Top 14 preview - Brive

We take an in-depth look at the runners and the riders of the 2005/06 Top 14 ahead of the new season. Today we tackle Brive...

New Boss: Laurent Rodriguez

Last time around:

A rot set in towards the end of the former European champions' season, starting with a 71-3 defeat at Toulouse which apparently led to club president Jean-Claude Penauille describing the team as 'offal'. Les Corréziens won only one of their last eight games - against a Bourgoin side saving themselves for the play-offs - tumbled out of the Challenge Cup semi-final at the hands of Pau, and the Heineken Cup spot up for grabs disappeared, as did several useful players.

This time?

Half-back Valentin Courrent's loss to Sale and Julien Laharrague's defection to Perpignan were big hits to Laurent Rodriguez's team's strength, and despite a few signings the squad for this season looks paper-thin, particularly in the backs. The forwards are currently short of front-row players because of injury to Juan Campo and hooker Jawad Djoudji, and the club is frantically searching for a medical joker (a player extra to the regulation squad) to join as cover. The experienced Charl van Rensburg and Johan van Zyl will add some weight to the forwards, as will Rudy Cheron and Romanian Petrisor Toderasc in the front row. In the backs, Maxime Petitjean's arrival from Aurillac may help balance out the loss of Courrent, and Sebastian Bonetti is no slouch, but Brive look set to struggle this season. In the Challenge Cup, they are unlikely to overcome the threat of Newcastle in their pool.

Captain: not yet chosen

One to watch: Winger Yves Donguy shone during Brive's stuttery campaign with a sprinkling of well-finished tries, and has a chance to cement himself a regular spot in the absence of Laharrague.

In: Maxime Petitjean (Aurillac), Charl van Rensburg and Johan van Zyl (Natal Sharks, South Africa), Pedrisor Toderasc (Oyonnax), Sébastien Bonetti (Agen), Yohan Dalla Riva and Xavier Sadourny (Castres), Rudy Cheron (Perpignan), Tim Clark (NSW Waratahs, Australia), Laurent Rodriguez (coach - Pau).

Out: Julien Laharrague (Perpignan), Alain Penaud (player/coach - Lyon), Naves (Lyon), Valentin Courrent (Sale Sharks), Alejandro Moreno (Leicester Tigers, England), Nicolas Le Roux (Worcester, England), John Welborn (Western Force, Australia), Régis Lespinas (Montpellier), Eric Bouti (player/coach - Malemort), Sébastien Laloo (Tarbes), Florent Cazeaux (Mont-de-Marsan), Emmanuel Amapakabo (Saracens, England), Arnaud Ferreira (Aurillac)

Colours: White and black

Club info:

Stade Amédée-Domenech (15000 seats)
Avenue du 11 novembre
19100 Brive-la-Gaillarde

Tickets: €10-32

Travel connections: Limoges and Rodez airports are both served by low-cost airlines and are either side of Brive-la-Gaillarde, only about 45 minutes away. Bordeaux and Toulouse are the international connections, about 2 hours away each. Brive is well-connected by road and rail, lying between Paris and Toulouse.