Top 14 day 19

gaston le gaff · Mar 22, 2016

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Last edited: Mar 28, 2016

gaston le gaff

First XV

Mar 25, 2016

#2

Gastons predicktions for this weekend, although it does seem as i am now talking to myself, there must be only 3 or 4 people in the whole of France who use English and like rugby, thought there was more than that !!!!!!!

Home wins, Bordeaux, Brive, Grenoble, Toulouse, Pau.
Away wins, Toulon, as Racing are still in the therapy room after the hammering inflicted by us last Sat 60-7, and they also are at home to Toulon in the 1/4 finals in 2 weeks so a couple of extra weeks of meditation and prayer theory will help, they have placed the local chaplain on their already bulging salary budget........... and of course Montpellier will win at Agen, but everybody knows that anyway

JJFlash

Bench Player

Mar 25, 2016

#3

I agree, except I think Racing will pull their finger out and beat Toulon and also, that Agen may spring a surprise and turn over MHR

Toulouse are long overdue a big win - will it happen against SF? Somehow, I don't think so.

gaston le gaff

First XV

Mar 25, 2016

#4

Teams for tomorrows match at Agen.

MONTPELLIER
Le XV de dÃ©part: Mogg ; Nagusa, Ebersohn, Steyn, Fall ; (o) Catrakilis, (m) White ; J. Du Plessis, Spies, Liebenberg ; Privat, Tchale-Watchou ; Mas, Ivaldi, WatremezLes remplaÃ§ants: B. Du Plessis, Nariashvili, Ouedraogo, Galletier, Paillaugue, Lucas, O'Connor, Kubriashvili.

AGEN.
Le XV de dÃ©part: Lamoulie ; Tilsley, Sadie, Mazars, Fouyssac ; (o) Francis, (m) BalÃ¨s ; Erbani, Hamilton, Kotze ; Demotte, Ratuniyarawa ; Ryan, Narjissi, Nnomo.
RemplaÃ§ants: Tadjer, Afatia, Baget, Tau, Darbo, Bouvier, Mchedlidze, Joly.

Last edited: Mar 25, 2016

gaston le gaff

First XV

Mar 27, 2016

#5

JJFlash said:
I agree, except I think Racing will pull their finger out and beat Toulon and also, that Agen may spring a surprise and turn over MHR
Toulouse are long overdue a big win - will it happen against SF? Somehow, I don't think so.

You must listen to Gaston JJFlash 5 out of 5 for the moment. !!!!! Toulon with a team of practically novices out played and deserved their win 20-21, Racing have lost the plot, you have the best 10 in the world and you play him at 12!!!!!! and one of the worst Tales and he gets the 10 spot unbelievable do the Racing coaches not want a top 6 place????
Montpellier again hit new heights although they were not that good the first half they certainly turned it on in the second and blew Agen away 21-45. The last and bonus point try a classsic and thankyou Jake for signing Spies and Steyn, both absolute match winners.

Clermont just blew my 100% to pieces still a good effort. 6 out of 7 not too shabby!!!!!!!!!!!

Last edited: Mar 28, 2016

JJFlash

Bench Player

Mar 28, 2016

#6

gaston le gaff said:
You must listen to Gaston JJFlash .
.!

Fair play, gaston! 6 out of 7 ain't bad!

And ........... Toulouse appeared to have woken up!

gaston le gaff

First XV

Mar 29, 2016

#7

JJFlash said:
Fair play, gaston! 6 out of 7 ain't bad!

And ........... Toulouse appeared to have woken up!

I also think that Stade Francais must be very happy to see Agen and Oyonnax in the championship this season or they could be in even more trouble than they are already. They will have to pull thier socks up next season as the investments that Lyon have already made for next season, will certainly make them a difficult team to shift from the 2016/17 Championship.

P

PrimroseAndBlue

Academy Player

Mar 29, 2016

#8

Is there any logic behind Racing playing in Lille? I assumed the Lille Metropole Rugby dream was still on, have they parked their tanks on Lille's lawn or is it part of the promotion of rugby up North?

JJFlash

Bench Player

Mar 29, 2016

#9

There are few teams in the Top14 who have played in towns other than where they are. Toulon sometimes play in Marseille and I think Racing played in Brussels once (maybe I'm wrong?) and now in Lille. Why, I don't know. Maybe you're right, Primrose, that the authorities want to promote rugby in the far north.
Sometimes Toulouse play at the football stadium and Stade FranÃ§ais and Racing at the Stade de France, but of course, that's not playing out of town, so to speak.

Tony Manx

TRF Season Ticket Holder

TRF Legend

Mar 29, 2016

#10

JJFlash said:
There are few teams in the Top14 who have played in towns other than where they are. Toulon sometimes play in Marseille and I think Racing played in Brussels once (maybe I'm wrong?) and now in Lille. Why, I don't know. Maybe you're right, Primrose, that the authorities want to promote rugby in the far north.
Sometimes Toulouse play at the football stadium and Stade FranÃ§ais and Racing at the Stade de France, but of course, that's not playing out of town, so to speak.

Think it was Stade who went to Bruxelles?!

JJFlash

Bench Player

Mar 29, 2016

#11

Tony Manx said:
Think it was Stade who went to Bruxelles?!

You may well be right!

B

Brushie

Academy Player

Mar 29, 2016

#12

gaston le gaff said:
Clermont just blew my 100% to pieces still a good effort. 6 out of 7 not too shabby!!!!!!!!!!!

I think ASM hit rock bottom with the home defeat to your lot Gaston. Good to see so many youngsters coming through & delivering, none more than the unbelievable talent that is Raka!!!!!!!

gaston le gaff

First XV

Mar 30, 2016

#13

PrimroseAndBlue said:
Is there any logic behind Racing playing in Lille? I assumed the Lille Metropole Rugby dream was still on, have they parked their tanks on Lille's lawn or is it part of the promotion of rugby up North?

The reason that Racing went to Lille was exactly that, to promote rugby in the north of France and also a consolation as Lille were refused access to the Pro D2 last season for various reasons right or wrong, but the semi have been played in the north for a couple of seasons plus this season it's Nantes, there are no teams north of Paris in the TOP 14 or the Pro D2 hence it is good for the north of France to see elite rugby every so often and when the games are played it is often played before 35,000 plus so gate money is not to be sniffed at.

P

PrimroseAndBlue

Academy Player

Mar 30, 2016

#14

JJFlash said:
There are few teams in the Top14 who have played in towns other than where they are. Toulon sometimes play in Marseille and I think Racing played in Brussels once (maybe I'm wrong?) and now in Lille. Why, I don't know. Maybe you're right, Primrose, that the authorities want to promote rugby in the far north.
Sometimes Toulouse play at the football stadium and Stade FranÃ§ais and Racing at the Stade de France, but of course, that's not playing out of town, so to speak.

It's interesting to see where they pitch up for these things. In League, Catalans played a game at Toulouse the other season before TO XIII decided to try and work their way up to Superleague, and I think Avignon as well.

It's all good though I suppose if it ends up with more interest up there and Lille becoming a new force in the long run. And as Gaston says, the semis are off to Nantes- maybe Stade Nantais will come up from the Federale 2 in years to come.

- - - Updated - - -

gaston le gaff said:
The reason that Racing went to Lille was exactly that, to promote rugby in the north of France and also a consolation as Lille were refused access to the Pro D2 last season for various reasons right or wrong, but the semi have been played in the north for a couple of seasons plus this season it's Nantes, there are no teams north of Paris in the TOP 14 or the Pro D2 hence it is good for the north of France to see elite rugby every so often and when the games are played it is often played before 35,000 plus so gate money is not to be sniffed at.

Thank you for that. Are there any clubs in non-traditional areas that you can see reaching the professional ranks in the next decade?