French rugby Updates : Le café du Rugby.

thomond2006

Friday 24th Aug
Bordeaux Begles vs Perpignan, 7:50pm (Setanta IRL)

Saturday 25th Aug
Racing Métro vs Toulon, 12pm (Setanta IRL)

Bayonne vs Stade Francais, 5:30pm
Castres vs Grenoble, 5:30pm
Montpellier vs Clermont, 5:30pm
Toulouse vs Mont de Marsan, 5:30pm

Agen vs Biarritz, 7:45pm

Bordeaux vs Perpignan sees two teams who lost at home last week and are looking to bounce back. Racing vs Toulon is one to avoid if you're looking for running rugby, expect the scores to go up in 3s each time!

Mont de Marsan don't get it any easier this week, Toulouse were awful last week so they'll be out to hockey someone. Oh dear.

Montpellier vs Clermont looks like the clash of the weekend.

.ak

Ugh why are Setanta showing possible the most boring match on saturday? Monty v Clermont game could be a good one.

BoarHunter

mfceiling wrote: »

Boarhunter...I'm out near carcassonne for a few days and was going to take a spin up to toulouse on friday.
Anything rugby related worth checking out?
Got a bit excited today when I spotted the French rugby federation operation in narbonne.
Was thinking maybe to stop into Trevor brennans place?
Anything else?

Won't be able to help you much as I don't know Toulouse very well. Only been there a few times and a long time ago. Sorry

Why don't you stay on Saturday and go watch the game ?

Digifriendly

For viewers in NI ESPN no longer covering Top 14. Premier Sports now hold UK rights and AFAIK you cannot subscribe to them here in NI.

thomond2006

Digifriendly wrote: »

For viewers in NI ESPN no longer covering Top 14. Premier Sports now hold UK rights and AFAIK you cannot subscribe to them here in NI.

I looked at their listings and range of coverage, they seem to more or less the same programs as Setanta.

Gracelessly Tom

mfceiling wrote: »

Boarhunter...I'm out near carcassonne for a few days and was going to take a spin up to toulouse on friday.
Anything rugby related worth checking out?
Got a bit excited today when I spotted the French rugby federation operation in narbonne.
Was thinking maybe to stop into Trevor brennans place?
Anything else?

Head up on Sat instead if you can and catch the match. I think there's still tickets left for it. As far as rugby related stuff goes, the stadium is open every day, worth nipping up to and taking a walk around, decent merchandise shop as well and a very good restaurant (michelin starred I think).

In the centre of town there's a great Merchandise store, one for men, one for women and children and one for tickets and sale items. All right next to each other just off Boulevard Strasbourg.

Melting Pot and De Danu are the two pubs worth checking out imo.

Food wise don't look any further then L'entrcote!

thomond2006

Some contract/transfer news!

Toulouse have extended Edwin Maka's contract until 2017. He made his debut off the bench and created the winning try for Matanavou. A contract that length is almost unheard of, but it looks Maka could be a star just like his uncle Finau was.

http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,16024_8009956,00.html

Also, Toulon are expected to sign hooker Deon Fourie from the Stormers. They originally thought they were going to get Adriaan Strauss, but Strauss signed on with the Cheetahs. Fourie is a good player (current Western Province captain) and is great in the loose, he played a lot in the backrow this year due to an injury crisis.

Gracelessly Tom

thomond2006 wrote: »

Some contract/transfer news!

Toulouse have extended Edwin Maka's contract until 2017. He made his debut off the bench and created the winning try for Matanavou. A contract that length is almost unheard of, but it looks Maka could be a star just like his uncle Finau was.

http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,16024_8009956,00.html

Also, Toulon are expected to sign hooker Deon Fourie from the Stormers. They originally thought they were going to get Adriaan Strauss, but Strauss signed on with the Cheetahs. Fourie is a good player (current Western Province captain) and is great in the loose, he played a lot in the backrow this year due to an injury crisis.

Firstly, another Maka! Ouch! :eek:

Secondly, if Toulon put some effort into Europe this season, with the group they have, they'll be a force to be reckoned with.

yimrsg

thomond2006 wrote: »

Some contract/transfer news!

Also, Toulon are expected to sign hooker Deon Fourie from the Stormers. They originally thought they were going to get Adriaan Strauss, but Strauss signed on with the Cheetahs. Fourie is a good player (current Western Province captain) and is great in the loose, he played a lot in the backrow this year due to an injury crisis.

Bruno has done amazingly well to hang on in there for so long. Fourie plays like Richardt Strauss and could be a great signing for Toulon. It's hard to judge how good a scrummager he was at the stormers as he had Francie Brady beside him but with the prop talent that Toulon have he should be given an armchair ride now on.

mfceiling

Gracelessly Tom wrote: »

mfceiling wrote: »

Boarhunter...I'm out near carcassonne for a few days and was going to take a spin up to toulouse on friday.
Anything rugby related worth checking out?
Got a bit excited today when I spotted the French rugby federation operation in narbonne.
Was thinking maybe to stop into Trevor brennans place?
Anything else?

Head up on Sat instead if you can and catch the match. I think there's still tickets left for it. As far as rugby related stuff goes, the stadium is open every day, worth nipping up to and taking a walk around, decent merchandise shop as well and a very good restaurant (michelin starred I think).

In the centre of town there's a great Merchandise store, one for men, one for women and children and one for tickets and sale items. All right next to each other just off Boulevard Strasbourg.

Melting Pot and De Danu are the two pubs worth checking out imo.

Food wise don't look any further then L'entrcote!

Flight home is sat at 3.30!!

thomond2006

yimrsg wrote: »

Bruno has done amazingly well to hang on in there for so long. Fourie plays like Richardt Strauss and could be a great signing for Toulon. It's hard to judge how good a scrummager he was at the stormers as he had Francie Brady beside him but with the prop talent that Toulon have he should be given an armchair ride now on.

Bruno has been used sparingly for the past few seasons to keep miles on his clock, under PSA the team would change every week when they had a squad of 45 players (now cut to about 35).

The other hookers in the squad, Orioli and Ivaldi, are both under 23 and inexperienced and Bruno needs to rotate with someone reliable. It's yet another foreigner though, it's amazing they are being allowed get away with it.

Podge_irl

thomond2006 wrote: »

The other hookers in the squad, Orioli and Ivaldi, are both under 23 and inexperienced and Bruno needs to rotate with someone reliable. It's yet another foreigner though, it's amazing they are being allowed get away with it.

What's the story with the regs on French academy players that was supposed to come in?

thomond2006

Rocky Elsom has met with Toulon management with a view to a move there, his contract with Japan was torn up when he failed a medical.

http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,3551_8014552,00.html

I don't see why anyone would go fo Elsom, he hasn't been properly fit for years. Plus it's not as if Toulon are short of backrowers! If he signs that would make it 4 non French players in the backrow: Van Niekerk, Masoe, Lobbe and now Elsom.

BB vs USAP, 7:50pm tonight:

Bordeaux Begles:
15 Bruce Reihana, 14 Thierry Brana, 13 Julien Rey, 12 Andrew Mailei, 11 Blair Connor, 10 Camille Lopez, 9 Heini Adams,
8 Matthew Clarkin, 7 Hugh Chalmers, 6 Gautier Gibouin, 5 Adam Jaulhac, 4 Justin Purll, 3 Albert Toetu, 2 Wayne Avei, 1 Hikairo Forbes.

Replacements: 16 Fabien Rofes, 17 Laurent Delboulbes, 18 Francois Tisseau, 19 Rohan Kitshoff, 20 Emmanuel Saubusse, 21 Felix Le bourhis, 22 Lachie Munro, 23 Silviu Florea.

Perpignan:
15 Gavin Hume, 14 Farid Sid, 13 David Marty, 12 Lifeimi Mafi, 11 Armand Batlle, 10 James Hook, 9 David Mele,
8 Henri Tuilagi, 7 Bertrand Guiry, 6 Alasdair Strokosch, 5 Robins Tchale Watchou, 4 Luke Charteris 3 Nicolas Mas, 2 Romain Terrain, 1 Sona Taumalolo.

Replacements: 16 Guilhem Guirado, 17 Kisi Pulu, 18 Daniel Leo, 19 Luke Narraway, 20 Florian Cazenave, 21 Gilles Bosch, 22 Adrian Plante, 23 Jeremy Castex.

thomond2006

Podge_irl wrote: »

What's the story with the regs on French academy players that was supposed to come in?

no idea! There was something about a percentage of a first team squad must be French qualified.

decisions

Elsom was class but he is past his prime now and if he failed a medical in Japan, I don't see why Toulon would sign him tbh.

I'll always love him for this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y15VvP6CYQI

And this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=llnlOs0L4ZQ

CatFromHue

thomond2006 wrote: »

BB vs USAP, 7:50pm tonight:

Bordeaux Begles:
15 Bruce Reihana, 14 Thierry Brana, 13 Julien Rey, 12 Andrew Mailei, 11 Blair Connor, 10 Camille Lopez, 9 Heini Adams,
8 Matthew Clarkin, 7 Hugh Chalmers, 6 Gautier Gibouin, 5 Adam Jaulhac, 4 Justin Purll, 3 Albert Toetu, 2 Wayne Avei, 1 Hikairo Forbes.

Perpignan:
15 Gavin Hume, 14 Farid Sid, 13 David Marty, 12 Lifeimi Mafi, 11 Armand Batlle, 10 James Hook, 9 David Mele,
8 Henri Tuilagi, 7 Bertrand Guiry, 6 Alasdair Strokosch, 5 Robins Tchale Watchou, 4 Luke Charteris 3 Nicolas Mas, 2 Romain Terrain, 1 Sona Taumalolo.

According to Wikipedia the fellas in bold are not French. That's 19 out of the combined starting 30 players!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_Bordeaux_B%C3%A8gles#Squad_2012-2013
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USA_Perpignan#Current_squad

decisions

And the IRFU think we have a problem with NIQ's?

duckysauce

decisions wrote: »

And the IRFU think we have a problem with NIQ's?

They have stopped it now before it was about to explode like the above figures which are mental. Getting like the football premiership.

thomond2006

One major difference is France has 14 clubs to supply international players, we have 4. Don't get me wrong though, I'm not defending it.

Perpignan lost in Bordeaux tonight, bit of a shock result:
http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,3551_8015888,00.html

...and their next game is away to Clermont. Ouch.

thomond2006

thomond2006

Class try from Racing's Fijian winger, chipped the ball to himself, beating 2 defenders.

thomond2006

Fantastic set-piece try from Toulon off a lineout, 10-10.

thomond2006

Good old Delon binned for a tackle off the ball, hasn't changed a bit clearly. :rolleyes:

13-13 at halftime, decent game.

pcworldisajoke

thomond2006 wrote: »

Good old Delon binned for a tackle off the ball, hasn't changed a bit clearly. :rolleyes:

13-13 at halftime, decent game.

I was amazed when they signed him- major mistake. He always made errors at London Irish, and was always a liability for a yellow, and frequently for dropping a high ball.

Terrible scouting, or else his brother demanded he got a run. He'll slowly drop out of rotation as the season progresses I reckon.

(Oh, and he's a total w*nker)

thomond2006

Giteau in again, Wilkinson converts. 21-20.

CatFromHue

Racing have 4 non French players in their starting 15 which is pretty good but Toulon have 10. 14 out of a possible 30 Frenchies starting in this game is better than last night but still not great.

pcworldisajoke

CatFromHue wrote: »

Racing have 4 non French players in their starting 15 which is pretty good but Toulon have 10. 14 out of a possible 30 Frenchies starting in this game is better than last night but still not great.

what do you mean not great? I think it's fantastic! Less frenchies playing might mean more of a chance for us in the internationals.

CatFromHue

pcworldisajoke wrote: »

what do you mean not great? I think it's fantastic! Less frenchies playing might mean more of a chance for us in the internationals.

Ha nah I much prefer when a French team plays like in the clip below which isn't going to happen if their clubs aren't playing enough French guys.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTwTi-UeQ7s

Ironically enough the whole move is started by Saint Andre running from his 22.......I wonder what his views would be if any of his players did that nowadays :pac:

pcworldisajoke

I know that clip by heart. Unreal stuff.

France for the six nations next year anyway. They're a Shoe- in

thomond2006

21-23 FT!

pcworldisajoke

thomond2006 wrote: »

21-23 FT!

happy days :-) had the +4 and win since tuesday!

P_1

MdM lead ST 16-14 :eek:

Sacre bleu!!

thomond2006

20-22 now

This is the equivalent of Aironi winning at the RDS

thomond2006

Try Toulouse, 27-22

thomond2006

Picamoles in, another try for Toulouse.

P_1

thomond2006 wrote: »

Try Toulouse, 27-22

Not good enough for my bet though ha

P_1

thomond2006 wrote: »

Picamoles in, another try for Toulouse.

where you watching this thomand?

thomond2006

Check your inbox!

P_1

thomond2006 wrote: »

Check your inbox!

'The Live Rugby'?

Toulouse got themselves out of jail there

thomond2006

Racing 21 - 23 Toulon
Bayonne 24 -11 Stade Francais
Castres 30 -13 Grenoble
Montpellier 13 - 8 Clermont
Toulouse 37 - 22 Mont-de-Marsan

Agen vs Biarritz tonight at 7:40pm

thomond2006

Biarritz won that one 19-25.

yimrsg

Elsom linked with Toulon and Narbonne.
http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,3551_8014552,00.html

His contract was terminated as he wasn't up to the medical standards in Japan, you've got to wonder about his physical well being if that's the case.

theKramer

pithater1 wrote: »

'The Live Rugby'?

Toulouse got themselves out of jail there

I was at that game (living here now), and Mont-de-Marsan threw that game away with 3 stupid yellow cards. Completely brainless stuff.

Toulouse have been playing awful stuff for nearly 9 months now. MdM played a very nice game, but a little too high risk at times (think slapping the ball back with one hand to a teammate while its rolling on the ground).

Saw a bit of the Racing-Toulon game on TV. It seems they have expanded their game a bit. Looked to have a nice style

thomond2006

Grenoble won comfortably at home to Stade Francais, 26 - 12. Big result for FCG, but oh my how Stade's star has fallen.

Stade Français: 15 Jerome Porical, 14 Waisea Vuidravuwalu, 13 Morgan Turinui, 12Paul Williams, 11 Paul Sackey, 10 Felipe Contepomi, 9 Jerome Fillol, 8 Sergio Parisse, 7 Olivier Missoup, 6 Scott Lavalla, 5 Pascal Pape, 4 Anton van Zyl, 3 David Attoub, 2 Laurent Sempere, 1 Romain Frou.
Replacements: 16 Remi Bonfils, 17 Rabah Slimani, 18 Alexandre Flanquart, 19 David Lyons, 20 Julien Dupuy, 21 Paul Warwick, 22 Hugo Bonneval, 23 Zurabi Zhvania.

Plenty journeymen in that team. Frou, Missoup and Sackey are all Toulon castoffs.

thomond2006

Biarritz leading Toulouse at home, 22-12 with 12 to go.

thomond2006

try toulouse, conversion to come

DDC1990

22-17 to BO over Toulouse

Hope Biarritz hold on.

1 and a hlaf minutes left.

EDIT: Good win for Biarritz

.ak

Horribly error ridden match.

thomond2006

22-17 FT

Good to see Biarritz picking up a win like that, the Basque region needs a performing team.

thomond2006

Grenoble 26 - 12 SF Paris
Biarritz 22 - 17 Toulouse (LBP)
Castres 31 - 10 Bayonne
Clermont (TBP) 53 - 31 Perpignan
Montpellier (TBP) 32 - 15 Agen
Racing Métro 17 - 8 Bordeaux Begles
Mont-de-Marsan 15 - 29 Toulon (TBP)