Injuries, returns or even suspensions, we take stock of the numbers of the different clubs at the dawn of the ninth day of the Top 14.
Clermont
Folau Fainga'a is injured in the foot and will be out for several weeks, as will Alivereti Raka (knee). Kylan Hamdaoui suffers from a pectoral injury and remains unavailable. Marcos Kremer (knee) will not play against Bordeaux-Bègles and could even miss the tour with Argentina because of a sprained knee. Long-term injured Irae Simone (knee), Rob Simmons (biceps), Enzo Sanga (ankle) and Lucas Dessaigne (ruptured cruciate ligaments) continue their rehabilitation.
Bordeaux-Bègles
Yoram Moefana and Bastien Vergnes-Taillefer are suspended.Matthieu Jalibert, Damian Penaud and Louis Bielle-Biarrey were retained by the XV of France. On the other hand, Maxime Lucu, Romain Buros, Maxime Lamothe and Marko Gazzotti will be available. Pierre Bochaton (lumbago) and Sipili Falatea (knee) were very doubtful for the trip to Clermont. Coleman, Tameifuna, Carbery and Depoortere are still unavailable. Lachlan Swinton will return after his suspension.
Toulon
Baptiste Serin (côte) is available to the Var staff. Duncan Paia'aua, Leicester Fainga'anuku, who also suffers from a rib, remain on the flank in the company of Swan Rebbadj (foot operation) and Beka Gigashvili (thigh operation). Melvyn Jaminet is suspended until next January. As we write these lines, doubt remains regarding the participation of the released internationals (Ollivon, Villière, Frisch, Garbisi and even White).
Lyon
Victim of a broken rib, Arno Botha joins the infirmary, where he joins Tomas Lavanini and Beka Saghinadze (ankles), as well as Guillaume Marchand (cervicals) and Cedate Gomes Sa (orbital floor). It is therefore a reduced pack which will travel to Toulon, also deprived of Mickaël Guillard (retained by the XV of France). Fortunately, Léo Berdeu (spared at the start of the week due to a swollen knee) should be available, unlike Paddy Jackson (shoulder). Finally, Charlie Cassang (ischios) should experience his first spell in the absence of Martin Page-Relo (retained by Italy).
Perpignan
The infirmary is always full on the Catalan side. Particularly on the three-quarter line which has been decimated to date. Jake McIntyre (shoulder), Lucas Dubois (fibula), Aliveriti Duguivalu (knee), Sadek Deghmache (ankle) and Apisai Naqalevu (suspension) will be missing. Knowing that Patrick Sobela was also injured during the confrontation against Racing 92, the Usapists will also deplore the absences of Posolo Tuilagi (fibula), Jacobus Van Tonder (knee), Nemo Roelofse (back) and Bruce Devaux (pectoral).
Valves
Centers Sacha Valleau (back) and Théo Costossèque (knee) are joined in care by second row Anton Bresler (knee) who was nevertheless scheduled for the trip to Perpignan. Second row Christiaan Van der Merwe (concussion, returning) is preserved. Winger Filipo Nakosi (foot) is also in care.
Pau
Émilien Gailleton was retained by the XV of France group unlike Théo Attissogbe who will be a replacement. Pau will still be without its captain Beka Gorgadze who is nursing her sprained ankle, but also left pillars Daniel Bibi Biziwu (calf injury) and Rémi Sénéca (adductor injury). Clément Laporte is also recovering from a sprained ankle. Right prop Hugo Parrou is recovering from a shoulder dislocation. Lucas Rey had surgery on the same part of his body. Joel Kpoku also suffers from an ankle. A number of players have yet to start the season, such as Thomas Carol (knee sprain), Tom Franklin (calf), Reece Hewat (lateral lateral ligament sprain), Lekso Kaulashvili (ankle sprain), Siate Tokolahi (ruptured Achilles tendon) and Luke Whitelock (Achilles tendon).
Racing 92
Gaël Fickou and Nolann Le Garrec are retained on training with the XV of France. On the other hand, Racing 92 had the pleasure of seeing Romain Taofifenua and Cameron Woki return on Wednesday evening.
Castres
Tyler Ardron, concussed, will be able to return to rugby in November. Romain Macurdy, with a long-standing shoulder injury, is still in the rehabilitation phase. The same goes for Tom Staniforth, who underwent ankle surgery and is heading for almost a blank season. Jack Goodhue is struggling with one of his Achilles heels but should be able to apply for this MHR reception. Gaëtan Barlot is selected with the Blues and prepares the November tour to Marcoussis. Vilimoni Botitu, Fijian international, will fly away with his selection after this match against Montpellier.
Montpellier
Hard blow for the Montpellier residents, who lost their Scottish fly-half Stuart Hogg. The international suffered a serious hand injury, underwent surgery and will be out for six weeks. Arriving last Thursday, New Zealander Josh Moorby will not be traveling to Castres as he is treating a painful psoas. Thomas Darmon is still convalescing, as is South African center Jan Serfontein who should resume for the visit of Pau on November 23. Called up by the Blues at the start of the week, Lenni Nouchi was released and should take his place on the bench. Also returns from center Auguste Cadot, who should start the match.
La Rochelle
The French internationals are in Marcoussis to prepare for the first match of the tour against Japan (Alldritt, Boudehent, Wardi, Colombe). Danty and Hastoy have been released and are applying. Uini Atonio had to withdraw from this first rally. Cancoriet is suspended four weeks after his card received against UBB. Rhule is still missing.
French stadium
After six weeks of absence, Georgian international Giorgi Melikidze returned last Saturday against Clermont. Alas, he was forced to leave Jean-Bouin's pitch at the hour mark. He suffered from a sprain of the internal lateral ligament of one knee. He must observe a rest period of at least one month. On the other hand, the two other pillars injured since the first day in Bordeaux, Paul Alo-Emile and Sergo Abramishvili will return after the holidays to face Racing 92. Lester Etien has recovered from his physical problem and could be a substitute this Saturday. On the other hand, third row Mathieu Hirigoyen, who had shoulder surgery last September, is still absent. His return is scheduled for January.
Bayonne
Vincent Giudicelli (acromio) is unavailable for a period to be determined. Pierre Castillon, also injured in the malleolus against Lyon, will not be able to hold his place. Esteban Capilla, Aurélien Callandret, Rémi Bourdeau and Guillaume Rouet have returned to training. Nadir Megdoud, injured in a wrist, is in the rehabilitation phase. Federico Mori and Reece Hodge will be back against Toulon after the break. Quentin Béthune should have neck surgery. Gaëtan Germain still has knee complications.
Toulouse
Victim of an acromioclavicular dislocation, Richie Arnold is out. Julien Marchand (calf) had still not returned to training midweek. On the other hand, Mathis Castro-Ferreira (sinus fracture) has finally resumed normally and is applying, like Pierre-Louis Barassi or Naoto Saito. Alban Placines (knee), Romain Ntamack (calf), Cyril Baille (ankle) and Nepo Laulala (Achilles tendon) are absent. Joshua Brennan, Anthony Jelonch and Matthis Lebel were released by the staff of the XV of France.
