Match Preview: Biarritz (A)

After almost three months away, Ealing Trailfinders are back in action next week as we travel to Biarritz for an exciting preseason encounter.

The trip to the Basque Country is the first of four friendlies before the Green and Whites begin their Championship title defence at home to Doncaster Knights on Saturday 10th September.

Thursday’s game at the Parc des Sports Aguiléra will be closely followed by a match at the Rock against Rosslyn Park on Saturday 20th August. The bank holiday weekend will be welcomed in by a trip to the Athletic Ground as we face Richmond in an evening kick-off on Friday 26th August. Our final preseason fixture gives us the chance to welcome URC opposition to Trailfinders Sports Club as we host Zebre Parma on Saturday 3rd September (click here to purchase tickets).

About The Opposition:

After Steffon Armitage’s kicking contest heroics in the Top 14 promotion playoff that came at the end of the 2020/21 season, last year’s campaign in the top flight was always going to be tough for Biarritz to match.

Their season started relatively strongly, with wins over Racing 92 and Bordeaux Begles in their first three games. However their opposition soon began to work out their strategy and they were only able to pick up two victories in the following nine league games.

The EPCR Challenge Cup bought some positives to their season, as they defeated Zebre Palma and Toulon in the group stages, before falling to a 39-29 home defeat to Wasps in the Round of 16.

The competitive nature of the Top 14 meant that despite their best efforts, Biarritz were only able to pick up one victory in the second half of the season and therefore they were resigned to the bottom of the table and an immediate return to Pro D2.

There has been a large turnover of players in the Basque Country. Steffon Armitage, James Cronin and Francis Saili are three of the 20 players that have left the club over the off season. However they have recruited well, signing Wallaby Joe Tomane, Georgian international Lasha Tabidze and Welsh 7s player Tyler Morgan. These new players will inject extra quality into an already exciting squad, which features the likes of Australian internationals Tevita Kuridrani and Henry Speight.

What To Expect:

Despite their tough campaign last year, Biarritz are still a strong side who are one of the favourites for an automatic return to the Top 14.

Their stadium, Parc des Sports Aguiléra, should be on the rugby bucket list for every to fan to visit. A passionate and vocal crowd fills their 15,000 seater stadium every Saturday and with the game being just a week before their Pro D2 campaign begins on 26th August they will be looking to put in a strong performance.