Top 14 Day 10

[psychic duck]

Awesome by Brock James at 3:40!

The lazy pundits would have still said it was all his fault had they lost.

 

[Draggs]

The lazy pundits would have still said it was all his fault had they lost.

Because one match defines a player... Ugh, every time Brock James is brought up the press always go back to one match...

 

[psychic duck]

Because one match defines a player... Ugh, every time Brock James is brought up the press always go back to one match...

Exactly. It's lazy journalism blaming him every time they lose a game (especially a knockout game). The most ridiculous case being this year's Heineken Cup final, where despite creating and scoring a nice try, it was the fly halves fault.

I like to call him the "Anti-ROG". When O'Gara utterly bottled the Heineken Cup final years back in a very similar way to James vs Leinster, it is safely forgotten in favour of a couple last minute drop goals which define him. Brock James is the antithesis, his famous mishap is remembered and defines him, and his last minute drop goals (thanks to which the Clermont streak remains) or crucial drop goal in a tight game helping Clermont on the way to winning the Top 14 in 2010 are forgotten.

That bugbear of mine aside, that was one of the best offloads I've seen. Similar to Liam Williams' match winner vs Japan. Very skilful.

 

[erwanseb]

Well it is a Bayonne victory and that moves them to 20 points, above Oyonnax on 17 and 12 points ahead of BO but level with Castres who BO play tomorrow.

Bayonne, to me, do not look a relegation side so not sure who is going to go down with Oynnax if BO are to survive......tomorrow is so, so crucial!

Sorry mate but there is no way Biarritz is going to survive, they already have one if not two feet in the pro D2 and my assessment is not even based on their terrible record (9 losses and one very very lucky win with 5 tries for MHC disallowed by the TMO) but on their terrible pitch performance, they do indeed look like a pro D2 side.

Favourite contenders to follow them are in that order Bayonne, Oyonnax, Brive and Begles.
Brive and Begles do play some very nice rugby, it would be unfortunate for them to go down (Brive was brilliant against Clermont)
Bayonne are maybe better than Oyonnax, but Oyonnax has a more favourable schedule as they have already pleayed most of the big ones except Toulouse at home and will play Bayonne at home. Oyonnax will have easier home fixtures in the second part of the top 14, a lot will depend on Oyonnax Bayonne on the 14th round.

 

[gaston le gaff]

I think its a litle early to start predicting who is going down and who is staying up, admittidly nothing looks rosy for BO but we are 10 matches in with 16 to play even i would not start predicting just yet.After Christmas and the new year when the smaller budget clubs starting having fatigue and injuries, this will happen, then maybe predictions are permitted.
Last season Grenoble after Xmas were 6th finished in 12th position this happens every year in TOP 14. the bigger and better the squad the more chance of survival, a lot to do with money unfortunetly!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[erwanseb]

I think its a litle early to start predicting who is going down and who is staying up, admittidly nothing looks rosy for BO but we are 10 matches in with 16 to play even i would not start predicting just yet.After Christmas and the new year when the smaller budget clubs starting having fatigue and injuries, this will happen, then maybe predictions are permitted.
Last season Grenoble after Xmas were 6th finished in 12th position this happens every year in TOP 14. the bigger and better the squad the more chance of survival, a lot to do with money unfortunetly!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Broadly agree but I do not think a side with one win only in the first ten games and only 8 points has ever managed to stay up. Anyway, I just do not see where hope could come from within the team. Yachvili kicking may save them a couple of times but the attack is impotent averaging only 13 points per game.

 

[gaston le gaff]

Broadly agree but I do not think a side with one win only in the first ten games and only 8 points has ever managed to stay up. Anyway, I just do not see where hope could come from within the team. Yachvili kicking may save them a couple of times but the attack is impotent averaging only 13 points per game.

If i was using my own money the first bet would be on BO but after that patience would be the order of the day, BO are going to find it very difficult if not impossible, and there are rumblings in-doors which is not going to help the situation

 

[Big Ewis]

Awesome by Brock James at 3:40!

shyt, hadn't seen that ! Amazing.
But boy is Clermont a shadow of its former self this year...Brive is a fine group, but by Jupiter even they can manage a very close game in Marcel Michelin !

 

[Draggs]

Hook in team of the week at fullback. Maybe if he hadn't wasted a few years faffing about the backline he would have found his niche earlier. Could be that USAPs style suits him better, tough to call. Is his Welsh call up made with fullback in mind, considering Cuthbert pulled out from injury?

 

[psychic duck]

Hook in team of the week at fullback. Maybe if he hadn't wasted a few years faffing about the backline he would have found his niche earlier. Could be that USAPs style suits him better, tough to call. Is his Welsh call up made with fullback in mind, considering Cuthbert pulled out from injury?

I wouldn't read too closely into those "team of the week" stuff. Remember those numerous "Lions Watch team of the week" stuff last season? I think Aaron Jarvis made it in one week.

Hopefully his call up isn't with full back in mind. He's not positionally good enough or quick enough. He got stepped by Talebula this week, Halfpenny or Liam Williams would have been positioned better and made that tackle.

 

[erwanseb]

I wouldn't read too closely into those "team of the week" stuff. Remember those numerous "Lions Watch team of the week" stuff last season? I think Aaron Jarvis made it in one week.

Hopefully his call up isn't with full back in mind. He's not positionally good enough or quick enough. He got stepped by Talebula this week, Halfpenny or Liam Williams would have been positioned better and made that tackle.

Hook has been awesome so far this year for USAP, not just this week but almost every weeks.
When Lopez came from Bordeaux, there was some worry about his future and positionning, but he was given great freedom at full back.