Top 14: Stade Français and Racing in the fight for the leadership position

Small surprise, Stade Français is first in class before this 15th day. The Parisian club leads the way but its pursuers are grouped together in a pocket handkerchief. Toulouse and Bordeaux-Bègles have the same number of points as the capital team and Racing 92, fourth, follows only one length behind. Suffice to say that the cards can be reshuffled from this Saturday when the four teams will play at home, at the same time (5 p.m.): Stade Français against Perpignan, Toulouse against Oyonnax, Bordeaux-Bègles against Pau and Racing against Montpellier .

The Parisians, deprived of their captain Paul Gabrillagues, who is part of the list of players protected by the XV of France in view of the reception of Italy on Sunday February 25 in Villeneuve-d’Ascq, start favorites against the Catalans but he They will undoubtedly need to obtain an offensive bonus to maintain their place on the throne. Léo Barré will be a replacement while opposite Posolo Tuilagi, the new attraction of the Blues, will be lined up in the second line within the Perpignan pack. “We are leaders but we are vengeful because it has been a long time since we had a good match in front of our audience at the Jean-Bouin stadium,” says Parisians manager Karim Ghezal.

On the Racing side, the absentees risk weighing heavily. The Ile-de-France club will be deprived of its hinge Nolann Le Garrec – Antoine Gibert, its center and captain Gaël Fickou and its second line Cameron Woki, also preserved for France – Italy. Jordan Joseph, the double world champion in the under-20 category, who has been absent since January 6, will, however, make his return to the third center line. “I would have liked to have been able to continue because I had had a good start to the season,” explains the latter. But I had a fracture in one rib and then another in the sternum. They’re not big injuries but they’re annoying. »

The teams

French Stadium: Hamdaoui – Marchant, Ward (cap.), Delbouis, Etienne – (o) Henry, (m) Kockott – Briatte, Habel-Küffner, Hirigoyen – Halaifonua, Azagoh – P. Or Emile, Ivaldi, M. Or Emile . . . . Entr. : Labit and Ghezal.

Perpignan : Dupichot – Dubois, Duguivalu, Naqalevu, Acebes (cap.) – (o) Allan, (m) Deghmache – Sobela, Fa’Aso’o, Brazo – Tuilagi, Orie – Roelofse, Lam, Chiocci. Entr. : Azéma.

Racing 92: Spring – Arundell, Klemenczak, Tabuavou, Naituvi – (o) Tedder, (m) Le Bail – Kolisi (capt.), Joseph, Lauret – Rowlands, Palu – Laclayat, Tarrit, Kolingar. entrance : Lancaster.

Montpellier: De Nardi – Ngandebe, Darmon, Cadot, Lam – (o) Carbonel, (m) Reinach – Nouchi, Tauleigne, Camara (cap.) – Duguid, Verhaeghe – Macharashvili, Paenga-Amosa, Erdocio. Entr. : Collazo.