Ntamack's Priority With Toulouse Before Rugby World Cup

Paris, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 27th May, 2023 ) :Toulouse's France fly-half Romain Ntamack said he wants to avoid the distraction of this year's Rugby World Cup as his club end the regular Top 14 season on Sunday by hosting Brive.

Ntamack, 24, is set to be his country's starting playmaker as they host three-time winners New Zealand in the showpiece event's opening game in Paris on September 8.

League leaders Toulouse have already qualified for next month's Top 14 semi-finals as they eye a record-extending 22nd league title in the final on June 17.

"It's obviously present," Ntamack told AFP. "You try not to think about it too much as there's a season to finish with the club.

"We'll then be able to leave with a free mind, relaxed afterwards to focus 100% with France," he added.

Les Bleus are joint-favourites for the Webb Ellis Trophy alongside world number one Ireland and begin training for the tournament at the end of June before four warm-up games in August.

Ntamack's club and Test team-mate Anthony Jelonch is recovering from a serious knee injury as is Montpellier centre Arthur Vincent and they are both in a race against time to feature for Fabien Galthie's national team.

"There's still a few weeks to wait, without getting injured, to be fresh and ready for the preparation," 36-time international Ntamack said.

"The best way to get injured is to play by being a bit too careful.

"You try to commit, give 100% and touch wood," he added.

- 'Failure' - Toulouse are eyeing a first title since 2021's double and would avoid two straight seasons without a trophy since 2016-17 and 2017-2018.

"It would obviously be a failure but it wouldn't put a stop to things," Ntamack, son ex-France three-quarter Emile Ntamack, said.

"There's a desire to put a marker down in the club's history, our team, our generation.

"If we manage to have all the ingredients, we can do great things, like we've already done," he added.

With Ntamack's side, as well as La Rochelle, fresh from defending the Champions Cup against Leinster last Saturday, already guaranteed places in June 9-10's semi-finals all eyes will be on the race for the play-offs.

Third-placed Stade Francais and Racing 92 in fourth look comfortable but will aim to claim home berths as they face La Rochelle, who have spent the week celebrating on the Atlantic coast, and Clermont respectively.

Bordeaux-Begles are in fifth on 63 points and head to Toulon, six points behind.

Lyon on 62, head to Bayonne (58), with two of those four outfits aiming for the last play-off spots.

At the bottom of the table, 1997 Champions Cup winners Brive are already relegated with 13th-placed Perpignan, who travel to Castres, four points behind Pau, who host champions Montpellier, in the fight to avoid the relegation play-off spot.

Fixtures (times GMT)SundayPau v Montpellier, Toulouse v Brive, Clermont v Racing 92, La Rochelle v Stade Francais, Toulon v Bordeaux-Begles, Castres v Perpignan, Lyon v Bayonne (all 1905)