The 6e Top 14 day will begin this Saturday by a tempting Racing 92-Toulon (2:30 p.m.). Aviron Bayonnais will host La Rochelle at Anoeta (4:30 p.m.) and will try to defeat the Indian sign, the Basque team remaining on two defeats in a row in the Spanish den. A clash which will give rise to a duel between two behemoths, Manu Tuilagi and Jonathan Danty.
Stade Toulousain will have to react after two consecutive setbacks while the UBB could seize, alone, the leadership chair. We take stock of the weekend’s issues.
In Anoeta, the end of the curse?
As has become customary for three seasons now, Aviron Bayonnais, relocated a meeting to Anoetanow called Reale Arena de San Sebastian. Twelfth in the standings, first non-relegable and three points ahead of Montpellier, the Basques are obliged to win, to get some fresh air.
Camille Lopez’s teammates were particularly nervous at the start of the championship. If they have overcome Perpignan and Montpellier, these two victories are almost miraculousas the Ciel et Blanc were dominated on their lawn by Jean Dauger, on two occasions. Away, it was not great, with a correction in Pau and a defeat without bonus in Clermont.
But last Saturday, a semblance of clarity came to settle in the Bayonne ranks. Traveling to Bordeaux, Aviron released a solid copy, attractive and the antipodes of what he had accustomed us to since September. Trailing 27-10 and while we thought the mass was said, Joris Segonds’ teammates gradually came back, so much so that they were on the verge of snatching a deserved draw. But Mateo Garcia converted a penalty and crucified the visitors’ hopes in the final moments.
But whatever, this boost of energy is welcomeas the shock awaits the Bayonnais on Saturday (kick-off 4:30 p.m.). The latter may have eaten their black bread and the return of certain players will allow Jean Dauger’s residents to consider the future with more serenity. Behind, the attacking line will look great. Mateo Carrerras, is back from selection and will bring his punch and his experience at a very high level.
Cheick Tiberghien is gradually coming back in very good shape, but above all, Manu Tuilagi, injured hand in friendly, should wear Basque colors in official competition for the first time. We will return to this later in these lines.
These returns will be significant for a team which does not succeed in Anoeta. Realize, we have to go back to April 12, 2024 and a 24-19 victory against Stade Français, to find traces of a Bayonne victory in San Sebastian.
In 2023, while they were still in the race for qualifying, the partners of Maxime Machenaud sank in the Spanish enclosure against the Pau neighbor (20-30), destroying all their hopes of a Top 6. Last season, it was against Toulon that Rowing took on water, undergoing the law of an RCT in steamroller mode (10-46). So, we will have to overcome the curse this Saturday. The task will not be easy against Stade Rochelais, tied for first with Union Bordeaux-Bègles. The Maritimes only fell at Toulouse and have been impressive since day 1. But behind, the X factors, Seuteni, Nowell or Thomas will all be absent.
In an incandescent Anoeta which only asks to see Rowing defeat the Indian sign and triumph, ten years later, in this den, we see the Basques carried by a formidable line of attack impose themselves.
Manu Tuilagi vs Jonathan Danty: heavyweight clash
As we have just mentioned, Manu Tuilagi will experience his first with Bayonne against La Rochelle. Unless the situation turns around, the English center should be titular and associated with the Sireli Maqala phenomenonwho has just extended his contract in the Basque city. What will the return of the international to the 60 selections XV de la Rose change for Grégory Patat’s training? A lot of things, certainly.
Déjà, he will bring his unrivaled power (1m85, 111kg) to the center of the field. Often used as the first attacker to mark the opponent, he constantly manages to put his team in advance. His experience in the heated moments of the match will also be decisive. His defensive solidity and his complementarity with Maqala, a faster and more creative player, should provide several solutions offensively.
Against a team from La Rochelle orphaned by Seuteni, Rowing may have the advantage in this sector. But what will attract our attention will necessarily be his expected duel against Jonathan Danty. Both “bulldozzers”, the former Parisian, author of a very solid performance against Lyon, will necessarily want to respond to the devastating charges of his opposite number. If they are in this register of “demolisher”, our protagonists nevertheless have several strings to their bows. They are also capable of playing behind them, with very good individual technique.
It will be especially interesting to see if Tuilagi, just back, manages to adapt to his new environment in an express time in order to compete with a Danty who has been going on for several weeks. We can’t wait to see what it turns out. One thing is certain, Anoeta risks roaring at each collision between the two colossi.
Toulouse, expected rebound
It’s rare enough to be reported, but Stade Toulousain remains on two consecutive defeats in the Top 14including one at home. Authors of three impeccable first matches (3 successes), the Haut-Garonnais first fell to Ernest-Wallon against Union Bordeaux-Bègles (12-16), before losing to Castres (28-23). Nothing alarming, but a necessary reminder in a homogeneous Top 14, where the slightest relaxation is prohibited and is paid for in cash.
At home, Toulouse will first seek to reassure itself and stop this negative spiral. By receiving a Clermont winner on the gong of Toulon, capable of the worst as well as the best, Thomas Ramos’ partners are logically favorites. They will be able to count on the return of Juan Cruz Mallia, a major element in the Toulouse playing system in recent seasons, but above all on that from his superstar Antoine Dupont.
The scrum half has not been on the pitch since last July and winning his Olympic title with the French sevens team. He should start the game on the bench and could bring his leadership and talent. As Christophe Urios indicated to Midi Olympique, Antoine Dupont is surely “ the missing link » to this team. His comeback does not bode well for Clermontois who, on paper and in view of their recent outings far from their bases, do not seem able to overthrow Toulouse.
But this match will have the merit of being worth the detour. Because in the event of defeat, Stade Toulousain could go through a small crisis for the first time in a long time. If, to be completely transparent and objective, we do not really believe in this hypothesis, it will however be interesting to see the content that the Rouge et Noir will offer, after two average performances.
Bordeaux-Bègles sole leader at the end of the day?
En recevant l’USAP, the Union Bordeaux-Bègles has the perfect opportunity to make a small gap on its direct competitors in the first two places. After a success in Toulouse, the Gironde team almost ruined everything last week and came close to being penalized against Bayonne (30-27 victory).
The reception of Perpignan, which is coming off two home victories and which will slightly rotate its squad in Gironde, should allow Yannick Bru’s men to reassure themselves. And it is far from impossible for the Bordelo-Béglais to seize, alone, first place at the end of this sixth day.
Currently tied with La Rochelle, UBB could, without coming forward and disrespecting the Catalans who are always difficult to maneuver, win an offensive bonus. At the same time, if La Rochelle does not do the same to Anoeta, then the Girondins will be the sole leaders.
Certainly, a first place on the evening of the sixth day remains anecdotal. But the trend is still revealing of the strength of character of the Girondins, who were able to get up and move on, after the affront of the last Top 14 final (defeat against Toulouse 59-3).
