After two major away successes (in Bayonne and Munster) the Castres will return to their audience at the Pierre-Fabre stadium with the ambition of finishing this long block of 11 matches in the best possible way by confirming their ambitions and repositioning themselves in the Top 6. The Clermontois have been warned and will have to expect a very tough fight.
Christophe Urios was not mistaken in presenting Castres Olympique as one of the teams in the best form in recent weeks. The results of Xavier Sadourny’s men are in line with the Auvergne coach’s statements after the victory against La Rochelle. In fact, the Castres have just signed two major away victories in the last 15 dayson two “so-called impregnable” lands from which the Tarnais returned victorious. The first in Munster (29-31) by qualifying for the round of 16 of the Champions Cup and being the third French club to win at Thomond Park after ASM Clermont Auvergne (in 2014) and Stade Toulousain in 2021). Not satisfied, the Tarnais returned the table last week by going bring down the 19 months of invincibility of Aviron Bayonnais to Jean-Dauger at the end of an incredible defense of their line in the last moments (victory 10 to 13) and a well-controlled match played under the Basque deluge. Two remarkable successes full of character which show the virtues of the CO collective which will return, on Saturday mid-afternoon, to their audience at the Pierre-Fabre stadium where they will be keen to confirm to put themselves back in the race for qualification for the final phases of the Top 14 (to which they were invited last year during a play-off in Toulon).
But to get closer to the qualifying places, Xavier Sadourny’s men will have to end this long block of 11 matches (since the autumn tour) with a success at home. Thus the president of the OC, Pierre Yves Revol quickly turned the page on external successes in order to be “already on alert before receiving the ASM. In our situation, we hardly have any margin.” Despite their third place in the ranking of away teams (3 wins and 14 points taken, only Pau and Toulouse are better), the Tarnais are not yet in the mix for the qualifying places due to their two defeats at home (against Pau and Bordeaux) but also the 12th attack on the Top 14 (ahead of Montauban and Perpignan). If they are among the most efficient on recovery balls (where they score 40% of their tries, 2th of the Top 14 behind LOU) and concede only a few tries (8: no one does better), their composed play is less prolific (only 22 tries scored behind touches or scrums, 11th of the Top 14 ahead of Racing, Montauban and USAP).
Even if the strength of the CO lies in an outstanding collective, experienced in the Top 14 games and forged behind a unifying common experience, a few individuals will be worth watching, starting with the wings of the CO where Chritian Ambadiang (4 tries, 7 crossings and 21 defenders beaten) or Nathanael Hulleu (4 tries, 5 crossings and 23 defenders beaten) are having an excellent season just like the young fullback Théo Chabouni (22 years old), called up during of the Blues’ autumn tour and author of a very big performance on the Munster pitch. Up front, the CO remains a massive, ultra-compact block where the work of second lines Tom Staniforth (115 tackles, 97% success rate) and Florent Vanverberghe (122 tackles, 91% success rate) reflects the rigor of this collective force.
On Saturday, to achieve a feat, the Jaunet Bleu will have to produce the perfect match in terms of commitment and character against the Castres who never lack it on the banks of the Agout.
