Goderzi Shvelidze and Benjamin Thierry celebrate Montpellier's victory © Getty Images

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Players/Officials: Fabien Galthie

Tournaments/Tours: Top 14 Orange

Teams: France | Montpellier | Perpignan | Toulouse

Montpellier forwards coach Eric Bechu has paid tribute to coaching partner Fabien Galthie by declaring him as a future France coach in the making.

Bechu made the comments after watching Montpellier reach the summit in the Top 14 for the first time in their history with victory over La Rochelle - a remarkable turnaround in the fortunes of a club that were almost relegated last season.

"For me, it's obvious that Fabien would be one of the contenders [for the French coaching job]. He has all the qualities for it," Bechu told Sudouest.

"It's not important that we're first. What is important is that we've got 27 points. With Fabien, we were waiting to manage a difficult situation [at the start of this season]. So we didn't have an objective of first place at the end of the season, never mind after eight games. In fact, we still don't have an objective."

Perpignan centre David Marty believes the Catalan club have turned the corner after Saturday's closely-fought 25-26 win against Bayonne.

A lengthy injury list and poor form have hampered the 2009 champions so far this season but Marty feels the win at Stade Jean Dauger is the greatest sign yet that they are approaching their best form.

"I feel that our power is increasing," Marty told Midi Olympique. "Gradually things are falling back into place. The team had rediscovered its game and its hallmarks."

Marty refused to curse his side's slow start to the season, maintaining that it would serve them well in hindsight.

"All the bad luck and injuries, they may well have been a blessing in disguise," he said. "The team has forged a mentality that has been tested by everything. The tough start has also allowed us to save time in the integration of the new youngsters in the team who have gained enormously in experience and maturity. It will certainly serve us well for the rest of the season."

Meanwhile, veteran coach Guy Noves had few complaints after watching his Toulouse side draw 16-16 with Brive. "The draw seems fair," Noves told La Depeche du Midi. "Our first-half was poor and we lost a lot of ball. We failed to produce anything of note with the wind at our back. In the second-half we asked Clement Poitreanaud and Maxime Medard to put up a few high ones, we gradually settled back into the match and that's what interests me."