26th and Final Day of TOP 14...

[gaston le gaff]

OKGuys lets get started this is not my job!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Big Ewis]

gaaaaston, what have you gone and done here...this isn't how it's done ! And for the last day of the season ??!!! sheeessh.

OK, here it is:

[TABLE="width: 100%"]
<tbody>[TR="class: infoboxheadlite"]
[TH="colspan: 4"]26e Journée[/TH]
[/TR]
[TR="class: altrow"]
[TD="class: textcenter"]03/05[/TD]
[TD="class: textcenter"]14:45[/TD]
[TD="class: textright"]Aviron Bayonnais[/TD]
[TD]Castres Olympique[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: textcenter"] - [/TD]
[TD="class: textcenter"]14:45[/TD]
[TD="class: textright"]Union Bordeaux-Bègles[/TD]
[TD]Bloody Opeless
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: altrow"]
[TD="class: textcenter"] - [/TD]
[TD="class: textcenter"]14:45[/TD]
[TD="class: textright"]CA Brive-Corrèze[/TD]
[TD]Oyonnax
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: textcenter"] - [/TD]
[TD="class: textcenter"]14:45[/TD]
[TD="class: textright"]ASM Choke-ont
[/TD]
[TD]Perpignan
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: altrow"]
[TD="class: textcenter"] - [/TD]
[TD="class: textcenter"]14:45[/TD]
[TD="class: textright"]Montypellier Hérault Rugby
[/TD]
[TD]Racing Métro 92
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: textcenter"] - [/TD]
[TD="class: textcenter"]14:45[/TD]
[TD="class: textright"]Rugby Club Toulonnais
[/TD]
[TD]Stade Fraicheur d'été
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: altrow"]
[TD="class: textcenter"] - [/TD]
[TD="class: textcenter"]14:45[/TD]
[TD="class: textright"]Stade Toulousain
[/TD]
[TD]Grenoble
[/TD]
[/TR]
</tbody>[/TABLE]


One step closer to the summer officially as we overlap into the month of Mayses, or 'May', more traditionally. A transitional month as it isn't quite summer yet, such a colorless, tasteless bitcch of a month really...

So all games happening exactly at the same time, the same day.
What to say ? No. 77 (is it ?) for the ASM, a good way to end the season with a nice win for Toulouse, Toulon will make sure they fend off a pesky SF, MP to have a rough one at home against a consistently growing Racing squad and will want to put the hammer down as the legitimate no. 1 for the season with a big finish, Brive and the UBB to win at home, and finally my joker with Castres a possible away winner for this last weekend in Bayonne.

Personally, my match of the weekend: Montypellier vs Racing Métro.
But Toulon vs SF is sure to be a ***anic battle: if SF win the match or manage some kind of result, counting on failures of others can find their way back into the Top 6 for the playoffs.

 

[gaston le gaff]

you see if you ask nicely, things get done, thank you BE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
i quite like Fraicheur d'ete..............Month of May and all their fetes 3 this month.........

 

[Big Ewis]

well, Stade "Fraicheur d'été" might find themselves enjoying the summer a whole lot...OFF THE FIELD that is, if they don't make something big happen this coming weekend.

 

[gaston le gaff]

well, Stade "Fraicheur d'été" might find themselves enjoying the summer a whole lot...OFF THE FIELD that is, if they don't make something big happen this coming weekend.

Toulon are on a high and just can't see even a point for Stade Fraicheur d'ete as you said time on the beach could be order of the day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Big Ewis]

damnnnn....after such an awesome season the whole year. To fall short like this at the end...unbelievable to think Paris won't even QUALIFY...like, at all !!!....
it's getting old saying this but still: the competitiveness of the Top 14 this season, my goodness...
And major props to Racing. They came from aaaaall the way behind into these next playoffs and pushed their neighbors out.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

damnnnn....after such an awesome season the whole year. To fall short like this at the end...unbelievable to think Paris won't even QUALIFY...like, at all !!!....
it's getting old saying this but still: the competitiveness of the Top 14 this season, my goodness...
And major props to Racing. They came from aaaaall the way behind into these next playoffs and pushed their neighbors out.

I am glad RM92 are just about set for the finals (particularly after such a disappointing HC campaign where I was at times near tears at the poor stuff served up though TBF it was a tough pool and a very disjointed team still) but I think the table very neatly sums up RM's season; fewest losses but the low "points for" (only more than Oyanax, Perpignan and BO- who I've gathered have been just about non-starters) and bonus points being so few are a good reflection of the type of rugby they have been playing on the balance (at least for the games that I have managed to watch).

God, that is so frustrating! I chose RM as my NH team as their jerseys reminded me of my WP but both teams seem to try to play as little rugby as possible.

We have been getting into finals playing low-risk rugby the last few years but always got snubbed in the play-offs where you face well rounded opposition at their peak as a default and I can't see RM going another route, at least not this year.. but thankfully the trend is decidedly upward whereas with WP/Stormers fans are rooting for us to not win another match to force heads to roll as it's a admin/gameplan problem that we have rather than on-field-personnel.

Now, RM92 should just get in some of the Saffa's I see heading North all the time- latest is Deon Fourie who has been a semi-star for WP/Stormers these last two years (a middle class man's Schalk Brits). If anyone knows some people on the selection bench there send them my way as a scout ;P not that there isn't enough SA talent to peak my interest;

3 Mujati
4 Van der Merwe
5 Kruger
6 Claassen
7 Le Roux
8 Cronje

But SA can be so much better for RM (if you can;t beat them, join them..).

EDIT; very excited about Dulin (and the potential of Thomas who was big for France in the JRWC) joining up; the backline is taking shape nicely and if they can gel..

 

[Big Ewis]

well the problem in France has never been the talent...but anyways, excuse me there, Bernard le Roux is French, sir ! French ! ^_^

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

well the problem in France has never been the talent...but anyways, excuse me there, Bernard le Roux is French, sir ! French ! ^_^

O, yes, of course, sorry. I could've sworn I'd seen him play at schools level here in the Fairest Cape but then again it might have been someone else so many guys drop off the radar here..

And about the talent, I am not saying that France hasn't the talent to fill 14 teams but more that you can't look past proven test players if you have the budget the Top 14 has as a whole though I expressed myself poorly there as per usual.

 

[Tony Manx]

...............sulking!

 

[gaston le gaff]

...............sulking!

What's up my friend!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Big Ewis]

stormer, no no no, you must have him confused with some other guy. What with all the tall blond-haired dudes in S.A. and all those LeRoux surnames running around - you just don't have an eye for detail. It's okay, don't worry....I forgive you.
And I mean anyways, what a bizarre notion. Since when do European nations poach South Africans...pfehhh...

Tony: you're sad because this is the end for the Opeless ? Nostalgia and grieving for you my friend, know that we support you in your demis....I mean err, sorrows.

 

[Tony Manx]

Nobody let me put up the fixtures for the last time that the Bloody Opeless play in the Top 14................back to sulks!!

Anyway, back in France, foot blue and black and 660 miles to go...............!!

 

[gaston le gaff]

There is one advantage of playing Pro D2 Tony there are lots of teams within a stones throw of BO, Pau, Tarbes, Mont de Marsan, Colomiers, Dax, Agen (if la Rochelle come up)
and the beer could be cheaper in the Pro D2!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Big Ewis]

There is one advantage of playing Pro D2 Tony there are lots of teams within a stones throw of BO, Pau, Tarbes, Mont de Marsan, Colomiers, Dax, Agen (if la Rochelle come up)
and the beer could be cheaper in the Pro D2!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

lol, how very encouraging.

And Tony it's all gaston's fault, as usual. He spoiled it completely, on purpose most probably, in an irreparable way...that's just who he is, we can't change that now...

 

[gaston le gaff]

Thats OK blame Gaston he's got broad shoulders!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Tony Manx]

....now only 240 miles to go........not even an apology just blame shifting!!!!!!!

 

[Big Ewis]

so Thierry Dusautoir to make his big return over the weekend !!! If Toulouse qualify, boy, that's one heck of a way to get back into the rotation. Playoffs from the get-go, BAM. It's been three long months.... Btw, anybody heard the news: Camille Lopez and USAP teammate Taoffifenua have given Toulon their agreement in case their current club goes down to second division. I'd absolutely adore watching Lopez evolve as the new Toulon starting no.10. With Wilko behind the curtains and the level Toulon plays at, he would add massive improvement to an already very interesting game.

 

[Nielsch]

So if I'll be in Montpellier come their semi-final day, will there be some action in the streets like a big screen? I know the match is being played in Lille.

 

[gaston le gaff]

So if I'll be in Montpellier come their semi-final day, will there be some action in the streets like a big screen? I know the match is being played in Lille.

for the moment i know of nothing being organised but if there is i'll let you know one place to watch will be FTD bar which is called the Chistera, just of the Place de Comedie easy to find there will be good atmosphere there.