Amlin Cup Final: Toulon vs. Biarritz - 18/05/2012

[Tony Manx]

Just opening a thread to see if anyone is interested in this Final.

I think that the Biarritz team selection will be interesting to see and, subject to what it is and that whichever side is chosen they play with the same confidence as Saturday against Stade, we might, at the very least, get a decent game out of it and who knows, on the night, whether we cannot get an unlikely victory?

 

[BZHopenside]

Biarritz certainly have more to play for than Toulon, with the H-Cup spot on the line, and their season safe. If Yachvilli is playing, there is no reason why they can't win this. Toulon still have play-offs to focus on.

 

[Tony Manx]

The teams for tomorrow night as announced on "Rugbyrama" (perish the thought that they would appear on the website of BO until tomorrow!!)

Biarritz

Balshaw; Ngwenya, Barraque, Traille, Haylett-Petty; (o) Peyrelongue, (m) Yachvili; Lauret, Harinordoquy (cap.), Guyot; Taele, Thion; Van Staden, Héguy, Watremez.


Replacements
August, Marconnet, Gomez-Kodela, E. Lund, Gray, Bosch, Gimenez, Bolakoro.




Toulon


Lapeyre- Palisson, Giteau, Bastareaud, Giteau, Smith- (o) Wilkinson, (m) Tillous-Borde- Armitage, (cap) Van Niekerk, Gunther- Chesney, Samson- Hayman, Bruno, Lewis-Roberts.
Replacements:

Orioli, Emmanuelli, Kubriashvili, El Abd, Messina, Schofield, Cibray, Suta


First choices all around I think.................the scrums look equal but the back lines, even with Smith on the wing for Toulon, swings in their favour.

Biarritz will need to win the scrums and hang on for penalties unless, like last week against Stade, they say to hell with it and throw the ball about with gay abandon if they go behind on the scoreboard. This might work as the Toulon backs are not necessarily as defensively strong as they are in attack!

Aupa BO and may both sides show the Premiership what rugby is all about!!!!

 

[big ginger 8]

So Giteau's playing two positions....

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Versatility is the name of the game!

(He's playing 12, though)

 

[big ginger 8]

Versatility is the name of the game!

(He's playing 12, though)

Cheers strange that team has him at 13 and 11 but not 12. Presume Basteraud's playing 13 who's on the wing?

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

vBookie for the Amlin Challenge Cup

Here we go! Odds favor Toulon in this French match up!

 

[Tony Manx]

Trying to be clever...this is the exact copy....not sure how I doubled up with Giteau etc!!

Lapeyre-Palisson, Bastareaud, Giteau, Smith-(o) Wilkinson, (m) Tillous-Borde-Armitage (cap) Van Niekerk, Gunther-Chesney, Samson-Hayman, Bruno, Lewis-Roberts.The Replacements: Orioli, Emmanuelli Kubriashvili, El Abd, Messina, Schofield, Cibray, Suta

If I were a betting man, I would go for Toulon tooooo but I am not so I am going with my heart!!

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Biarritz doing their best Saracens impression playing very negative rugby.
Dull match so far.

 

[Tony Manx]

Only way BO going to win!! Their backs are not class........

 

[big ginger 8]

Why were the big band playing Bad Romance?

I noticed because this match has been so dull.

 

[Tony Manx]

Come on lads, I have had to watch this all season!!

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Come on lads, I have had to watch this all season!!

You have my sympathies!


Balshaw and Ngwenya look up for it, it's just they never get the ball!

 

[Tony Manx]

Imanol has been saying that if we win this then our season will have been the best for 6 seasons.................9th in the league!! 9th and only because Bayonne could not engender any team spirit and Brive and Lyon were even more crap than we were!! Serge the Man has said that our results over the last number of games show that the RWC hurt us and if it had not been for that we would have been chasing for honours.....cloud coukkoo land really when we have backs like Baby, Bolakoro, Burouto and Caprice as back up and some wonky guys as first pick!! Shortage of cash I am afraid assisted by some woeful recruitment and injuries and a wonderful loyalty (more akin to the amateur era) demonstrated by Serge and the investors that is not being repaid by those who should know better!! Anyway, Half time nearly over and back to spot the spectators!!!

 

[Aedaphon]

If Biarritz will do this the rest of the team better be buying Yachvili's and Harinordoquy's drinks for the night.

Those two are almost single handedly strangling the play. Still... They're bloody good at it.

 

[Tony Manx]

Don't you love Barnes the chicken..............that was RED

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Yeah, Hayman VERY lucky there.
He'll be missing the playoffs of the Top 14 for that.

 

[Draggs]

Yeah, Hayman VERY lucky there.
He'll be missing the playoffs of the Top 14 for that.

Missed it, what did he do?

 

[Tony Manx]

Spear....quite clearly!

 

[Tony Manx]

Toulon waking up and bench will come to play and that might just be that! Desperation seems to be our 16th man.................................