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Round 23 sees most games tomorrow with just the two games on Sunday....and there are some very important games as we near the end of the road with just 6 games left after this weekend.
Agen (3rd) take on Albi (7th) separated by just three points with Agen odds on favourites to win this one having won 10 out of their eleven games at home to date. Albi will be looking to do the double and have a respectable 4 wins out of 11 on the road to date but cannot see them increasing that tomorrow!
Big local derby at Beziers (9th) who host USAP (2nd) who hold an 11 point advantage in the Table. Beziers have won 9/11 against USAP appalling record of 1/11 and it is only their home record that has got them so high in the table at this stage! Beziers are 8 points away from the 5th place and are fighting to stay in the promotion battle so will go for a home win. Interesting that USAP have 5 away games and only three home including this weekend.....maybe time to panic for my USAP friend?!!
Bourgoin (14th), who are playing Dax (16th) in the bottom place battle, hold a three point advantage over their visitors and, with Narbonne only a point behind, they are still very much in danger. Bourgoin have won 6 and drawn one match at home and Dax, after their surprise win last week, will be looking for only their second win of the season on the road. The long trip to the East will be in vain for the boys from Les Landes!
Massy (13th and 8/11 at home) play Colomiers (10th and 3/11 away) and with the home side still in the relegation zone being level with Bourgoin on points and Colomiers probably out of the promotion race, Massy may just want this a little more and should ease home just.
The other Les Landes team, MdM (4th and 9/11) should continue their progress with a win over Carcassonne (11th and 1/11) who have little to play for this season any longer.
Mid table Tarbes (12th and 8 wins/1 draw/11 at home) have nothing to gain against a Montauban (8th and 1/11 away) side that is still challenging for a promotion slot. However, their away record is so poor, the evidence is pointing toward a home win, but I wonder?
In probably the biggest of the great matches this weekend the impressive record of Aurillac (5th and 11/11 at home) is to be challenged by the team of the season to date, Pau (1st and have only lost three on the road). Obviously, Pau are looking comfortable in the lead but Simon Mannix et al will be doing their utmost to confirm to their new signings (and current players) they have done the right thing in signing with them for next season! Another away win for Pau would do Biarritz lots of favours as Aurillac are just one point ahead of them in the last promotion play off place!
Speaking of which, in the final match of the weekend, it is Biarritz (6th unbeaten at home except for a loss to Pau) who have the chance to do the double over Narbonne (15th and have only won at Montauban) whom they beat to allay any fears of Blanco wielding a big stick which he did threaten if they had lost there.
The Biarritz match squad is as follows:
1. CABARRY 2. RUFFENACH 3. VAN STADEN 4. MARIE 5. FONO 6. USARRAGE 7. FONO 8. VAN DER WALT 9. LUCU 10. WAENGA 11. GIRESSE 12. BABY 13. GIMENEZ 14. NGWENYA 15. COUET-LANNES
16. LEVI 17. LOURDELET 18. LUND 19. SOQETA 20. ROUSSARIE 21. LE BOURHIS 22. SELLA 23. PULEOTO
So the 20 year old Tim Giresse starts on the wing (with Rod Davies in a crowded infirmary alongside Jacques Boussuge - left thigh muscle injury Seremaia Burotu - right tibia fracture Nick De Luca - Fracture third metacarpals left hand Bryn Evans - right ankle sprain Edwin Hewitt - left calf muscle injury Clement MARIENVAL - right wrist Tanguy Molcard - Sprained right knee Franck Montanella - Cervical spine Benjamin Noirot - Right knee) while the 20 year old Le Bourhis and the two 22 year olds, Geoffrey Sella and Cecillion Puleoto, start on the bench.
Biarritz need to hammer these sides that are low down in the table(and get some bonus points) if they are to proceed to a home play off place and the mixture of these youngsters and the more experienced players (Baby, Gimenez, Ngwenya, Van Der Walt etc) should see them safely through this one!
Agen (3rd) take on Albi (7th) separated by just three points with Agen odds on favourites to win this one having won 10 out of their eleven games at home to date. Albi will be looking to do the double and have a respectable 4 wins out of 11 on the road to date but cannot see them increasing that tomorrow!
Big local derby at Beziers (9th) who host USAP (2nd) who hold an 11 point advantage in the Table. Beziers have won 9/11 against USAP appalling record of 1/11 and it is only their home record that has got them so high in the table at this stage! Beziers are 8 points away from the 5th place and are fighting to stay in the promotion battle so will go for a home win. Interesting that USAP have 5 away games and only three home including this weekend.....maybe time to panic for my USAP friend?!!
Bourgoin (14th), who are playing Dax (16th) in the bottom place battle, hold a three point advantage over their visitors and, with Narbonne only a point behind, they are still very much in danger. Bourgoin have won 6 and drawn one match at home and Dax, after their surprise win last week, will be looking for only their second win of the season on the road. The long trip to the East will be in vain for the boys from Les Landes!
Massy (13th and 8/11 at home) play Colomiers (10th and 3/11 away) and with the home side still in the relegation zone being level with Bourgoin on points and Colomiers probably out of the promotion race, Massy may just want this a little more and should ease home just.
The other Les Landes team, MdM (4th and 9/11) should continue their progress with a win over Carcassonne (11th and 1/11) who have little to play for this season any longer.
Mid table Tarbes (12th and 8 wins/1 draw/11 at home) have nothing to gain against a Montauban (8th and 1/11 away) side that is still challenging for a promotion slot. However, their away record is so poor, the evidence is pointing toward a home win, but I wonder?
In probably the biggest of the great matches this weekend the impressive record of Aurillac (5th and 11/11 at home) is to be challenged by the team of the season to date, Pau (1st and have only lost three on the road). Obviously, Pau are looking comfortable in the lead but Simon Mannix et al will be doing their utmost to confirm to their new signings (and current players) they have done the right thing in signing with them for next season! Another away win for Pau would do Biarritz lots of favours as Aurillac are just one point ahead of them in the last promotion play off place!
Speaking of which, in the final match of the weekend, it is Biarritz (6th unbeaten at home except for a loss to Pau) who have the chance to do the double over Narbonne (15th and have only won at Montauban) whom they beat to allay any fears of Blanco wielding a big stick which he did threaten if they had lost there.
The Biarritz match squad is as follows:
1. CABARRY 2. RUFFENACH 3. VAN STADEN 4. MARIE 5. FONO 6. USARRAGE 7. FONO 8. VAN DER WALT 9. LUCU 10. WAENGA 11. GIRESSE 12. BABY 13. GIMENEZ 14. NGWENYA 15. COUET-LANNES
16. LEVI 17. LOURDELET 18. LUND 19. SOQETA 20. ROUSSARIE 21. LE BOURHIS 22. SELLA 23. PULEOTO
So the 20 year old Tim Giresse starts on the wing (with Rod Davies in a crowded infirmary alongside Jacques Boussuge - left thigh muscle injury Seremaia Burotu - right tibia fracture Nick De Luca - Fracture third metacarpals left hand Bryn Evans - right ankle sprain Edwin Hewitt - left calf muscle injury Clement MARIENVAL - right wrist Tanguy Molcard - Sprained right knee Franck Montanella - Cervical spine Benjamin Noirot - Right knee) while the 20 year old Le Bourhis and the two 22 year olds, Geoffrey Sella and Cecillion Puleoto, start on the bench.
Biarritz need to hammer these sides that are low down in the table(and get some bonus points) if they are to proceed to a home play off place and the mixture of these youngsters and the more experienced players (Baby, Gimenez, Ngwenya, Van Der Walt etc) should see them safely through this one!
SU Agen v Albi
Saturday 7th March 2015 @ 18/30
Béziers v Perpignan
Saturday 7th March 2015 @ 18/30
Bourgoin v US Dax
Saturday 7th March 2015 @ 18/30
Massy v Colomiers
Saturday 7th March 2015 @ 18/30
Mont-de-Marsan v Carcassonne
Saturday 7th March 2015 @ 18/30
Tarbes v Montauban
Saturday 7th March 2015 @ 18/30
Stade Aurillacois v Section Paloise
Sunday 8th March 2015 @ 17.00
Biarritz Olympique v Narbonne
Sunday 8th March 2015 @ 15.00
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