hearty menu for Bordeaux-Bègles and Toulouse
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Paris (AFP)- Placed between the European competitions and the start of the Six Nations Tournament, with teams weakened by absences, the 16th day of the Top 14 will still look good with the highly anticipated shocks of UBB-Castres and Toulouse-Racing 92 Saturday.
. Injured, “covids” and company
The 4th day of the European Cup, if it ended with excellent performances for the French clubs (seven out of eight qualified for the round of 16), left its mark on the organizations. Starting with the back of MHR Anthony Bouthier, hit in an ankle against Exeter.
And when it’s not the injuries, it’s the Covid-19 which continues to decimate the teams: not selected for the preparation course of the Blues, the Toulousains Antoine Dupont, Anthony Jelonch, François Cros and Romain Ntamack, positive the last week, should be back to welcome Racing 92… before joining the XV of France.
The clubs concerned will also have to get used to it because, with all the matches postponed due to the pandemic since the end of December, eight Top 14 dates are scheduled during the Tournament (February 5 – March 19).
. UBB – Castres: the leader welcomes the third
At the top of the ranking since the beginning of December, the UBB (1st, 50 pts), affected by cases of Covid-19 which had forced it to forfeit the European Cup, recover some of the “covids” but will have to do without their international Maxime Lucu, Yoram Moefana, Cameron Woki or Federico Mori. Or, facing the CO (3rd, 41 pts), which remains on a defeat conceded on the wire (36-33) against the Harlequins, it will not be a question of slowing down.
The Castres, solid third in the Top 14, tied on points with Toulouse but with two more games, dream of bringing down their pet peeve.
. French stadium – Toulon: tribute to “Domi”
Emotions to Jean-Bouin. A year and a half after the tragic death of the former international winger of the two clubs, Stade Français (10th, 27 pts) and Toulon (12th, 22 pts) will bring into play the first “Christophe Dominici trophy”.
In the first leg, the Varois won 38-5. The Parisians therefore have 33 points to make up for the trophy given in tribute to the one everyone called “Domi”. And the RCT pulled out all the stops by spending the week on stage at INSEP before treating itself to a relaxing evening in a restaurant in the center of the capital. The Soldats Roses have shown incredible collective strength to snatch European qualification from Connacht. It is up to them to continue on this path.
. Toulouse – Racing 92: back on the pitch
Almost two weeks that they have not played. Toulouse and Racing 92, whose last match dates back to January 15, find the grounds of the Top 14 for an XXL fight between ambitious with long teeth.
On the right side of the ring, Stade Toulousain (2nd, 41 pts), defending champion, has only played two games in the last seven weeks. Star Antoine Dupont, injured then tested positive, has not played since mid-December. He should return on Sunday … before taking off for the South of France, where the Blues are preparing for the Tournament.
“Whether there is Pierre, Paul or Jacques… We know this Toulouse team. We are not going to worry about Toulouse, we will above all remain focused on Racing. Afterwards, I am not worried, there will have a very good team from Toulouse opposite”, a temperate Laurent Travers. manager of Racing 92 (8th, 30 pts).
In the other matches of the day, Perpignan (11th, 23 pts) will intend to launch its complicated month of February, which begins with Lyon (5th, 40 pts) before Toulouse, Toulon, Clermont and Racing 92. Finally, La Rochelle (6th , 36 pts) will confirm its good form of the moment against Montpellier (4th, 40 pts) while Brive (13th, 22 pts) will want to recover in “the shock of cancers” against Biarritz (14th, 20 pts). Woe to the vanquished.
© 2022 AFP
