The Top 14 returns this weekend, with Round 19 of the season throwing up a very enticing fixtures list.
Saturday 16 March
Toulon v Montpellier
19h00
Stade Felix Mayol
To Win
Toulon 9/20
Draw 18/1
Montpellier 7/4
Toulon can leapfrog Montpellier into ninth with a win over them at the Stade Mayol on Saturday. Mourad Boudjellal’s club have won four of their last five and will be confident of claiming another at home against a Montpellier side that seems to be slipping. The uber-talented group, boasting a number of seasoned internationals, have fallen hard this term after finishing in first last year. Belief in the camp is at an all-time low and one would expect this to impact their performance on Saturday.
Verdict: Toulon 9/20
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Grenoble v Racing 92
19h00
Stade des Alpes
To Win
Grenoble 27/20
Draw 18/1
Racing 6/10
The hosts have lost their last six on the bounce in a run of matches that has seen them rooted to 13th and in danger of a relegation playoff. Racing, meanwhile, occupy seventh with just two-points separating them from a playoff berth. A strong finish to the season for Les Ciel et Blanc will doubtless see them challenging for a place in the final. Grenoble this weekend shouldn’t pose too much of a problem for the Parisians.
Verdict: Racing 6/10
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Agen v La Rochelle
19h00
Stade Armandie
To Win
Agen 12/20
Draw 18/1
La Rochelle 7/10
La Rochelle can boost their playoff ambitions with a win at Agen on Saturday. The fourth-placed outfit has enjoyed an encouraging season thus far, picking up 12-wins, and look set to be there right at the end. Their counterparts, on the other hand, have won just five times and, sitting in 12th-place, are still in danger of relegation. Desperation may not be enough to see them over the line this weekend though, and they should fall for the 13th time this campaign.
Verdict: La Rochelle 7/10
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Castres v Perpignan
19h00
Stade Pierre Fabre
To Win
Castres 1/33
Draw 30/1
Perpignan 15/2
The defending champions can inflict more pain on Perpignan with a big win on Saturday. Sitting in fifth, Castres are in a strong position to end their campaign on a high and put themselves in a handy position to defend their title. A big win could potentially see them go third and, coming up against a side that has picked up just one-win all season long, one would expect them to do so.
Verdict: Castres 1/33
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Bordeaux v Stade Francais
21h45
Stade Chaban-Delmas
To Win
Bordeaux 2/9
Draw 20/1
Stade Francais 3/1
Both Bordeaux and Stade Francais, separated by just two-points, find themselves in a tight race for the final playoff places as the season enters the business end. With so little between so many sides, the next few rounds of the competition are set to separate the men from the boys. Saturday’s clash at the Stade Chaban-Delmas will be a mighty close affair, but one would think that home ground advantage will favour Bordeaux come kick-off.
Verdict: Bordeaux 2/9
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Sunday 17 March
Clermont v Pau
13h30
Stade Marcel Michelin
To Win
Clermont 1/33
Draw 30/1
Pau 15/2
Second-placed Clermont can ill-afford a slip-up when they host struggling Pau this weekend. The Vulcans have recovered impressively from their poor campaign last year and now find themselves in a fantastic position to book a home semi-final berth. With such a tightly-contested table, however, they will need to remain focused until the end. That said, they should have little trouble seeing off a lacklustre Pau side at home.
Verdict: Clermont 1/33
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Toulouse v Lyon
17h50
Stade Ernest-Wallon
To Win
Toulouse 1/5
Draw 20/1
Lyon 34/10
It would appear that the good times have returned to the Stade Ernest-Wallon with Toulouse clear at the top of the standings by a handy seven-points. They will kick themselves if they don’t manage to hold on to pole position for the remainder of the campaign, but at the same time they do face tough competition from here on out. Third-placed Lyon will offer a stern examination of their title credentials, but the hosts should have the confidence to pull it off at home.
Verdict: Toulouse 1/5
