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Week 21 of the Top 14 will feature matches on Saturday, and Sunday. Involved from the Americas are players from Argentina, Canada, Colombia, and the USA. The following preview details their involvement.
Opening week 21 will be the 10th placed Toulon at home against league-leaders Toulouse. The home side need to come away with competition points to improve their prospects of reaching the play-off’s. Looking to see this goal achieved is Facundo Isa who will start at flanker.
Game two sees the 6th placed Bordeaux hosting the 14th placed Perpignan. A bonus point win is expected for Bordeaux who have named an Americas second-row combination. Greg Peterson will partner Mariano Galarza in an Argentine-USA lock duo.
In occupying 9th position it is no exaggeration to say Montpellier have underperformed this season. They are at home to the 9th placed Agen who have named Colombian Andrés Zafra out of position to start at flanker. Puma Facundo Bosch will also start, doing so from his natural position of hooker.
On current standings Grenoble are in line for relegation. Their home match against Stade Français realistically requires them to obtain competition points. The Parisians, meanwhile, are in 8th position but just 1 point outside of the play-off’s zone. Starting against Grenoble will be Nicolás Sánchez at fly half.
Reigning champions Castres play host to La Rochelle in Saturday’s final fixture. The 5th vs 7th place match-up will include Canadian Taylor Paris on the right wing and Argentine Benjamín Urdapilleta at fly half. Both men are well placed to appear in this year’s RWC. Like all the other Argentine players set to play in week 21, Urdapilleta is a leading contender.
Week 21 of the Top 14 will conclude on Sunday with two league matches. Pau and Clermont are to have home advantage against Lyon, and Racing 92 respectively. Line-up’s for both matches will be announced on Saturday afternoon.
