French rugby Updates : Le café du Rugby.

thomond2006

Neil3030 wrote: »

Strong Toulon bench. Carl Hayman is a fantastic prospect; an up-and-coming 34-year-old 120kg utility back who can cover the entire backline.

He's still doing the business at TH anyway!

vienne86

Toulouse really up for this - great try.

thomond2006

With a penalty advantage McAlister puts up a perfect high ball, Toulon/Halfpenny nowhere to be seen covering and Fickou catches and falls over the line.

.ak

Interesting seeing Lacey refing a big t14 game like this.

vienne86

.ak wrote: »

Interesting seeing Lacey refing a big t14 game like this.

Particularly as he doesn't seem to speak French.

thomond2006

vienne86 wrote: »

Particularly as he doesn't seem to speak French.

They use non-French refs before Europe so French teams get used to those refs .

vienne86

Toulouse really in Toulon's faces. Looks as if they don't know what hit them. Great stuff from Toulouse. Lovely handling from the forwards there.

thomond2006

Toulon's lineout, as it often is when Burden is at hooker, is not good.

thomond2006

Monster kick from McAlister puts Toulouse 16-0 ahead, after an idiotic offside penalty from Burden.

Toulon need a few of those benchers on asap.

sydneybound

Exciting game so far. Can't beat this Sunday night rugby.

Come on Toulouse

thomond2006

Bakkies in the bin, this is a nightmare for Toulon!

vienne86

thomond2006 wrote: »

Bakkies in the bin, this is a nightmare for Toulon!

Toulon are all over the place - really strange to watch!

thomond2006

Toulon build the phases really well and then knock on inside the Toulouse 22. Medard goes for audacious cross kick for Huget who almost goes all the way but Halfpenny puts him out. Toulouse are playing some fantastic rugby.

vienne86

Toulon a bit unlucky there - foot in touch, no try. 16 - 0 half time.

thomond2006

16-0 HT

Toulouse look back to some of their best. Aside from two forays into the 22 that almost earned something Toulon haven't looked at the races. They are really missing Giteau's direction IMO. I think they will take that scoreline, McAlister missed a routine penalty and Huget's break could have killed off the game. Toulon have a much better bench that gives them a chance to get back into the game. They badly need Gorgodze and Steffon on to get them some go forward ball.

.ak

Two great try saving tackles

vienne86

Halfpenny is having a decent enough game - delighted for him....just wish he played for a different club.

thomond2006

vienne86 wrote: »

Halfpenny is having a decent enough game - delighted for him....just wish he played for a different club.

Massive pressure on him to perform given the nonsense a few weeks back.

vienne86

thomond2006 wrote: »

Massive pressure on him to perform given the nonsense a few weeks back.

Exactly. I think this is his first outing, and he is aquitting himself well. Fair play to him.

vienne86

Fabulous from Harinordoquy! Huget in for the try!

shuffol

Commentators incapable of telling the difference between ref saying ball is available and ball is out.

vienne86

Watching this, you really wonder how Toulouse are right down the table.

molloyjh

Welcome back Toulouse. We've missed you.

And just as I type that.....

vienne86

Toulon have Lee Halfpenny to thank for stopping Toulouse scoring a try.....and Habana scores at the other end instead.....big swing there.

shuffol

Fritz butchered a certain try, 12 point swing there at least. Would've been interesting to see what would have happened had Medard connected with the ankle tap on Habana, would it have been grounds for a penalty try?

molloyjh

Oh dear, oh dear. Really poor from O'Connor.

thomond2006

Ah James that's unforgivable.

molloyjh

Eh penalty to Toulouse, no?

vienne86

thomond2006 wrote: »

Ah James that's unforgivable.

Shocking. Would have been a good case for just taking the points anyway. More than 20 minutes to go.

Hagz

How was Castro allowed to stay on the field? He looked hammered.

vienne86

Toulon not dead yet. Bench having an impact.

thomond2006

Pretty poor attempt at an offload from Basta

vienne86

Toulon looking ragged. Great to see Toulouse back in business.

vienne86

Comedy of errors at the end.....Toulouse lucky enough that Toulon didn't score there. Delighted for Toulouse. Up to 8th now.

.ak

Cracking game I thought. Hairydonkey had to be MOTM

vienne86

Great performance from Toulouse- they really put in the effort, and backed each other up....I wonder what Noves said to them. Season back on track. Supporters will be happy.

shrapnel222

.ak wrote: »

Cracking game I thought. Hairydonkey had to be MOTM

phenomenal performance. back line had a great game also.

nc6000

That was a great game. Toulon were pretty lucky not to be leaving Toulouse after being hammered by 30+ points.

vienne86

Yes, very entertaining game. I take issue with Sky insisting on showing Toulon week in week out, but this was a cracker of a game for the neutral.

iroced

So Toulouse is still alive and well. All the drama around the 5 defeats in a row and the deep crisis were very much exaggerated. I'm not saying the club doesn't need to change things but I think many forgot that in the 5 defeats 4 were away and in the middle the home game was vs Clermont. Granted that was most unusual for such a club but there were exceptional circumstances associated to it. That said if neither of the top 6 teams slow down dramatically like Grenoble last year Toulouse would have to come out with a super run to nail its position for the finals and the next ERC.

molloyjh

iroced wrote: »

So Toulouse is still alive and well. All the drama around the 5 defeats in a row and the deep crisis were very much exaggerated. I'm not saying the club doesn't need to change things but I think many forgot that in the 5 defeats 4 were away and in the middle the home game was vs Clermont. Granted that was most unusual for such a club but there were exceptional circumstances associated to it. That said if neither of the top 6 teams slow down dramatically like Grenoble last year Toulouse would have to come out with a super run to nail its position for the finals and the next ERC.

I think it's a little early to announce that Toulouse are back. Let's see how they go this weekend first. Remember last season Leinster thumped Northampton in Franklin's Gardens and people were talking about them being back to top form. Only to be soundly beaten the following week and even the week after against Edinburgh. One swallow does not a summer make. They need to build on that performance now. A good win over Montpellier at home would be the perfect follow up really.

thomond2006

molloyjh wrote: »

I think it's a little early to announce that Toulouse are back

Well that's two wins on the bounce but I think it's the way they played last night that would give me confidence as opposed to the result. Plus they have been missing some key players.

iroced

molloyjh wrote: »

I think it's a little early to announce that Toulouse are back. Let's see how they go this weekend first. Remember last season Leinster thumped Northampton in Franklin's Gardens and people were talking about them being back to top form. Only to be soundly beaten the following week and even the week after against Edinburgh. One swallow does not a summer make. They need to build on that performance now. A good win over Montpellier at home would be the perfect follow up really.

Well I'm not saying they're back on top. I'm just saying their situation was not as bad as I heard in the French press and from certain fans (I even heard or read the word "relegation", end of an era etc...). There was this exceptional run of 4 away games out of 5 which "helped" the "defeats record".

Toulouse need to adapt to the new powers of the Top14. Notably what economical model they wish to follow? What about Noves succession (e.g. I'm not convinced by JB Elissalde work)? Just these 2 topics are extremely difficult to deal with. But at some point they'll have to decide and come with a long-term plan. I don't see them winning big things if they stay as they are. Noves actually made that statement many times last year (more about the first topic of course :P but he indirectly talked about the second too).


So yeah they need to build on yesterday's performance but even if they don't I would not worry yet. There's still plenty time to recover. The season is very long. Racing, Castres showed that you can bounce back from a poor start, Grenoble, Montpellier further ago had the opposite trend which almost sent them down.

former legend

Racing cutting out some of the dead wood; Roberts, Phillips and Lydiate being told to PFO.

http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/rugby-union/29610121

Wales stars Jamie Roberts, Mike Phillips and Dan Lydiate could leave Racing Metro in the coming days, according to reports in France.

Racing coach Laurent Labit told L'Equipe: "We have raised the subject with them. They have never really been that effective since their arrival."

Big chance for the Welsh union to get a few of their big names back home under their new contract system and even get them playing in Europe.

Big Nelly

Just seen the following on EPCR facebook page:

Reports in English media today suggest that European Champions RC Toulon may be ready to allow their flanker and 'European player of the year' to join Bath.

According to The Daily Telegraph Steffon Armitage was on Monday night at the centre of an audacious bid by Bath to bring the European player of the year back to the Premiership from Toulon in a sensational move.. apparently Armitage is expected to discover on Tuesday whether the deal has been agreed by the two clubs, which could be finalised in time for the 29-year-old to become a Bath player ahead of their opening European Champions Cup match against Glasgow on Saturday.

AbusesToilets

former legend wrote: »

Racing cutting out some of the dead wood; Roberts, Phillips and Lydiate being told to PFO.

http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/rugby-union/29610121


Big chance for the Welsh union to get a few of their big names back home under their new contract system and even get them playing in Europe.

No surprise there, don't think they have done anything of note since signing for the club.

That news about Armitage is mad, I'd say Lancaster would be quite pleased to have him available again.

vienne86

Is it normal for these sorts of deals to be done at this time of year? Sounds strange.

Big Nelly

former legend wrote: »

Racing cutting out some of the dead wood; Roberts, Phillips and Lydiate being told to PFO.

http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/rugby-union/29610121


Big chance for the Welsh union to get a few of their big names back home under their new contract system and even get them playing in Europe.

Any chance they would throw out Sexton early I'm sure Leinster might be able to find a home for him

Sure he is useless anyway :eek:

molloyjh

former legend wrote: »

Racing cutting out some of the dead wood; Roberts, Phillips and Lydiate being told to PFO.

http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/rugby-union/29610121


Big chance for the Welsh union to get a few of their big names back home under their new contract system and even get them playing in Europe.

They have never really been that effective since their arrival.

Ouch!

.ak

Dead right. I'd be livid if I was Labit. Journeymen.