Top 14 Day 20

[Tony Manx]

[TABLE="width: 100%"]
<tbody style="font-size: 12px; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">[TR="class: altrow, bgcolor: #EEEEEE"]
[TD="class: textcenter, align: center"]01/03[/TD]
[TD="class: textcenter, align: center"]20:50[/TD]
[TD="class: textright, align: right"]Aviron Bayonnais[/TD]
[TD]Biarritz Olympique[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: textcenter, align: center"]02/03[/TD]
[TD="class: textcenter, align: center"]15:00[/TD]
[TD="class: textright, align: right"]Stade Français[/TD]
[TD]ASM Clermont[/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"]Union Bordeaux-Bègles[/TD]
[TD]SU Agen[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: textcenter, align: center"] - [/TD]
[TD="class: textcenter, align: center"]18:30[/TD]
[TD="class: textright, align: right"]Castres Olympique[/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"]Mont-de-Marsan[/TD]
[TD]USAP[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: textcenter, align: center"] - [/TD]
[TD="class: textcenter, align: center"]18:30[/TD]
[TD="class: textright, align: right"]Racing Métro 92[/TD]
[TD]Grenoble[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: altrow, bgcolor: #EEEEEE"]
[TD="class: textcenter, align: center"] - [/TD]
[TD="class: textcenter, align: center"]20:45[/TD]
[TD="class: textright, align: right"]Rugby Club Toulonnais[/TD]
[TD]Stade Toulousain[/TD]
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</tbody>[/TABLE]
The return Basque derby dominates this weekend's French rugby. Biarritz will be looking to revenge the season's defeat to Bayonne at home, where they behaved unfriendly to the players of Bayonne by only gving their wives, a number of whom were pregnant, standing tickets only such that they stayed away and watched the match in a bar on TV...one hopes that Bayonne will be more accomodating to what are their guests!!

It was this defeat that started BO's inevitable slow descent down the table from the heady heights reached at the start of the season and a win is the least that must be achieved in the quite possible, but very unlikely event, of this being Yachvilli's last game of the season.........is it me or are bans being conveniently shortened for serious offences as yet another example comes with the three match ban for driving a forearm into a player's face this week and am not even going to mention the Healy situation?!!

Other games with potentially big probable outcomes are the Bordeaux v Agen to determine the last relegation place and Castres v MHL to determine a guaranteed place in the play offs. I would go for home wins in both......and other wins for ASM, USAP, Racing and Toulon

 

[gaston le gaff]

I think Bayonne will do BO in the Basque derby tonight
Bordeaux Begles, Racing, Mont de Marsan, Clermont, Toulouse maybe as Toulon as not on best form at the moment but it will not be easyfor Toulouse, as for us a tough match with still loads of injuries probably no Fulgence and a front row decimated by injuries, just got another Joker Medical Nahel Lobo who was here at the begining of the season to replace Leleimalafaga going to Castres in a couple of moments and spending the weekend there with friends ex player with me many moons ago!!!!!

 

[Big Ewis]

was watchin the news earlier today and they had this segment about how the two Basque clubs wanted to fusion, but then a bunch of guys said how impossible it was and that it would never happen and so on...
and hey, Médard's back in blue for the 6N huh, so Toulouse is without everyone in Toulon basically.

 

[Tony Manx]

was watchin the news earlier today and they had this segment about how the two Basque clubs wanted to fusion, but then a bunch of guys said how impossible it was and that it would never happen and so on....

The towns of Bayonne and Biarritz are joined together by another commune in the middle called Anglet and their respective populations are (in thousands) - Bayonne 44, Anglet 37 and Biarritz 26.

The nearest towns of any size are, San Sebastian (50 Kilometres) 186, Pau (100 kilometres) with 88 and Bordeaux (200 Kilometres) with 230............If we look at the whole of the real French based catchment area for both teams (very few if any Spanish turn up other than to matches played in SS) the total town population and surrounding districts is no more than 150,000 at maximum so not very big and there is life for a lot of them without rugby....especially losing rugby!!

Alain Afflelolou, he of the France wide optician chain, is the sponsor of Bayonne and is thought to have broached the idea of a joint team for European games with Blanco....how that would work, I have no idea! Blanco gave him short shrift and that is the nearest I have heard of any rumours of "fusion" or merger of the two clubs at any official level.

That being said, every person I have talked to who has top class rugby at heart (and now some of the forums are even beginning to) talk about it as being, financially, the only way that the Basque country will have a long term Top 14 team(s) and before we follow the routes taken by other famous teams such as Dax, Mont de Marsan etc.

The Basques are an incredibly proud and loyal people whom it is often difficult to get to know but, once you have, you could never hope to meet better people or friends. With this is a stubborn streak that has shown itself over the centuries and, shall we say, a reluctance to embrace change! Add to that the fact that most Bayonne supporters hate the perceived "fancy Dans" of Biarritz and a number of Biarritz supporters look down their noses at the (perceived or real) poorer Bayonne and the animosity is akin to ManU/Liverpool or Arsenal/Spurs.

Any merger, although it HAS to be in the interests of all, and I have been spouting this for a number of years, is likely to come about only when one or both are staring bankruptcy in the face and/or the Conseil General (that sponsors both clubs) and other sponsors starts banging heads together......that make take a few years yet and, meanwhile, we shall have to watch Biarritz continue to be poorly managed and Bayonne fritter money away on celebrity signings without creating the team and club spirit necessary............With Blanco's rugby brain, decent commercial and rugby management and Afflelou's and the other sponsor's money we could have the one team and stadium to compete and maybe even attract the Spanish to games other than H Cups held in San Seb...................

Let us pray.......................

 

[Tony Manx]

Draw...............managed to wake up just before the end......ball in play less than 25 minutes of the entire game.......YAWN!!

 

[Big Ewis]

thanks for those details Tony...you're Basque yourself or ??
Yeh, I had a friend who went there for work for like a year, and he told me they only had sympathy for him because he was "breton", and they considered them highly since they're "against the main dominant culture", France, which in their minds is the great big enemy trying to crush their authentic and proud culture...but apparently ppl there are fkn hostile, and there's ZERO night life, like, french side, everybody's out at like 8....
anyways...6-6 DRAW !!! What do you know...ain't that a happy ending !

 

[fcbfan]

Big match tonight against Toulon. *fingers crossed*

 

[ZeFrenchy]

Tune in to Castres-Montpellier, it's a very good game so far. Marc Andreu is on fire, it had been a while I hadn't seen him play.

 

[Tony Manx]

thanks for those details Tony...you're Basque yourself or ??
anyways...6-6 DRAW !!! What do you know...ain't that a happy ending !

No not Basque but a Manxman sojourning in Basque country and loving it!!!

A draw would have been welcome had either side shown any class but there was none on show and the short, medium and long term looks dire enough for me to have to really, really consider if I am going to renew by season ticket next season!!!

The Toulon/Toulouse game is so hard to call.......I go for Toulon on home basis but to be honest but neither side has been inspriing for some weeks now....Toulon started as a team that would dominate not only the Top 14 but also Europe but now look very vulnerable.

Toulouse have been going backward for similar, and amongst other, reasons to Biarritz.....no reliable fly half and poor recruitment. I wonder if Noves is going to be under pressure at the end of this season.....or then, will he fight back and win the Shield!!

 

[Big Ewis]

well Toulouse is missing a bunch of guys due to the 6N...where Toulon still have a lot of star power regardless...

 

[Tony Manx]

...but Toulon have Johnny for two penalties and Toulouse have Fickou to capitalise on a balls up by Beauxis!!!

Edit......looks like all Toulon and Toulouse could take a hammering here as the two heavyweights of Bastereau and our Steff combine for an easy try.....

Edit Edit.......Toulouse coming back in a really good game and now only 19-16 down...............

 

[Big Ewis]

Haven't seen the game yet, but completely predictable result...Toulouse is missing all its players basically, wth did anybody expect ?...
Bordeaux's lookin GOOD these days....damn !

 

[fcbfan]

Big match tonight against Toulon. *fingers crossed*

Meh.<_<

 

[Tony Manx]

Haven't seen the game yet, but completely predictable result...Toulouse is missing all its players basically,!

Only had Maestri, Dusatoir and Picamoles of their internationals who did not take any part in the game.....all the others played. Do not think that they can use that as an excuse,........Toulon were really in control for most of the game although there was a little period when Toulouse came back at them............they just seem to miss people in key areas and seem unable to play cohesively? Certainly they were not the all powerful scrum and line out team of old........and telling that the call up guy is the "retired" William Servat!!

 

[Big Ewis]

oh you're right...didn't think Nyanga, Huget, Clerc and Médard would play.........how come they're playing btw ? Do they personally agree to help their club during the 6N off weekend ?? All 4 those guys are coming back to les bleus in a week though...

 

[Tony Manx]

oh you're right...didn't think Nyanga, Huget, Clerc and Médard would play.........how come they're playing btw ? Do they personally agree to help their club during the 6N off weekend ?? All 4 those guys are coming back to les bleus in a week though...

Old club v country thing......France Board one the last around not to have a measure of control over when the internationals play for the clubs either through central contracts or an agreement with the clubs to pay proper money to the clubs for their players usage which the clubs could use to finance alternatives to play at the clubs when their internationals were missing!

 

[Big Ewis]

^ oh...uhm....confusing !
I'm watching the Stade Fr Clermont match right now, and I see Para and Domingo playing....like there isn't an int'l tournament goin on.

Are we the only nation doing that ? Do any English or Irish players do that right now ? I know Farrell wasn't with the Saracens but I didn't check every single guy on the squad.

 

[gaston le gaff]

Just back from Castres great game played by both Teams and Castres coming out winners 26-20 in the end, but Montpellier got the bonus point with an excellent Trinh-Duc especially with the boot he will be France's no. 10 against Ireland next Saturday, this weekends matches of a very high standard apart from the Basque derby which was abismal (sorry Tony) good fast running rugby and could see good things from the players in form for next Sat 6 Nations against Ireland. Top of the table hotting up 1st and 2nd looks pretty sure, more or less but the 3rd to 6th is still wide up and could be a dog fight right up to the last game of the season, we have a huge match next week (friday) without our Internationals against Racing, same points as us on 54pts and in 6th place.

 

[Tony Manx]

Good you had a great time in Castres, Gaston, as you always seem to do!! I agree about the turgid derby.....glad i was not there for that!!

As regards the final six ................I do not think we will see ANY change in the make up of the top 4 at present (and certainly not in the top 2 places) but the final spot must still be the only battle left and is between MHL, USAP and Racing.

With the surge in form of USAP, they might just have the edge....who knows!!

In any case, you had better get your injured players back on the field as BO could be qualified for Europe (via the Amlin HaHa) and you might not be and that would be crazy!!!!!

 

[gaston le gaff]

Tony we are in the TOP 5 so do we get an extra place and fight for 6th as well, the rest of your comments leave the houch alone, BO may have qualified last season via the Amlin but not this year!!!
more medical jokers seems to be the way out for MHR.....if we beat Racing on Friday we have made a great step forward but that will not be easy.