Antoine Dupont Returns, Power Vs. Finesse And Sleeping Giant Stirs | Top 14
Antoine Dupont Returns, Power Vs. Finesse And Sleeping Giant Stirs | Top 14
Top 14 rugby heats up, as Bordeaux, La Rochelle and Toulouse battle for dominance in Round 6 of the 2024-2025 season, plus Antoine Dupont returns.
Rugby’s glitz and glamour league is getting set for the sixth round of this young season, as the top French club sides continue their marathon of mini sprints this weekend.
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Though the European winter has begun to cast its long, cold shadow over the continent, the action in the Top 14 remains red hot.
Settling into a hierarchy of the who’s who within the league, the opening five rounds of action have seen several of the usual contenders flex their muscles.
Classy Southerners Leading The Charge
Leading the charge heading into Round 6 is last season’s losing finalist, Bordeaux-Begles, which, to date, has looked mesmerizingly magnificent.
Spearheading the club from the famous southwest wine region have been several international stars, namely Damian Penaud.
Now 28 years old, the winger continues to age like a fine bottle of Chateau Margaux and remains scary good. He tops the try-scoring charts with five.
Supporting the former Clermont star is a backline that would not look out of place in the blue of France. In fact, the bulk of said backline is French internationals, with the halfback pairing of Maxime Lucu and Mathieu Jalibert oozing class as they seamlessly glide through opposing defenders.
Unsurprisingly, the two sit near the top of the key categories of passes completed, kicks completed and in Jalibert’s case, points scored.
Setting the platform for this backline magic is a pack that clearly has taken its learnings from a humbling loss in last season’s final at the hands of Toulouse.
These lessons, combined with some clever new signings, namely Scotland international Jonny Gray, who tops the league’s tackle charts, sees this Bordeaux team produce a more balanced style of play than the all-out attack of a season ago.
Now that it's getting set to host a Perpignan side that sits just below the middle of the pack and has lost dynamic forward Posolo Tuilagi for the season, Bordeaux will fancy its chances to add to its log points this weekend.
Putting in place the perfect pieces to make a run toward yet another final this season, Bordeaux quickly has become the neutral fan’s darling and is well worth following for those looking to get into the Top 14.
Undeniable Power As Bullies Return
Mirroring Bordeaux in table position is two-time European champion La Rochelle, which sits joint on 18 points with its southern rival.
Comparisons between the two sides can be parked at their log positions, with Ronan O’Gara’s side offering the ying to Bordeaux’s yang, in what is an interesting contrast in mindsets between two of the most successful sides of the past few years.
Entering this season after a down season by its own high standards, Stade Rochelais looks as formidable as it did when claiming back-to-back Investec Champions Cup titles.
Clearly driven by the want to match continental success with domestic success, the team is chasing an elusive Top 14 title, and this season has the makings of something special on the Atlantic coast.
While there is little doubt the team will want to regain its European crown, noises from the camp are that the Top 14 is this season’s Everest.
Approaching this season with a ruthlessly efficient and brutal physical game plan, La Rochelle seems like a side built to sustain a long and, at times, arduous season.
Of course, to complete the objective, the squad will need to overcome Toulouse, its hoodoo side, Bordeaux, and a handful of other lethal sides to claim the title.
Powered by the unmatched physicality of a dominant pack, which consists of some of rugby’s most physically imposing men in Will Skelton, Gregory Alldritt, Uini Antonio, Redi Wardi, Levani Botia and many more, La Rochelle resembles an old-school downhill running NFL team.
Expect O’Gara’s men to pulverize opponents this season, and in Round 6, Bayonne have a feeling of a side that is next in line for the meat grinder.
Game Of The Week
As ever, with a league with more parity than any other in the professional game, every fixture this week has an interesting subplot to follow.
One fixture that does catch the eye, however, is a rivalry straight out of the mid-2000s, as an ascending Clermont side travels to Toulouse.
Welcoming back superstar scrumhalf Antoine Dupont this week following his sojourn to the United States for some much-needed downtime, where he hung out with Lionel Messi, Lebron James and others, Toulouse will enter this fixture as the favorite.
Despite the bookies' assessment of the fixture, this match has the potential to be a humdinger, with the side from the Massif Central building nicely once again.
Looking to claw its way back to contender status, Clermont has gathered a squad that combines experience with promising young talent.
This week's encounter with the most complete team in the league will be a great barometer for the side that proudly wears the Michelin logo on its chest.
For Toulouse, this contest presents an interesting challenge, with Clermont’s physical forward pack and explosive backs being no pushovers.
Add to the mix the fact that the men in black and red need a win to keep pace with their main rivals, Bordeaux and La Rochelle, and one can expect Toulouse to come out swinging.
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