Kicking-off round 9 of the French Top 14 will be Montpellier vs La Rochelle and the visitors will be fielding a northern-Argentine product, Leandro Cedaro. The second-rower will start the fixture and will be looking for a fine performance to continue pressing for a return to the Italian test team.
A sold-out Stade Yves du Manor will see Parisians returning to their lives following the horrendous terrorist attacks two weeks ago in the city. Involved for Racing 92 will be Juan Imhoff as a starting winger and Manuel Carizza as a replacement forward. Carizza’s long-time Pumas partner (2009-2013) Patricio Albacete is now fit-again but will not feature for Toulouse.
Agen host Castres in a vital home fixture to avoid sinking deeper into the relegation zone. The visitors will feature veteran Rodrigo Capó Ortega in the second-row. The Uruguayan missed the World Cup to assist his pregnant wife. He is a previous French champion, helping Castres to an unlikely title in 2013.
Former Puma Santiago Fernández is to play at inside center for Pau who face Bordeaux in an away fixture on Saturday. A second former Puma, Francisco Gomez Kodela will pack-down at tighthead prop for the home side.
Also on Saturday Clermont will host Toulon and look to continue the perfect record of never losing at home against the reigning European championship. Starting in the second-row will be Jamie Cudmore who will play opposite Samu Manoa who starts for Toulon. Captaining the visitors will be the now retired Puma Juan Martín Fernández Lobbe.
Grenoble will host the Gonzalo Quesada coached Paris in the final match of the round on Sunday. Teams for this fixture will be announced on Saturday.