The traditional period of doubles begins this Saturday with the 15th day of Top 14. Before following these next eventful weeks, presentation of the main issues.
It's official, the French internationals joined Marcoussis at the end of last week. A first tricolor gathering before the Six Nations Tournament (from January 31 to March 15), eagerly awaited by supporters of the XV of France, which also signifies the kick-off of the period of the famous doubles of the Top 14, since many clubs are now without several of their stars, Toulouse and Union Bordeaux-Bègles in the first place.
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Between race to the top, battle for the top 6 and maintenance, these doubles, which extend until the 20th day of the championship, should once again deliver some truths in view of the end of the season.
The UBB reveals Toulouse’s mastery
The Bordeaux-Bègles Union will undergo a full-scale test this winter. Last year, the Unionists lost four out of six matches during this period. A very bad record which condemned them to the play-off box, before being humiliated in the final. For its part, Toulouse came away with five victories, thanks to its incredible squad depth, which allowed it to finish first in the regular season.
The question now is whether, this season, the Bordelais, currently leaders and with incredible momentum (seven victories in a row), can manage to keep up with the Haut-Garonnais? Several answers have already been given to us, notably during the victory of Yannick Bru's men on the Castres pitch last December.
With respectively 13 and 8 internationals called up by the Blues staff, the two clubs are, unsurprisingly, the biggest suppliers of the French XV to prepare for this Six Nations Tournament, and will engage in a beautiful remote duel before meeting again on March 22, a week after the end of the Six Nations Tournament.
Tipping point in the race for the top 6?
With 7 internationals selected, Toulon, with a very good first part of the season, was somewhat defeated by Fabien Galthié and his staff. The Varois, third in the Top 14 with 43 points, must confirm, with an affordable schedule during the next five days, and who knows, hope for a misstep from one of the two big favorites of the championship to directly access the semi-finals.
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Pierre Mignoni's men can also consider themselves lucky to have this small margin of advance, because behind them, the battle rages on. Clermont (38 points), Bayonne (38), La Rochelle (36) and Montpellier (34) are in four small points as we enter the fateful period of the season. And there are many challenges at the dawn of this 15th day.
The Héraultais, on a series of seven victories in a row, do they have the capacity to raise the tone even more by inviting themselves into the first six? The Rochelais, shaken in recent weeks, who will go to Toulon, Lyon, Paris and Clermont during their doubles, will they still be in the top 6 at the end of the 20th day? Finally, can Clermont and Bayonne compete with the RCT for the podium? Make your bets.
Emergency for the capital’s clubs
It's the berezina among the Ile-de-France residents. If Racing 92 is in 9th place in the Top 14 with 26 points, the Ciel et Blanc have little margin on the first relegation, their neighbor in the capital, the Stade Français Paris, which is experiencing a calvary season, only 13th with 23 points. But good news, these two clubs, given their season which leaves something to be desired (to say the least), were little impacted by Fabien Galthié's list. Only one selected for Stade Français (Léo Barré) and two for Racing 92 (R. Taofifenua and Le Garrec), who, in addition, finds his playing master Owen Farrell, back after being away from the field for several weeks.
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The two Île-de-France teams are also eliminated from the Champions Cup (Racing is still transferred to Challenge) and no longer have the right to make mistakes. We must succeed in moving on to save a season which is turning into a nightmare, and the opportunity seems ripe with this period of doubles. To do this, it will already be necessary to gain points against their direct competitors, which are Perpignan (12th), Pau (11th) and Lyon (10th), these three clubs standing in the same pocket.
Vannes condemned to exploit
To put it simply, with 16 points, the Bretons (who remain on a series of five consecutive defeats in all competitions), are quite simply condemned to the feat. Mako Vunipola and his team unfortunately seem to be suffering at the start of the second half of the season. Do they have the ability to take advantage of the upcoming period to achieve the feat of remaining in the elite? Currently, the trend is rather negative. But who knows…
Their clash this Saturday against Stade Français already appears to be the last chance match. If Jean-Noël Spitzer's men managed to win at La Rabine, they could still hope for a crazy end to the season. One thing is certain, the fate of the Bretons in the first division can already be sealed over the next five days which, as you will have understood, promise a great spectacle.
