Rugby: Frontrunners sharpen swords for clash

League front-runners Stade Lausanne’s most difficult game of the season to date lies ahead on Saturday – an away clash against Swiss champions Geneva Plan-les-Ouates (PLO).

With the season out of its infancy and into the toddler stage, both sides are so far unbeaten. A week ago, Stade Lausanne would have been fairly confident of pickpocketing PLO’s defences and emerging with victory.

Now they must field a team with several key players missing. Skipper Emile Borrer suffered a worrying neck injury after losing an encounter with a scrum machine and could be out until March according to coach Andy Whitlow. “He’s been with us for years and has taken us far, but we do have a good team to put out on Saturday,” he told Swisster.

Number eight Ian Gray steps in to carry the injured Australian’s mantle. But veteran backs Jacky Dervey and Ismail Meyer, both Swiss internationals, are also amongst the walking wounded.

“We have the guys to slip in there and do the business,” stressed Whitlow. “We’ve been playing the same type of rugby all season and it’s been effective. It’s all up to the forwards. If they can do the job then we’ll create space and our backs will be pretty dangerous.”

Nonetheless, Whitlow is acutely aware that PLO have the tools to unhinge any side in Switzerland. “They only lost two or three matches last season. They know how to win. They have the habit, and I don’t suppose they worry too much about who the opposition is. They will expect a test though,” he added. A win for Lausanne will see their title credentials able to pass inspection.

For PLO’s new coach Olivier Achaintre, emphasis appears to be focused on establishing a basis for further progression as he strives to enforce what he has referred to as a “more intelligent game” than his predecessor.

“Of course we’re going to try to win but we’re still adapting,” he told Swisster. “Lausanne have been the best team of the season so far and have won twice away from home.”

The last time the two sides met ended in a champagne shower for Stade Lausanne after winning the Swiss Cup, but Achaintre wasn’t coach then. “I saw them in that match and they have a pretty complete game,” he said.

“Last week we were losing against Yverdon but we came back. Even if we’re behind in the last minute we’re going to be trying,” he said, adding a dash of detectable negativity.

Fresh after besting Nyon last weekend, CERN face a nasty 80 minutes at Yverdon in Saturday’s other game.

The home team lie in fourth place and were inches away from beating Geneva last weekend before the champs showed their customary grit to snatch the game away.

CERN, who also had Geneva on the ropes the previous weekend, could well prove less durable. “Yverdon's forwards are renowned for mauling very well, so we’re expecting a big battle up front,” CERN team manager, Beren Evans told Swisster. “Last week we defended very well against Nyon and we’ve been working on that, so we hope it will pay off.”

On Sunday, Zurich versus Hermance presents another interesting prospect. While the home side have yet to get their season in full swing, Hermance began exercising the coaching ideas of Carter Croft last time out to bulldoze the rubble of Bern by 72 points to three.

“It shows what we can do. We’re going to have more staying power this season I think,” said fly-half Iain Wise. “We had a really good session yesterday working on the breakdown, but we’re still putting the building blocks in place.”

Nonetheless, teams in Western Switzerland dread the long journey to Zurich, even if players haven’t been “out on the beers” the night before. “It’s a long trip and it takes its toll,” Wise said.

“Over the last few seasons we’ve shown that if you can go there and win then you’re going to end up near the top of the table,” he pointed out.

Sunday’s final clash sees Nyon – uncharacteristically at the bottom of the table – presented with a chance to garner some badly needed points. The match at the Stade de Colovray sees Bern in the crosshairs.

But if the home side fail to hit the target this time, come next week Nyon’s coaching set-up may find themselves in the firing line themselves, weathering questions from club president Alain Winterhalter.