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Top 14 & Rugby Pro D2
Top 14 2011/2012 season
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<blockquote data-quote="psychic duck" data-source="post: 437570" data-attributes="member: 48703"><p><span style="font-family: 'microsoft sans serif'"><strong>Olivier Milloud - Bourgoin</strong></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'microsoft sans serif'"><strong></strong>Now one of the oldest players in the Top 14, at his peak he was a very tough scrummager and was unlucky to be in a generation of French props where competition was fierce, it's hard to gauge how good he is now because he has played very little for Bourgoin since the 2007 Rugby World Cup and suffered a couple of serious injuries, last season he was rotated with Arnauld Tchougong. To be honest I expected him to retire before this season, although there are a quite a few veteran props still going in the Top 14 (Freshwater, Scelzo, Marconnet) but none of them have had so much injury problems for four years. I expect he won't play too much after the World Cup when Roncero returns, hopefully for Stade Français he can help the development of France "A" prop Rabah Slimani.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'microsoft sans serif'"><strong>Verdict: </strong>Good World Cup cover, his experience could be useful for the younger props but he won't be able to manage to many matches from the season</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'microsoft sans serif'"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'microsoft sans serif'"><strong>Stan Wright - Leinster</strong></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'microsoft sans serif'"><strong></strong>Another veteran who comes after suffering a serious injury, known by Leinster fans as the "cookie monster" he had a good few years for Leinster but was clearly not needed and thus has joined Stade simply the definition as the coaches pet. He never let down Leinster, and is quite a useful signing for Stade in my opinion, I doubt he will be too much of a burden on the wage bill and will be a good team player, this signing is a bit of a risk though as it's yet to be seen whether he will regain form after a nasty injury last year, at nearly 33 he may only have a couple of good seasons left in him and one more injury could finish him.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'microsoft sans serif'"><strong>Verdict: </strong>A good cheap option although a bit of a risk after his form being unproven coming back from injury</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'microsoft sans serif'"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'microsoft sans serif'"><strong>Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro - Pampas XV</strong></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'microsoft sans serif'"><strong></strong>He wasn't the first choice Pampas XV tighthead, and I don't expect he will feature too much for Stade and will be a squad member like Pedro Ledesma the man he is presumably replacing. I think however the man who was the first choice Pampas XV tighthead Maximiliano Bustos would have been a good signing for Stade and could have been the first choice tighthead for many years, but Montpellier snapped him up.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'microsoft sans serif'"><strong>Verdict: </strong>Decent backup, but Maxmiliano Bustos would have been a better signing</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'microsoft sans serif'"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'microsoft sans serif'"><strong>Zura Zhavia - AIA</strong></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'microsoft sans serif'"><strong></strong>Apparently he was immense in the Junior World Trophy (the Junior World Cup for second tier nations), I expect he will be your typical Georgian prop</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'microsoft sans serif'"><strong>Verdict: </strong>Stade could have unearthed another Kubriashvili </span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'microsoft sans serif'"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'microsoft sans serif'"><strong>Aled de Malmanche - Chiefs</strong></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'microsoft sans serif'"><strong></strong>Stade needed a new reserve hooker as Szarzewski has spent a lot of the last couple of seasons injured, Gary Botha who signed for Toulouse would have been a better signing.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'microsoft sans serif'"><strong>Verdict: </strong>Good enough for what Stade needed, but not sure if he's good value</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'microsoft sans serif'"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'microsoft sans serif'"><strong>Gerhard Mostert - Sharks</strong></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'microsoft sans serif'"><strong></strong>Possibly an underrated player, made his Springboks debut this summer due to a spate of injuries to locks, he played flanker earlier in his career which he may find himself doing more often again for Stade where there is less depth, with Tom Palmer missing for large chunks of the season in England training camps, and the possibility of Papé being missing too, I think he is an astute signing.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'microsoft sans serif'"><strong>Verdict: </strong>Good signing, should give Palmer and Papé very hard competition for their places.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'microsoft sans serif'"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'microsoft sans serif'"><strong>Anton van Zyl - Stormers</strong></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'microsoft sans serif'"><strong></strong>Man of the match for the Barbarians against South Africa last December, but then was ignored by the Stormers after the rise of Elstadt, a good signing. This kind of South African forward have a history of doing very well in France, players who haven't done much at international level have flourished in France such as Sowerby, Vosloo, Claassen and Adri Badenhorst.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'microsoft sans serif'"><strong>Verdict: </strong>Another good value signing who won't hurt the budget</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'microsoft sans serif'"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'microsoft sans serif'"><strong>Scott LaValla - Ulster Ravens</strong></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'microsoft sans serif'"><strong></strong>I'm not sure what the point was in this signing, especially with van Zyl and Mostert arriving, and Flanquart as a young French player should be given game time ahead of him as well.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'microsoft sans serif'"><strong>Verdict: </strong>Unless he becomes a versatile utility forward who would be useful on the bench, he will not play much and will be well behind Papé, Palmer, Mostert and van Zyl</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'microsoft sans serif'"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'microsoft sans serif'"><strong>Arthur Chollon - Bordeaux-Bègles</strong></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'microsoft sans serif'"><strong></strong>After there was a point when Stade had Haskell, Taylor, Bergamasco, Parisse, Rémy Martin, Leguizamon, Burban and Rabadan all in the same squad, the current back row or at least the flankers looks very low key, I can't judge Chollon after I've never heard of him but one would have expected after freeing up Haskell's no doubt inflated wages Stade could afford someone with international pedigree.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'microsoft sans serif'"><strong>Verdict: </strong>Never heard of him, could turn out to be like Fakaté at Montpellier, who knows?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'microsoft sans serif'"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'microsoft sans serif'"><strong>Lei Tomiki - Reds</strong></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'microsoft sans serif'"><strong></strong>Hardly played at all for the Reds, but was good for Castres a few years ago, a typical Pacific Island sort of back row, a good signing in my opinion and could be a useful impact player of the bench, I hope now any Wallaby hopes he ever had are gone he will play for the nation of his birth, Tonga.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'microsoft sans serif'"><strong>Verdict: </strong>Surplus at the Reds, but could surprise people who've forgotten him from his time in France</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'microsoft sans serif'"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'microsoft sans serif'"><strong>David Lyons - Scarlets</strong></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'microsoft sans serif'"><strong></strong>Not a good signing, he has no chance of playing when Parisse is around and is likely to be in France just for the pay check, he didn't have the best season for the Scarlets last year either, Albi's former talisman Vincent Clément would have been a better signing.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'microsoft sans serif'"><strong>Verdict: </strong>An expensive player to have sat on the bench</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'microsoft sans serif'"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'microsoft sans serif'"><strong>Jérôme Fillol - Racing-Métro</strong></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'microsoft sans serif'"><strong></strong>A player who's heart lies with the club, although he started with Toulouse and has played with rivals Racing-Métro for a few years he spent most of his best years of his career at Stade Français, he's only likely to be third choice scrum half and a fly half if needed though he stated he will play for Stade even if they were relegated to Féderale 2 (whilst in the club were in financial crisis), which suggests to me he is devoted to this club.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'microsoft sans serif'"><strong>Verdict: </strong>Good signing, players like him around the squad are a bonus, which is why I think Mathieu Blin should have had his contract renewed last season as well</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'microsoft sans serif'"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'microsoft sans serif'"><strong>Byron Kelleher- Toulouse</strong></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'microsoft sans serif'"><strong></strong>A big name, and although he was good for Toulouse he is now 34 and has had a long term injury, I think he could just be there for the money, Stade will struggle to get two seasons out of him at his age.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'microsoft sans serif'"><strong>Verdict: </strong>I feel Toulouse got rid at just about the right time</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'microsoft sans serif'"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'microsoft sans serif'"><strong>Paul Warwick - Munster</strong></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'microsoft sans serif'"><strong></strong>Warwick didn't have a great season with Munster, but is a useful player for a squad to have due to his versatility.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'microsoft sans serif'"><strong>Verdict: </strong>Another player who Cheika perhaps knew well from his time in Ireland, but he has declined since Cheika left</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'microsoft sans serif'"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'microsoft sans serif'"><strong>Felipe Contepomi - Toulon</strong></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'microsoft sans serif'"><strong></strong>Not a great signing, a really nice guy and was awesome during his spell with Leinster, but had a poor spell with Toulon and hasn't looked good for Argentina over the past year, another concern is that he's been signed to play 10 when many including myself think he's more suited to 12.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'microsoft sans serif'"><strong>Verdict: </strong>Not the player he was, another coaches pet, and like Kelleher Stade will struggle to get two seasons from him</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'microsoft sans serif'"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'microsoft sans serif'"><strong>Morgan Turinui - Dax</strong></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'microsoft sans serif'"><strong></strong>The very fact he could only play for a ProD2 team for the last couple of seasons shows how much he fell of the Aussie radar after his 20 Wallaby caps, not the most inspired replacement for Bastareaud.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'microsoft sans serif'"><strong>Verdict: </strong>How did this guy win 20 Australia caps?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'microsoft sans serif'"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'microsoft sans serif'"><strong>Paul Sackey - Toulon</strong></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'microsoft sans serif'"><strong></strong>Didn't have a good time at Toulon, probably there just for the money, I'm sure there were some better options to be signed out there than him. Hopefully for Stade he defends better than he did in that 6-42 match against South Africa a few years ago.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'microsoft sans serif'"><strong>Verdict: </strong>Mercenary</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'microsoft sans serif'"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'microsoft sans serif'"><strong>Paul Williams - Sale</strong></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'microsoft sans serif'"><strong></strong>A good player, he impressed me playing for Samoa, and from reports he did well in a poor Sale side, should be a good reliable first XV player.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'microsoft sans serif'"><strong>Verdict: </strong>Good signing</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'microsoft sans serif'"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'microsoft sans serif'"><strong>Alex Rokobaro & Vilive Namosolo Aria</strong></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'microsoft sans serif'"><strong></strong><strong>Verdict: </strong>Two Fijian wingers who are nearly always very talented and should be good signings if their commitment is better than some of their fellow countyman</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'microsoft sans serif'"></span></p><p> <span style="font-family: 'microsoft sans serif'"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'microsoft sans serif'"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'microsoft sans serif'"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'microsoft sans serif'"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'microsoft sans serif'"></span></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="psychic duck, post: 437570, member: 48703"] [FONT=microsoft sans serif][B]Olivier Milloud - Bourgoin [/B]Now one of the oldest players in the Top 14, at his peak he was a very tough scrummager and was unlucky to be in a generation of French props where competition was fierce, it's hard to gauge how good he is now because he has played very little for Bourgoin since the 2007 Rugby World Cup and suffered a couple of serious injuries, last season he was rotated with Arnauld Tchougong. To be honest I expected him to retire before this season, although there are a quite a few veteran props still going in the Top 14 (Freshwater, Scelzo, Marconnet) but none of them have had so much injury problems for four years. I expect he won't play too much after the World Cup when Roncero returns, hopefully for Stade Français he can help the development of France "A" prop Rabah Slimani. [B]Verdict: [/B]Good World Cup cover, his experience could be useful for the younger props but he won't be able to manage to many matches from the season [B]Stan Wright - Leinster [/B]Another veteran who comes after suffering a serious injury, known by Leinster fans as the "cookie monster" he had a good few years for Leinster but was clearly not needed and thus has joined Stade simply the definition as the coaches pet. He never let down Leinster, and is quite a useful signing for Stade in my opinion, I doubt he will be too much of a burden on the wage bill and will be a good team player, this signing is a bit of a risk though as it's yet to be seen whether he will regain form after a nasty injury last year, at nearly 33 he may only have a couple of good seasons left in him and one more injury could finish him. [B]Verdict: [/B]A good cheap option although a bit of a risk after his form being unproven coming back from injury [B]Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro - Pampas XV [/B]He wasn't the first choice Pampas XV tighthead, and I don't expect he will feature too much for Stade and will be a squad member like Pedro Ledesma the man he is presumably replacing. I think however the man who was the first choice Pampas XV tighthead Maximiliano Bustos would have been a good signing for Stade and could have been the first choice tighthead for many years, but Montpellier snapped him up. [B]Verdict: [/B]Decent backup, but Maxmiliano Bustos would have been a better signing [B]Zura Zhavia - AIA [/B]Apparently he was immense in the Junior World Trophy (the Junior World Cup for second tier nations), I expect he will be your typical Georgian prop [B]Verdict: [/B]Stade could have unearthed another Kubriashvili [B]Aled de Malmanche - Chiefs [/B]Stade needed a new reserve hooker as Szarzewski has spent a lot of the last couple of seasons injured, Gary Botha who signed for Toulouse would have been a better signing. [B]Verdict: [/B]Good enough for what Stade needed, but not sure if he's good value [B]Gerhard Mostert - Sharks [/B]Possibly an underrated player, made his Springboks debut this summer due to a spate of injuries to locks, he played flanker earlier in his career which he may find himself doing more often again for Stade where there is less depth, with Tom Palmer missing for large chunks of the season in England training camps, and the possibility of Papé being missing too, I think he is an astute signing. [B]Verdict: [/B]Good signing, should give Palmer and Papé very hard competition for their places. [B]Anton van Zyl - Stormers [/B]Man of the match for the Barbarians against South Africa last December, but then was ignored by the Stormers after the rise of Elstadt, a good signing. This kind of South African forward have a history of doing very well in France, players who haven't done much at international level have flourished in France such as Sowerby, Vosloo, Claassen and Adri Badenhorst. [B]Verdict: [/B]Another good value signing who won't hurt the budget [B]Scott LaValla - Ulster Ravens [/B]I'm not sure what the point was in this signing, especially with van Zyl and Mostert arriving, and Flanquart as a young French player should be given game time ahead of him as well. [B]Verdict: [/B]Unless he becomes a versatile utility forward who would be useful on the bench, he will not play much and will be well behind Papé, Palmer, Mostert and van Zyl [B]Arthur Chollon - Bordeaux-Bègles [/B]After there was a point when Stade had Haskell, Taylor, Bergamasco, Parisse, Rémy Martin, Leguizamon, Burban and Rabadan all in the same squad, the current back row or at least the flankers looks very low key, I can't judge Chollon after I've never heard of him but one would have expected after freeing up Haskell's no doubt inflated wages Stade could afford someone with international pedigree. [B]Verdict: [/B]Never heard of him, could turn out to be like Fakaté at Montpellier, who knows? [B]Lei Tomiki - Reds [/B]Hardly played at all for the Reds, but was good for Castres a few years ago, a typical Pacific Island sort of back row, a good signing in my opinion and could be a useful impact player of the bench, I hope now any Wallaby hopes he ever had are gone he will play for the nation of his birth, Tonga. [B]Verdict: [/B]Surplus at the Reds, but could surprise people who've forgotten him from his time in France [B]David Lyons - Scarlets [/B]Not a good signing, he has no chance of playing when Parisse is around and is likely to be in France just for the pay check, he didn't have the best season for the Scarlets last year either, Albi's former talisman Vincent Clément would have been a better signing. [B]Verdict: [/B]An expensive player to have sat on the bench [B]Jérôme Fillol - Racing-Métro [/B]A player who's heart lies with the club, although he started with Toulouse and has played with rivals Racing-Métro for a few years he spent most of his best years of his career at Stade Français, he's only likely to be third choice scrum half and a fly half if needed though he stated he will play for Stade even if they were relegated to Féderale 2 (whilst in the club were in financial crisis), which suggests to me he is devoted to this club. [B]Verdict: [/B]Good signing, players like him around the squad are a bonus, which is why I think Mathieu Blin should have had his contract renewed last season as well [B]Byron Kelleher- Toulouse [/B]A big name, and although he was good for Toulouse he is now 34 and has had a long term injury, I think he could just be there for the money, Stade will struggle to get two seasons out of him at his age. [B]Verdict: [/B]I feel Toulouse got rid at just about the right time [B]Paul Warwick - Munster [/B]Warwick didn't have a great season with Munster, but is a useful player for a squad to have due to his versatility. [B]Verdict: [/B]Another player who Cheika perhaps knew well from his time in Ireland, but he has declined since Cheika left [B]Felipe Contepomi - Toulon [/B]Not a great signing, a really nice guy and was awesome during his spell with Leinster, but had a poor spell with Toulon and hasn't looked good for Argentina over the past year, another concern is that he's been signed to play 10 when many including myself think he's more suited to 12. [B]Verdict: [/B]Not the player he was, another coaches pet, and like Kelleher Stade will struggle to get two seasons from him [B]Morgan Turinui - Dax [/B]The very fact he could only play for a ProD2 team for the last couple of seasons shows how much he fell of the Aussie radar after his 20 Wallaby caps, not the most inspired replacement for Bastareaud. [B]Verdict: [/B]How did this guy win 20 Australia caps? [B]Paul Sackey - Toulon [/B]Didn't have a good time at Toulon, probably there just for the money, I'm sure there were some better options to be signed out there than him. Hopefully for Stade he defends better than he did in that 6-42 match against South Africa a few years ago. [B]Verdict: [/B]Mercenary [B]Paul Williams - Sale [/B]A good player, he impressed me playing for Samoa, and from reports he did well in a poor Sale side, should be a good reliable first XV player. [B]Verdict: [/B]Good signing [B]Alex Rokobaro & Vilive Namosolo Aria [/B][B]Verdict: [/B]Two Fijian wingers who are nearly always very talented and should be good signings if their commitment is better than some of their fellow countyman [/FONT] [/QUOTE]
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