HEC P3: Biarritz Olympique Pays Basque vs Connacht Rugby

[Draggs]

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Parc des Sports Aguilera - 14/12/2012 - 21:00
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[Tony Manx]

This one will be interesting but not enought to drag me out of the house for a 21.00 kick off on a cold December night.....BO do not deserve the support at the moment as they (the whole club and not just the players) are not doing anything worthy of it!

 

[Tony Manx]

Weather update...last night, the wind gusted about 80 and steady at about 50 KPH but that has decreased during the day to about 20 KPH at the moment as heavy, heavy rain moved in onto an already sodden pitch. although it does hold up well to heavy rain!

Temperature reached about 16 this afternoon with the wind from the South but should drop quite a lot by the time the game starts at 21.00 CET.............this must be like a summer's day in Connemara and the boyos should feel right at home!!

 

[Tony Manx]

For the very first time, I have heard someone on Sky talk with some knowledge of the recent and ongoing problems of BO as opposed to talking in platitudes about what they were like in the glory days....he said that the win of Connacht last week should not have been a shock to anyone as they have been appalling for sometime - that man is Dean Ryan and about time....my word, he even had a go at Serge!! That full time job at Dragons just got a little closer!!

Let us see what happens tonight but I can guarantee that it is not going to be rugby as we know it ............... are puddles all over Aguillera which is normally a quick draining pitch but there has been some rain!!

 

[Tony Manx]

Leguizemann moment as Ngwenya slides over but forgets to touch it down.....BO power looks like taking control.

Two very strange decisions against BO that shuts even the one eyed Quinlan up!!

 

[Mrs. Peter Quinn]

Ngwenya showing how not to finish

I'm really not sure about this ref, he's way too hot on the 5 second rule. Even in that scrum which Biarittz were marching forward he told Harinordiquy to use it.... how the hell are you supposed to control well when your packs going forward like that

 

[TRF_Olyy]

If Biarritz knew how to put the ball on the floor then they'd be well away by now.

 

[Mrs. Peter Quinn]

That was brillant from Biarrittz. Great line from 12...

The problem with the pitch is you can't get any sort of leg-drive on it so its a pretty thankless task just trying to take it up with the forwards!

 

[TRF_Olyy]

This pitch is ridiculous!
Would've been a Biarritz try then, but he hacked the ball through and it just stopped dead instead of bouncing onwards.

 

[Tony Manx]

I have not seen the ball passed along the line as often in a match all season AND be caught and not ending in a knock one....great try by Balshaw!

 

[Mrs. Peter Quinn]

This pitch is ridiculous!
Would've been a Biarritz try then, but he hacked the ball through and it just stopped dead instead of bouncing onwards.

That was hillarious though, the guy who hacked it on just ran right past the ball. It's just pointless trying to do anything at all...

 

[Tony Manx]

That was hillarious though, the guy who hacked it on just ran right past the ball. It's just pointless trying to do anything at all...

Guess the Biaritz bboys have had more time surfing than the Irish!!

HaHaHa - Rodrigues was telling the ball boy to get the ball on the pitch by shouting "Ballon, Ballon" and Cotton thought he was shouting "Perylongue" and wondered whether he meant that Julien should take over from Yach at the kicks!!!

Balshaw having good game and very few garryowens dropped by BO which is incredible and all poer to them. Where are Connacht this week.....they are missing in action no?

 

[TRF_Olyy]

You don't realise how bad it is until the show the replays, they're basically playing in a swimming pool.
Ridiculous amount of water!

 

[Tony Manx]

You don't realise how bad it is until the show the replays, they're basically playing in a swimming pool.
Ridiculous amount of water!

The new coaches have worked out how to win with the bloody good tactic of turning rugby into water polo ....................If they play like as strongly as this, they can water the pitch every week!!

 

[Mrs. Peter Quinn]

Guess the Biaritz bboys have had more time surfing than the Irish!!

HaHaHa - Rodrigues was telling the ball boy to get the ball on the pitch by shouting "Ballon, Ballon" and Cotton thought he was shouting "Perylongue" and wondered whether he meant that Julien should take over from Yach at the kicks!!!

Balshaw having good game and very few garryowens dropped by BO which is incredible and all poer to them. Where are Connacht this week.....they are missing in action no?

The back five have been great but Parks is/has been shite and Connaught are rudderless.

This referee is very very poor. Lots of bad calls

 

[Tony Manx]

This referee is very very poor. Lots of bad calls

No arguments for me and one wondered if this is a little like RWC Final where the stronger pack were whistled out of the scrums by an incompetent (or some say biased) referee. However, I think this is pure incompetence as he is making too many bad calls for both sides!!

Incidentally I would estimate that the crowd is about 6/7,000 which is by far the smallest for many a long year..............

 

[Tony Manx]

Hope he is OK.......hell of a hit on the head from his own team mates. Thought Imanol had gone down for his customary rest but he got up very quickly for him and was obviously very concerned about the Connacht player. Why did the ref not stop the game earlier.....? They have a little golf cart "ambulance" but even too wet for that to get out to get the player.....

 

[Tony Manx]

Pyhhric victory but with the weather and referee, proves diddly squat other than we are out of the H Cup (for how long!) and we will have to wait for another game to see if there is any real improvement against a poor Stade team in Paris next Saturday..............meanwhile, the British Biarritz and Bayonne guys and partners can now go and have a party together tomorrow afternoon!!

A win is a win is a win.....................

 

[TRF_Olyy]

But for some crappy finishing Biarritz could've had 5 tries tonight.
Doubt they would've progressed as highest non-qualifier, anyway, but the confidence it would've given them would've been useful.

Decent enough game though, especially considering the conditions.

 

[Tony Manx]

Any news on the Connacht guy who was injured and stretchered off last night at Biarritz?