
The first set of Top 14 fixtures for 2025 promise to make for intriguing viewing with some eye-catching clashes set to go down over the weekend.
The first big-ticket fixture sees Toulon and Racing go head-to-head in the Round 14 opener while Saturday’s final match-up between La Rochelle and Toulouse – a repeat of last season’s final – should also produce fireworks.
Darry Worthington runs the rule over the aforementioned headline clashes as well as the five other fixtures, below.
Toulon v Racing 92 | Saturday 4 January | Stade Mayol – 15:30
To Win (80 Mins)
1/6 Toulon | Draw 25/1 | Racing 92 44/10
Big one to start 2025 with two elite sides in Toulon and Racing 92 squaring off at the Stade Mayol.
The hosts have enjoyed a far better opening half of the season and currently lie third on the ladder having won eight of their 13 domestic fixtures while Racing sit in ninth place having only registered five wins and a draw.
The festive season was rather positive for Toulon who registered three wins from their four fixtures as they beat the Stormers and Glasgow in the Heineken Cup while beating Pau 56-25 in the Top 14.
Their last fixture of the year was a bit of a letdown, however, as they went down 21-17 away to Bordeaux.
Racing had a tougher time of it in December going down to Sale in the Heineken Cup and Montpellier in the Top 14.
They did manage a decent result against Harlequins in Europe beating the English side 23-12 at the start of the month.
Their only positive domestic result for the month came last weekend and it wasn’t exactly one to write home about as they let slip a big half-time lead to draw 25-25 with Lyon in Paris.
Verdict: Toulon
I thought Racing would turn the corner over December but it seems not and think things will get worse for them at the Mayol which has been a fortress for Toulon this term.
Montpellier v Bayonne | Saturday 4 January | GGL Stadium
To Win (80 Mins)
1/5 Montpellier | Draw 25/1 | Bayonne 37/10
It’s over the GGL for our next taste of top 14 action for 2025 which sees a bang in form Montpellier side take on a Bayonne outfit pushing for the play-offs. The hosts currently sit nine points adrift of Bayonne, who are having a great season and currently lie fourth on the Top 14 ladder.
As touched on earlier, Montpellier are in great nick at the moment, having won all four of their December fixtures. This weekend’s hosts registered Challenge Cup wins over the Dragons (14-18) and the Ospreys (59-15). They’ve backed that European form up on the domestic front as well, beating Racing 21-17 and Clermont 22-18 over the past fortnight.
Bayonne also enjoyed a solid December with their only defeat being a European loss to a very strong Glasgow Warriors side, while their victories came against the Scarlets (17-16), Vannes (21-27) and Castres (33-12).
Verdict: Montpellier
I expect this one to be very tight and I’m inclined to take the visitors on any plus handicap exceeding six points. I do think Montpellier will scrape a win here, however.
Castres v Pau | Saturday 4 January | Stade Pierre Fabre – 17:30
To Win (80 Mins)
1/6 Castres | Draw 25/1 | Pau 44/10
Castres and Pau are next up for battle, and with only three points separating the sides on the ladder, this game could prove vital, especially for the visitors, who currently sit tenth on the ladder.
The visitors continue to be involved in high-scoring matches with their last three games seeing more than 70 points scored.
Unfortunately, they have only been on the winning side in one of these as they went down 43-35 to the Golden Lions and 56-25 to Toulon while they beat Cannes 48-24 this past weekend.
Castres, on the other hand, endured a December loaded with low-scoring fixtures as they beat Munster 16-14 in the Heineken Cup before going down -3-13 to Bordeaux in the Top 14.
Their most recent fixture was last week’s exceedingly disappointing 33-12 defeat to Bayonne.
Verdict: Castres
I don’t reckon there will be much in this and I would happily take Pau on any plus line exceeding five points but I can see Castres grinding out a win here.

Stade Francais v Bordeaux | Saturday 4 January | Stade Jean-Bouin – 17:30
To Win (80 Mins)
5/10 Stade | Draw 20/1 | Bordeaux 7/4
Things are not at all rosy in Paris at the moment with both Racing 92 and Stade Francais struggling during the opening half of the season.
The Parisians will be looking for far better starts to the second half of the season but Stade face a tricky first fixture for the year as they take on a Bordeaux side that sit nine places above them in second on the Top 14 ladder.
Santa certainly did not come to town for the hosts over the Christmas period with Stade losing three of their four fixtures going down 33-7 to Munster and 17-28 to Saracens in the Heineken Cup while losing 38-23 to Toulouse in the top 14.
Their only victory came against a struggling Perpignan outfit who they beat 24-7 a fortnight ago.
Bordeaux had a far better close to the year than their opponents for Saturday as they registered a clean sweep in December beating Leicester 42-28 and Ulster 19-40 in the Champions Cup while they garnered Top 14 wins over Castres (3-13) and Toulon (21-17).
Verdict: Bordeaux
They are in red-hot form at the minute and I can see them recording a famous away win over a struggling Stade outfit.
Lyon v Perpignan | Saturday 4 January | Stade Gerland – 17:30
To Win (80 Mins)
2/9 Lyon | Draw 24/1 | Perpignan 7/2
Saturday’s penultimate game sees a struggling Lyon side take on fellow relegation candidates Perpignan. Only one point separates the sides on the ladder with Perpignan a place above Lyon in 12th. The duo have only mustered up nine wins between them this term and need to turn things around asap or they risk dropping to the second tier.
Lyon actually come into this one off the back of an unbeaten December with the Wolves registering Challenge Cup wins over Cardiff and Zebre.
While they were unable to claim a win in the final week of December, they did record two encouraging results as they drew 17-17 with Toulouse and 25-25 with Racing.
Perpignan found the going tougher in December as they suffered defeats at the hands of Connacht (18-31) and Stade Francais (24-7) while recording a 20-20 draw with the Free State Cheetahs in the Challenge Cup.
They do head into this one off the back of a win, however, as they beat La Rochelle 21-13 this past weekend.
Verdict: Lyon
While I will be having a cheeky small punt on the draw – lightning has struck twice already so who says it won’t be a third – my main play will be on Lyon clearing what should be a modest enough handicap.
La Rochelle v Toulouse | Saturday 4 January | Stade Marcel Delfrandre – 22:05
To Win (80 Mins)
26/100 La Rochelle | Draw 23/1 | Toulouse 31/10
A repeat of last year’s final is how we close out the first Saturday of Top 14 action for 2025 with reigning champions Toulouse taking on La Rochelle.
Ronan O’Gara’s men are finding the going rather tough this term and currently lie sixth on the table while Toulouse have been consistent as ever and sit at the summit of the ladder.
Both sides went three from four over December with La Rochelle beating Bath 24-20 and Bristol 35-7 in the Heineken Cup while Toulouse recorded statement wins over Ulster (61-21) and Exeter (21-64).
They took their foot off the pace in the final week of December, however, with La Rochelle beating 20-15 before going down 21-13 to Perpignan while Toulouse drew 17-17 with Lyon – I’m counting this as a blemish on their record as Lyon have been piss poor this term – before beating Stade 23-28.
Verdict: La Rochelle
While Toulouse have been sensational this term, I reckon La Rochelle will still bag the win on home soil as they tend to up their game for the big-ticket fixtures
Vannes v Clermont | Sunday 5 January | Stade de La Rabine – 22:05
To Win (80 Mins)
78/100 Vannes | Draw 21/1 | Clermont 11/10
The round comes to a close on Sunday evening at the Stade de La Rabine where cellar-dwellers Vannes take on fifth-placed Clermont.
The hosts have found the going in the French top tier exceedingly difficult and have only managed to record three wins.
To make matters worse. Their points differential is horrific as they currently sit on -122.
Vannes endured a tough December with their only positive result being a 43-19 win over a very understrength Gloucester side in the Challenge Cup.
Europe did not offer them that much salvation either as they lost 22-19 to Georgian minnows Black Lion.
They then closed out the year with back-to-back domestic defeats going down 21-27 to Bayonne and 48-24 to Pau.
Clermont come into this one in rather patchy form, having closed the year with domestic defeats to Montpellier (18-22) and La Rochelle (20-15) while going down 15-7 to Leinster in the Champions Cup. They did record a 28-0 win over Benetton before that loss to Leinster.
Verdict: Clermont
While they aren’t in the best of form, I can see them getting the job done against their struggling hosts.
