Top 14 Round 12: Preview
The Parisian derby is the pick of the weekend's Top 14 action as Stade Francais play host to Racing Metro on Saturday.
Last Updated: 02/12/11 5:09pm
The Parisian derby is the pick of the weekend's Top 14 action as Stade Francais play host to Racing Metro on Saturday.
Just four points separate the two rivals in the standings, with Stade Français finally finding some form after a turbulent.
Victories over Perpignan and Clermont have come either side of their comfortable outings in the Amlin Challenge Cup.
Racing, though, will also have a spring in their step following their win over Biarritz last week. This capital derby is set to excite in the backline and none more so than in the 13 channel where Paul Williams and Henry Chavancy collide.
Bordeaux-Begles and Brive get the Round 12 action underway on Friday with the hosts are boosted by the availability of No.8 Justin Puril and veteran Bruce Reihana.
And Bordeaux know that victory with a bonus-point, combined with denying their visitors anything from Stade André Moga, would see them leap above Brive.
Hungry
However, Brive will have gained confidence from their 9-9 result at home to Top 14 leaders Toulouse last weekend and go into this one as slight favourites.
Leaders Toulouse face the biggest test of their title credentials when they tackle Toulon.
Toulon's most recent outing was a 22-22 result at third-placed Castres and with a game in hand on their play-off rivals, they will be hungry to make their advantage count at Stade Ernest-Wallon.
Toulouse, though, are blessed with an unbelievable amount of quality and can pick Yannick Jauzion alongside Florian Fritz or stick with the same midfield duo of last week's draw at Brive, Luke McAlister and Yann David.
Clermont will look to bounce back from their defeat to Montpellier when they entertain Castres at the Stade Marcel-Michelin.
Clermont are likely to rotate their squad with Morgan Parra, Brock James, Nathan Hines and Benjamin Kayser likely to come in for Kevin Senio, David Skrela, Lois Jacquet and Ti'i Paulo.
Meanwhile, the visitors know that if they can condemn Clermont to their second defeat in succession they will leap-frog above them into second.
Agen are one of the form teams at the moment having won their last three games - and they will fancy their chances against Bayonne on Sunday.
Agen won this clash 21-3 last year and have better defensive and attacking stats than their visitors.
Winless
Perpignan travel to Lyon for the first time in 17 years desperately searching for form.
Winless in six games and coming of another defeat at home, the Catalans have been unable to turn the ship around since axing manager Jacques Delmas.
It all means that Lyon will fancy their chances of picking up the four points that could lift them out of the relegation zone.
Good news for USAP, however, is the return of stalwart prop Nicolas Mas but they will be without David Marty (suspended) as well as Jean-Philippe Grandclaude and Guillaume Vilacéca, who are both injured.
The hosts will have to rotate their squad following Wednesday's heavy loss to Montpellier
A last-minute penalty was enough to see Biarritz edge Bayonne and climb off the bottom of the standings on Tuesday but Sunday could be an even tougher challenge against a resurgent Montpellier.
Despite the four points, BO did little to convince observers that they are on the right track. A place in Europe looks beyond BO's reach and their focus will now be on avoiding relegation.
In contrast, Montpellier have hit a rich vein of form as illustrated by victory over Clermont last week and Wednesday's demolition of Lyon.
