Top 14: Round 11 preview

Another action-packed weekend of Top 14 rugby awaits fans across France as Toulon visit Toulouse, Clermont host Stade Francais and Racing Métro face Perpignan.

Toulon travel to Toulouse on Saturday looking to extend a three-game winning streak against Europe's form side, but they will have to do so without the league's top points-scorer, kingpin Jonny Wilkinson.

You couldn't ask for a tighter situation at the top of the standings as Montpellier share the lead with Toulouse and Racing.

Montpol travel to Bayonne this weekend, while the most significant battle will probably take place in Agen where La Rochelle face their former ProD2 rivals in a crucial battle in the relegation scrap.

Elsewhere, Biarritz will look to continue their revival away to Brive, while Bourgoin are on a hiding to nothing in Castres.

Frustrated

Still unbeaten at home and with four wins from five starts, Racing Metro will be looking to take control at the top of the standings against a Perpignan side that impressed despite their defeat in Toulouse last week.

Perpignan were one of only two teams to win in Colombes last season and having lost just once in their last seven games, the Catalans will fancy their chances of another win on the outskirts of Paris.

Racing will however field a very strong side as Lionel Nallet returns to the second row, Benjamin Fall come back to start at full-back while Frans Steyn will play in midfield. Sebastien Chabal's back problems have not stopped him from lining up at number eight.

Five losses in 10 games is far from what we've come to expect from Clermont and coach Vern Cotter has admitted that his side are frustrated by their form ahead of their clash with Stade Francais.

Stade travel south looking to go one better than the draw they snatched in the Auvergne last season. Coming off the back of five wins (in all competitions), the Parisians have a spring in their step. Les Stadistes have are the championship's top try scorers, and showed they can defend too by shutting out Toulon last week.

Two Parisians in particular will have fire in their bellies after being left out of the French team. Julien Dupuy - who was the first choice scrum-half last year, and Mathieu Bastareaud, who coach Marc Lièvremont reckons is too fat for Test rugby.

Bayonne's fantastic start to the season has slowly lost momentum as they welcome Montpellier to Stade Jean Dauger.

Back at home after given Racing a tough time last week, the Basques will be looking to extend their winning run against Montpellier after winning both games last year.

But Montpol are a very different side to the inconsistent rabble that struggled last year. Leaders after ten rounds in France and top of their group in the Amlin Challenge, must be taken seriously.

Wing Yoann Huget, who has been called up to the France team, starts for Bayonne while prop Clément Baïocco and loose forward Dwayne Haare both return. Try Flavell, Benjamin Boyet and Remy Martin all start.

For Montpellier, Fabien Galthié has named all his big guns, including Bleus François Trinh-Duc and skipper Fulgence Ouedraogo.

This is probably the biggest match of the year for La Rochelle, who travel to Agen on Saturday.

Already eight points clear of their fellow newcomers to the Top 14, a win for les Maritimes will constitute a massive step towards avoiding relegation.

The teams met in European competition a fortnight ago when La Rochelle ran out 30-23 winners at home.

Agen dominated the ProD2 last season, but have found life much harder in the top flight. After six consecutive games without a win, the Agenais are in huge trouble at the foot of the standings despite their positive intentions on the field.

Agen's last game at home was a successful one however as they shocked Gloucester in the Challenge Cup...

La Rochelle have never won in Agen in the professional era - this would be a perfect time to change that record!

Another week, another crunch match for Bourgoin who travel to Castres on the back on just one win from their last six domestic games.

Castres, who have a new president, scored their first bonus-point win of the season last week (against) Agen and are clearly on an upward curve.

Bougoin arrive with a squad ravaged by injury although they welcome back fly-half Alberto Di Bernardo.

Focus

Castres points machine Romain Teulet is the championship second highest scorer, averaging over 15 points per game.

As usual, Brive have started their season in poor fashion but wins at home to Perpignan and Toulon and one on the road to Stade Français suggest that the Corréziens are worth more than their eleventh place in the standings.

But they are just as capable of falling flat, as was the case in defeat to La Rochelle last week. There will be no room for inconsistency this week as a Biarritz roll into town off the back of wins in the Basque derby and over the defending champions.

Unbeaten in Europe, Biarritz have been climbing the standings and are now within striking distance of the leader quartet. A record of three consecutive wins against Brive will give BO extra confidence.

The return of Damien Traille, who is set to focus on playing fly-half, is a big boost for the Basques. More good news is the two-year contract extension of American wing Takudzwa NGwenya.

Les Rouge et Noires from the Ville Rose host Les Rouge et Noires from theRade in Saturday's headline fixture.

Unbeaten in six matches, Heineken Cup included, Toulouse are in great form. Their win against Perpignan last week, in the match of the season so far, was an ominous sign.

The Toulousain pack has been devastating with an in-form Byron Kelleher calling the shots from the base and charging around the fringes.

The France team announcement on Wednesday would have had a mixed reception in Toulouse where manager Guy Novès would have been quietly happy to see he'll more players at his disposal than usual.

For David Skrela, Vincent Clerc, Louis Picamoles and Clément Poitrenaud however, the news of their omission would have been a bitter pill to swallow. Expect a reaction this weekend.

Apart from Clermont, Toulon were the only side to win in Toulouse last season with a grinding 6-3 success. But les Varois arrive without a few key players and off the back of defeats to Paris and Munster.

Wilkinson is away on England duty while Sébastien Bruno, George Smith, Laurent Emmanuelli and Joe Van Niekerk have all been given a rest. Japanese international Christian Lomana makes his return however after seven months on the sidelines with a dislocated hip.