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A number Americas rugby players will feature in Week 11 of the Top 14. Due to the holidays all seven of the league matches are to be played on Sunday.
First up at 2pm will be Oyonnax hosting Stade Français. Although both teams are competing in this season’s European Champions Cup neither club is doing well in the Top 14. Even with a bonus point win Oyonnax would remain in the relegation zone. The Gonzalo Quesada coached Parisians enter ranked 11th knowing that an away win will benefit the team significantly.
Next up the 12th placed Pau will host the 9th placed La Rochelle who are aiming for an away victory. Pau’s players from the Americas will not feature while Leandro Cedaro from northern Argentina has been named as a La Rochelle replacement. He is capped by Italy.
A strong Montpellier lineup will host Agen in the second of four matches kicking-off at 4pm local time. Montpellier will fancy themselves to win the match and collect a bonus point. If so the team will likely find itself back in the Top 6. The USA eligibile Dave Ryan has been named to start at tighthead prop for the 13th placed Agen.
While this match is taking place the 8th placed Castres will host the surprise package of the season thus far, Brive. Central to the 5th placed Brive winning again is the impressive goal kicking fullback Gaëtan Germain who may be destined for international duty. Uruguayan Rodrigo Capó Ortega will captain the home side from the second-row.
Bordeaux-Begles’ good win over the Ospreys in the European Champions Cup last weekend has the team well placed to perform against the visiting Grenoble. Starting for the home side will be Francisco Goméz Kodela who made it known this past week that he want to return to Los Pumas.
Also coming off a good Champions Cup win is the Top 14 leading Clermont who will face the fourth placed Racing 92 at home. Facing-off in the second-row will be Jamie Cudmore and Manuel Carizza. Both Patricio Fernández and Martín Castrogiovanni will feature as replacements.
The final match will see the out of touch Toulouse searching for a home win against title favorites, Toulon. Returning to the team for home side is Patricio Albacete who has been named in the starting lineup.
