The quiet hum of the off-season is about to be replaced by the familiar thud of tackles and the roar (or perhaps, polite applause) of returning crowds. French rugby, specifically the powerhouse Top 14 competition, is stirring from its brief slumber. While the official calendar for the upcoming season is still under wraps, the first tangible sign of preparation has arrived: the pre-season friendly fixture list.
Consider these August clashes the essential warm-up act before the main performance. They offer teams a chance to shake off the summer rust, integrate new signings, test combinations, and build match fitness. For fans, it`s a welcome glimpse of their heroes back in action, even if the intensity isn`t quite Grand Final level… yet.
Here is the schedule of friendly matches announced for August:
- August 15: Brive vs. Racing 92 (at Biars-sur-Cère)
- August 21/22: Bayonne vs. Biarritz (at Bayonne)
- August 22: Montauban vs. Castres (at Montauban)
- August 22: Soyaux Angoulême vs. Bordeaux-Bègles (at Angoulême)
- August 22: Pau vs. Montpellier (at Auch)
- August 22: Brive vs. Clermont (at Brive)
- August 22: Perpignan vs. Toulon (at Perpignan)
- August 23: Racing 92 vs. Stade Français (at Châteauroux)
- August 28: Pau vs. La Rochelle (at Mont-de-Marsan)
- August 28/29: Montauban vs. Bordeaux-Bègles (Location TBC)
- August 29: Castres vs. Harlequins (at Mazamet)
- August 29: Perpignan vs. Montpellier (at Perpignan)
- August 29: Clermont vs. Toulon (at Issoire)
- August 29: Lyon vs. Zebre (at Lyon)
While these friendlies provide an initial taste of the action, the full, official Top 14 calendar for the upcoming season is expected to be announced in the coming weeks. Rugby is almost back!
Gareth Pendleton