The fight for the first two places
Montpellier (69 points), Bordeaux-Begles (67), Castres (67), Racing 92 (66)
To discover
Schedule and Top 14 results
Ranking Top 14
It will be undecided until the evening of the 26th and last day, the current leader, Montpellier, and the 4th, Racing, being separated by only 3 points.
Add to that the MHR and the UBB which are badly stuck in the home stretch (4 defeats in the last 4 days for the Héraultais; 7 losses, including 4 at home, in the last 9 days for the Girondins) and very clever whoever can guess the two winners…
Castres Olympique is in any case a scarecrow.
The Tarnais have won six of their last eight Top 14 matches and benefit from the least complicated schedule: reception of 13th, Perpignan, and trip to Pau, which has nothing left to play in the league).
No direct confrontation with his rivals therefore.
Ideal to go directly to the semi-finals…
The other suitors will cross swords.
From this weekend with two burning posters: UBB-LOU and Montpellier-Racing 92. The Lou will challenge La Rochelle on June 5, during the last day, and Racing will receive a Toulon on a dynamic that seems unstoppable.
So ?
In Bordeaux, we took advantage of the European truce to explain ourselves.
“
There have been updates
, confirms Matthieu Jalibert.
It got heated, whether with the staff or between players.
We had to tell each other things.
“To finally start again.
Our prediction: Montpellier and Castres
The fight for the Top 6
Lyon (63 points), Toulouse (62), La Rochelle (62), Toulon (59)
Let's assume that Montpellier, Bordeaux and Castres will be in the Top 6 at the end of the last two days, so there will only be three places left to allocate.
There too the battle will rage.
The LOU has the most complicated schedule, with, between the two domestic shocks (UBB and Stade Rochelais), the final of the Challenge Cup against... Toulon.
The Lyonnais will have to show a lot of character (which sometimes seems to be lacking) to get out of this series of high-tension matches without damage.
“
The end of the season is thrilling
, replies Baptiste Couilloud, interviewed by AFP.
We have been in this configuration for several weeks: we play cleaver matches every weekend.
It's historic for the club.
And then, we are better in the skin of the hunter.
We are all aware of that now.
For a while now, the weeks have had the flavor of endgames.
We know that we no longer have the right to make mistakes.
These are the best weeks to live.
»
The pride of Toulouse champions
Stade Toulousain has everything to lose.
Which will inevitably awaken their pride as champions.
Relieved of their European crown by Leinster, they still have to defend the shield of Brennus.
Let's count on them to remobilize and not end this season in a fishtail.
With, what is more, a schedule well within their reach: trip to Brive and reception of Biarritz.
Stade Rochelais has the honour, but also the handicap, of playing in the Champions Cup final for the second year in a row.
An XXL shock against the Irish of Leinster stalled between the last two days of the regular phase.
Who will see them receive the Stade Français and go to Lyon.
Beware of the relaxation against the Parisians with minds already turned towards the final in Marseille.
And beware of the voltage drop a week later, whether they were crowned European champions or not….
Read alsoLa Rochelle: end of the season compromised for Kerr-Barlow, package for the Champions Cup final
What if Toulon took the opportunity to surprise everyone?
The Varois have been walking on water for two months: 6 victories in a row in the Top 14;
qualification for the Challenge Cup final which will be played in neighboring Marseille.
The euphoria of the survivors (the RCT was last at the end of December), the dynamics of revenge, the drive of the men of the new manager Franck Azéma can take them very far.
Gabin Villière and his partners receive Pau on Saturday.
Before certainly playing their qualification in the Racing hangar on Sunday June 5.
And if Racing, after saying goodbye to the European Cup, experienced a second disappointment with its spicy schedule (trip to Montpellier, reception of Toulon)?
Our prediction: UBB, Toulouse, Toulon, Lyon.
The fight for 13th place
Brive (42 points), Perpignan (39)
The relegated Biarritz Olympique, remains to be determined which team will play the accession play-off against the finalist of Pro D2.
This issue comes down to a duel between Brive (12th, 42 points) and Perpignan (13th, 39 points).
On the calendar side, the Catalans seem the worst off: a trip to Castres, intractable at home and which is seeking direct qualification for the semi-finals, and the reception of the UBB which must fight until the end to ensure the best possible place in the final stages.
Read alsoTop 14: Damien Chouly will stop his career at the end of the season
The Corrèze club will have a lot to do on Saturday with the reception of a Stade Toulousain which needs points before a trip to 0 Paris against a Stade Français team which has nothing left to play (and will be demobilized?).
CAB advantage, however, because Usap must do better to get ahead.
Our prediction: Brive 12th, Perpignan 13th.
