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Toulouse must manage fatigue

The reunion between Stade Toulousain and Cheslin Kolbe will not take place.

The South African supersonic, transferred this summer to Toulon (9th, 51 pts), will be absent "between five and six weeks" because of a broken thumb, said his coach Franck Azéma.

But the reigning French champion (5th, 57 pts) has other fish to fry for his XXL shock, relocated to the Vélodrome stadium in Marseille: Ugo Mola's men are not yet guaranteed a place in the play-off.

And they will face the RCT without Antoine Dupont, Romain Ntamack, left to rest, Matthis Lebel (thumb), Zack Holmes (concussion), Sofiane Guitoune (fibula), Santiago Chocobares (knee), injured, or even Juan Cruz Mallia, suspended.

Worse, in seven trips to the Vélodrome, the Toulouse team won only once... during the 2014-2015 season and a 34-24 success.

Toulouse 3rd line Anthony Jelonch tears up on the lawn of Ulster in the round of 16 second leg of the European Cup on April 16, 2022 Paul Faith AFP / Archives

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The MHR wants to give itself some air

Attention ambition.

With five points ahead of its rival on Sunday and fourteen on the seventh, Montpellier (1st, 68 pts) can validate its ticket for the semi-finals in the event of success in front of Bordeaux-Bègles (2nd, 63 pts) and favorable results in the other meetings of the day before.

Especially since their opponents of the day arrive in the Hérault as a wounded beast, having won only two of their last ten matches.

On the contrary, the MHR, third attack and fourth defense of the Top 14, remains on three successes in four meetings.

And if need be, just to add a little salt to this shock at high altitude: the former heroes of Montpellier Louis Picamoles and François Trinh-Duc, today at UBB, will find their lifelong friend Fulgence Ouedraogo.

Three players who will hang up at the end of the season.

Fulgence Ouedraogo congratulates Francois Trinh-Duc, then his partner in Montpellier, after a try against Stade Français in the Top 14 on December 30, 2012 in Montpellier SYLVAIN THOMAS AFP / Archives

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Racing 92 on its guard

After three successes in front of the French stadium, including two in the European Cup, Racing 92 (6th, 56 pts) plunges back into the championship with one goal in mind: to chain victories to secure a place in the six .

"There are four games left, we know that we are going to have to take more points than the other teams because we don't have much room," said Ile-de-France forwards coach Didier Casadeï before the reception from Biarritz.

But no question of relaxing against the red lantern (14th, 24 pts).

Pillar Hassane Kolingar ball in hand with Racing 92 against La Rochelle in the Top 14 on February 29, 2020 in Nanterre Thomas SAMSON AFP / Archives

"It's a tricky match: they're last and, in their place, we'd play all the right moves. It's a team that likes to play, that also likes to fight... We saw that in the first leg ( defeat 28-19, editor's note), it's a bad memory", added the pillar Hassane Kolingar.

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Top six goal

In the other meetings of the day, the fight for a place in the play-offs intensifies: Castres (4th, 54 pts) faces Clermont (8th, 48 pts), while La Rochelle (3rd, 54 pts) will intend to fill up on points ahead of Usap (13th, 35 pts).

Same story for Lyon (5th, 54 pts) who goes to the Brivistes (12th, 42 pts), undefeated at home in the Top 14 since the beginning of January.

Finally, Stade Français (11th, 45 pts), ahead of Pau (10th, 45 pts), will try to get back on their feet after several trying weeks, with three defeats in a row against neighboring Racing 92, the suspension for eleven weeks of Tolu Latu or its owner's media outlets.

Beware of falling.

© 2022 AFP