Top 14 Day 16 (1st time)

[Big Ewis]

[TABLE="width: 100%"]
<tbody>[TR="class: infoboxheadlite"]
[TH="colspan: 4"]16e Journée[/TH]
[/TR]
[TR="class: altrow"]
[TD="class: textcenter"]03/01[/TD]
[TD="class: textcenter"]20:45[/TD]
[TD="class: textright"]Castres Olympique[/TD]
[TD]Union Bordeaux-Bègles[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: textcenter"]04/01[/TD]
[TD="class: textcenter"]14:55[/TD]
[TD="class: textright"]Rugby Club Toulonnais[/TD]
[TD]Grenoble[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: altrow"]
[TD="class: textcenter"] - [/TD]
[TD="class: textcenter"]18:30[/TD]
[TD="class: textright"]Biarritz Olympique[/TD]
[TD]Stade Frantastische
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: textcenter"] - [/TD]
[TD="class: textcenter"]18:30[/TD]
[TD="class: textright"]Oyonnax[/TD]
[TD]Racing Métro 92
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: altrow"]
[TD="class: textcenter"] - [/TD]
[TD="class: textcenter"]18:30[/TD]
[TD="class: textright"]Perpignan[/TD]
[TD]Aviron Bayonnais
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: textcenter"] - [/TD]
[TD="class: textcenter"]20:35[/TD]
[TD="class: textright"]CA Brive-Corrèze[/TD]
[TD]Montpellier Hérault Rugby
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: altrow"]
[TD="class: textcenter"]05/01[/TD]
[TD="class: textcenter"]20:45[/TD]
[TD="class: textright"]Stade Toulousain[/TD]
[TD]ASM Clermont
[/TD]
[/TR]
</tbody>[/TABLE]




Another epic day...and from the dust Manx has left behind, I arise !!! MUAAAAHAHAAAAA !!!!!!

A good chance for Toulon and Perpignan to redeem themselves here at home against to very very mediocre sides.

Clermont already with 4 maybe 5 absentees beforehand: the Canadian Cudmore, Samoan number 8 Lee, Bardy, Rougerie and perhaps also ex-int'l Bonnaire, and Lapandry.
With Nalaga, Kotze and a certain Fofana back and well.

Still a challenge for Toulouse to host them ASM boys, but a challenge to win since ST JUST CANNOT WIN OUTSIDE OF HOME !!!!!..

With Stade Frantanstische in for the kill in the lonesome Basque Country, they're quite on form these days huh..

 

[gaston le gaff]

And Montpellier!!!!!! no mention!!!!!!! is this favouritism towards everyone else or is this some 2014 noone knows about!!!!

 

[Big Ewis]

I'll say Montpellier has a good chance against Brive. Obviously one of the more mediocre teams in the league, Brive still is at home and Montpellier of course has shown major signs of vulnerability of late...but I think they're really looking hard within themselves to play well.
They put 50 on BO last week and despite conceding quite a bit themselves, it looks like something of a redemption. TD said on FB "ah, finally ! man we needed it".

Hopefully for them and their fans, so me semi-included, they can take a nice win on the road.

Should be interesting to note they gave MP a hard time during Day 3 early this season, they managed 3 tries to MP's 3. MP got a penalty try though, with Mas starting...I don't know anything about the Brive pack this year to be honest....
Reviewing their past results this season, I'll note (forgot about this...) Brive did crush Castres at home 34-0 on Day 9 with 4 tries.
Finally, they're coming off a fine result in Bordeaux last week, losing in a 27-23 road effort...

I'll still say Brive, but no bonus.

 

[gaston le gaff]

Sounds like a fair comment, the match at home we gave them 3 easy tries after Montpellier decided to have a rest and go to sleep, the match was alredy won but still no excuses. Brive have proved to be a handful at home but we have to win as lying in 6th place is just too precarious with everyone breathing down our necks just behind, i expect to see all the big guns starting with a very solid bench, this match is without a doubt a possible win for us but we will still have to play very well to beat Brive at home. As the H Cup is now dead for us the next two weeks will see a different sort of team especially against Ulster away next week, giving the back bone of the team a rest as on the horizon we have both Toulouse and Clermont away from home, but they are both on 6 Nations match days so that does give us a very minuscule advantage.
This weeks predictions from Gaston.............
home wins for BO, but could be tough, Castres, Oyonnax,USAP, Toulon, Clermont may squeeze a win but i think or Gaston thinks it will just be Toulouse by a whisker, and the joker obviously goes to Montpellier who will win at Brive to consolidate their position.

 

[Tony Manx]

This weeks predictions from Gaston.............
home wins for BO, but could be tough, Castres, Oyonnax,USAP, Toulon, Clermont may squeeze a win but i think or Gaston thinks it will just be Toulouse by a whisker, and the joker obviously goes to Montpellier who will win at Brive to consolidate their position.

Only me...good to see rugby chat to the fore!!

Cannot disagree with the Gaston in the main but have my doubts about both BO and MHR winning as they will be incredibly close too!!

Now for the Irish Sea...boats cancelled today so leaving ex Liverpool tomorrow if winds abate...........................

 

[Big Ewis]

I'm gonna go with all home wins.

- Now, Stade Frantastische crushed the BO at home earlier this season 38-3, and aren't only very solid at home but have come close more often than not on the road, if not won some there (a couple).
I'm still going to go for B.O. as the home advantage is so almost inexplicably potent in the Top 14, and this is just one of Biarritz's last strike as Rugbyrama states...they'll be playing with a sense of desperation I believe or something close to it. Defensive bonus for Stade Frantastische though.

- For the Toulouse game: certainly the big encounter for the weekend, but Clermont have bee quite injured these past weeks and Toulouse are coming off a crappy performance, I think they have a lot to prove yet again and can't afford to lose a home game as they can't buy a road victory so far. Narrow win though I think, depends on what Clermont team they send..

 

[gaston le gaff]

Le XV de départ: Berard ; Nagusa, Ranger, Combezou, Audrin ; (o) Trinh-Duc, (m) Paillaugue ; Gorgodze, Tulou, Galletier ; Privat, Hamilton ; Mas, Ivaldi, Nariashvili. Remplaçants: Geli, Watremez, Timani, Beattie, Escande, Tuitavake, Floch, Bustos.

looks goood enough to take the points at Brive providing we play well and get a bit of luck, the ref should have already received the cheque.

 

[Big Ewis]

Le XV de départ: Berard ; Nagusa, Ranger, Combezou, Audrin ; (o) Trinh-Duc, (m) Paillaugue ; Gorgodze, Tulou, Galletier ; Privat, Hamilton ; Mas, Ivaldi, Nariashvili. Remplaçants: Geli, Watremez, Timani, Beattie, Escande, Tuitavake, Floch, Bustos.

looks goood enough to take the points at Brive providing we play well and get a bit of luck, the ref should have already received the cheque.

that's a strong looking side, front and back. Hope to see some resolve from the MP boys.

 

[ZeFrenchy]

No way that was enough advantage for Toulon. A try against is perhaps the worst advantage ever.

 

[Big Ewis]

wtf, seriously ?! Grenoble beats Toulon-at-home ?!!..... couldn't see it, read there's an intercept-try at the end for Grenoble ?

 

[iINDOMINUSxx]

wtf, seriously ?! Grenoble beats Toulon-at-home ?!!..... couldn't see it, read there's an intercept-try at the end for Grenoble ?

is what toloun deserves for buying TOO MANY!! Foreign players

 

[gaston le gaff]

is what toloun deserves for buying TOO MANY!! Foreign players

What the fu** has this to do with foreign players, intercept try in the last minute by a Fijian will he have to go and play for Toulon now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! its about time some of you guys got a life if we want to sign foreign players in France thats our problem and nothing to do with anyone outside of France so carry on be jealous we are all laughing at you.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[ZeFrenchy]

wtf, seriously ?! Grenoble beats Toulon-at-home ?!!..... couldn't see it, read there's an intercept-try at the end for Grenoble ?

Toulon had penalty advantage. One minute later, they had moved across field twice without making an territory, and Wilko throws an intercept pass. IMO, the ref should have gone back to the penalty.

 

[Tony Manx]

Anyone know the odds on Biarritz and Montpellier (now 6 losses out of 7) both going down this season...................?

 

[gaston le gaff]

My money is on Biarritz what's yours on !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I know a couple of excellent restos in La Rochelle for you, that is if they (La Rochelle) dont come back into the TOP 14. We will see what happens when both Basque clubs go down and how quickly the fusion takes place, much easier for one Basque club to get back into the Top 14 than two!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[gaston le gaff]

No way that was enough advantage for Toulon. A try against is perhaps the worst advantage ever.

The advantage rule continues as long as the ref has his arm out indicating the penalty , Canal + shows the refs arm going down well before Wilko passes the ball , right or wrong the advantage ceases as the ref implies, so the try is good no questions. The question is what is advantage as some refs will carry on longer than that, but the ref has to be respected and his decision stands.

 

[lynam1104]

What the fu** has this to do with foreign players, intercept try in the last minute by a Fijian will he have to go and play for Toulon now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! its about time some of you guys got a life if we want to sign foreign players in France thats our problem and nothing to do with anyone outside of France so carry on be jealous we are all laughing at you.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It actually has everything to do with outside of france, the foreign player come form outside of france.

 

[gaston le gaff]

It actually has everything to do with outside of france, the foreign player come form outside of france.

You seem to have forgot to mention that the foreign player comes to France by choice, his own choice, the fact that French clubs are able to offer a decent working wage for a very short career seems to bother many of you. If you look at the worlds best companies they offer similar, so why when France follows suit everyone jumps on the band wagon and cries wolf!!!!!!!!!!! The fact is we are priviledged to have club owners who are willing to put large amounts of money into the their rugby clubs where is the wrong in that . If you won the lottery you would not buy a brand new shiny house or chateau and a big red shiny car, Noddy had a big red shiny car and nobody ever gave him shi* for his investment. We have the best league competition in Europe if not in the world, so we take the best players, football teams having be doing it for years. The problem of the national team lies with the coaches and the unstable relationship between the FFR and the LNR, when that is resolved France will be back to winning ways . In the mean time we will put up with our super TOP 14 while the rest of you bleat poverty and having to watch your teams depleted of good players by French club success.

 

[iINDOMINUSxx]

What the fu** has this to do with foreign players, intercept try in the last minute by a Fijian will he have to go and play for Toulon now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! its about time some of you guys got a life if we want to sign foreign players in France thats our problem and nothing to do with anyone outside of France so carry on be jealous we are all laughing at you.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

probs end up at toloun one day

 

[Big Ewis]

is what toloun deserves for buying TOO MANY!! Foreign players

probs end up at toloun one day

Scotty got some points there.
Well, I sure am eager for tonight's matchup !! Please Toulouse pleaaaase show what you can really do...Clermont may very well take this one.

Doussain starts at fly-half (!!...) and Poitrenaud at midfield tonight...experimental, should be interesting to see what Doussain can do at 10, I'm very invested in this young man. I think he can be the France no. 9 personally, we'll have to see how things turn out...really really hope Saint-André and friends pick him at the start of the 6N over injured Parra.