JAMES HARRINGTON
FRENCH COLUMN

Reigning Champions Cup title holders La Rochelle and 2021 winners Toulouse have been notable exceptions but Top 14 clubs have not, it’s fair to say, had the best of times in the opening two rounds of this year’s inter-continental competitions.
Bordeaux, Lyon, Racing 92 and Castres, with a total of zero wins between them, make up the bottom four of Pool A in the convoluted pool phase of the Champions Cup; while La Rochelle and Toulouse are bravely flying the flag for French clubs in Pool B, as Clermont and Montpellier hover in eighth and ninth out of 12.

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