Preview: Top 14 Play-offs
Top 14 semi-final berths are up for grabs as Clermont host Biarritz on Friday before Montpellier visit Castres on Saturday.
Top 14 semi-final berths are up for grabs as Clermont host Biarritz on Friday before Montpellier visit Castres on Saturday.
The two home sides – who have yet to be beaten on their own turf this season – will start as clear favourites.
Awaiting this weekend's winners are Toulouse and Racing-Métro, who have already won direct qualification into the semi-finals, which will both be played at the Stade Vélodrome in Marseille in a fortnight.
Elsewhere on Saturday Albi face Mont de Marsan in the ProD2 promotion play-off to see who will join Lyon in the Top 14 next season.
Play off fixtures:
Friday, May 13: Clermont v Biarritz
Saturday, May 14: Castres v Montpellier
ProD2: Albi face Mont de Marsan
Semi-finals:
Friday, May 27: Toulouse v Clermont or Biarritz
Saturday, May 28: Racing-Métro v Castres or Montpellier
Previews:
ASM Clermont Auvergne v Biarritz Olympique
Parc des Sports Marcel Michelin, Clermont Ferrand
Biarritz travel to East in search of their first semi-final berth since 2007 but have a mountain to climb in the Auvergne. No, make that a volcano.
Clermont seem unstoppable at home where they can count on the support of the Ultras Vulcans one of the most vocal supporters clubs in world rugby.
Unbeaten at fortress Marcel Michelin since November 2009 – that's 26 straight wins in all competitions – les Jaunards also have the best home record of any Top 14 side this season: Seven bonus points from their 13 wins makes for unpleasant reading for visitors to Clermont-Ferrand.
The defending champs also have the best defensive record on home soil of any team in France, conceding an average of just 13 points while scoring 30!
But Biarritz are no slouches on the road, winning four games and picking up a losing bonus-point six times this season – which is not a bad record at all by French standards. And the last team to win in Clermont was….Biarritz! That said, les Biarrots have only tasted success three times in 21 visits to the Auvergne.
A look at the history books shows Clermont have had the upper hand in matches against the Basques, winning 25 of their 45 previous matches and three out of four in the knock-out stages.
Above all, Biarritz need to get their misfiring heavies moving forward and against one of the most solid packs in Europe. Last week's narrow win in Bourgoin, when they were expected to run riot, would have come as a rude wake-up call.
In teams news, Biarritz welcome back France's most-capped prop, Sylvain Marconnet, who has recovered from a shoulder injury and will start on the bench. Damien Traille is however absent through injury. Lakafia Raphaël, who is the only uncapped player in France's World Cup squad, starts at number eight.
Clermont have made seven changes to the side that lost to Toulouse last week. An all-new front row features Pumas duo Martin Scelzo and Mario Ledesma while Vincent Debaty gets his first start of the season.
In the back row, Sione Lauaki returns to the starting XV while Elvis Vermeulen rides the bench.
In the absence of France centre Aurélien Rougerie, Clermont will be skippered by lock Thibaut Privat (who is heading to Montpellier next season) with Gonzalo Canale and Marius Joubert doing duty in midfield.
The teams:
Clermont: 15 Floch Anthony, 14 Wesley Fofana, 13 Marius Joubert, 12 Gonzalo Canale, 11 Julien Malzieu, 10 Brock James, 9 Morgan Parra, 8 Sione Lauaki, 7 Alexandre Lapandry, 6 Julien Bonnaire, 5 Thibaut Privat (c), 4 Jamie Cudmore, 3 Martin Scelzo, 2 Mario Ledesma, 1 Vincent Debaty.
Replacements:16 Ti'i Paulo, 17 Lionel Faure, 18 Julien Pierre, 19 Elvis Vermeulen, 20 Kevin Senio, 21 Brent Russell, 22 Kini Murimurivalu, 23 Davit Zirakashvili
Biarritz: 15 Iain Balshaw, 14 Takudzwa Ngwenya, 13 Marcelo Bosch, 12 Arnaud Mignardi, 11 Ilikena Bolakoro, 10 Julien Peyrelongue, 9 Dimitri Yachvili, 8 Lakafia Raphaël, 7 Imanol Harinordoquy (c), 6 Magnus Lund, 5 Ian Taele Pelu, 4 Erik Lund, 3 Campbell Johnstone, 2 Romain Terrain, 1 Eduard Coetzee.
Replacements:16 Eusebio Guinazu, 17 James Afoa, 18 Jérôme Thion, 19 Wenceslas Lauret, 20 Yann Lesgourgues, 21 Laurent Tranier, 22 Dane Haylett-Petty, 23 Sylvain Marconnet.
Previous results: Biarritz won 16-13 at home; Clermont won 41-13 at home.
Prediction: Biarritz have named a very string side, but you can't argue with Clermont's record at home. Clermont buy six points
Kick-off: 21.00 (19.00 GMT)
Referee: Jean Luc Rebollal
Castres Olympique v Montpellier HR
Stade Pierre Antoine, Castres
It's Saturday's play-off is anything like Castres's 43-29 win over Montpellier in Round 19 – one of the games of the season – we're in for plenty of tries.
Coming of the back of sevens wins in their last eight starts, Castres are one of the form teams in the championship. During that run, les Tarnais claimed the scalps of big hitters like Clermont, Toulon, Biarritz and Perpignan, so they'll fancy their chances at home, were they are still undefeated this season.
Montpellier have won just twice in eleven visits to Castres but will take encouragement from their last game at Stade Pierre Antoine, when they matched their hosts' four tries from open play. What will however be a concern for Montpellier boss Fabien Galthié is the penalty try that his side conceded in the dying minutes of that match.
Montpol have been the revelation of the season with their open, positive rugby. Over the course of the season les Heraultais have score more tries than Castres (56 to 51) and also conceded fewer (40 to 43).
Montpellier's form on the road is a problem however: A win to lowly Bourgoin is their only success away from home since October.
But as the old cliché goes, anything is possible in knock-out rugby and judging by the way Montpellier demolished Toulon while under pressure on the final day of the regular season, they clearly have the firepower and the temperament to cause an upset.
“When we look at Montpellier's performance against Toulon, we've got reason to be cautious,” said Castres co-coach Laurent Travers.
“They're a very difficult team to play and seem to be full of confidence,” added place-kicking points machine Romain Teulet.
The teams:
Castres:15 Romain Teulet, 14 Yoan Audrin, 13 Romain Cabannes, 12 Seremaia Bai, 11 Marc Andreu, 10 Cameron Mcintyre, 9 Sébastien Tillous-borde, 8 Chris Masoe, 7 Yannick Caballero, 6 Ibrahim Diarra, 5 Joe Tekori, 4 Rodrigo Capo Ortega, 3 Luc Ducalcon, 2 Mathieu Bonello, 1 Forestier Yannick.
Replacements:16 Benjamin Kayser, 17 Carl Hoeft, 18 Matthias Rolland, 19 Steve Malonga, 20 AlexandreAlbouy, 21 Joshua Tatupu, 22 Pierre Bernard, 23 Daniel Saayman
Montpellier:15