Top 14 Final Preview – Castres and Montpellier eye the big prize

Castres will be the narrowest of favourites as they play Montpellier in what promises to be a classic French Top 14 final.

Castres finished top of the regular season table, before seeing off Toulouse 24-18 in a tense semi-final, and are predicted to win the contest by one point by most bookies.

Montpellier finished second though, and their ultimately comfortable 19-10 win against Bordeaux Bègles was a statement of intent ahead of tonight’s showpiece.

Phillipe Saint-Andre has described his side as ’51-49′ underdogs to end their wait for a first ever French title, but with the Italian hero Paolo Garbisi leading the team from fly-half they will be confident of snatching victory.

Garbisi has played a pivotal role for the team since joining from Benetton last summer – as he did in last week’s semi-final against Toulouse – and has recently signed a new contract with the club.

But with Castres having already won the French crown five times, most recently defeating Montpellier in last year’s final, it may well be that their winning experience sees them through.

When talking about experience, it is hard to look further than Guilhem Guirado, who plays his last ever game of professional rugby for Montpellier in the final.

The former French captain, who played 74 times for his national team between 2008 and 2019, will be hoping for a dream send off as he looks to finally add to his solitary Top 14 title, won in 2009 with Perpignan, having been on the receiving end of three final defeats since (one for Perpignan and two for Toulon).

Opposite number Gaetan Barlot paid tribute to Guirado, and praised him for the way he had guided France through a turbulent period between the 2015 and 2019 World Cups.

“He’s had a really good career,” he said, “Playing against him is a real moment of pride.

“I will play against one heck of a gentleman, who led France in a period when things didn’t go well.”