Oh, strap in everyone, this is going to get interesting. We've got La Rochelle and Stade Français squaring off in the ninth round. A look at their recent historics shows La Rochelle leading Stade Français 3-1 in their last four match ups. Not exactly an evenly balanced scale, is it?

Onto their regular season records, it's clear that La Rochelle pulls off wins more consistently than Stade Français, with a 5-3 record compared to a rather dismal 3-5. It's like watching a cat play with a half-hearted mouse.

Recent performances? Well, Stade Français may have creamed ASM Clermont Auvergne, but it's been downhill ever since. Do the words "a rock and a hard place" mean anything to you?

La Rochelle, on the other hand, breezed past Bordeaux Bègles and Lyon, albeit with a hiccup against Bayonne. So, even a hiccupped La Rochelle seems like a towering giant next to poor, stumbling Stade Français. We see something similar in the standings too, with La Rochelle peeking in at #7 and Stade Français left lingering at a lowly #12.

Keep your expectations accordingly folks!

Albert’s Prediction: La Rochelle by 8