THE TOP 14 finishes up its regular season on Saturday afternoon and there are several Irishmen playing key roles in what should be a riveting end-game. Here is everything you need to get up to speed.
Racing Métro will be hoping to win away to Montpellier and hope against unlikely hope that Clermont’s three-season winning streak at Stade Marcel Michelin is broken by relegation-haunted Perpignan. Racing have peaked heading into the closing stages of the season but it appears likely they will finish third or fourth and have a home quarter final.
Speaking with Rugbyrama this week, Racing skills coach Ronan O’Gara may be coming around to the French way of thinking when it comes to the league’s importance. “Honestly,” he said, “when I got here, the flagship event for me was the Heineken Cup. I now realise that the Brennus Shield [league trophy] is much bigger than the Heineken Cup. You have to live here, and live the games each week, to understand it.”
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The former Munster out-half took to Twitter this afternoon in an attempt to clarify his statement. He tweeted: “I tried to explain in French that in France winning the Top 14 is bigger than winning the H Cup for a lot of the French players.” O’Gara, it seems, is not putting the Heineken Cup in the corner just yet.
Jonathan Sexton should start at out-half for the Parisians while Welsh centre Jamie Roberts, who should also feature, is cooling down on the trip to Montpellier.
Having led the Top 14 standings for so long, Stade Francais have plummeted in recent weeks — they are now seventh — and travel to Stade Felix Mayol to take on Toulon, the side that replaced them at the summit. Castres, last season’s Brennus winners, are all but assured a quarter final place and can confirm their top six place with even a solitary bonus point away to Bayonne.
Bernard Jackman will take over as head coach at Grenoble next season but will hope his journey into senior management [he is currently forwards coach] will start in the Top 14, as opposed to the second division. Grenoble, who have James Hart and Shane O’Leary on their playing books, have dropped from fourth to 10th in the league and may yet fall into the drop zone if they are beaten away to Toulouse.
Farewell to a legend
Dimitri Yachvili pictured in the Amlin Challenge Cup against Leinster last season. Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
One team that has been living with relegation since early April is Biarritz. The two-time Heineken Cup finalists are rock bottom of the standings having won just five games all season. They are away to Bordeaux-Begles for what will be the final game for France scrum-half Dimitri Yachvili. The 33-year-old is hanging up his boots following Saturday’s match and will hope to go out on a winning note.
Top 14 title is more important to Racing Métro than Heineken Cup admits O'Gara
THE TOP 14 finishes up its regular season on Saturday afternoon and there are several Irishmen playing key roles in what should be a riveting end-game. Here is everything you need to get up to speed.
Racing Métro will be hoping to win away to Montpellier and hope against unlikely hope that Clermont’s three-season winning streak at Stade Marcel Michelin is broken by relegation-haunted Perpignan. Racing have peaked heading into the closing stages of the season but it appears likely they will finish third or fourth and have a home quarter final.
Speaking with Rugbyrama this week, Racing skills coach Ronan O’Gara may be coming around to the French way of thinking when it comes to the league’s importance. “Honestly,” he said, “when I got here, the flagship event for me was the Heineken Cup. I now realise that the Brennus Shield [league trophy] is much bigger than the Heineken Cup. You have to live here, and live the games each week, to understand it.”
The former Munster out-half took to Twitter this afternoon in an attempt to clarify his statement. He tweeted: “I tried to explain in French that in France winning the Top 14 is bigger than winning the H Cup for a lot of the French players.” O’Gara, it seems, is not putting the Heineken Cup in the corner just yet.
Jonathan Sexton should start at out-half for the Parisians while Welsh centre Jamie Roberts, who should also feature, is cooling down on the trip to Montpellier.
Having led the Top 14 standings for so long, Stade Francais have plummeted in recent weeks — they are now seventh — and travel to Stade Felix Mayol to take on Toulon, the side that replaced them at the summit. Castres, last season’s Brennus winners, are all but assured a quarter final place and can confirm their top six place with even a solitary bonus point away to Bayonne.
Bernard Jackman will take over as head coach at Grenoble next season but will hope his journey into senior management [he is currently forwards coach] will start in the Top 14, as opposed to the second division. Grenoble, who have James Hart and Shane O’Leary on their playing books, have dropped from fourth to 10th in the league and may yet fall into the drop zone if they are beaten away to Toulouse.
Farewell to a legend
One team that has been living with relegation since early April is Biarritz. The two-time Heineken Cup finalists are rock bottom of the standings having won just five games all season. They are away to Bordeaux-Begles for what will be the final game for France scrum-half Dimitri Yachvili. The 33-year-old is hanging up his boots following Saturday’s match and will hope to go out on a winning note.
Top 14 fixtures
*All games kick-off at 3pm on Saturday.
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