Top 14 - Season Preview
By DC


On the 14th of August the new season of the top flight French club rugby kicks off, all over France teams will start the long road to the final. Each team fighting and struggling in the hope, that like Perpignan last season, they can be the ones to lift the massive Bouclier de Brennus trophy.

The French league is famous for hot and cold performances and teams that travel about as well as a bottle of Chateau le Chatonme. But times are a changing. The French league never gets the attention it deserves in the UK, but come on gentle reader there must be a reason why half of the Guinness Premiership has fled across the pond! Personally, I think that the French league has the teams and the players that make it one real Premiership of Europe. I have picked out the key teams, the game breakers and head turners.


Toulouse – the Man Utd of the league

Everything about this team oozes sex appeal – a team full of superstars, damn even the web site has an introduction music that would not be out of place in the sequel to Debbie does Dallas (serious check it out – if only for the music... www.stadetoulousain.fr) .............. Welcome back, see I was right!!!!

This squad is packed full of match winners – Vincent Clerc, Monsieur 38 Thierry Dusautor, Heymans, Fritz, Maka, Sowerby, Byron “The Muscle” Kelleher, Elissalde, Nyanga to name but a few. This team on its day could beat King Leonidas and his 300!! They have lost Pelous to retirement (he has been called up to play the Hulk in the new TV series – he will not need the make up!). While they have a squad of breathtaking talent they did have a chink in their armor, a chink that has been filled by one player I hotly tip to take the international stage by storm. Now my French is not the best however even I know that French for “massive line breaking tackle monster” is Picamoles. This guy can hit the line like a rabid Wildebeest and run all day long. A legend in the making.

They are the obvious favorites and the best price, to win the league, you will be lucky enough to get them at 3.5 with Bet365. There is no real value Toulouse in my opinion, they are a genuine class side but they do have a few pre season issues – namely not having an outside half – Michalak, Skrela & Elissalde all injured, there are even question marks over the fitness of the possible stand-ins Fritz & Jauzion. It’s a long season but they will need to start strong and carry it through.


Stade Francais – the Arsenal of the league

Famous for the shirts more than anything else – they run out every

Mirco Bergamasco pictured during a recent training session

week in kits that look like a group of lunatics got together for paint therapy sessions!  They play sexy rugby and have the sexy players to match it. They have the talent and the ability to destroy almost any side – but at time lack to killer instinct (hence the Arsenal comparison!). The living legend that is Parisse, the mythical jaw that is the Rugby league convert Gasnier, the Italian Hair Bear Bunch the Bergamasco boys...
 
One of their players, the very promising Bastareaud has been getting press attention for all the wrong reasons in the off season and I wish him well – because a talent like his needs to be on the pitch playing the game. They have lost the pin up boy – Hernandez to the Sharks – but have made a few big signings – Haskell & Palmer from Wasps, Dupuy, one of Leicester key players in the closing games of the season.

Stade are a quality side but I think they are going to choke again this season, and the best price 7.0 with Ladbrokes does not tempt me one bit.


Clermont – (Chelsea?)

Clermont- the team that always threatens but always misses out just before the final whistle. The squad has a fantastic balance of youth and experience – Baby, Floch, the ever youthful Mignoni (he made his debut in 1996), Rougerie, Brock James, Bonnaire, Elvis ...Vermeulen that is not the fat hip swinging crooner. They are amazing at home and are tough to beat for me. Last year they were missing just a few key players in a few key positions to make them the complete team. They have this season found those missing links. Another French lesson - “fantastic hands, awesome line breaking pace, quick minded” in French is pronounced Para. Morgan Para – team him up with the already mentioned Picamoles and France has the making of a World Cup winning side (you heard it here first!) In addition to the lightning reactions of Morgan “mongoose” Para, they have also signed Jacque Fourie from the Golden Lions – Fourie is Afrikaans for WOW!!!!

If there is going to be a team to set the pace and break the Toulouse & Stade hearts it’s wearing yellow this year. My tip for the top this year, the missing pieces are in place. 4.0 with Bwin is great value.


Perpignan – (Liverpool?)

Ok maybe not Chelsea but I have started the Premiership comparisons!

Perpignan do not have Dan Carter this season, but then again he only played about 25 mins last year and was not on great form for most of that time. They have a team not of superstars but grafters, hard workers that know how to win and put body and soul on the line. Chobet, Chouly, Durand, Laharrague, Meyer, Tuilagi they have all seen the infamous AL Pacino Inches speech and act it out every second on the pitch. They have not only lost Carter but Cusiter & Hines – they were never regular starters but what quality squad players. They won last year, and those of you lucky to have listened to me back then would have been laughing all the way to the bank with the 10.0 they started at. This season is slightly different – they have not made any ground breaking signings, they have lost talent. 7.0 this year with Ladbrokes – but they do not have the depth to the squad and will win games and turn heads but like Liverpool will fall short!!


Toulon – (Man City?)

The big spending club the squad list that would have most fans grinning like some Fame Academy winner. They have soooooooooooo much potential and under Saint- Andre could gel. If they do then they will rock the very foundations of Hell. Where do I begin – Johnny (stay fit and look out!), Contepomi, Fernandez Lobbe, Lamont, Sonny Bill, Henjak even the likes of Jamie Robinson and El Abd are not world beaters but they are pure class squad players. They have the money, they have the talent, they could be the surprise package of the season – but then they could implode. I cannot see them doing the latter but I think this season maybe just a little early for a title shot. 17.0 with Sportingbet is about right and could be worth a little each way bet. If you want to take the win only Unibet are offering 30.0. Look out for my comments on Toulon in the upcoming Challenge Cup article.


Biarritz – (Everton?)

A strong team with some notable players – on their day can upset and frustrate but to be honest are never going to threaten the top four – Traille, and the forgotten man Marcus Lund are great players but they do not have enough similar quality to upset for a full season


Brive – (Spurs?)

Last French lesson of the day, I promise. French for over the hill is Brive – they have a team of quality but most of them are a little long in the tooth. Goode & Popham good players but there has been talk in some corners of France that they will be replaced by Moses and Rip van Winkle. Notable signings like Noon & Flutey will be a breath of fresh air in this aging side but I doubt they have the defibrillators to bring life back into this team!

Winner

Stade Toulouse	3.50  @
ASM Clermont Auvergne	4.00  @
USA Perpignan	7.00  @
Stade Francais Paris	7.00  @
Biarritz Olympique PB	8.50  @
Toulon	30.00  @
Brive	75.00  @
Castres Olympique	101.00  @
Montpellier	150.00  @

TOP 14 Outright winners

Pick: 2pts Clermont 4.0 Bwin

Pick: 0.25pts each way Toulon 17.0 Sportingbet 1/2 1,2