French rugby Updates : Le café du Rugby.

shrapnel222

thomond2006 wrote: »

Toulouse have won their last five including away to Toulon (Marseille) and Stade Francais.
Grenoble have lost their last four and three of those were at home.

There's only one winner if form means anything and Lyon away is a lottery as has been suggested here.

i really think Toulouse can sneak ahead of clermont and claim 2nd spot and automatic semi with the last 2 games they have, which would be amazing considering the season they've had.

thomond2006

Oyonnax 15 points and two tries ahead at half-time, they are on their way to a BP win. This will put them 8 points clear of Montpellier and Bordeaux who aren't likely to win their remaining two matches.

iroced

Oyonnax - Lyon: 28-10 FT. 3 tries to 1.

Lyon denied them the TBP in the last 10 min. Oyonnax were close to claim it back but Tonga Huia could not control the ball in the try area.

Anyway they're 7 pts clear off Montpellier that are away to SF tomorrow and UBB that will be away to Toulouse in the last game. So, for me, it's official, Oyonnax are in the playoff and in the next ERC! Bravo!

thomond2006

Two Toulouse forwards gift Grenoble a try. One passed from the base, the other failed to catch the ball and it fell to Nigel Hunt to walk it in.

19543261

Ahahahahahah the streaker, check him out. That was gas

Edit: Wearing ballstranglers and a cape, he high-fived a player, sidestepped security, swan dived in under posts, and flipped a security guard over his head.

Micky Dolenz

This game is great craic and I'm not talking about the streaker

iroced

Very surprised at the (current) outcome of the Grenoble-Toulouse game. Grenoble leading 19-3 with less than a half hour to go.

In the meantime, Castres is on its way to the TBP (they need one more try) home to Brive at HT while Bayonne is losing 10-6 in Bordeaux and La Rochelle leading 15-13 vs Racing.

Jeez... it'll be very close again. The second relegation spot is bound to be decided in the end of the last GW :eek:!

thomond2006

Grenoble 22-6 up with 15 to go. Win is wrapped up and two more tries would give them a priceless BP.

If La Rochelle win today they would have a small chance of making the playoffs! What a mad league.

iroced

All over in Stade des Alpes. Grenoble won 32-11 (2 tries to 1) and are safe. Toulouse will certainly have to play a (home) quarter final now.

thomond2006

Two late Bayonne tries deny Bordeaux a try bonus. That's why I prefer the French rule, you are made to defend your try bonus for 80 minutes. Wins for Grenoble and Castres (BP) have made them pretty much safe.

It looks like it will be down to Brive or Bayonne next week. Brive (48) host Stade Francais and Bayonne (47) host La Rochelle.

thomond2006

La Rochelle and Racing draw 18-18. That means La Rochelle are safe.

iroced

thomond2006 wrote: »

Two late Bayonne tries deny Bordeaux a try bonus. That's why I prefer the French rule, you are made to defend your try bonus for 80 minutes. Wins for Grenoble and Castres (BP) have made them pretty much safe.

It looks like it will be down to Brive or Bayonne next week. Brive (48) host Stade Francais and Bayonne (47) host La Rochelle.

I agree with you on the French rule for TBP that keeps the interest until the end. But UBB got it. They had scored 5 tries before Bayonne got their late 2 ones.

And yeah it'll be between Bayonne & Brive for the second relegation spot. If SF beat Montpellier, they may still have something to play for in the last game hoping Montpellier would beat Clermont so that they get a top2 finish. Which would favour Bayonne (La Rochelle is officially safe so will be on the beach next week).

Finally if Bayonne & Brive are level on points, the latter will go down since their H2H read Bayonne-Brive: 23-6 / Brive-Bayonne:25-9 so 4 pts to 4 and 32-31 advantage Bayonne. Jeez I'd hate to go down for 1 pt (though it'll be a remake of USAP last year who went down for 3 pts...).

thomond2006

Ah I thought Bayonne had three tries.

iroced

Hmmm... Stade Français now leading 28-9. 4 tries to none. Not even the hour mark. What a terrible season we're having. Fortunately we started it well or we'll have had all chances to go down (we're only 2 wins ahead of Bayonne :eek:).

19543261

And once again French rugby saves an otherwise boring weekend for the sport.

7 minutes left...come on.

pickarooney

Toulon have thrown the game at SMM I see. Looks like their fourth choice side.

iroced

pickarooney wrote: »

Toulon have thrown the game at SMM I see. Looks like their fourth choice side.

This is no good news for Brive.

If Clermont wins, Stade Français will go to Amédée-Domenech willing to win and secure a top2 finish.

Neoulous

USAP-Agen: 16-12 at HT.

But we were 16-0 up and had at least 2 try opportunities to kill Agen. Second half will be squeaky bum time ...


Earlier, Mont-de-Marsan made it to the final by beating Albi 22-8.

thomond2006

pickarooney wrote: »

Toulon have thrown the game at SMM I see. Looks like their fourth choice side.

It's a big risk as it puts them in danger of losing a semi-final spot.

Neoulous wrote: »

USAP-Agen: 16-12 at HT.

But we were 16-0 up and had at least 2 try opportunities to kill Agen. Second half will be squeaky bum time ...


Earlier, Mont-de-Marsan made it to the final by beating Albi 22-8.

This has gone to extra time at 26-26. Agen missed two penalties in the last 10 minutes.

thomond2006

Agen go through after ET. 32-32 and Agen go through thanks to scoring more tries in the match (4 vs 2). Who would have thought neither Perpignan or Biarritz would go back up? So it's Agen vs Mont-de-Marsan in the final.

Sorry Neoulous.

Neoulous

Aaaand voilà... la spéciale USAP . Big result away to get the home semi just to bottle it (apparently it only happened 3 times in history out of 10 years that the home semi-finalist lost :rolleyes:...).

I'm gutted. Just gutted ...

sydneybound

Gutted about this. I can only see either of these two go straight back down. Neither will bring any decent crowds to the Top14.

.ak

Ref couldn't be anymore pedantic in the clermont game.

Dave_The_Sheep

pickarooney wrote: »

Toulon have thrown the game at SMM I see. Looks like their fourth choice side.

They seem to be sticking it to Clermont even if it isn't the first choice, unfortunately.

.ak

Ironic call considering Suta got away with much much worse...

.ak

Some real dodgy calls going toulons way

Pudsy33

What the **** just happened?

Guy:Incognito

Not least the one to end the match. Try all day imo.

.ak

Clermont really unfortunate with the officials tonight. Had a try to deny Toulon a LBP and had penalty advantage but Tmo said double movement - it wasn't - and as such Toulon top the table.

thomond2006

Clermont -8

Dave_The_Sheep

What in the **** was that.

Guy:Incognito

Rather convenient that that dodgy call keeps Toulon top.:rolleyes:

Pudsy33

thomond2006 wrote: »

Clermont -8

I took the ****ers -3 in play :mad:

duckysauce

that was a try -- shocking match

Irlandczyk

Was only able to watch on SkyGo with no sound and for all the world thought that way a try. I honestly thought referee would take one look at it and blow for a try. You can imagine my confusion when it wasn't given. Horrendous call. Seems to me that an awful lot of calls went Toulon's way tonight, they can count themselves quite lucky to have gotten the bonus point tonight, I think.

thomond2006

Grenoble are not out of the woods just yet. Rugbyrama mention that in the case of equal points with any of the teams around it, Grenoble will finish below.

So if the below took place Grenoble would be relegated:
- Bayonne get a TBP win at home to La Rochelle - La Rochelle have nothing to play for
- Brive get a no bonus win at home to Stade Francais - Stade Francais in contention for Top 2
- Grenoble get nothing from their trip to Lyon - Lyon are already relegated

thomond2006

Bayonne have put an end to discussions with Biarritz. Both set of supporters were against a merger. So Biarritz will definitely be in ProD2 next year and Bayonne could join them.

total former

Confirmed that Yannick Nyanga will move to Racing next season. Still only 31, seems like he's been around forever.

I hadn't realised he was from Zaire.

Buer

total former wrote: »

Confirmed that Yannick Nyanga will move to Racing next season. Still only 31, seems like he's been around forever.

I hadn't realised he was from Zaire.

Made his first HEC start at 18 years old, playing blindside flanker. He is a freak. Went a bit off the boil for a few years though when he had been primed to be a superstar.

Big Nelly

total former wrote: »

Confirmed that Yannick Nyanga will move to Racing next season. Still only 31, seems like he's been around forever.

I hadn't realised he was from Zaire.

Quin have took Roberts from Racing, not sure if mentioned already

pickarooney

My local team are one win away from ProD2. Would be mad to see Biarritz, Perpignan et al coming here.

thomond2006

Eddy Ben Arous (Racing), Vincent Debaty (Clermont), Uini Atonio (La Rochelle), Xavier Chiocci (Toulon), Nicolas Mas (Montpellier), Rabah Slimani (Stade français),

Guilhem Guirado (Toulon), Benjamin Kayser (Clermont), Dimitri Szarzewski (Racing),

Alexandre Flanquart (Stade français), Yoann Maestri (Toulouse), Pascal Papé (Stade français), Sébastien Vahaamahina (Clermont),

Thierry Dusautoir (Toulouse), Damien Chouly (Clermont), Bernard Le Roux (Racing), Yannick Nyanga (Toulouse), Louis Picamoles (Toulouse), Fulgence Ouedraogo (Montpellier), Loann Goujon (La Rochelle).

Rory Kockott (Castres), Morgan Parra (Clermont), Sébastien Tillous-Borde (Toulon),

Rémi Tales (Castres), Frédéric Michalak (Toulon), François Trinh-Duc (Montpellier),

Mathieu Bastareaud (Toulon), Wesley Fofana (Clermont), Rémi Lamerat (Castres), Gaël Fickou (Toulouse), Alexandre Dumoulin (Racing),

Yoann Huget (Toulouse), Noa Nakaitaci (Clermont), Sofiane Guitoune (UBB), Brice Dulin (Racing), Scott Spedding (Bayonne).

So no Lopez, Mermoz and Medard. Somehow Freddie Michalak has returned despite not being in the first choice Toulon 23!

iroced

thomond2006 wrote: »

Grenoble are not out of the woods just yet. Rugbyrama mention that in the case of equal points with any of the teams around it, Grenoble will finish below.

So if the below took place Grenoble would be relegated:
- Bayonne get a TBP win at home to La Rochelle - La Rochelle have nothing to play for
- Brive get a no bonus win at home to Stade Francais - Stade Francais in contention for Top 2
- Grenoble get nothing from their trip to Lyon - Lyon are already relegated

Yeah. Their head-to-head results read

Bayonne 5 pts
Brive 5 pts
Grenoble 4 pts

---

By the way, PSA announced the France 36 for the WC.

AVANTS
Piliers: Atonio (La Rochelle), Ben Arous (Racing-Métro), Chiocci (Toulon), Debaty (Clermont), Mas (Montpellier), Slimani (Stade Français)
Talonneurs: Guirado (Toulon), Kayser (Clermont), Szarzewski (Racing-Métro)
Deuxième-lignes: Flanquart (Stade Français), Maestri (Toulouse), Vahaamahina (Clermont), Papé (Stade Français)
Troisième-lignes aile: Dusautoir (Toulouse), Le Roux (Racing-Métro), Nyanga (Toulouse), Ouedraogo (Montpellier)
Toisièmes-lignes centre: Chouly (Clermont), Goujon (La Rochelle), Picamoles (Toulouse)

ARRIERES
Demis de mêlée: Kockott (Castres), Parra (Clermont), Tillous-Borde (Toulon)
Demis d'ouverture: Michalak (Toulon), Tales (Castres), Trinh-Duc (Montpellier)
Centres: Bastareaud (Toulon), Dumoulin (Racing-Métro), Fickou (Toulouse), Fofana (Clermont), Lamerat (Castres)
Ailiers et arrières: Dulin (Racing-Métro), Guitoune (Bordeaux-Bègles), Huget (Toulouse), Nakaitaci (Clermont), Spedding (Bayonne)


Trinh-Duc & Michalak rather than Lopez & Plisson.

Again PSA can't settle on a halves pair and ditch Lopez because he had a bad game. I'm happy for Trinh-Duc but he almost never featured for 4 years...


--- edit ---
Trinh-Duc was happy to learn the news => http://www.lequipe.fr/Rugby/Actualites/La-joie-de-francois-trinh-duc/559764 :pac:

vienne86

iroced wrote: »

Yeah. Their head-to-head results read

Bayonne 5 pts
Brive 5 pts
Grenoble 4 pts

---

As always, there will be still be excitement on the last day of the Top 14, when all matches are played simultaneously.

Iroced, would you know which French radio station will be covering the rugby on Saturday? Last year I was in France, and got it in the car - it was brilliant listening - but I have no notion which station I was tuned in to. This year I will be at home, and hope to tune in the internet radio, but it is not so easy to search on that. Thanks.

iroced

vienne86 wrote: »

Iroced, would you know which French radio station will be covering the rugby on Saturday? Last year I was in France, and got it in the car - it was brilliant listening - but I have no notion which station I was tuned in to. This year I will be at home, and hope to tune in the internet radio, but it is not so easy to search on that. Thanks.

There could be a couple... Where were you in France?

The sports radio in France is RMC. During week-ends their broadcast are mainly multisports coverings. But I'm not sure they have a dedicated rugby multiplex.

I think Sud Radio does it. RTL have also multisports coverings during week-ends.

But if you were in a rugby area you may have tuned in to a local radio (the France Bleu channels, there's one per county roughly, e.g. France Bleu Roussillon is great to follow USAP, they'd give you updates on the other games but you would not have a proper commentator for it ; while France Bleu Hérault is crap to follow Montpellier, I'm not even sure they follow each game :rolleyes:...).



--- edit ---

Think I found what you're searching for. Sud Radio indeed does it. And here's the link and the program :cool:
=> http://www.sudradio.fr/Autre-contenu/Les-evenements-rugby

Sud Radio wrote:

A l'affiche ce week-end

Samedi 23 mai : 100 % rugby dès 15h00
Journaliste : Xavier BARRET / Consultant : David GERARD

Top 14

16h15 : BAYONNE / LA ROCHELLE
Journaliste : Gilles GAUTHIER

16h15 : BRIVE / STADE FRANÇAIS
Journaliste : Alexandre PRIAM

16h15 : LYON / GRENOBLE
Journaliste : Laurent SOULIÉ

16h15 : MONTPELLIER / CLERMONT
Journaliste : Julien PUYUELO

16h15 : RACING METRO / CASTRES
Journaliste : Vincent DELZESCAUX

16h15 : TOULON / OYONNAX
Journaliste : Fabrice MICHELIER

16h15 : TOULOUSE / BORDEAUX
Journaliste : Jérémy DESOBLIN

First Utility Super League

18h00 : CATALANS / WIGAN en intégralité
Journaliste : Pierre VERGES / Consultant : Patrick WOZNIAK


Dimanche 24 mai : 100 % rugby dès 14h00
Journaliste : Jean-Marie LLENSE / Consultant : Benjamin BOYET

Pro D2

15h05 : MONT-DE-MARSAN / AGEN en intégralité
Journaliste : Xavier BARRET / Consultant : David GERARD

vienne86

Thanks for your help Iroced - when I was listening last year, I was in Poitou Charente, travelling from La Rochelle to Poitiers, so not really a rugby area - I would doubt I was listening on Bleu Poitou. The matches had started when I picked up the hire car, so I just kept pressing the 'search' button until I found rugby!

vienne86

iroced wrote: »

Think I found what you're searching for. Sud Radio indeed does it. And here's the link and the program :cool:
=> http://www.sudradio.fr/Autre-contenu/Les-evenements-rugby

That's it! Someone at each game and a couple of people in the studio. I can't find any Top 14 on Sky this weekend, so this'll be me sorted. It was fantastic last year - everytime someone scored, the relegation battle changed. Oyonnax hung on by the skin of their teeth........and look at them now!

Deano7788

vienne86 wrote: »

That's it! Someone at each game and a couple of people in the studio. I can't find any Top 14 on Sky this weekend, so this'll be me sorted. It was fantastic last year - everytime someone scored, the relegation battle changed. Oyonnax hung on by the skin of their teeth........and look at them now!

It's on Sky Sports 5 from 3.10.

vienne86

Deano7788 wrote: »

It's on Sky Sports 5 from 3.10.

Ah OK - I wonder which match they'll show.....it just says 'a match' on my Sky schedule.

thomond2006

So after signing for Toulon to the shock of Clermont, Napolioni Nalaga is now not going to Toulon and is set to sign a two year contract with Lyon in the ProD2! He visited Lyon today for a medical. Talk about a player who is way too good for that division! Lyon (who are loaded) must be paying him a fortune as IMO he would start for any team in Europe.

According to RR Toulon wanted to cut ties due to the JIFF quota. Tbh they don't need Nalaga with Mitchell, Habana and Delon in situ along with young Josua Tuisova who is a serious prospect.