Bourgoin

One to watch: Morgan Parra

- 2008/9 Season Preview -

Club Details

CS Bourgoin-Jallieu

Stade Pierre-Rajon

Avenue Professeur Tixier

38300 Bourgoin-Jallieu

Stadium Capacity: 9,531

Website: www.csbj-rugby.fr

Founded: 1905

Last time around: 10th In their worst season in seven years, Bourgoin were the disappointment of 2007/8. The arrival of Eric Catinot as head coach saw the sky blues move away from their traditional forwards-based game in favour of a more open style. Needless to say the 'transitional period' was not without its difficulties and failing to qualify for Europe would have been a bitter pill to swallow for CSBJ.

This time? Bourgoin have made a few interesting recruitments but in the current 'arms race' that is the Top 14 inter-season they are lagging behind in the spending stakes. Catinot's team does have a few very good players and will no doubt make an improvement on last year's standard of play. They will be aiming at a return to European competition. They might have to take a number and stand in line though.

Coach: Eric Catinot has revolutionised the way Bourgoin play the game. The club's bosses have total faith in him and he has back-line players capable of proving our prediction to be a little harsh. If his methods bring more excitement to the game in France, we'll be happy to be wrong.

One to watch: 19-year-old scrum-half Morgan Parra burst onto the scene last year as part of Marc Lièvremont's France squad for the Six Nations. With years of learning still ahead of him, he should turn into a brilliant player. At only 76kgs he is a little light by the standards of modern rugby and might have to beef up if he wants to survive long enough to take over France's number nine jersey when Jean-Baptiste Elissalde retires.

Final 2008/9 league position prediction: 11th

In: Xavier Péméja (coach, Bayonne), Tone Kopelani (hooker, Wellington), Camille Levast (lock, La Rochelle), Thomas Genevois (loose forward, Narbonne), Tim Cowley (loose forward, Cornish Pirates), Pascal Peyron (prop, Montauban), Stefan Basson (utility back, Boland).

Out: Chris Wyatt (lock), Julien Pierre (lock, Clermont), Benoît Cabello (hooker, Clermont), Olivier Sourgens (prop, Bordeaux), Brice Monzeglio (loose forward, Bordeaux), Nicolas Carmona (centre, Châlon-sur-Saône), Augusto Petrilli (loose forward, retired), Mark Rennie (lock, Bayonne).

Colours: Sky blue

Travel connections: Bourgoin is located at 32 km from Lyon. The town is next to l'Isle-d'Abeau, a new town close to Saint-Exupéry International Airport.