After a last weekend marked by the takeover of Union Bordeaux Bègles on the pitch of Stade Toulousain (12-16), the Top 14 resumes its rights on Saturday with the 5th day of the French rugby elite. We still found three good reasons for you to turn on your TV and follow the Top 14.
RC Vannes – Racing 92, Le Garrec back home
“Since the calendar came out, I have had this date of October 5 in mind. I’m very impatient. » Nolann Le Garrec is back at his favorite club where he took his first steps and where his father Goulven is assistant coach. This Saturday, RC Vannes (14th) welcomes to the Rabine stadium a Racing 92 (12th) which is very pale for a poster which opposes two teams lacking points. The Ile-de-France residents notably remain on two consecutive defeats against UBB and Stade Rochelais with only one victory on the clock this season. The Vannes have the same record (1 victory – 3 defeats) but have one point less in the standings.
To prepare for this shock, Jean-Noël Spitzer did not hesitate to make choices against Toulon last week. “It’s true that we put a few players on rest, in regeneration, last week, in anticipation of this match against Racing. All home matches are targeted. »
READ ALSO. INTERVIEW. Nolann Le Garrec: “My rugby was shaped in Brittany”
UBB – Bayonne rowing, reunion under high tension
The hot soap opera between the Bordeaux and Basque teams experienced a new episode this week with the Bayonne massif Tevita Tatafu. Indeed, the Tongan pillar by birth, but now selectable after five years of residence in France, is in the sights of the UBB, although under contract until 2026 with Bayonne. But Tatafu’s new agent and the Gironde club relied on a clause in his contract allowing his release for 500,000 euros. The same one which caused the departure of another Bayonne pillar, Matis Perchaud, for the UBB this summer.
Problem is, this clause no longer exists according to Basque President Philippe Tayeb who does not want to give any gifts to his former manager Yannick Bru – who launched Tatafu as a pro in 2021 – especially after their joint adventure at Rowing ends in 2022 and their public altercation last April at Jean-Dauger during the last opposition between the two teams.
Castres – Toulouse, the awakening of the champion?
Defeated at home in the Top 14 for the first time since February 2022 after the setback conceded against UBB last weekend, Stade Toulousain is expected to turn the corner for this trip to Castres. “We are not used to losing at home at Stade Toulousain so pride is obviously affectedrecognized the Pierre-Louis Barassi center at a press conference on Thursday. It allows you to put your ideas back in place and realize that if you don’t put all the ingredients in, you can lose any match against any team. » Second in the standings alongside UBB, the new leader, Stade Toulouse intends to make up for the points it lost on its pitch this weekend at its neighbor Castres.
READ ALSO. Top 14. Tawera Kerr-Barlow wants to stay in the championship after 2025
In the other matches of the day, the Section Paloise (8th) will travel to Perpignan (11th) with French international Hugo Auradou, still prosecuted for rape in Argentina. He will even start against the Catalans. At the same time, Stade Français (13th) without coach Karim Ghezal, whose departure was announced Monday by the club, will host Montpellier (10th). Stade Rochelais (4th) will host LOU (5th) for a top-of-the-table shock while the 5th day of Top 14 ends Sunday evening with the poster between ASM Clermont (7th) and RC Toulon (3rd) .
