Olympique 56
6 Biarritz Olympique 55
7 Montauban 50
8 Montpellier 48
9 Bayonne 47
10 Bourgoin 44
11 Brive 41
12 Albi 41
13 Dax 34
14 Auch 15

Previews:

Clermont Auvergne v Brive

The derby between Clermont and Brive will take place in front of a full house at Parc des sports Marcel-Michelin. Clermont can have no complaints about the support they've received this season, with most games selling out well before match day.

Already qualified for the semi-finals, one might have thought the leaders would lift their foot a little for a last few games. Not so. They've named an almost full strength team to face Brive, complete with departing Springbok captain John Smit who will leave for South Africa the very next day.

Smit will return for the semi-finals and possible final before returning for good to South Africa, where he will join one of the country's Super 14 franchises.

"The decision to return home was a terribly difficult one to make," Smit told the Clermont website.

"I'll always remember the passion of the Clermont fans. It's a privilege to feel the support of all those people in the club's yellow and blue colours behind you. But I haven't left yet and I'm counting on doing something special with the ASM at the end of the season."

The home side's other Springbok star will not take the field however. Centre Marius Joubert sprained his knee against Perpignan last Saturday and has been side-lined for at least a week.

Clermont won by just two points when the teams met in February and after outplaying Stade Français last Friday, Brive will be confident they can produce a similar close result.

In transfer news, Bourgoin lock Julien Pierre has signed a two-year deal with Clermont starting next season.

Venue: Parc des sports Marcel-Michelin
Kick-off: 20:30
Referee: Hervé Dubes
Touch judges: Jean-Christophe Clot, Christophe Malterre
Assessor: Claude Rouve, Michel Debet
Television match official: Vincent Azoulay

Biarritz Olympique v Montpellier

After losing their last four games, Biarritz need to get their act together - which will not be an easy task against a Montpellier side buoyed by victories over Toulouse and Bourgoin. Last weekend went perfectly for the Héraultais - at least as far as results are concerned anyway. With Montauban losing last week, Montpellier are just two points short of a spot in the Heineken Cup.

If the visitors to Aguilera on Saturday can come away with a few points in their next two games, Montauban's visit to Montpellier in the second last round could be decisive.

Biarritz's form has been in freefall for a few weeks now and they have gone from vying for the semi-finals to looking over their shoulders as their place in Europe is on the line. Luckily for the Basques, they play three of their remaining four games at home.

Considering that only Toulouse and Clermont have won at Aguilera this season, that seems like reassuring information for the hard-to-please Biarritz crowd.

The home side will be without French international Nicolas Brusque who has hurt his knee cartilage. Damien Traille however will be back after recovering from a thigh injury.

Toulouse fly-half Valentin Courrent has signed a two year deal with Biarritz as the Basques start their rebuilding phase without veteran stalwart Serge Betsen who is off to Wasps.

Venue: Parc des Sports d'Aguilera
Kick-off: 15:05
Referee: Eric Gauzins
Touch judges: Bruno Fiche, Claude Tajan
Assessor: Pascal Bouchet, Roger Duhau
Television match official: Daniel Gillet

Montauban v Bayonne

Bayonne's unbeaten run of four games has given them a sniff of the Heineken Cup, and they face the very team that occupies the seventh spot they are chasing on Saturday in Montauban.

Bayonne's victory over Castres last weekend confirmed the Basque side's good form and they can always count on captain Richard Dourthe's boot to keep them in the game as it did when Bayonne beat Montauban in 25-18 February, scoring 20 points.

However, playing at Sapiac is no pleasant task for any visiting side. Just ask heavyweights Biarritz and Perpignan, who were both scalped there in recent weeks. Toulouse remain the only club to have won at the green team's fortress.

Montauban have three homes games remaining and if their impressive form à domicile continues, they'll play in Europe's top competition for the first time in their history.

They have already started recruiting for next year and the Hurricane's 27-year-old full-back/wing Shannon Paku is their latest acquirement.

Bayonne have finally named their coaches for next season. Dax backs coach Jean-Philippe Coyola will team up with Blagnac coach Thierry Mentières who will take control of the Basque forwards. Reds tighthead prop Rodney 'Rodzilla' Blake signed a letter of agreement to join Bayonne on Wednesday.

Venue: Sapiac
Kick-off: 20:30
Referee: Bruno Bessot
Touch judges: Jean-Claude Bes, Didier Martinaud
Assessor: Daniel Pascal, Alain Fernandez
Television match official: Jean-Pierre Pellaprat

Bourgoin v Albi

Bourgoin have little left to play for this season. Any threat of relegation already has been quelled and a place in Europe seems a highly unlikely prospect.

Losing in Montpellier last week meant that CSBJ are six points off the pace in the chase for seventh place and with matches away to Biarritz and Toulouse still on the menu, the team in sky blue can say au revoir to the Heineken Cup.

Scrum-half Morgan Parra is having sweet and sour season. He has been named as captain of the French U20 squad for the World cup in Wales while his club side's season slowly falls to pieces.

Albi have it all to play for, though their morale must be pretty low. The League's decision to dump them down one division must have been an almighty blow to a squad that has fought gallantly to keep their heads above water, winning three of their last five games.

If their appeal fails all their efforts will serve only to seem play in the ProD2. If, however, the end of the season does not smile on them, relegation will mean move moving down two divisions and into the amateur ranks.

Albi were 33-8 winners the last time the teams met, so the hosts will have a tough task on their hands on Saturday.

Venue: Pierre-Rajon
Kick-off: 20:30
Referee: Pascale Gauzere
Touch judges: Frédéric Gourgues, Eric Briquet Campin
Assessor: Jean Izquierdo, Yves Bressy
Television match official: Gérard Borreani

Auch v Stade Français

Stade Français left Brive red faced last week and will be out to make amends against lowly Auch.

Sylvain Marconnet could make a comeback after a three week absence to bolster the Parisian pack that was quite frankly bullied in Brive. A decision regarding his fitness will be taken at the last minute.

Fabien Galthié has recalled some big guns that were rested or injured last week, notably Juan Martin Hernandez and Jérôme Fillol who has recovered from the injury that kept him out of the starting XV at the last minutes last Friday.

After being promoted form the ProD2 last year, Auch have won just twice this season, but pushed Stade very close when they lost 15-12 in Paris earlier this year. Don't expect a third win this weekend, but the defending champions could be ripe for the picking if they don't sort their pack out.

Venue: Stade du Moulias
Kick-off: 20:30
Referee: Akim Hadj Bachir
Touch judges: Gérard Gacon, Régis Gabard
Assessor: Patrick Costa, Henri Lalanne
Television match official: Daniel Irazoqui

Castres Olympique v Dax

The team to benefit most form Albi's relegation will be Dax, who were on course to go down themselves. Dax president Gilbert Ponteins very diplomatically said during the week that they "are not getting over-excited. We're going to concentrate on our sporting task at hand and do our best on the field."

No doubt behind closed doors their was far more excitement and holding of thumbs as Albi's appeal could see Dax take the plunge. Whether they play in the Top 14 or ProD2, Dax will have a new fly-half in the form of Maxime Petitjean. The 24-year-old Brive prospect has signed a two year contract.

The Landais are up against the season's surprise package. Castres are still in with a shout for a semi-final spot and a bonus point win this weekend is imperative if they are to keep those hopes alive. They were easy 17-8 winners in the away fixture and will be looking to do even better on Saturday.

Venue: Pierre-Antoine
Kick-off: 20:30
Referee: Didier Mene
Touch judges: Gines Cerezuela, Bernard Vals
Assessor: Jean-Claude Legendre, Marc Daroque
Television match official: Serge Marzullo

Perpignan v Stade Toulousain

Perpignan will be seeking revenge for the 44-15 pasting they took in Toulouse in February when they host the Heineken Cup finalists in Round 23's delayed fixture.

The future of Springbok full-back Percy Montgomery is still up in the air. Perpignan have confirmed that we will be back on June 16, after doing duty for the World Champions against Wales, in time for the Top 14 semi-finals, hence missing the Test against Italy.

How long he will remain at the club after that remains uncertain as he has been linked with a return to Cape Town and the Stormers. After tearing knee ligaments against Clermont, Perpignan lock Yohan Vivalda is facing a six to eight month layoff.

Salvatore Perugini has extended his contract with Toulouse until 2011 while the return of Fréd Michalak has forced Valentin Courrent to pack his bags for Biarritz.

Date: Wednesday June 3
Venue: Aimé Giral
Kick-off: 21:00