Preview: Top 14, Round 8

Editor 02 Feb 2008 1:13 PM

The separation of those stretching for glory and those trying to avoid ignominy is growing wider after just seven rounds of a 26-round competition on the way to the semi-finals.

The separation of those stretching for glory and those trying to avoid ignominy is growing wider after just seven rounds of a 26-round competition on the way to the semi-finals.

Perpignan, usually a competitor for top spots, is this season battling to avoid the drop but they have a home match at Stade AimÃ©e-Giral, traditionally one of the toughest grounds in France to visit, and Montauban are not good travellers in any case.

The Brive-Castres clash could be fascinating, both sides taking hope from last weekend's success and they are both clubs in dire need of success.

But the top clash has been saved for last – Sunday's visit for the Basques to the Massif Central. Biarritz are less smooth this year than they usually are but still managing to keep in touch with the leaders, Clermont Auvergne are a place above them and are smarting from last week's defeat at the hands of Castres.

Standings after Round 7

1. Toulouse 29
2. Clermont Auvergne 23
3. Biarritz 22
4. Stade FranÃ§ais 21
5. Montauban 20
6. Montpellier 20
7. Bayonne 16
8. Bourgoin 15
9. Brive 13
10. Castres 13
11. Perpignan 12
12. Albi 12
13. Dax 8
14. Auch 6

Fixtures

Friday, 1 February

Perpignan vs Montauban

Saturday, 2 February

Dax vs Bourgoin
Toulouse vs Montpellier
Brive vs Castres
Bayonne vs Auch
Albi vs Stade FranÃ§ais

Sunday, 3 February

Clermont Auvergne vs Biarritz

Teams

We shall add to them when/if we manage to get them.

Top teams have top players and many top players will be playing in the Six Nations.

Bayonne have nobody in the French side and no notable absences for injury though Nicolas Lafitte has 'flu and Andrew Springgay a tummy bug.

Bourgoin have got off lightly. They lose only scrumhalf Morgan Parra to the French bench but they may find desperate Dax tough at home.

Bourgoin's opponents, Dax, have also got off lightly. Prop Julien Brugnaut is on national duty and fullback Laurent Diaz is out with a damaged knee.

Montpellier is without two of France's young Turks – Fulgence Ouedraogo and FranÃ§ois Trinh-Duc.

Perpignan are much weakened. Nicolas Mas, Nathan Hines, Chris Cusiter and Yoann Vivalda are in the Six Nations while GrÃ©gory Le Corvec, Samueli Naulu, Steve Meyer, Damien Chobet, Michael Ladhuie, Ovidiu Tonita, Federico Martin-Aramburu, CÃ©dric Rosalen, Viliani Vaki and Olivier Olibeau are all injured. They have brought players up from their promising squad, Charles Geli and Yannick Parent.

Stade FranÃ§ais have Sergio Parisse and Mauro and Mirco Bergamasco in the Italian aside while David Skrela and Dimitri Szarzewski are playing for France. In addition Pieter De Villiers, Simon Taylor and Christophe Dominici are injured and Mathieu Blin is a casualty of the many disciplinary sanctions of recent times, suspended for fighting.

Albi: 15 FrÃ©dÃ©ric Manca, 14 RÃ©gis Bianco, 13 Thibault Lacroix, 12 Thomas Sanchou, 11 Justin Mensah-Cocker, 10 AndrÃ© Hough, 9 Kevin Boulogne, 8 Vincent Clement (captain), 7 Yohann Misse, 6 Franck Marechal, 5 Paul Guffroy, 4 Philippe Guicherd, 3 Jerome Filitoga Taofifenua, 2 Pierre Saby, 1 Pierre Correia
Replacements: 16 Guillaume Ribes, 17 StÃ©phane Delpuech, 18 Ronny Uipa Sua, 19 Johan van der Westhuyzen, 20 Daniel Farani, 21 Dimitri Senio, 22 John Stewart

Auch: 15 LÃ©o Pesteil, 14 Thierry Brana, 13 Mehadji Tidjini, 12 David Spicer, 11 Pierre Aguillon, 10 Naas Olivier, 9 Lionel Duthil, 8 Opeti Fonua, 7 Antoine Battut, 6 Nicolas Bontinck, 5 Sergio Valdes, 4 Tao Tapassu, 3 Pascal Idieder, 2 SÃ©bastien Bortolucci, 1 Fabien Barcella.
Replacements: 16 SÃ©bastien Bruere, 17 GrÃ©gory Menkarska, 18 Robins Tchale-Watchou, 19 StÃ©phan Saint-Lary, 20 Alexandre Ricaud, 21 Brice Salobert, 22 FrÃ©dÃ©ric Couzier

Bayonne squad:

Forwards: Pierre-Philippe Lafond, Julian Fiorini, Arnaud Heguy, David Roumieu, Aretz Iguiniz, CÃ©dric Bergez, Jean-Joseph Marmouyet, Mikaera Tewhata, Rob Linde, Louis Massabeau, Dwayne Haare, Jacques Deen.

Backs: Anthony Salle-Canne, BenoÃ®t Marfaing, Manny Edmonds, Henri-Pierre Vermis, Richard Dourthe, Dwayne Gower, Vincent Inigo, Jean-Baptiste Peyras-Loustalet, Daniel Larrechea, Sam Gerber

Biarritz: 15 Nicolas Brusque, 14 Takudzwa Ngwenya, 13 Henry Fa'afili, 12 Romain Cabannes, 11 Benjamin Thiery, 10 Marcelo Bosch, 9 Julian Dupuy, 8 Imanol Harinordoquy, 7 Trevor Hall, 6 Serge Betsen, 5 Manuel Carizza, 4 JÃ©rÃ´me Thion (captain), 3 Denis Avril, 2 Benjamin Noirot, 1 Eduard Coetzee.
Replacements: 16 BenoÃ®t August, 17 BenoÃ®t Lecouls, 18 David Couzinet, 19 Steeve Malonga, 20 Dimitri Yachvili, 21 Julien Peyrelongue, 22 Ashwin Willemse

Bourgoin:

Forwards: Karena Wihongi, Arnauld Tchougong, Jean-Philippe Genevois, RÃ©my Vigneaux, Pablo Cardinali, Olivier Sourgens, Chris Wyatt, Julien Pierre, Bryce Williams, Wessel Jooste, Yann Labrit, Brice Monzeglio, Julien Frier, Sylvain Nicolas

Backs: MickaÃ«l Forest, RÃ©my Mandon, Benjamin Boyet, SÃ©bastien Laloo, Jean-FranÃ§ois Coux, Matthieu Nicolas, Rudy Coetzee, Matias Viazzo, Nicolas Carmona, Anthony Forest, Florian Denos

Clermont Auvergne squad: Laurent Emmanuelli, Mario Ledesma, Mirko Lozupone, Martin Scelzo, Davit Zirakashvili, Thibaut Privat, Jamie Cudmore, Pierre Vigouroux, Christophe Samson, Sam Broomhall, Emmanuel Etien, Fabien Alexandre, Pierre Mignoni, Arnaud Pic, Brock James, Seremaia BaÃ¯, Pierre-Emmanuel Garcia, Marius Joubert, BenoÃ®t Baby, Vilimoni Delasau, Grant Esterhuizen, Anthony Floch

Dax:

Forwards: Mattin Auzqui, Renaud Boyoud, Kas Lealamanua, Rameau, William Bonnet, Yves Pedrosa, Rudolph BÃ©rek, Anthony Mazel, Kane Thompson, Vincent Deniau, Matthieu LiÃ¨vremont, Thomas LiÃ¨vremont, Purdie.

Backs: Julien Lesgourgues, Nicolas Morlaes, Charles Hore, Duncan Bell, Ludovic Courtade, Irakli Giorgadze, Paul Dabrin, Tutard, Gavin Williams.

Montauban: 15 Johan Dalla-Riva, 14 Sylvain Jonnet, 13 Jean-Philippe Viard, 12 Miguel Boris Avramovic, 11 Jean-Emmanuel Cassin, 10 SÃ©bastien FauquÃ©, 9 Petre Mitu, 8 Fabrice Soldan, 7 Mattew Clarkin, 6 Yannick Caballero, 5 Rowan Frost, 4 Matthias Rolland, 3 Patrick Blanco, 2 Tony Testa, 1 Salemane Sa.
Replacements: (from) Camille Traversa, Pablo Henn, Pascal Peyron, Scott Murray, Guillaume Bortolaso, Ibrahim Diarra, Ryan Smith, Yoan Audrin, CÃ©dric Garcia

Montpellier squad:

Forwards: Eugene van Staden, SÃ©bastien Petit, Philemon Toleaofa, David Vaudaine, Joan Caudullo, Fabien Rofes, Drikus Hancke, Mamuka Gordodze, Michel Macurdy, Johan Wasserman, JÃ©rÃ´me VallÃ©e, Louis Picamoles, SÃ©bastien Galtier.

Backs: SÃ©bastien Buada, Julien Tomas, Federico Todeschini, RÃ©gis Lespinas, Alessandro Stoica, Rickus Lubbe, Murphy Taele, Grant Rees, Frikkie Welsh, Jean-Mathieu Alacalde, Olivier SarramÃ©a.

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