The Top 14 rediscover the joys of its Boxing Day between Christmas and New Year at the end of 2021. Eight of the fourteen teams in the championship are on the bridge Sunday 26 and Monday 27 December, with the stake at all levels, but also the threat of Covid-19.
The Covid upsets several meetings
Like the rest of professional sport around the world, French rugby is not immune to the fifth wave of Covid, carried by the Omicron variant. During the week, the Bordeaux-Bègles Union announced several positive cases in its workforce, after a battery of tests carried out as a precaution. Among the affected, Matthieu Jalibert, who shared the news on his Instagram account. Faced with all these cases, the meeting against Toulon on Monday evening was postponed.
After the UBB, Racing 92 was in turn affected by many cases identified on Thursday 23 December. The Ile-de-France club had stopped training on Wednesday, December 22, in an attempt to contain the spread of the virus. The match against Section Paloise on Monday evening has also been postponed. Saturday, December 25, the LNR also announced the postponement of Brive-Clermont, cases of Covid having been detected in the Clermontois ranks.
Toulouse to take over the leader’s chair
Three weeks after having abandoned the first place of the Top 14 at Union Bordaux-Bègles, falling on their lawn, the Stade Toulousain sets out to reconquer. At Ernest-Wallon, Ugo Mola’s men host the Stade Français on Sunday, December 26 (9:05 p.m.) with the objective of passing in front of their Bordeaux neighbors. Carried by an Antoine Dupont at the top of his game, recently elected best player in the world, and who has just extended until 2027 with his club, the Toulouse residents appear favorites against Parisians blocked in 10th place and who are still waiting to launch their season.
Shoot for the moon
A BIG thank you all, and especially to the staffs and my teammates of @francerugby and @StadeToulousain Still plenty of beautiful things to collect together pic.twitter.com/181ckfpVfs– Antoine Dupont (@ Dupont9A) December 10, 2021
Lyon, La Rochelle and Castres want to settle in the top 6
Behind the Bordeaux and Toulouse machines which have been running at full speed since the start of the season, and Montpellier, comfortable third, four teams are competing for the three remaining places in the top 6. Lyon, currently 4th, moves on the lawn of La Rochelle, 5th at one point. The Maritimes will seek to revive after a frustrating defeat at the Stade Français on the last day (25-20), with the objective of overtaking their opponents of the day. But the Lyonnais were full of confidence after their crushing victory against Brive (41-0).
Behind them, the Castres, 6th level on points with Clermont, also want to join in the battle. The CO opens the ball of the day Sunday at 4 pm, on the ground of Perpignan, red lantern. The Auvergne, on the other hand, saw their trip to the derby in Brive postponed because of the Covid.
The promoted can shine at home
Since the start of the season, Biarritz and Perpignan have not let go at the bottom of the table. They count the same number of points (18), wins (4), losses (8) and bonus points (2) after 12 days. For this Boxing Day, they are again on the same wavelength, since both receive their opponents, Castres for Usap, and Montpellier for Biarritz. The opportunity to get two home wins and continue to stick to the Basques.