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This weekend sees week 25 of the French championship taking place and involved are to be a host of players from the Americas.
Week 25’s opening fixture was that of La Rochelle vs Racing 92 earlier this evening. The match saw the visitors from suburban Paris claiming a minimum of a home barrage play-off. As a result of winning on the road the European Champions Cup runners-up cannot finish lower than 4th but could finish in the top two to advance directly to the Semi Finals.
At the heart of Racing 92’s win away to La Rochelle was Argentine flier Juan Imhoff. Back from representing Los Pumas 7’s at the London Sevens Imhoff ran in two of his team’s three tries. He was joined in the starting lineup by fellow Rosario Puma Manuel Carizza. Playing opposite Carizza was Leandro Cedaro who is Argentine but capped by Italy.
A win on Saturday for the 7th placed Bordeaux over 8th placed Brive will keep the team in the hunt for a place in the barrage play-offs. Set to feature from the bench for Bordeaux is former Puma Francisco Gomez Kodela. The tighthead prop will be joining the second division champions, Lyon next season.
Stade Français will be playing on the road this weekend, moving their home match against Agen to Le Mans. The venture is certain to give the Parisians a strong financial return but it is, for all purposes, a match for nothing. Agen has already been relegated and Stade Français is too low positioned to qualify for the barrage play-offs or for the European Champions Cup.
The Gonzalo Quesada coached club is in the middle of a back-row injury crisis which will see hooker Remi Bonfils playing flanker. Among the missing is the Argentine-Italian Sergio Parisse. The USA eligible Dace Ryan has been named Agen’s replacement specialist tighthead prop.
One place ahead of Stade Français is Pau who host Grenoble also on Saturday. Included for the second week in-a-row will be 19-year-old Matt Tierney. The Canadian made his debut last weekend and is again included as Pau’s reserve tighthead prop.
Joining Agen in the Pro d2 next season will be Oyonnax. The small-town club has not been the same this season without Benjamin Urdapilleta. The Argentine’s new club, Castres will be playing away to Oyonnax on Saturday. Urdapilleta has the match off. Involved will be Uruguayan Rodrigo Capó Ortega who will captain Castres from the second-row.
Week 25 is to also feature two Sunday fixtures. Toulouse will welcome Clermont in a 5th vs 1st match-up which the hosts need points from to stay safely ahead of Castres and Bordeaux. The remaining match will see 3rd placed Montpellier will host 2nd placed Toulon. Rosters for both games are due out on Saturday afternoon.
