Without the internationals leaving to play the Six Nations, the French clubs are returning to the championship this weekend.
Defeated last weekend, Bordeaux-Bègles and Racing 92 will try to bounce back on Saturday and Sunday, during the 14th day of the Top 14, despite the absence of their internationals who are starting the Six Nations Tournament.
Beaten to the wire by the Stade Français in its lair of Chaban-Delmas, the UBB (2nd, 37 pts) will try to imitate the Parisians traveling to Toulon (5th, 36 pts), where the Varois are still undefeated in Top 14 this season.
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But for this second double weekend between the championship and the Six Nations Tournament, the Girondins will still be deprived of their three-quarter internationals. Maxime Lucu, Mathieu Jalibert, Yoram Moefana and Damian Penaud will start the match between France and Ireland on Friday evening in Marseille.
Opposite, Toulon will also have to deal with its share of absentees. The French Charles Ollivon and Esteban Abadie are with the French XV, while scrum-half Ben White will start with Scotland against Wales.
Racing 92 to keep the lead
Defeated by Stade Toulouse but still leader, Racing 92 (40 pts), also weakened by the absence of five internationals, will try to recover on the lawn of Perpignan (12th, 21 pts).
Against Lyon, Usap was able to count on the contribution of its powerful second line Posolo Tuilagi. But after Romain Taofifenua’s withdrawal, the 145 kg colossus was recalled by Fabien Galthié to take his place on the bench of the French XV against Ireland. It’s up to Ile-de-France residents to take advantage of it.
A derby for the seesaw
Opposed in a regional derby, Clermont (9th, 30 pts) and Lyon OU (11th, 24 pts) will have to win to take a further step towards their current objective: maintenance for the Rhone residents and qualifying places for the Auvergne.
Winners of only one of their last four matches, Castres (7th, 31 pts) and Pau (6th, 32 pts) will want to end their bad series on the pitch at the Hameau stadium to remain placed in the race for the final stages.
In the other meetings of the weekend, Stade Toulouse (4th, 36 pts) will host Bayonne (10th, 28 pts), Stade français (2nd, 37 pts) will travel to Oyonnax (13th, 21 pts) and La Rochelle ( 8th, 31 pts) will host Montpellier (14th and last, 20 pts).
