Castres were last season’s surprise winners of the Top 14 but can they repeat the feat in Christophe Urios’ final year in charge of the team?
They produced a remarkable run to claim the title, defeating Montpellier in the final, but Vern Cotter’s men, alongside several other sides, will be even more determined over the coming campaign.
Cotter’s outfit should be up there once again but the rest of the top-six could be made up of any number of clubs, with Toulouse, Toulon, Racing 92, La Rochelle, Lyon, Pau and Bordeaux-Begles all potential challengers.
The relegation scrap is also difficult to call. Teams coming up tend to struggle and Grenoble will be favourites for the drop, but Perpignan have recruited fairly well and should have enough to survive.
Here’s part one of our season preview, covering from Agen to Lyon.
Agen
Head coach: Philippe Sella
Last season: 11th
The Stade Armandie-based outfit produced a minor miracle to survive last season, going on an excellent run towards the end of the campaign to stave off relegation, but they are likely to struggle once again.
Following the excellent performances of several individuals, some key players have departed, with Pierre Fouyssac joining Toulouse and star wing Filipo Nakosi signing for Toulon.
Agen have brought in Yohan Montes and Benito Masilevu from Castres and Brive respectively, but it may not be enough to keep them out of the bottom two this time around.
Philippe Sella will once again hope that Jake McIntyre can steer the ship successfully from fly-half and be supplemented by some of the young talent coming through. Back-rower Yoan Tanga-Mangene is a player with plenty of potential while it will be exciting to see how Fouad Yaha fares after signing from rugby league side Catalan Dragons.
Player to watch: Benito Masilevu
With Filipo Nakosi now at Toulon, Agen need someone to replace that Pacific Island brilliance and Masilevu will give them plenty of pace and power on the wing. While not quite as destructive as Nakosi, who could create something from nothing, Masilevu was a consistent performer for Brive and will score tries if given the service from the playmakers at half-back and in the midfield.
Bordeaux-Bègles
Head coach: Rory Teague
Last season: 10th
2017/18 was a bit of a disaster for a club with lofty ambitions and, as a result, there has been yet another overhaul in the playing staff. Bordeaux were reasonably well placed after a decent first half of the season but Jacques Brunel’s departure to the France national team saw them implode somewhat.
At one stage they were at risk of being dragged into a relegation battle but they did just enough to stay clear of danger. Englishman Rory Teague has taken over from Brunel and remains, despite their disappointing end to the previous campaign.
They have once again recruited well with Semi Radradra, Seta Tamanivalu, Kane Douglas, Afa Amosa and Viliamu Afatia all excellent additions.
Although Sebastien Taofifenua, Simon Hickey and Loann Goujon have departed, they have the quality to challenge. Could this be their year after flattering to deceive over the past couple of campaigns?
Player to watch: Semi Radradra
Cameron Woki is another to keep an eye on but it’s impossible to ignore the former rugby league star, who has easily taken to union. Bordeaux managed to convince him to join the club from Toulon where he was exceptional. Alongside Chris Ashton, they stood out amongst a sea of mediocrity as the Stade Mayol outfit succumbed to Lyon in the barrages and went out in the Champions Cup quarter-finals. Radradra has pace, power and a good off-loading game, as England can attest to following his performance for the Barbarians in May.
Castres
Head coach: Christophe Urios
Last season: 6th (champions)
June 2019 will mark the end of an era when Christophe Urios departs following a successful time in charge of the club.
They have never had the resources of their competitors in the top-six but they have plenty of spirit and, in Urios, they have a man who has been able to get the best out of his charges.
He took over in 2015 when the team had finished 12th and only just escaped relegation. Since then, the Stade Pierre-Fabre outfit have ended the Top 14 campaign in sixth, fifth and then sixth, with the latter seeing Castres remarkably claim the title after a superb run in the play-offs.
It would be a big ask for them to repeat the feat and the squad simply does not look as strong as the others who are expected to challenge, but that was the case last year. They have not lost too many players and also recruited wisely, with Yann David, Scott Spedding and Camille Gerondeau all very good signings. Top-six is on the cards but defending their title is highly unlikely.
Player to watch: Mathieu Babillot
Castres are traditionally strong up front and, in particular, seem to have a plethora of quality options in the back-row. Maama Vaipulu and Alex Tulou provide the explosiveness from number eight, and Babillot supplements that at flanker. The 24-year-old is an excellent ball-carrier and made his debut for France in the Six Nations, but it was in New Zealand where he particularly impressed. Despite being relatively young, he is regarded as a leader in the dressing room after taking the captain’s armband when Rodrigo Capo-Ortega was injured.
Clermont Auvergne
Head coach: Franck Azema
Last season: 9th
It is fair to say that Clermont endured a pretty torrid time last season. Hopes and expectations were higher than ever after Les Jaunards’ title success in 2017, but they went the same way as Stade Francais and Racing 92 before them.
Akin to Stade, Auvergne struggled the campaign following their Top 14 triumph and were drawn into a relegation scrap. They finally found the requisite performances to ease any concerns of ending the year in the bottom two, but it was a difficult period for Franck Azema.
Without the Champions Cup distraction, a trophy which Auvergne holds in high regard unlike many of their French counterparts, Azema’s charges should improve.
Transfer activity has been minimal but in Tim Nanai-Williams, George Moala and Apisai Naqalevu, they have brought in genuine quality. It is still one of the most talented squads in the country and, as a result, Clermont should be able to banish the memories of 2017/18 fairly quickly.
Player to watch: Alivereti Raka
The Fijian’s talent was well known before the 2017/18 campaign, but Raka particularly came to prominence when he ripped Saracens apart in the European Champions Cup at Allianz Park. Unfortunately, the wing suffered a serious injury in the reverse fixture which ruled him out for the rest of the season. However, the 25-year-old is now back fit and ready to dominate opposition defences in the Top 14.
Grenoble
Head coach: Stephane Glas and Dewald Senekal
Last season: Pro D2 – 2nd (defeated Oyonnax in Top 14 relegation play-off)
Grenoble returned to the top-flight at the first time of asking after defeating Oyonnax – the team that finished 13th in the Top 14 – in a play-off, but they are likely to be in for another tough season.
With most teams well-resourced at the highest echelon on the French game, they are already at a disadvantage, while the play-offs make it difficult for recruitment.
Although some talented players have joined in Ben Lucas, Davit Kubriashvili, JC Janse van Rensburg and Raymond Rhule, it may not be enough to stave off relegation.
Player to watch: Davit Kubriashvili
The Georgian may be 31 now but he still has plenty to offer after joining the club from Montpellier over the summer. To compete in the Top 14, you need a solid platform and Kubriashvili will certainly provide that after also anchoring the scrums at Toulon and Stade Francais during his career. If Grenoble are to survive then the 45-times capped international will be crucial.
La Rochelle
Head coach: Jono Gibbes (takes over in November)
Last season: 7th
After the joy of 2016/17 came the despair of last season. To an extent, that’s slightly harsh on a club who are still finding their feet at the top-tier of the French game, but they struggled to replicate their excellence from a year ago.
Playing Champions Cup rugby for the first time, and the stresses which accompanies it, no doubt hampered them, while injuries at fly-half often forced them to field Jeremy Sinzelle, who usually features at wing or full-back, at pivot.
The relative failure of finishing seventh did, however, result in the departure of Patrice Collazo and Jono Gibbes is set to take the reins soon. Questions will be asked as to whether the high tempo, off-loading game will remain or will Gibbes go for a more structured approach?
With the squad largely remaining similar, it might be a risk to overhaul the playing style but Gibbes will be helped by the arrival of Ihaia West, who should give them some direction in the playmaking position.
Player to watch: Pierre Bourgarit
Following Jeremie Maurouard’s departure, there will be more pressure on the talented youngster this season. The 20-year-old is a hugely promising front-rower who is a remarkable athlete, almost in the mould of Asafo Aumua. Quick, powerful and simply gifted in the loose, Bourgarit gave the world a glimpse of that on his debut for France against New Zealand. The set-piece, particularly the lineout, still needs work but all the tools are there for him to become a top class operator over the next year or two.
Lyon
Head coach: Pierre Mignoni
Last season: 5th (semi-finalists)
Following a successful season, which saw the ambitious outfit claim a place in the place in the play-offs for the first time in their history, Lyon will be looking to repeat the feat.
They reached the semi-finals after a superb victory over Toulon in the barrages but, against Montpellier in the last four, it was ultimately a step too far for Pierre Mignoni’s team.
On paper, Mignoni’s charges are well set for another title at the top-six and possibly even better. They have recruited well with the additions of Charlie Ngatai, Noa Nakaitaci, Loann Goujon and Jeremie Maurouard, which boosts an already strong squad.
Number eight Carl Fearns is also close to a return to action after a lengthy period out with injury, so Lyon should very much be in contention by the end of the campaign.
Player to watch: Charlie Ngatai
There are a few interesting subplots with the emergence of Baptiste Couilloud and the signing of Noa Nakaitaci, who will look to re-find his best at Lyon, but we’ve gone for the former Chiefs centre. Had it not been for his awful battle with concussion, the centre would have certainly added to his solitary All Blacks cap and, as a result, may not have signed for the French outfit. As it is, the New Zealand’s and Super Rugby’s loss is the Top 14’s gain and it will be no surprise if Ngatai proves to be the signing of the season.
by Colin Newboult