Top 14 - Final Round Wrap

Round 26, the final round, of the French Top 14 was played on Saturday, confirming Brive´s relegation to the Pro d2 along with Lyon and confirming Racing Métro as the sixth placed French side joining Clermont Auvergne, Toulouse, Toulon, Castres and Montpellier in the Top six and therefore qualifying for the 2012-2013 Heineken Cup. As such Racing Métro will take on the third placed Toulon in one of the two barrage play-off matches scheduled for May 26 while the fourth placed Castres will host Montpellier in the other, one day earlier in what is a rematch from last seasons barrage match when Argentina´s Martín Bustos Moyano eliminated Castres. By virtue of finishing first and second in the regular season, Clermont Auvergne and Toulouse are rewarded with automatic qualification for the Semi Finals and will face the winners of the barrage matches. The exit of Brive to the second division continues a tradition of Southwestern French sides exiting as the competition is increasingly being spread to more areas of the country and is also seeing the small town teams benig replaced by big city teams. 

The final round was another case in point of why Rugby World Cup 2023 ought to take place in Argentina as Pumas players both experienced and young were on show in large numbers, scoring tries and putting in solid performances. Moreover, Argentine players were joined by players from Canada, Uruguay and the USA as the Americas, the last frontier for Rugby World Cups, continues to contribute greatly to the global game.

Agen 25-22 Racing Métro

The new sensation, Juan Imhoff scored a try playing on the left wing and was joined in the backthree by  Juan Martín Hernández. Backrower Alvaro Galindo joined the pair in playing the full match. Juan Orlandi was a 54th minute replacement. None of Agen´s three Pumas featured. 

Bordeaux Begles 37-29 Perpignan
Former Pumas winger Rafael Carballo played outside centre for Bordeaux, scoring a first half try.

Clermont Auvergne 57-14 Brive

Canadian Jamie Cudmore played secondrow for the winners. Three former Puams played for Brive with Agustín Figuerola playing scrumhalf and scoring a try. Pablo Henn started atr loosehead prop and tighthead prop Pablo Cardinali played the full secondhalf.

Toulouse 20-13 Montpellier

Pumas secnodrower Patricio Albacete played 67 minutes for Toulouse but scurmhalf Nicolás Vergallo did not feature. Lucas González Amorosino played fullback for Montpellier and Martín Bustos Moyano was the left winger, kicking one penalty and a conversion. Juan Figallo started in his Pumas position of tighthead prop and Agustín Creevy at hooker. Pumas inside back Santiago Fernández came on in the 56th minute while Maximilano Bustos was unused from the bench.

Lyon 5-29 Toulon

The man expected to lead Los Pumas, Juan Martín Fernández Lobbe played the full match for Toulon, scorign a try. His Pumas backrow colleague, Juan Manuel Leguizamón did not play however.

Castres 31-29 Bayonne

Uruyan international, Rodrigo Capó Ortega started for Castres.

Biarritz 15-6 Stade Français

USA winger Taku Ngwenya played in the 14 shirt for Biarritz and Pumas centre Marcelo Bosch played fullback. Francisco Gomez Kodela came into the frontrow in the 49th minute while secondrower Manuel Carizza entered in the 62nd. Pumas legend Rodrigo Roncero played his final game of French rugby and Felipe Contepomi played at inside centre and Martín Rodríguez Gurruchaga was a 54th minute replacement. 

Top 14 Barrage
Friday May 25 Castres vs Montpellier, Stade Pierre-Antoine
Saturday May 26 Toulon vs Racing Métro, Stade Féliz-Mayol


Final Standings
1 Clermont 87
2 Clermont 87
3 Toulon 73
4 Castres 69
5 Montpellier 67
6 Racing Métro 64
7 Stade Français 58
8 Bordeaux 53
9 Biarritz 52
10 Agen 52
11 Perpignan 49
12 Bayonne 48
13 Brive 42
14 Lyon 31

* Semi Finalists
* Barrage
* Relegated to Pro d2

Agen vs Racing Métro

SUA v RM 92 - Le résumé en vidéo por racingmetro92

Bordeaux vs Perpignan

Résumé du match Bordeaux vs USAP - Mai 2012 por USAP_Communication

Clermont vs Brive

ASM-Brive : Le résumé por asm

Toulouse vs Montpellier


Lyon vs Toulon

Rafael Carballo extends contract with Bordeaux

Former Pumas winger, Rafael Carballo has signed a new two year deal with Top14 club, Bordeaux-Begles to continue with the club until 2014. Carballo has been playing for the club since 2010, helping the club win promotion to the Top 14 from the Pro d2 last season. He had previously played for Castres for from 2006-2009 and for Toulon from 2004-2006. Carballo has had a highly productive season in the Top 14, playing nineteen matches thus far, sixteen of which have been in the starting lineup. He has been used on both wings and even started three matches at inside centre. He is considered to be a winger, however, with a build of 88KG and is now 30 years old. 

Carballo has been capped eight times for his country. He made his international debut in 2006 vs Wales and most recently featured in Argentina´s 41-13 win over France in Buenos Aires in June 2010, scoring a try. He has socred three tries in his eight international appearances, including a great try vs Italy in 2008 to win the match in Torino. Injuries kept him out of the Pumas team in 2009 and saw him leave Castres for a return to Buenos Aires. Upon returning to full fitness, he had been overtaken by youngsters for the Pumas wing slots. A return to Los Pumas remains a possibility but not a strong one given the form of Horacio Agulla, Lucas González Amorosino, Gonzalo Camacho and Juan Imhoff who were the wingers at Rugby World Cup 2011. Montpellier´s Martín Bustos Moyano has also been impressive and looks certain to be selected for Argentina. Carballo remains in the picture, however, giving Santiago Phelan plenty of options.