PARIS (AFP) – Surprise Top 14 package Montpellier face their third match in nine days on Sunday buoyant after edging European champions Toulouse in midweek.The south coast team, which struggled last season but have been boosted by the arrival of former France captain-turned-coach Fabien Galthie, nipped Toulouse 22-21 and now face a tough challenge away to reigning Top 14 champions Clermont."It's true, we have ambitions," said Montpellier outside-half Francois Trinh-Duc, who also masterminded a 16-6 win over Perpignan last Saturday."We're very happy with our results, but we know it'll be a tough task this weekend. There's lots more things still to improve on, but it's true that it augurs well."Come Sunday, we'll try and do what we can."Scrum-half Julien Tomas praised the approach to training Galthie and his assistant Eric Bechu have quickly installed."They're extremely precise and rigorous in their detail, notably on running angles," Tomas said."That changes everything. We draw defenders more so we're better placed to choose offloads. Simply, we have a better vision."He added: "Galthie goes down to the minutest detail in his work and lets nothing get past him."It's what Montpellier needed to take a step forward."Clermont, who struck it lucky at the 11th time of asking by recording a 19-6 victory over Perpignan to claim last season's Top 14 title, have had a rocky start to the season and find themselves mid-table with two wins and two losses from four games.And lock Thibaut Privat was under no illusions about what to expect from Montpellier. "They're a team that throw it around a lot. It's one of the main ingredients to win matches. And it works," the France international said."At Perpignan, Montpellier played a simple gameplan: they attacked. They have some very good individual qualities, we already knew that."They're coming to us as joint leaders and we can't take this game lightly in the least."Fellow joint leaders Stade Francais and Bayonne face away trips to misfiring Biarritz and bottom-placed Bourgoin respectively.Stade, again buoyed by the off-season arrival of new coach Michael Cheika from Leinster, have buried memories of wome woeful performances last season to produce some great flowing rugby.Biarritz managed to claim a bonus defensive point when going down 17-12 to Perpignan on Wednesday but might struggle to hold the dangerous Parisian backline.A gruelling fixture list sees the Basque side facing the prospect of hosting Toulouse on September 11, and then travelling to La Rochelle and Racing-Metro before entertaining neighbouring rivals Bayonne."If we lose these two games (against Biarritz and Toulouse), it'll be tricky to finish in the top six (for play-off phase), but I'm sure that we won't lose them," said Biarritz president Serge Blanco, the former France full-back."Our season will really start against Stade Francais on Sunday."In other games, Perpignan travel to Agen, Brive host Toulon, Castres entertain fourth-placed Racing-Metro, and La Rochelle face a challenge away to Toulouse.Fixtures (1300 GMT unless stated)Agen v Perpignan, Biarritz v Stade Francais (1845 GMT), Bourgoin v Bayonne, Brive v Toulon (1500 GMT), Castres v Racing-Metro, Clermont v Montpellier, Toulouse v La RochelleKaeser and Shazerk mp3
Montpellier buoyant ahead of Clermont rugby test
PARIS (AFP) – Surprise Top 14 package Montpellier face their third match in nine days on Sunday buoyant after edging European champions Toulouse in midweek.The south coast team, which struggled last season but have been boosted by the arrival of former France captain-turned-coach Fabien Galthie, nipped Toulouse 22-21 and now face a tough challenge away to reigning Top 14 champions Clermont."It's true, we have ambitions," said Montpellier outside-half Francois Trinh-Duc, who also masterminded a 16-6 win over Perpignan last Saturday."We're very happy with our results, but we know it'll be a tough task this weekend. There's lots more things still to improve on, but it's true that it augurs well."Come Sunday, we'll try and do what we can."Scrum-half Julien Tomas praised the approach to training Galthie and his assistant Eric Bechu have quickly installed."They're extremely precise and rigorous in their detail, notably on running angles," Tomas said."That changes everything. We draw defenders more so we're better placed to choose offloads. Simply, we have a better vision."He added: "Galthie goes down to the minutest detail in his work and lets nothing get past him."It's what Montpellier needed to take a step forward."Clermont, who struck it lucky at the 11th time of asking by recording a 19-6 victory over Perpignan to claim last season's Top 14 title, have had a rocky start to the season and find themselves mid-table with two wins and two losses from four games.And lock Thibaut Privat was under no illusions about what to expect from Montpellier. "They're a team that throw it around a lot. It's one of the main ingredients to win matches. And it works," the France international said."At Perpignan, Montpellier played a simple gameplan: they attacked. They have some very good individual qualities, we already knew that."They're coming to us as joint leaders and we can't take this game lightly in the least."Fellow joint leaders Stade Francais and Bayonne face away trips to misfiring Biarritz and bottom-placed Bourgoin respectively.Stade, again buoyed by the off-season arrival of new coach Michael Cheika from Leinster, have buried memories of wome woeful performances last season to produce some great flowing rugby.Biarritz managed to claim a bonus defensive point when going down 17-12 to Perpignan on Wednesday but might struggle to hold the dangerous Parisian backline.A gruelling fixture list sees the Basque side facing the prospect of hosting Toulouse on September 11, and then travelling to La Rochelle and Racing-Metro before entertaining neighbouring rivals Bayonne."If we lose these two games (against Biarritz and Toulouse), it'll be tricky to finish in the top six (for play-off phase), but I'm sure that we won't lose them," said Biarritz president Serge Blanco, the former France full-back."Our season will really start against Stade Francais on Sunday."In other games, Perpignan travel to Agen, Brive host Toulon, Castres entertain fourth-placed Racing-Metro, and La Rochelle face a challenge away to Toulouse.Fixtures (1300 GMT unless stated)Agen v Perpignan, Biarritz v Stade Francais (1845 GMT), Bourgoin v Bayonne, Brive v Toulon (1500 GMT), Castres v Racing-Metro, Clermont v Montpellier, Toulouse v La RochelleKaeser and Shazerk mp3