Top 14 day 15

[Tony Manx]

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<tbody style="font-size: 12px; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">[TR="class: infoboxheadlite, bgcolor: #E9EAEA"]
[TH="bgcolor: #FFFFFF, colspan: 4"]15e Journée[/TH]
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[TR="class: altrow, bgcolor: #EEEEEE"]
[TD="class: textcenter, align: center"]04/01[/TD]
[TD="class: textcenter, align: center"]20:50[/TD]
[TD="class: textright, align: right"]Biarritz Olympique[/TD]
[TD]SU Agen[/TD]
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[TR]
[TD="class: textcenter, align: center"]05/01[/TD]
[TD="class: textcenter, align: center"]15:00[/TD]
[TD="class: textright, align: right"]ASM Clermont[/TD]
[TD]Montpellier Hérault Rugby[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: altrow, bgcolor: #EEEEEE"]
[TD="class: textcenter, align: center"] - [/TD]
[TD="class: textcenter, align: center"]18:30[/TD]
[TD="class: textright, align: right"]Grenoble[/TD]
[TD]Castres Olympique[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: textcenter, align: center"] - [/TD]
[TD="class: textcenter, align: center"]18:30[/TD]
[TD="class: textright, align: right"]Stade Français[/TD]
[TD]Aviron Bayonnais[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: altrow, bgcolor: #EEEEEE"]
[TD="class: textcenter, align: center"] - [/TD]
[TD="class: textcenter, align: center"]18:30[/TD]
[TD="class: textright, align: right"]USAP[/TD]
[TD]Union Bordeaux-Bègles[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: textcenter, align: center"] - [/TD]
[TD="class: textcenter, align: center"]20:40[/TD]
[TD="class: textright, align: right"]Mont-de-Marsan[/TD]
[TD]Stade Toulousain[/TD]
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[TR="class: altrow, bgcolor: #EEEEEE"]
[TD="class: textcenter, align: center"]06/01[/TD]
[TD="class: textcenter, align: center"]21:00[/TD]
[TD="class: textright, align: right"]Rugby Club Toulonnais[/TD]
[TD]Racing Métro 92[/TD]
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</tbody>[/TABLE]

First of the bloody dreaded consecutive 21.00 kick offs.........BO have again managed to erode any confidence in Barraque by dropping him from the squad and can only assume that he will be on the move at the end of this season. No Yach and no explanation as to why he and Barraque are missing. A club in turmoil and a win will be welcome but maybe a surprise!!

Tough match for MHL and cannot see them, even after last week, shaking ASM in their fortress. Grenoble to continue to defend their fortress, Stade to return to winning ways against the travelling circus that is Bayonne without their sponsor (who will presumably be absent in Brussels to avoid his ridiculous tax). USAP to take a tight win with ST and RCT both winning to ensure nothing changes at the top..............

 

[ZeFrenchy]

I'd say the only non-obvious results is FCG-CO. All the rest are pretty clear. Well, I guess BO-SUALG and USAP-UBB could go either way, but home teams will take those, methinks.

 

[gaston le gaff]

After smoking large amounts of illegal substances i thought that Montpellier could well go and stop the unbeaten runof 52 home victories by Clermont, but after coming back to earth i feel that this could be Montpellier's biggest challenge yet so far this season.
Home victories for all bar Mont de Marsan and Castres have a chance but Grenoble are very good at home even BO could manage a home win despite Tony's dislike for 21.00 ko's.
Coming back to Montpellier, they are playing well but if they come away with a point they will have done really well, things are beginning to look slightly clearer in the top 6 but there is still a long way to go and positions easily change if there is a dip in form. I expect Grenoble to start tiring as the season goes on, they have more or less secured their place for next season, but difficult to carry on at the rythme that they have at the moment, but they have done incredibly well for a pomoted side.

 

[Tony Manx]

Will not blabber on again suffice to say that nothing changes in selection, warm up and playing even with a supposedly new coaching team!

The good news is there is always some one worse off than yourself and in this case Agen, for one, will keep Biarritz in the the top flight as they are even proorer than we are!

One wonders whether, on basis of one match that I have seen, if Sella has the easier job with Agen has as he does not have to pick on past reputations, does not have a cabal within the team, is not seemingly wasting young talent and the players ALL clearly want to play for him.

A couple of useful signings in the summer should see Agen much higher in the league next year and we wait to see what happens with Biarritz after another error strewn, ill disciplined match that they hardly deserved to edge

 

[Tony Manx]

Well Gaston, me old mucka, you got a little bit of a beating that your last try, good one by the way, tended to hide!!

Never mind could have been worse and it is only when you play teams like ASM that you find out where you are in your progression and I would say pretty darn good....

Lots of positives and, with the many signings that you are making for next season, it can only get better.

Just as Leicester spend half their salary cap on their front row, you need to look after Galthie who has made and continues to make such a difference, with the new money, to your club.

Yours

Cerious Gelous

PS Do not think I willl make the trip down there in a few weeks as would not like you to see a grown man cry!!

 

[psychic duck]

Montpellier normally have quite a good front row.

Jgenti is one of the best scrummaging tightheads in the league just hasn't played for a while now for some reason. Figallo is also decent and I also rate Leleimalefaaga.

Just unfortunately all of them are unavailable for some reason and they've been left with Watremez who I don't rate too highly, and he is not good enough to hold his own with the likes of Zirakashvili. Barry Fa'amausili is a Connacht reject so it was always going to be unlikely he would be much use at the scrums at the high level of the top Top 14 scrummagers.

 

[Tony Manx]

I'd say the only non-obvious results is FCG-CO. All the rest are pretty clear. Well, I guess BO-SUALG and USAP-UBB could go either way, but home teams will take those, methinks.

Who would have thought Toulouse would be struggling to beat MdM?!!

As you say, the rest totally predictable with only Racing and Toulon left to face off in the South tomorrow night....

I would agree with The Duck's point about the MHL front row but, even if those two had been available, ASM's first and second choice front row would still have been too strong..........and rugby or any other sport is not about "if".

Beginning to look like the the top six are already sorted and would take real reversal of their form, and that of BO/USAP or Stade, for any of them to miss out on Les Barrages.

With MdM looking doomed (yet every time I see them they look a competent side?), it looks like either Agen or Bordeaux to join them (always subject to the financial irregularity issue raising its head again this season!!).

 

[Tony Manx]

Enormous effort and incredible defence sees the biggest shock of the season so far - despite the efforts of the incompetent and totally inept Cyril Lafone who did not know what he was doing as ref!! Thank goodness he did not have any impact on the result with his guesses instead of informed decision making...not the first time he has disgraced himself!!

Racing have beaten a below par....were they or was it because Racing wanted it more....Toulon at Toulon by sheer guts and hard work with a massive performance at the break down and, indeed, scrums.

Well done Racing and absorbing match but it will probably do little to stop the onward march of Toulon other than get them doubting themselves.

Not one of their players came out of that game with any real distinction whereas Swareski, Esteban and Machenaud were stand out players for racing but a total squad effort
.

 

[gaston le gaff]

Just back from Clermont a great effort by Montpellier but not good enough, we did deny them the bonus point scoring 2 tries to their 3 but too many penalties given away to an on form Parra who missed nothing.
To answer the questions of P Duck, Jgenti has fallen out with Ledesma, (but is also carrying a fairly serious shoulder injury and will not show that much) and will be off more than likely to Perpignan, Nems is just about recovered from his broken arm and will be showing shortly, Figallo has an injury but should be back soon. 2 big games to come at Sale and then Toulon at home in the H Cup we can still qualify, but there is always the chance of a 1/4 final away Amlin game.
Incredible game at Toulon last night which i managed to watch, Racing never played better and Toulon limited to not much by an excellent defence also shows that under pressure Toulon are not the team thats everyone is calling so this throws open once again the Championship, those first 2 places are going to be worth their weight in gold by the end of the season.!!!! I will go out and say now Clermont for the Bouclier, under pressure they are a better team than Toulon but we shall see.

 

[Big Ewis]

sssssssshyte !
Can't wait to watch that Toulon match !

I'd imagine the scrum played an important role in this one, particularly...
what a low score though !

 

[psychic duck]

Just back from Clermont a great effort by Montpellier but not good enough, we did deny them the bonus point scoring 2 tries to their 3 but too many penalties given away to an on form Parra who missed nothing.
To answer the questions of P Duck, Jgenti has fallen out with Ledesma, (but is also carrying a fairly serious shoulder injury and will not show that much) and will be off more than likely to Perpignan, Nems is just about recovered from his broken arm and will be showing shortly, Figallo has an injury but should be back soon. 2 big games to come at Sale and then Toulon at home in the H Cup we can still qualify, but there is always the chance of a 1/4 final away Amlin game.
Incredible game at Toulon last night which i managed to watch, Racing never played better and Toulon limited to not much by an excellent defence also shows that under pressure Toulon are not the team thats everyone is calling so this throws open once again the Championship, those first 2 places are going to be worth their weight in gold by the end of the season.!!!! I will go out and say now Clermont for the Bouclier, under pressure they are a better team than Toulon but we shall see.

Really?

Jgenti is a great scrummager and one of the best in the league (was in the Rugbyrama dream team last season), but he seems to have falling outs and disputes with everybody, hence why he has played just once for Georgia in 3 and a half years despite being the best scrummager. He seriously needs to change his attitude as it is hurting his career.

 

[gaston le gaff]

Really?

Jgenti is a great scrummager and one of the best in the league (was in the Rugbyrama dream team last season), but he seems to have falling outs and disputes with everybody, hence why he has played just once for Georgia in 3 and a half years despite being the best scrummager. He seriously needs to change his attitude as it is hurting his career.

thats more or less correct he fell out with the georgian coach a couple of years back which has more or less put his international career on hold since. Although as i mentioned he has a shoulder injury i will be surprised to see him in evidence for the rest of the season but sometimes time can be a healer who knows!!!!

 

[psychic duck]

Jérôme Porical had his own Mike Catt moment last weekend ...

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[Tony Manx]

I thought it was Poitrenaud at first!!!

 

[psychic duck]

A nice moment from last weekend. ASM Clermont Auvergne fans gave lock Thibaut Privat a great reception back at the Stade Marcel Michelin. When he was substituted the fans applauded and cheered him and chanted his name, even though he was now playing against them for Montpellier who he joined in 2011. Great appreciation for a good servant of 8 years for Clermont Auvergne. Mario Ledesma also got a good welcome back apparently.

So different from Newcastle fans last year who were booing Tom May when he returned there with Northampton.

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[gaston le gaff]

As you said great fans but quite normal at Clermont where good rugby is appreciated 100% one of the reasons why there is a full house more or less every game i was at the Clermont game and the atmosphere is terrific as good as anywhere in Europe. Although one sided which is normal they applaud good rugby and stay silent when the opposition takes penalties, a rarity in France at Montpellier we are as bad as anywhere but then the average Montpellerian is a SPECTATOR AND NOT A SUPPORTER, a massive difference.