Americas Rugby News Rugby news from across the Americas!
Only four teams remain in the hunt for Top 14 glory. This weekend will see the number narrowed down to two. The Stade Velodrome in Marseilles is to be the setting for both Semi Finals. The fixtures will take place on Friday and Saturday.
First up will be La Rochelle vs Toulon this evening. La Rochelle’s best team of all time saw the club finish the regular season in first position. Their prize is a Semi Final against last season’s beaten finalists, Toulon. It gives Argentina’s Leandro Cedaro an opportunity of becoming French champion. Cedaro will start in the second-row.
Cedaro is capped by Italy. His omission from the test side in recent years has been quite extraordinary. With him having signed to play for Agen next season he needs a win over Toulon to play again for La Rochelle.
Toulon are to have the presence of Juan Martín Fernández Lobbe. The veteran flanker will feature from the bench for Toulon. Missing are Axel Muller and Samu Manoa. The latter of the two continues his recovery from injury. He is in doubt for the Eagles’ Rugby World Cup qualifiers next month against Canada.
On Saturday the 2016 champions, Racing 92 go up against Clermont. Both clubs have been the home to noteworthy players from the Americas in the past. This weekend there will be two Pumas involved, both as replacements.
Manuel Carizza started the 2016 final but will be on the bench this weekend. He was one of two Pumas to win last season’s Top 14 title. The other was Juan Imhoff. He is unavailable for Racing 92 due to injury.
Involved for Clermont will be Patricio Fernández. Like both Carizza and Imhoff, Fernández is from Rosario. Fernández will cover France’s starting fly half, Camille Lopez in the Semi Final.
