Top 14
Top four face off in France
Scrum.com
April 13, 2010
Biarritz's Jean-Baptiste Gobelet salutes the home fans, Biarritz v Ospreys, Heineken Cup, Estadio Anoeta, San Sebastian, Spain, April 10, 2010
Biarritz's Jean-Baptiste Gobelet salutes the fans in San Sebastian after last weekend's win over Ospreys © Getty Images
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After a weekend of contrasting emotions for French clubs in European competition, attention shifts back to domestic matters for a round of Top 14 action which has thrown up two mouth-watering match-ups.

Clermont Auvergne will doubtless still be trying to work out just how they managed to end up on the wrong end of a 29-28 scoreline in an epic Heineken Cup quarter-final clash with Leinster last Friday week but, with the side directly above them in the table, Castres, due in town on Friday night, Vern Cotter's men must somehow put the agony of Dublin out of their minds. It is probably the ideal game for them to do just that given that they are just two points off not only Castres but also second-placed Toulon, who host leaders Perpignan on Saturday.

It could be argued that Perpignan are at an immediate advantage given that they had last weekend off, having bowed out of the Heineken Cup at the pool stages, but there is a lot to be said for momentum and Toulon come into this top-of-the-table clash on the back of an impressive European Challenge Cup quarter-final success over the Scarlets.

Certainly, Toulouse will be hoping to pick up where they left off last weekend when they travel to the Stade de Gerland to take on Bourgoin. Guy Noves' men booked their place in the last four of the Heineken Cup by blowing Stade Francais away with a glorious exhibition of free-flowing rugby at Le Stade Municipal on Sunday and rather ominously for the rivals, both domestic and European, Toulouse appear to be hitting form at precisely the right time of the season. With the top four all squaring off this weekend, they also know that a win over Bourgoin could easily push them right into contention for a top-two finish. Toulouse are unlikely to have it all their own way, though, as Bourgoin are equally desperate for the win given that they are just two points above the drop zone.

The relegation battle is, in fact, proving just as enthralling as the jostling for position at the top end of the table. While Albi's demotion has already been confirmed, there are four other sides, including the aforementioned Bourgoin, fighting to avoid the drop.

As things stand, Bayonne are currently on their way down but they at least have a game this weekend. Unfortunately for them, it is against Brive, who must win to keep their hopes of a top-six finish alive. Montauban and Montpellier, meanwhile, are two and four points above Bayonne respectively, and they will square off in a fascinating relegation battle at the Stade de Sapiac.

Elsewhere, Stade Francais will be confident of putting the trauma of Toulouse behind them when they travel to basement boys Albi. Although, in saying that, a home win would hardly be that surprising - it has been that kind of season for the beleaguered Parisians.

The weekend rounds off with an intriguing clash between Racing Metro and Biarritz in Colombes which will have a major bearing on who claims the sixth and final place in the play-offs. Racing are currently in the box seat but Biarritz will arrive at the Stade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir on a high after their stirring victory over the Ospreys in San Sebastian last weekend. Just like Toulon and Toulouse, they too will be hoping that momentum will prove the dominant theme of the weekend.

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