Toulouse 'rests' French stars
TOP 14 PREVIEW: Defending champions Toulouse head into this weekend's Top 14 clash at Toulon without their French halfback stars Antoine Dupont and Romain Ntamack, while the home side is shorn of World Cup winner Cheslin Kolbe.
If that suggests a slackening of intensity on Saturday, nothing could be further from the truth as this game has been moved from Toulon's Stade Mayol to a 60,000 sell-out Stade Vélodrome in Marseille.
With just four rounds left to play in the regular Top 14 season, at least nine clubs, including Toulouse and Toulon, still have realistic hopes of finishing in the top six and going into the play-offs.
Others, such as Stade Francais and Pau who also meet on Saturday, are still eyeing a place in the top eight and a ticket to next season's European Champions Cup.
"Nobody wants to give up in the Top 14," said Stade Francais forwards coach Laurent Sempere.
Toulouse head to Marseille in the relative comfort of the fifth spot but their opponents are just six points behind them in ninth.
Toulouse coach Ugo Mola, however, has resisted the temptation to play his strongest team, insisting that Grand Slam heroes Dupont and Ntamack deserve and need a break.
"Honestly, I have no choice, it can't be relentlessness," he said before Toulouse's European Cup last-16 win over Ulster in which both players played.
"I don't want to take risks with their health."
Baptiste Germain and Thomas Ramos will fill in.
Two other Grand Slam stars, prop Cyril Baille flanker Francois Cros, are out injured.
Toulouse will also be without Argentine full-back Juan Cruz Mallia who was slapped with a four-week ban for a dangerous challenge on Ben Moxham in the first leg of the Ulster fixture.
Toulon are on a run of three straight wins in the Top 14 but will have to do without Kolbe in this 'must-win' game because of a broken thumb he sustained during the European Challenge Cup match against Treviso last weekend.
It would have been the South African winger's first match against his old club following his acrimonious departure last summer.
Top of the table clash
Montpellier coach Phillipe Saint-Andre turned 55 during the week and the former France boss will be hoping for a late birthday present on Sunday when his table-topping side host Bordeaux-Begles who are five points behind in second.
The leaders will have to do without France lock Paul Willemse who has been suspended after collecting three yellow cards.
Fourth-placed Castres, unbeaten at home in the Top 14 this season, host Clermont who are just five points behind them in eighth but have won just once on the road, oddly at Montpellier.
Third-placed La Rochelle and Racing 92, in sixth, can boost their chances as they host struggling Perpignan and relegation-bound Biarritz respectively but seventh-placed Lyon face a tough trip to Brive.
Stade Francais, who are down in 11th, are unlikely to figure in the top six shake-up but they still have ambitions of qualifying for the Champions Cup, making their trip to Pau, who are just four points ahead of them in 10th, another 'must-win' for both teams.
Fixtures (all times GMT)
Saturday, April 23
Castres v Clermont (13.15)
Stade Francais v Pau (13.15)
Brive v Lyon (15.15)
La Rochelle v Perpignan (15.15)
Racing 92 v Biarritz (15.15)
Toulon v Toulouse (19.05)
Sunday, April 24
Montpellier v Bordeaux Begles (19.05)