Vincent Clerc starts out wide for Toulouse © Getty Images

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Matches Montauban 45 - 31 Racing Metro | Perpignan 19 - 14 Biarritz | Albi 7 - 17 Bourgoin-Jallieu | Bayonne 22 - 13 Clermont Auvergne | Brive 26 - 14 Stade Français | Toulon 19 - 6 Castres | Toulouse 34 - 3 Montpellier

Tournaments/Tours French Top 14

Teams Albi | Bayonne | Biarritz | Bourgoin-Jallieu | Brive | Castres | Montauban | Montpellier | Racing Metro | Stade Français | Toulon | Toulouse

The Top 14's surprise package, Castres, are rapidly shaking off their reputation. With 21 rounds completed Laurent Travers' men are two points clear at the top of the table and showing no signs of slowing down as the season run-in approaches.

They will be tested to the limit this weekend, with a tough trip to face Toulon at the Stade Mayol on the cards. Winger Marc Andreu will be absent after being named in the France team for a Six Nations showdown with Italy, with Yohan Audrin and Pierre-Emmanuel Garcia set to start wide.

The home side have included Felipe Contepomi and Pierre Mignoni at halfback as they look to keep up their push for a top-six place while Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe and Joe van Niekerk add plenty of class in the back-row.

After exacting revenge against Perpignan last weekend, second-placed Clermont Auvergne are on the road to relegation candidates Bayonne. Benoit Baby has returned from injury and replaces Anthony Floch at fullback for the away side, while Tasesa Lavea starts at fly-half in place of Brock James.

Reigning champions Perpignan have a tough home tie with Biarritz, who suffered a demoralising one-point loss to Toulon last weekend. Perpignan have been battling the snow this week but will be buoyed by their return to the Stade Aime Giral after yet another away loss in the previous round.

Toulouse are in fourth and celebrated a big away win over Stade Francais at the Stade de France last weekend. Montpellier, victors over Racing Metro in the previous round, are the visitors to the Stade Ernest Wallon. Vincent Clerc starts on the wing for Toulouse while Byron Kelleher and David Skrela are paired at halfback in the continued absence of Jean-Baptiste Elissalde due to injury.

Stade Francais have been licking their wounds this week, with coach Jacques Delmas labelling them a 'mid-table team', and need to be on guard against a Brive side two points below them in the table and smarting from a 35-10 hammering against Castres.

At the bottom of the table there is a chance for Bourgoin to put distance between themselves and the relegation battle as they face bottom-placed Albi. Skipper Vincent Clement returns for Albi, as does scrum-half Kevin Boulogne.

The round concludes with Racing Metro travelling to the Stade de Sapiac, where Montauban await. Racing have a six-point cushion over Stade in the final play-off place while Montauban are desperate for the points as they sit one from bottom, two points behind Bayonne.