With the summer break behind them, the fourteen elite clubs are back on their way to the stadiums this weekend.
In front of their supporters, finally authorized in numbers with the sanitary pass, and with appetite.
To discover
The schedule for the new season of Top 14
The Stade Toulousain untouchable?
Last June, Toulouse won the 21st Brennus shield in its history, after lifting its fifth European Cup.
Cascading records.
The Rouge et Noir, after several seasons in the bottom of the wave, find the outposts.
And their dominance could be made to last.
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Under the orders of Ugo Mola, Stade Toulousain has found its DNA, this game in disorder, made of a thousand races and as many passes. Above all, the most successful club in the history of French rugby can rely on a golden generation, with Antoine Dupont, Romain Ntamack, Julien Marchand at the head of the bill. And the spectacular departure of Cheslin Kolbe for Toulon should not penalize him too much. Last year, Matthis Lebel broke through at the highest level, finishing second leading scorer in the Top 14 (13 tries). Are we going to witness a long reign of Toulouse as in the 1990s (5 titles between 1994 and 1999)?
"There are certain sectors that we want to develop, increase, compared to last season
, advances Maxime Médard in an interview with
Le Figaro
.
We must respect our DNA, continue to be daring. ”
Competition is prevented.
Transfers: Biarritz hits hard
The rugby transfer window was lively this summer.
Several big names in the Southern Hemisphere have chosen to go into exile in the Top 14. The biggest blow was signed by Stade Français Paris with New Zealand center Ngani Laumape (12 sel.), Also coveted by Toulon.
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Biarritz, which is making its return to the elite after seven years of absence, was the most active club by enlisting the center of the Wallabies, Tevita Kuridrani (61 sel.), The Irish pillar James Cronin, the third neo line. Zeeland Elliot Dixon and Argentine scrum half Tomas Cubelli.
As for the “movers”, Baptiste Pesenti left Pau for Racing 92 and the Argentinian Tomas Lavanini is back in France to strengthen the Clermont pack.
Also note the arrival in Montpellier of the opener Paolo Garbisi, the nugget of Italian rugby.
New rules, more play?
World Rugby, the international federation, has put in place new rules intended to promote entertainment but also to protect the health of players.
In terms of play, it is the end of the players (up to three!) Who formed a chain, a kind of mini-scrum, behind a group to protect their scrum half.
The clearings will be judged with more severity, so that they are less dangerous.
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But the rule that could upset the game is the “50:22” rule. From now on, a team which, from its own camp, indirectly finds a touch in the opposing 22 meters will recover the throw. Ditto if, from its own 22 meters, it finds a touch in the opposing camp, it will have the throw in its favor. The idea of this new rule, inspired by rugby union, is to free up spaces in the defenses, since the defending teams will have to protect their third curtain. It remains to be seen how this will be used in France, where we tend to look for loopholes in the rules rather than applying them.
“That's the problem with the Latins,
” says international referee Romain Poite.
The British are trying to work with the rule. We are rather working against… But we have no concerns, this is not a fundamental change in rugby. ”
