Top 14 - Game of the Week
Toulouse and Stade set for crunch clash
Scrum.com
September 25, 2009
Ex-All Black scrum-half Byron Kelleher is well on his way to becoming a legend at Stade Toulousain after dominating French rugby for a couple of seasons
Byron Kelleher could return for Toulouse on Saturday's clash with Stade Francais © Getty Images
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The Top 14's top two, Clermont Auvergne and Perpignan, may be meeting at the Stade Aime Giral on Saturday afternoon but the most intriguing clash of the weekend in France is undoubtedly the clash between Toulouse and Stade Francais later in the day.

Toulouse currently lie in a respectable third place in the table but Guy Noves' men have flattered to deceive thus far this season. Only once have they truly clicked, in their 38-0 victory over struggling Brive, and their seven games to date have yielded just seven tries - a startling statistic for a side laced with attacking talent.

Even more worryingly, they have repeatedly come up short in the big games, having already been beaten by Perpignan, Clermont and Toulon. However, all three of those games were away from home and Toulouse, despite their current inconsistency, remain a formidable prospect on home soil. Indeed, their unbeaten home record stretches back to April.

In addition, they are likely to be buoyed by the return of former All Blacks scrum-half Byron Kelleher, who has been struggling with both a shoulder injury and an eye problem of late, though a decision will not be made on his participation until the eve of the game.

Jean Bouilhou, who was rested for last weekend's loss to Toulon, and Gregory Lamboley, fit again after a thigh injury, are also set to return, but Noves is remaining coy on the possibility of Maxime Medard making his comeback from foot injury on Saturday.

Toulouse will certainly need as many of their big guns available as possible as Stade will travel in confidence. The Parisians made a dreadful start to the season, losing three of their first five games, and coach Ewen McKenzie paid for that awful run with his job.

It is early days but the new coaching team of Jacques Delmas and Didier Faugeron has certainly enjoyed a dream start. In-form Castres were routed 44-18 in the duo's first outing in charge, while Bourgoin were beaten 20-6 last weekend.

However, both of those games were in Paris and a trip to Toulouse represents a far more stringent test of Stade's apparent resurgence under Delmas and Faugeron. Certainly, the players are not getting carried away, with scrum-half Julien Dupuy admitting after the win over Bourgoin: "If we play like that against Toulouse, they will put 40 points on us."

Toulouse certainly do not currently look capable of producing such a devastating display but Stade's cause has not been aided by the absence of star lock Pascal Pape, who is suspended, and the injured Simon Taylor.

In addition, Rodrigo Roncero, Sylvain Marconnet and Dimitri Szarzewski are all rated as doubtful. On the plus side, Lionel Beauxis, who has been struggling with a thigh injury, should be available for selection. If Stade are to maintain their winning streak they will need Beauxis at his very best on Saturday.

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