Kelleher to Stade Francais

[nickdnz]

PARIS (AFP) - Former All Black great Byron Kelleher became the latest recruit of ailing French rugby giants Stade Francais on Tuesday after passing his medical.
The 34-year-old - capped 57 times before he retired from the national side after the 2007 World Cup - had been released from a pre-contract with fellow Top 14 side Bayonne on Monday.
Kelleher, who had played for Toulouse since 2007, joins a plethora of new signings as Stade aim to rebound from two disappointing seasons which has seen them first flirt with relegation and then even under highly-regarded coach Michael Cheika last season fail to make the ***le play-offs.
Aside from Kelleher there have been 12 other new arrivals.
They include veteran French prop Olivier Milloud, American lock Scott LaValla, veteran Argentinian fly-half Felipe Contepomi, who played under Cheika at Irish province Leinster, and former Wallaby centre Morgan Turinui.
Former England wing Paul Sackey, who like Contepomi arrives from Toulon, and Munster's Australian centre Paul Warwick are two of the other headline arrivals.
Flamboyant club president Max Guazzini and new club administrator Bernard Laporte - who as coach brought them from third division obscurity in 1995 to be crowned French champions in 1999 backed by Guazzini's millions made from the sale of his NRJ radio empire - have now all but completed rebuilding the club's squad.

http://nz.sports.yahoo.com/rugby/news/article/-/9599308/all-black-great-kelleher-joins-stade-influx/

I think it's a good move. Sad thing is, I can't see a Kelleher/Contepomi lasting too many years.

 

[Logorrhea]

Always thought he was a class operator. Would be a good move for Stade, if even for a year or two, to steady the ship and get them back up the table.

 

[nickdnz]

I'm a bit suprised that they recruited him considering they have Lionel Beauxis. Kelleher is all class, but stange move from a development perspective.

EDIT: Never mind, Beauxis is off to Toulouse.

 

[ZeFrenchy]

http://nz.sports.yahoo.com/rugby/news/article/-/9599308/all-black-great-kelleher-joins-stade-influx/

I think it's a good move. Sad thing is, I can't see a Kelleher/Contepomi lasting too many years.

Do you mean because of age or because of rugby compatibility?
I've never rated Contepomi much as a fly-half anyway, though I'm aware that I'm pretty much alone on that opinion.

I'm a bit suprised that they recruited him considering they have Lionel Beauxis. Kelleher is all class, but stange move from a development perspective.

EDIT: Never mind, Beauxis is off to Toulouse.

They have Plisson (who looked pretty good the little he played) and Barraud at FH (U20 and U19 international respectively) as backups.

 

[Logorrhea]

I've never rated Contepomi much as a fly-half anyway, though I'm aware that I'm pretty much alone on that opinion.

Always preferred him as a 12 myself, so not so alone there.

 

[nickdnz]

Do you mean because of age or because of rugby compatibility?
I've never rated Contepomi much as a fly-half anyway, though I'm aware that I'm pretty much alone on that opinion.




They have Plisson (who looked pretty good the little he played) and Barraud at FH (U20 and U19 international respectively) as backups.

Yeah, just because of their age.

Contepomi is a better 12 but I'm fairly certain that he has been brought in to mainly play fly half.

 

[lucky number 7]

I remember the commentators years ago talking about Beauxis having a bit of a cannon for a boot.. How far can he get them from these days?

 

[Melhor Time]

Contepomi is definetly an international 12. At club level he´s decent at both but still 12 is where he is best. Of course, if there is no good 10 inside him its pointless playing him at 12 as he can often be influencial in matches. I´d like him outside Warwick to see how it goes. But I think they´ll go for Dupuy-Contepomi-Warwick as 9-10-12 with Rodríguez at 15. Warwick and Rodríguez are likely to be used together in matches as both are fullbacks and inside centres. Whoever plays 10 it matter little as its going to be exciting stuff. Kelleher is probably better served as a 30 minute player to replace Dupuy. It would suit his style well.

For the start of the season I´d like to see:

1 Roncero (Argentina)
2 Szarewski (France)
3 Milloud (France)
4 Palmer (England)
5 Papé (France)
6 Burban (France)
7 Rabadan (France)
8 Parisse (Italy)
9 Dupuy (France)
10 Warwick (Australia)
11 Arias (France)
12 Contepomi (Argentina)
13 Tiesi (Argentina)
14 Sackey (England)
15 Rodríguez (Argentina)

16 Sempere (France), 17 Wright (Cook Islands), 18 LaValla (USA), 19 Chollon (France), 20 Kelleher (New Zealand), 21 Bastareaud (France), 22 Williams (Samoa)

So many international players from all over...

More backrowers required with Leguizamón, Bergamasco and Haskell all leaving.

I remember the commentators years ago talking about Beauxis having a bit of a cannon for a boot.. How far can he get them from these days?

I disagree on this. He has a good bootn compared to Michalak but inferior to plenty of guys in the Top 14 like Boyet, Hernández, Steyn and Trinh-Duc. Traille has a bigger boot too.

 

[Logorrhea]

Contepomi is a better 12 but I'm fairly certain that he has been brought in to mainly play fly half.

Paul Warrick has also been brought in, hes a much better 10 then 15.

 

[psychic duck]

For the start of the season I´d like to see:

1 Roncero (Argentina)
2 Szarewski (France)
3 Milloud (France)
4 Palmer (England)
5 Papé (France)
6 Burban (France)
7 Rabadan (France)
8 Parisse (Italy)
9 Dupuy (France)
10 Warwick (Australia)
11 Arias (France)
12 Contepomi (Argentina)
13 Tiesi (Argentina)
14 Sackey (England)
15 Rodríguez (Argentina)

16 Sempere (France), 17 Wright (Cook Islands), 18 LaValla (USA), 19 Chollon (France), 20 Kelleher (New Zealand), 21 Bastareaud (France), 22 Williams (Samoa)

More backrowers required with Leguizamón, Bergamasco and Haskell all leaving.

I disagree on this. He has a good bootn compared to Michalak but inferior to plenty of guys in the Top 14 like Boyet, Hernández, Steyn and Trinh-Duc. Traille has a bigger boot too.

I would change, Contepomi at 10
no Bastareaud? he's their marquee player, I would have him there for Warwick who can be useful as a versatile player on the bench

Milloud is a loosehead, Attoub to start at 3, and Paul Williams for Rodríguez

strange they don't have many back rowers now, there was a point they had Sergio Parisse, Rémy Martin, Simon Taylor, Mauro Bergamasco, Juan Manuel Leguizamón, Antoine Burban, Pierre Rabadan and James Haskell all in the same squad

Beauxis has a huge boot, as big as Steyn

 

[monkeypigeon]

Paul Warrick has also been brought in, hes a much better 10 then 15.

I've always preferred him at 15. He attempts to much at 10 and doesn't pull it all off that often. 15 is where he had all his best Munster performances.

 

[Melhor Time]

I would change, Contepomi at 10
no Bastareaud? he's their marquee player, I would have him there for Warwick who can be useful as a versatile player on the bench

Milloud is a loosehead, Attoub to start at 3, and Paul Williams for Rodríguez

strange they don't have many back rowers now, there was a point they had Sergio Parisse, Rémy Martin, Simon Taylor, Mauro Bergamasco, Juan Manuel Leguizamón, Antoine Burban, Pierre Rabadan and James Haskell all in the same squad

Beauxis has a huge boot, as big as Steyn

For me Bastareaud has been below poor. He had a shocking season. Simply put, he is overweight and as such unable to be in position on attack and defence. His tackling was slower and unable to hit the player like the previous season. On attack he was one dimensional and not able to link with his wingers.

Rodríguez will be the 15. He was Stade´s best back. He is highly rated by the Stade coaches.

Milloud at loosehead... perhaps but Attoub at 3 no way. In any event, with Mario Ledesma to be the scrum coach I doubt Roncero will be dropped from loosehead.

Backrow... surely someone has got to be signed. Maybe Chauncey O´Toole, the Canadian. Seriously, jkust a suggestion but this guy is good!

 

[munstermuffin]

I've always preferred him at 15. He attempts to much at 10 and doesn't pull it all off that often. 15 is where he had all his best Munster performances.

Agreed Paul is a 15 then a 10. Has great vision too and well I think he is the best 15 Stade will have on their books

 

[lucky number 7]

That O toole fellow seems to be a class above the Churchill cup from what I've seen of him...very good player