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The French Pro D2 is off this week but the Top 14 is still going strong. Five matches on Saturday and two on Sunday are the order of business. Montpellier are still the team to beat but three teams are within five points heading into the second half of the season.
La Rochelle are only three points behind and they will host Agen at Stade Marcel Deflandre in the first game of the weekend. Arriving with the visitors is a pair of Argentines in hooker Facundo Bosch and flyhalf Ignacio Mieres, with US-eligible Dave Ryan at tighthead prop.
There are more South Americans in Oyonnax, where Axel Müller starts on the wing for the home side and Manuel Carizza covers lock on the bench for Racing 92. Meanwhile Ramiro Herrera makes his third start in the pink jersey of Stade Français when they host Bordeaux at Jean Bouin.
Stade Ernest Wallon will host a heavyweight battle between Toulouse and Toulon in the last match Saturday’s program. The visitors will field Samu Manoa at lock and Facundo Isa on the flank with the two sides just three points apart on the table.
Sunday will see Lyon up against Pau and Clermont face Castres and maddeningly none of those teams have been named at the time of writing. Lyon are likely to employ Francisco Gómez Kodela either in the No 3 shirt or on the bench, and Castres count second row Rodrigo Capó Ortega and Benjamín Urdapilleta among their assets.
