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Toulouse decreased

"Between the injuries and the absences of our internationals, we have about twenty absences. We are alert and we must deal with our strengths and our shortcomings for the weeks to come."

To listen to Ugo Mola, it is a weakened Toulouse Stadium (1st, 36 pts) which comes before Brive (10th, 21 pts) for this 11th day of Top14.

Stade Toulousain coach Ugo Mola before the Top 14 match in Montpellier, September 18, 2021 at GGL Stadium Sylvain THOMAS AFP / Archives

The reigning French champions are certainly deprived of Julien Marchand (ribs) or of the brothers Rory (knee) and Richie Arnold (arms), injured, and the French internationals, scorers of the All Blacks, are on vacation (Dupont, Ntamack, Baille , Jelonch, Mauvaka, Cros).

But we do not have to believe Mola: with Flament, Ramos, Médard, Tolofua, Ahki, Chocobares, Aldegheri or Mallia, the Rouge et Noir seem armed to keep their chair of leader against Brivists who no longer imposed themselves. on the banks of the Garonne since a drop from Johan Dalla Riva in the 77th minute of a ric rac (29-26) victory in 2006.

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Ouedraogo, roaring 332nd

At 35, Fulgence Ouedrago is the man of one club.

And, on Saturday, against Castres (7th, 23 pts), he will enter a little more into the history of the MHR (3rd, 26 pts): the former third line of the XV of France will play his 332nd match with Montpellier, erasing the record held until then by Didier Bès (1990-2003) to become the most capped player of the Hérault club.

The 3rd line wing of Montpellier, Fulgence Ouedraogo, during the 10th day of the Top 14 at home against La Rochelle, December 28, 2020 at the GGL Stadium Sylvain THOMAS AFP / Archives

"Records are made to be broken: I can't wait for someone to overtake me, it will be a guarantee of good health for my club," said the captain of the MHR modestly.

A fourth consecutive success would also be a nice gift.

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Racing 92 at the UBB test

Matthieu Jalibert, Guido Petti and Federico Mori still on vacation on the UBB side;

Boris Palu, Fabien Sanconnie, Nolann Le Garrec, Teddy Iribaren, Baptiste Pesenti or Louis Dupichot still injured in Racing 92 ... He will miss the beautiful people, Sunday, at the Arena.

Regardless, Ile-de-France and Girondins, who each remain on one defeat, have something to prove.

A standoff between the two unfortunate semi-finalists of last season which promises to be strong: Bordeaux-Bègles won its last two trips to Nanterre (33-32 in 2021, 34-30 in 2019).

Bis repetita?

The players of Racing 92, after their home defeat against Bordeaux-Bègles, on the 19th day of the Top 14, January 23, 2021 at the U-Arena in Nanterre FRANCK FIFE AFP / Archives

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Basque atmosphere in Paris

The French Stadium (11th, 18 pts) prepared seriously for its trip to Biarritz (14th, 14 pts). "We knew very quickly during the week that it would be a complicated weather: it rained all week in Biarritz and it will most certainly rain on the day of the match", explained the Parisian coach Gonzalo Quesada, who also set up workouts ... covered by Basque music.

"We did the necessary during our training to recreate the atmosphere we will have at the stadium. Of course we will have to be ready to play against this 16th man who will do his job to push the BO for this match. We had buckets of water to train us with wet balls. And we have big speakers and we know the songs that will be at the stadium so we added this constraint to train in these conditions, ”he added.

Biarritz supporters wave a Basque flag, during the match of the 8th day of Top 14 against Brive, on October 23, 2021 at the Stade du Parc des Sports Aguilera GAIZKA IROZ AFP / Archives

In the other meetings of the day, La Rochelle (6th, 24 pts) will want to continue its march forward in front of Pau (9th, 22 pts), just like Clermont (8th, 23 pts), who travels to Perpignan (13th, 14th pts) to confirm.

Finally, Franck Azéma will seek his first victory with Toulon (12th, 16 pts) on the ground of Lyon (4th, 26 pts).

© 2021 AFP