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Gonzalo Quesada has guided Stade Français into the Top 14 play-off’s. The team will compete in the play-off’s for just the second time in twelve years. The previous time was in 2015 when Quesada took the team to the French national title.
Quesada subsequently coached Biarritz before joining Los Jaguares. In his first season he took the Argentine franchise to the Super Rugby Final. Two years on from that final in Christchurch, New Zealand Quesada is back in the play-off’s. With him are former Jaguares players Marcos Kremer, Pablo Matera, and Nicolás Sánchez.
Stade Français finished the Top 14 regular season in 6th place. This set-up a barrage play-off against the 3rd placed Racing 92 on Friday, June 11. The winner will face La Rochelle in the Semi Finals. The second Semi Final will be between Toulouse and the winner of Bordeaux vs Clermont.
Castres and Toulon both narrowly missed out on the play-off’s. Lyon missed out by five competition points. The club had been well positioned to reach the play-off’s. All three will be back in the Top 14 next season as will Brive, Montpellier, and Pau who all successfully avoided relegation.
Agen will play in the Pro D2. the club was relegated earlier this year. Pro D2 2021 champions Perpignan will replace Agen in the 2021-2022 Top 14 season. Pumas Jerónimo de la Fuente, Bautista Delguy, and Patricio Fernández are to be on the club’s roster. Delguy will join the club from Bordeaux.
One spot in next season’s Top 14 remains unconfirmed. It will be confirmed on Saturday, June 12. The winner-takes-all Top 14 relegation vs Pro D2 promotion match will be a Basque derby; Bayonne take-on Biarritz. Bayonne finished the Top 14 season tied with Pau but enter the must-win match based on having scored two fewer bonus points.
The end of the Top 14 and Pro D2 regular seasons mean that many players will be available sooner rather than later for international duty. In the case of the Americas Canada, the USA, Uruguay, and Argentina will all be boosted by players from the French leagues for the July Internationals.
