Clermont bid to bury Euro woes with Top 14 boost

PARIS (AFP) –

Toulon’s fly-half Jonny Wilkinson kicks the ball during their French Top 14 rugby union match against Agen, on May 4, 2013, at the Mayol stadium in Toulon, southern France. European champions Toulon and beaten finalists Clermont face little rest after their hard-fought title battle, the two teams back in action this weekend in the fight for the Top 14 crown.

European champions Toulon and beaten finalists Clermont face little rest after their hard-fought title battle, the two teams back in action this weekend in the fight for the Top 14 crown.

Toulon, whom English fly-half Jonny Wilkinson steered to a 16-15 victory over Clermont in the Euro final, are first up, with a tough encounter against 19-time champions Toulouse on Friday.

Clermont then take to the same Stade de La Beaujoire in the western French city of Nantes on Saturday, drawn against Castres.

Vern Cotter’s team, devasted after losing out to Toulon despite outscoring them by two tries to one in the European Cup final, finished the regular season one point ahead of Bernard Laporte’s Mediterranean outfit.

Toulouse were 14 points further adrift in third, with Castres in the final semi-final spot.

Clermont flanker Julien Bonnaire said his team would not be underestimating Castres, convincing winners over Montpellier in the play-offs.

“They’re not there by chance,” the ex-France international said. “They’re a complete team. But we’re capable of beating whoever.

“We’ve all got to be on our game for the full 80 minutes.

“I know Castres will be ready and waiting. But if we do what we need to, we’ll win.

Clermont’s winger Noa Nakaitaci passes the ball during their French Top 14 rugby union match against Union Bordeaux-Begles, at the stadium Marcel Michelin in Clermont-Ferrand, on may 4, 2013. European champions Toulon and beaten finalists Clermont face little rest after their hard-fought title battle, the two teams back in action this weekend in the fight for the Top 14 crown.

“We’ll have to play like we did at the start of the season. There’s no need to look for any other motivation.”

Castres flanker Yannick Caballero maintained that Clermont were “not invincible”.

“If we watch them play, it’s going to cost us very dearly.

“So we’ll have to try to impose our game-plan and believe in our chances.”

Toulon’s players will take to the park wearing jerseys embroidered with a star signifying their European success, but thoughts of a double are far from their minds.

“From Monday we’ll have to switch over and think of the semi-final,” European Cup man-of-the-match Mathieu Bastareaud said after the final.

“We’re professionals. We’ve gone halfway, we know we cane still achieve something historic. We have the means to do it.

“But Toulouse will be awaiting us with teeth bared.”

Toulouse won the Top 14 last season, with a tight 18-12 victory over Toulon in the final, all the points coming from penalty kicks from ex-All Black Luke McAlister and Wilkinson.

Toulouse’s France winger/full-back Yoann Huget said there was no need for his team to ask themselves “10,000 questions”.

“We’ll have to be physically ready to deal with the kitchen sink Toulon are going to throw at us,” he said.

Fixtures (times GMT)

At Stade de La Beaujoire, Nantes

Friday

Toulon v Toulouse 1900

Saturday

Clermont v Castres 1430

Final at Stade de France, Saturday June 1 (1900)