World Cup Famine Is Feast For Aussie Gill And Lyon

Paris, Oct 4 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 4th Oct, 2019 ) :Australian back-rower Liam Gill says Lyon having just three teammates away on Rugby World Cup duty has played a "huge role" in the club's unbeaten start to the French Top 14 season before they face second-placed Bordeaux-Begles this weekend.

With only three squad members -- Fiji's Josua Tuisova and France pair Pierre-Louis Barassi and now injured Demba Bamba -- at the tournament in Japan, Gill's outfit top the table with the likes of Clermont, Toulouse and Racing 92 struggling with more than 10 players each unavailable.

"It's got a huge role to play in it. We've been lucky that we've been able to keep a solid group together and it is a bit unfair," the 15-time Wallabies international told AFP.

"Toulouse and Clermont, teams like that have their starting team out which helps and it's helped that we've run into those teams during this window," he added.

Gill, 27, who last featured at Test level in 2013, said Lyon's impressive start to the campaign is down to their defence which managed to stop any of their first four opponents, including champions Toulouse and three-time European champions Toulon, from crossing their tryline.

"It's been the whole thing. To not let a try in during the first block was unbelievable.

It's a characteristic we have really wanted to bring in and focus on," he said.

"We've had a couple of huge games. We've come across some big teams. It's been hugely important.

"We've only let in 20 points or more once in five games. Holding teams into the teens and the single figures means we're going to win games," he added.

On Saturday, Lyon host fellow unbeaten outfit Bordeaux-Begles who drew at Montpellier last weekend, and Gill could come up against some familiar faces in fellow Australian loose-forwards Scott Higginbotham and Kane Douglas.

"Their forwards are going to come and stick it to us, they're a different beast this year. It's a nice test for us," he said.

"I know how Higgers and Dougy play. They're physical and very good around the park. It's always tough." Elsewhere this weekend, the pressure mounts on Stade Francais' South African head coach Heyneke Meyer as the Parisians sit bottom of the standings before a trip to 2018 champions Castres.

Fixtures (all times 1600 GMT unless stated) Saturday Clermont v Montpellier (1330), Brive v Toulouse, Castres v Stade Francais, Agen v Bayonne, Lyon v Bordeaux-Begles (1845) SundayPau v Racing92 (1030), Toulon v La Rochelle (1450)