PARIS - Toulon return to Top 14 action against Bayonne this weekend fresh from qualifying for the European Champions Cup but missing a host of players who have received international call-ups for the Six Nations.
Toulon's No. 8 Chris Masoe (C) runs with the ball during their French Top 14 rugby union match against Montpellier, at the Altrad stadium in Montpellier, southern France, on January 3, 2015
The defending champions currently stand third in the French league on 47 points behind Clermont and Stade Francais, both on 50, with Racing-Metro in fourth (41).
But they will face 10th-placed Bayonne on Friday with a reshuffled team, albeit still incredibly strong given the strength in depth of Bernard Laporte's star-studded squad.
Argentina's Juan Martin Hernandez starts at fly-half in the absence of both Australian Matt Giteau, who underwent a groin operation on Tuesday and will be out for two months, and Frederic Michalak, still to make his comeback from a shoulder injury.
Full-backs Delon Armitage and Leigh Halfpenny are also missing, the first suspended and the second called up for Wales ahead of the Six Nations, Australian Drew Mitchell taking over the number 15 jersey.
There were also call-ups by France for Alexandre Menini, Guilhem Guirado, Romain Taofifenua, Sebastien Tillous-Borde and Matthieu Bastareaud, and by Italy for prop Martin Castrogiovanni.
South African lock Bakkies Botha warned that the Toulon team knew to keep their eye on the ball.
"Sometimes you can drop a level, but it's up to us to step up and we need to be going at 100 percent every weekend," said the 35-year-old enforcer, who on Tuesday announced he would hang his boots up at the end of the season.
"We have respect for Bayonne and they'll come here to try to win respect, they'll be playing the champions of France and the champions of Europe.
"We'll remain humble -- the game is never just won. It's up to us to put our foot down on the pedal to try to notch up a good win.
"We know the season comes to an end very quickly and a poor performance can change things."
Toulon, who will play Wasps in the European Champions Cup quarter-finals, were one of three French teams to have advanced to the knock-out phase of the continent's leading club competition.
Racing-Metro and Clermont have set up home matches against English giants Saracens and Northampton respectively.
Clermont will be looking for a bonus-point win when they travel to bottom club La Rochelle on Saturday, while Racing-Metro travel to Lyon.
Second-placed Stade Francais host Oyonnax, lying in ninth, the home side boosted by a three-year-contract extension signed Wednesday by promising fly-half Jules Plisson.
Plisson has reacted admirably to the arrival of ex-Springbok playmaker Morne Steyn, proving to be a key player for the increasingly exciting Parisian side.
Other fixtures see Montpellier entertain Bordeaux-Begles in Saturday's early match, while Brive play Grenoble and Toulouse travel to Castres in the late game.
Fixtures (all times GMT)
Friday
Toulon v Bayonne (1945)
Saturday
Montpellier v Bordeaux-Begles (1335), Brive v Grenoble, La Rochelle v Clermont, Lyon v Racing-Metro, Stade Francais v Oyonnax (all 1730), Castres v Toulouse (1945)