Day 26.....The Final one

[Tony Manx]

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<th colspan="4" style="list-style-type: none; list-style-position: initial; list-style-image: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 5px; padding-bottom: 3px; padding-left: 5px; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); vertical-align: top; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">26e Journée</th>[/TR]
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[TD="class: textcenter"]12/05[/TD]
[TD="class: textcenter"]16:15[/TD]
[TD="class: textright"]SU Agen[/TD]
[TD]Racing Métro 92[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: textcenter"] - [/TD]
[TD="class: textcenter"]16:15[/TD]
[TD="class: textright"]Biarritz Olympique[/TD]
[TD]Stade Français[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: altrow, bgcolor: #EEEEEE"]
[TD="class: textcenter"] - [/TD]
[TD="class: textcenter"]16:15[/TD]
[TD="class: textright"]Union Bordeaux-Bègles[/TD]
[TD]USAP[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: textcenter"] - [/TD]
[TD="class: textcenter"]16:15[/TD]
[TD="class: textright"]Castres Olympique[/TD]
[TD]Aviron Bayonnais[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: altrow, bgcolor: #EEEEEE"]
[TD="class: textcenter"] - [/TD]
[TD="class: textcenter"]16:15[/TD]
[TD="class: textright"]ASM Clermont[/TD]
[TD]CA Brive-Corrèze[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: textcenter"] - [/TD]
[TD="class: textcenter"]16:15[/TD]
[TD="class: textright"]Lyon LOU[/TD]
[TD]Rugby Club Toulonnais[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: altrow, bgcolor: #EEEEEE"]
[TD="class: textcenter"] - [/TD]
[TD="class: textcenter"]16:15[/TD]
[TD="class: textright"]Stade Toulousain[/TD]
[TD]Montpellier Hérault Rugby[/TD]
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So...another season draws to the end of the League stages and who (those is 3rd to 6th anyway) will play who would appear to the only question unresolved as Stade 7th cannot catch Racing 6th who have won two more games than them and, anyway, they will need the full five points which seems a little too much against BO! Brive need the same to catch AB and that seems unlikely even if Clermont save themselves for a fortnight.

Not the most exciting of rounds although I am happy to go along to watch without the potential of being relegated which looked a strong possibility before Yach came to the rescue!!..................BO will be hoping for a good run out and no injuries before their big match of the season next week end. A win then, if a tad unlikely, would be seen by some, but not by most of us, as some sort of exoneration of a very poor team who have played pretty badly this season although ALL of us would take H Cup qualification for next season, if only to get our money's worth from the season tickets!!! I would probably be happy to see Brive (rather than Bayonne) go down as their supporters were pretty cutting (in a good way!) when I went there to watch one of the hammerings we took this season and this would be a bit of a tables turned moment!!

 

[Tony Manx]

Totally bizarre day at Aguillera.....Stade Francais kicking penalty after penalty in the first 10 minutes from about the 20 for touch with the posts beckoning, BO backs RUNNING AND PASSING AND CATCHING AND BREAKING AND SCORING, Perylongue making a CLEAN BREAK for a try by Traille and referee Berdos being as incomprehensible as the play!!! The game plan for Stade was to get the try bonus point but they forgot that they needed to win the game leaving themselves open to the counter attack. BO could have won this game by 40 points had they taken full advantage of their breakaways and some really very good back play and then we got back to normal of strong defence for the second half before nostalgic and well deserved "au revoirs" to Roncero and Marconnet.................bizarre all round!!

 

[M Two One]

Nice to see BO back in form. I don't understand why Stade Français played the way they did because they really needed this game. If Biarritz win the Challenge Cup next week, Stade Français will still have to settle for the ECC next season while BO will be contending for the Heineken Cup instead. In any case, it was great to see Damien Traille performing well and nabbing that try.

 

[Draggs]

Looks like Brent has scored again!

 

[gaston le gaff]

So thats that back to Castres, well Toulouse as the 1/4 final play off wil be in Toulouse as it is a bigger capacity than Castres on Fri evening 25th May ko 21.00. Then again it cant be all bad as last year we went to Castres for the same game and finished in the final against Toulouse but the most important is that H Cup is again on the menu next season, so i will be writing to Father Christmas for Munster, Exeter and Cardiff in our pool, that should sort out 3 good away games......
Montpellier could have won the game against Toulouse if we had had a referee on the park instead of Mon Maciello !!!!! but thats life most French refs are bad but he is worse, but for the 2nd year running Montpellier finish in the top 6 and one place better than last season 5th this year. Progress excellent!!!!!!

 

[M Two One]

Montpellier is the club to beat this time around. At this point, I think Clermont poses the only real threat to the club earning a first Bouclier de Brennus.

 

[gaston le gaff]

kind words M Two One, but there is a long way to go and more than likely without Mamuka, but after last season anything is possible and Montpellier will be goping to Toulouse to win, no more no less.
Castres then Toulouse in the semi (who will be playing at home) and probably Clermont in the final in Paris,
easy peasy lemon squeezy.

 

[Tony Manx]

Now you know me Gaston, I want only the best for you and MHL............................BUT enjoy the final as not sure you will be in it this year.

Next year with half of BO's rejects, you have a better chance!!!!

Good luck though.................................

 

[psychic duck]

if Montpellier had their Argentines, French and Georgian World Cup players from the start of the season they would be in the top 3 no doubt, at least they now saw that some of the reserves that played early season were not up to it

no idea why they let Doumayrou go though, I thought that he was good

if I was French I would be dismayed that Montpellier have let go a promising French talent go, and recruit a 30 year old rather average foreigner who no doubt is on a big pay check in Shontayne Hape, I have a feeling he could be a big waste of money, Carrrarro is hardly an inspring signing also

 

[gaston le gaff]

Doum had problems with the staff and because he did not have a pro contract and his first pro contract will be with Stade Francaise the club recieved a 200,000 € for his formation from Stade thats how it works in France so there is good profit in bringing on younsters from the Academy and Hape's wages along with Carrarro are well covered we do not pay massive wages at Montpellier. This is not Racing or Toulon!!!

 

[psychic duck]

Doum had problems with the staff and because he did not have a pro contract and his first pro contract will be with Stade Francaise the club recieved a 200,000 € for his formation from Stade thats how it works in France so there is good profit in bringing on younsters from the Academy and Hape's wages along with Carrarro are well covered we do not pay massive wages at Montpellier. This is not Racing or Toulon!!!

Montpellier could have signed many players better than Hape for much cheaper, he could be possibly the worst signing of the year, he's a mediocre player, had injury problems this season, and is in his thirties, would probably have high wage demands as an international, awful signing

tonnes of better value signings

 

[psychic duck]

Cheika has been sacked by Stade Français

 

[Tony Manx]

Interesting to see how many matches Hape plays for MHL next season and whether he is value even for the pittance you are paying him.........Carrarro a better bet for full time employment!!

 

[gaston le gaff]

if he is that bad why did he play for England, or is it that they (England and Montpellier) do not know what they are doing, Galthie does, and that's all that matters, he has not made a bad choice up to now and not eveyone, even the great players on offer will fit into our playing systems!!!!!

 

[Tony Manx]

Made no comment on his ability only how many games he would play...................he seems ot be injury prone!! That said, he has one sidestep and has never actually "proved" himself in Union despite his appearances for Bath/Irish and England!! Respect Galthie and as I said look forward to seeing whether he is value!! Touchy my boy?

 

[psychic duck]

if he is that bad why did he play for England, or is it that they (England and Montpellier) do not know what they are doing, Galthie does, and that's all that matters, he has not made a bad choice up to now and not eveyone, even the great players on offer will fit into our playing systems!!!!!

Hape played for England because centre hasn't been their strongest position until Tuilagi came into the side, and still most wouldn't have selected Hape for so long anyway

 

[gaston le gaff]

Tuilagi may have come into the England side for Hape because they were weak in the centre, but did not see them in the World Cup final either. or doing a Grand Slam.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

It's well and good defending a new signing buy fact of the matter is that Hape is average at best.
He's not creative, he's not particularly powerful on the crashball - he's just an average player who got further than he would have normally because he came from a relatively good rugby league career.
He'll go OK for Montpellier but he won't be a star player, and won't be the signing of the season.

 

[gaston le gaff]

He may be average in your eyes but he is there for a reason, that i can assure you all, he may not be the best he may be over 30 but we are very confident in his qualities he would not be there if not, please dont knock the guy until he has a chance to prove himself and you may all be a little surprised. Galthie is not an average coach he is the best, England wanted him France wanted him but he stayed with us in Montpellier. case closed.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

He's had four years to prove himself in Union and hasn't done it yet...

I'll gladly admit I'm wrong if he goes on to be immense for Montpellier, however I wouldn't get my hopes up too much.