With their Six Nations having concluded last weekend, all eyes will now be on domestic European action including Round 20 of the French Top 14 season.
The big guns will be back for their domestic sides this weekend with the French national team’s ill-fated 2019 Six Nations campaign now confined to annuals of European Rugby history. While this may well strengthen the likes of Toulouse and Stade, don’t expect the shock results that occurred while the international tournament was on to be halted in their tracks. As this is the Top 14; a league in which anyone can beat anyone.
Lyon v Toulon
Saturday 23 March
Stade Gerland
16:45
To Win (80 Mins)
Lyon
Draw
Toulon
We start off Round 20 with a clash between fifth-placed Lyon and10th-placed Toulon. The visitors suffered their 11th defeat of the campaign last weekend as they went down 18-21 at home to Montpellier. This defeat put an end to Toulon’s two-match winning streak that saw them beat minnows Perpignan and fellow strugglers Pau.
Lyon also head into this one off the back of a disappointing Round 19 as they were thumped 53-21 by log-leaders Toulouse.
Verdict: Lyon
Toulon have really struggled away from home this term and I can see this Lyon side having no problems beating their opponents by eight points or more.
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Stade Francais v Castres
Saturday 23 March
Stade Jean Bouin
18:45
To Win (80 Mins)
Stade
Draw
Castres
We travel to the French capital for our next fixture which pits eighth-placed Stade up against third-placed Castres. The two sides have experienced contrasting fortunes since the start of the Six Nations with Stade losing four of their last five fixtures and Castres winning their last five.
In terms of recent results, Stade head into this clash off the back of a 26-12 defeat to the Bordeaux Begles, whilst Castres make the trip having beaten Perpignan 36-17.
Verdict: Stade
Stade were missing a whole host of first stringers during the Six Nations, which is the main reason for their horrific run of form. With their internationals now back in the mix, I can see Stade arresting their slide in form.
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Pau v Montpellier
Saturday 23 March
Stade du Hameau
20:45
To Win (80 Mins)
Pau
Draw
Montpellier
The next serving is a rather dodgy one with two struggling sides set to go at it as 11th-placed Pau take on ninth-placed Montepellier. Both teams really need to start bagging points at an alarming rate if either is to claim a spot in this season’s play-offs.
The visitors have only managed to win eight on the 18 games they have played this season but do head into this one off the back of a 18-21 away victory over Toulon. The hosts didn’t have as good a Round 19 as their opponents with a 27-14 defeat to Clermont consigning them to their 12th defeat of the season.
Verdict: Montpellier
I think the visitors may well spring a surprise this weekend. They seem to have woken up since their defeat to Toulouse in Round 17 and are playings smart, if not attractive, rugby.
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Perpignan v Grenoble
Saturday 23 March
Stade Aime Giral
20:45
To Win (80 Mins)
Perpignan
Draw
Grenoble
It’s a battle of the minnows next with last-placed Perpignan playing host to 19th-placed Grenoble. The hosts having only managed to register one victory this season with that being Round 16’s 10-28 away victory ensuring they won’t end this season without a win under their belts.
Grenoble sit 12 points above their opponents on the Top 14 ladder and have managed to claim three wins this term. They are also still in with a realistic shout of escaping relegation to the second tier but will need to start picking up points at a rapid rate.
In terms of last weekend’s results, both teams had poor rounds with Grenoble going down 16-34 to Racing and Perpignan losing 36-17 to a Castres side in red hot touch.
Verdict: Grenoble
Grenoble will have targeted this one as a game to win on their run into the end of the season. As such, they’ll be desperate to get at least a four-point haul from it. I can see their desperation getting them one over Perpignan.
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Agen v Clermont
Saturday 23 March
Stade Armandie
23:45
To Win (80 Mins)
Agen
Draw
Clermont
Agen could find themselves further entrenched in relegation mire as they take on second-placed Clermont who are trying to close the seven-point gap between themselves and log-leading Toulouse.
Agen have been in good nick over the past three weeks registering wins over Perpignan (13-20) and, most recently, La Rochelle (19-17). While losing to Pau (27-17) between the aforementioned victories.
Clermont have also won two of their last three games beating both Pau (27-14) and Grenoble (52-17) after being beaten by Lyon (19-13) in their prior fixture.
Verdict: Clermont
They’ll have a few French internationals back in the squad this week and I’m expecting them to make a big impact. Will it be big enough to see off a healthy handicap against a dogged Agen team? Probably not. As such, I think the smart play is to have a dabble on the Clermont straight win and then have a go on what should be a lower minus line at half-time via the Live In-Play platform.
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Racing v Bordeaux
Sunday 24 March
Paris La Defense Arena
17:45
To Win (80 Mins)
Racing
Draw
Bordeaux
The penultimate game of the round will see fellow play-off hopefuls Racing Metro and the Bordeaux Begles square off out in the French capital. The hosts currently reside in sixth-place on the log but could catapult themselves right back into the ‘Top 3’ equation with a win here.
Bordeaux will also see themselves move into the ‘Top 3’ with a victory here. They will need to be even sharper than they were during last week’s 26-12 victory over Stade, however, as Racing also looked rather good during their 16-34 away victory over Grenoble.
Verdict: Racing
The hosts look to be heading in the right direction as of late and I can see them getting their 12th win of the season this Sunday.
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La Rochelle v Toulouse
Sunday 24 March
Stade Marcel-Delfrandre
23:00
To Win (80 Mins)
La Rochelle
Draw
Toulouse
The curtain will come down on Round 20 at the Stade Marcel-Delfrandre where seventh-placed La Rochelle and log-leaders Toulouse will lock horns.
The hosts have seen their form drop off quite a bit of the past month with La Rochelle losing their previous three games including last week’s 19-17 defeat to Agen.
Toulouse have been in far better form and have not lost a Top 14 game since before the turn of the year. They have registered some impressive wins during this period as well, with last weekend’s 53-21 victory over Lyon being one of them.
Verdict: Toulouse
They’re just in too good a touch to go against. My money is certainly on the away side taking the spoils.
Written by Darry Worthington for Hollywoodbets
