Injuries, returns or even suspensions, we take stock of the numbers of the different clubs at the dawn of the eighth day of the Top 14.
UBB:
Argentine second row Guido Petti is on forced rest and must follow the concussion protocol after leaving the field in La Rochelle. Nicolas Depoortere, Joey Carbery, Adam Coleman, Ben Tameifuna and Paul Abadie are still unavailable. Last week of suspension for Lachlan Swinton. Bastien Vergnes-Taillefer, after his yellow card received in La Rochelle, will have to appear before the disciplinary committee.
Pau :
South African hooker Dan Jooste will experience his first face against UBB. Théo Attissogbe will line up at the back and Aaron Grandidier-Nkanang makes his return. Daniel Bibi-Bizewu is out due to a calf injury. Clément Laporte sprained his ankle, just like Joel Kpoku. Pau will still be deprived of its long-term injured: Thomas Carol (cruciate ligament; operated at the beginning of July), Beka Gorgadze (ankle sprain), Reece Hewat (internal lateral ligament sprain), Lekso Kaulashvili (ankle sprain), Clément Mondinat (meniscus; operated in September), Hugo Parrou (shoulder dislocation; operated in early October), Paulo Pelesasa (elbow sprain and forearm fracture), Lucas Rey (shoulder; operated in early October), Siate Tokolahi (rupture Achilles tendon; operated on at the end of June), Luke Whitelock (Achilles tendon; operated on at the end of July).
Lyon :
Absent in Perpignan, Arno Botha and Xavier Mignot (sides) returned to 100% collective training this week, as did Liam Allen (knee), Charlie Cassang (ischios) and Thibaut Regard (Achilles tendon). On the other hand, the right pillar Cedate Gomes Sa was the victim in Perpignan of an elbow which led to a fracture of the orbital floor which will keep him away from the field for a little over a month.
Bayonne :
Esteban Capilla (slight acromio) has just returned to training this Thursday, as has Aurélien Callandret, victim of a concussion. Guillaume Rouet, injured in his hamstrings, is still resting. Nadir Megdoud, injured in one wrist, begins the rehabilitation phase. Federico Mori has an adductor injury. Reece Hodge is not yet completely healed from a bruise on his knee that has not resolved. He will be back against Toulon after the break. Rémi Bourdeau is in trouble with his back. Arnaud Erbinartegaray has just returned to training. Quentin Béthune should have neck surgery. Gaëtan Germain still has knee complications.
Montpellier :
Holders last week, the two pillars Baptiste Erdocio and Wilfrid Hounkpatin are left to rest. There is still a shortage of people at the center position with the recent injury to Thomas Darmon, and Auguste Cadot is not yet back on the sheet. Aligned last week, the Reinach-Hogg hinge should be renewed. First tenure of Georgian pillar Nika Abuladze.
La Rochelle:
Absent since the beginning of October, center UJ Seuteni (adductors) is too weak to return to competition but could make his return to the pitch during the reception at Stade Français in a week. Hooker Pierre Bourgarit (fractured tibia), third wing Levani Botia (broken arm) and winger Raymond Rhule (Achilles tendon) are still missing for the rest.
Racing 92 :
Demba Bamba, injured in the knee before the season started, is still in the infirmary. Hassane Kolingar, unavailable since the start of the season, is racing again but will not be operational before the end of December. Wame Naituvi and Donovan Taofifenua are on the way to recovery, as is Tristan Tedder, probably expected next week against the Pau Section. Will Rowlands, long injured in his foot, should make his return to the Ile-de-France starting XV. For the first time this season, Josua Tuisova will start at center.
Perpignan:
The injuries are piling up for the Catalans. Lucas Dubois (fibula) and Mathieu Tanguy (foot) were unable to finish the match against Lyon and will miss the next few weeks. Jefferson-Lee Joseph (hamstring) is not yet recovered, as are Job Poulet (finger) and Théo Forner (knee). Bruce Devaux (pectoral), Posolo Tuilagi (shin), Jacobus Van Tonder (knee), Sadek Deghmache (ankle), Jake McIntyre (shoulder) and Alivereti Duguivalu (knee) will still be missing. Seilala Lam, meanwhile, is operational again.
Valves:
Good news for Vannes with the return of its starting scrum half Michael Ruru who will wear number 9 on the back against Castres. Three-quarter center Théo Costossèque has returned to training but the staff remains extremely cautious. The second or third row Joe Edwards will be absent at least six weeks (injured against Clermont, ankle ligament), no return envisaged before the match in La Rochelle. Second row Anton Bresler, injured in the calf, will also be absent until the end of the first block of nine games. Three-quarter center Sacha Valleau (back) is also unavailable for a long period.
Castres:
This is the good news of the week at the CO: Pierre Popelin could attack the match in Vannes, he seems perfectly recovered from the muscle injury contracted at the end of the match against Racing 92 on the first day. Tyler Ardron (concussion), and Florent Vanverberghe (ankle) are still in treatment. Tom Staniforth (ankle surgery, nine months of absence), Romain Macurdy (shoulder) are injured who have been sidelined for a long time.
French stadium:
After the match against Castres, the bad news came from Joe Jonas. The full-back suffers from a sprained ankle and is expected to be out for three weeks. Mathieu Hirigoyen, who had shoulder surgery in September, is still absent. If the pillars Giorgi Melikidze and Francisco Gomez Kodela are back, Sergo Abramishvili and Paul Alo-Emile still have to wait. Just like winger Lester Etien and second line Pierre-Henri Azagoh.
Clermont :
Fullback Kylan Hamdaoui suffers from a pectoral injury and will be out for several weeks. Argentine second or third row Marcos Kremer (knee) is very close to a recovery while Australian center Irae Simone begins his rehabilitation after suffering a knee sprain in Toulouse. Australian second row Rob Simmons (biceps), scrum half Enzo Sanga (ankle) and third row Lucas Dessaigne (cruciate ligament rupture), long injured, continue their rehabilitation.
Toulouse :
Packaged last week to face Pau, Théo Ntamack (adductors) and Pierre-Louis Barassi (calf) returned to training this Tuesday with the group. Absent from the France group, Julien Marchand suffers from a muscle injury. Just like the hooker, Naoto Saito was spared at the start of the week to treat a small physical problem. For his part, Mathis Castro-Ferreira is getting closer to a return. The third line is just waiting for the green light from a surgeon to resume 100%. The young Valentin Delpy and Kalvin Gourgues also put on their crampons again this week and will soon return to competition. Romain Ntamack is still in the infirmary (torn calf).
Toulon :
The success against Montpellier left its mark: Leicester Fainga'anuku, Baptiste Serin and Duncan Paia'aua were affected in the ribs. They join Swan Rebbadj (foot operation) and Beka Gigashvili (thigh operation) among the injured. Left to rest last weekend, Gabin Villière is back. Jean-Baptiste Gros has served his suspension, so he is available to the Var staff. Melvyn Jaminet will be back next January.
