Paris (AFP)
Racing 92 forced to beat Clermont so as not to tumble, Toulouse and La Rochelle not yet guaranteed to participate in the last four, four teams still fighting for maintenance: nothing is played in Top 14 before the 23rd day on Friday and Saturday .
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Toulouse and La Rochelle close to the goal but ...
The finalists of the European Cup (May 22 at Twickenham) are on a favorable waiver to finish in the first two and go directly to the semi-finals. With 72 points, the Toulouse leader is nine lengths ahead of the third, Clermont (63 pts), and the Rochelais total 67 points with one game less. But beware of the misstep! Because a defeat of Toulouse in Toulon, forced to win to keep intact its goal of the final phase, combined with a success of the ASM against Racing 92, would revive the suspense at the top of the championship.
Especially since the leader's final sprint has other obstacles.
If the Toulouse will then receive Bayonne, not assured of the maintenance, they will also face Clermont at home and will finish the regular phase in Bordeaux-Bègles, not yet qualified.
The Rochelais, them, are preparing to play three matches in eight days against poorly classified, Montpellier Saturday, then Brive then Agen, red lantern.
Not that easy.
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Imperative victory for Racing 92
Defeated in the Ile-de-France derby against Stade Français (35-29), the Hauts-de-Seine club conceded their fourth consecutive defeat in the league. Fourth with only four units ahead of Castres (7th) and six over UBB (8th) which has two games less, Racing 92 must now do everything to secure its place in the final phase, he who was still recently targeting the two first places. The downside is that the Racingmen's infirmary is still full, now with third row Wenceslas Lauret on the flank due to a sore thigh. A consolation: the center of the XV of France Gaël Fickou, remained in the stand against his ex-club on Saturday, will be aligned in Nanterre.
Castres and Lyon (6th), opposed on Friday, and the UBB, traveling to Bayonne on Saturday, are on the lookout for the slightest misstep by Ciel et Blanc.
Even the Stade Français (9th), reinvigorated by two consecutive victories, has not said its last word.
But he has to win in Brive or else say goodbye to the final phase.
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Bottling for maintenance
If Agen, still "fanny", has been sentenced for several weeks, four clubs can still finish in place of barrage. Pau (36 pts) currently occupies it but moves to Agen, a match in its strings, and will release for the occasion its new recruit, the South African opener Elton Jantjies, world champion with the Springboks. Montpellier, which receives La Rochelle, is twelfth with four more points and two fewer matches. But the Languedoc club have a busy schedule, with two matches to be played during the week (Toulon Tuesday, UBB on May 25) and a European Challenge final on May 21 at Twickenham against Leicester.
Bayonne (11th, 40 pts), which will travel to the Hérault on May 29, wants to take advantage of it.
The maintenance operation promises to be more affordable for Brive, tenth (44 pts) with a game late compared to Pau and Bayonne.
But the CAB will play its last five meetings against the contenders for the Top 6, La Rochelle included from Tuesday.
Program of the 23rd day of Top 14 played on Friday 7 and Saturday 8 May:
Friday May 7
(8:45 p.m.) Castres - Lyon
Saturday May 8
(2:45 p.m.) Racing 92 - Clermont
(5.45 p.m.) Agen - Pau
Bayonne - Bordeaux-Begles
Brive - French Stadium
Montpellier - La Rochelle
(9:05 p.m.) Toulon - Toulouse
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