PREVIEW: Struggling 14-time Top 14 champions Stade Francais will host Clermont on Saturday low on confidence on the back of their worst start to a season in five years while Toulouse face Toulon in front of a sold-out crowd.
The Parisians have just recorded two victories out of their opening seven matches this season – equalling their run in the 2019/20 season and a far cry from reaching the semifinals last season.
Currently they’re in the relegation play-off place occupying 13th spot on the table, just two points above the bottom side in newly-promoted Vannes.
“Of course there’s a lack of confidence, we’re working this week to give players confidence,” Stade Francais assistant coach Morgan Parra told reporters on Thursday.
“If today, the coaches and players don’t look at the table it would be worrying.
“We know the Top 14 is hard,” the former France scrumhalf added.
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Stade Francais’ impressive results in the run-up to last season’s semifinals was based on a dominant scrum and sturdy defence.
Following seven rounds of Top 14 action – only Vannes have conceded more points than Morgan Parra’s side, while their set-piece are missing the likes of Samoa prop Paul Alo-Emile and fellow prop in Georgia international Giorgi Melikidze.
“Stade Francais for a few years have been strong in those areas but right now we’re in trouble,” Parra said.
“We have to rediscover that form,” he added.
The former France scrumhalf know his opponents this weekend well, having played over 250 matches spanning across 13 years for Clermont.
Clermont are without a win on the road since May 2024.
“It’s going to be hard and starts by hosting Clermont, who are yet to put in a big performance away from home,” Parra said.
“I think our players love this type of game, to show what they’re about,” he added.
In the other Top 14 clash this weekend – Racing 92 return to their La Defense Arena home for the first time since last season to face Perpignan.
The indoor stadium was used as the swimming venue for the Olympic and Paralympic games.
“Every time I go there I’m amazed at the arena,” Racing’s Director of Rugby Stuart Lancaster said on Thursday.
“The thought of playing rugby there having been there for the Olympics is unbelievably exciting
“When you haven’t had it for a while, you appreciate it even more,” he added.
This weekend will be the final round of matches with a full complement of France squad members before the national side will host Test matches against Japan, New Zealand and Argentina.
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There will be 23 of Fabien Galthie’s player squad of 42 that will miss next weekend’s Top 14 matches as they remain with the national team to train.
Star Antoine Dupont is likely to be part of the said 23 and is in fine form since returning to the Toulouse line-up at the start of the month.
The Champions Cup and Top 14 champions who are the only side to have won more domestic titles than Stade Francais, will play Toulon at a sold-out 33,000- capacity Le Stadium on Sunday.
Dupont has contributed a try or an assist every 23 minutes in just two appearances this season, a record across Europe’s three major leagues, since returning from the Olympic Sevens success.
