Top 14 day 24

gaston le gaff · May 6, 2015

Last edited: May 6, 2015

FrenchFan

First XV

TRF Legend

May 6, 2015

#2

So many crucial games. Toulouse have to beat Brive at home. Montpellier v Bayonne is crucial for l'Aviron. I like the look of Bordeaux v Oyo. UBB at home will have to run it they don't want an arm wrestle with that Oyo pack.
I wonder what Clermont team will turn up at Grenoble. I think they will put out their big team. They must have a big headache though. I think they will bounce back.
And the parisian derby could be the game of the weekend Racing 5th with 58pt and SF only 3 pts ahead...

gaston le gaff

First XV

May 6, 2015

#3

You mention Bayonne but we need the points just as much we still have a very slight chance of qualifying but its very slight. I think 5 points is need on Sat minimum plus we need help from the opposition of Oyonnax for the last 3 games, they have Bordeaux, then Lyon away and Toulon away so if they win only one with 4 or 5 points we need 11 or 12 from the last 3, big ask as we have Stade Francaise away then Clermont at home last game and a Clermont still smarting from their final defeat.
The rest i see home wins for Toulon, Bordeaux, Toulouse, Racing, Grenoble, away win for La Rochelle to get them nearly out of danger and seafood for me next season, and of course 5 pts for Montpellier it has to be no choice there!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

or the other option is winners of Glaws v Best Pro D12 non qualifyer if we finish 7th, winners of first game are at home. those game are 24th May, then 31th May both Sunday games.

Last edited: May 6, 2015

S

Sapinou

Academy Player

May 6, 2015

#4

And I'll add that this season, Bayonne is not a expiatory victim away from home! If You put aside Game at Brive and Castres, Bayonne can bring back one point from du Manoir (I'll take the four in Chaban Delmas 8) ) and I would be delighted of it. And don't forget, we're only one victory behind dude

Tony Manx

TRF Season Ticket Holder

TRF Legend

May 6, 2015

#5

Sapinou said:
And I'll add that this season, Bayonne is not a expiatory victim away from home! If You put aside Game at Brive and Castres, Bayonne can bring back one point from du Manoir (I'll take the four in Chaban Delmas 8) ) and I would be delighted of it. And don't forget, we're only one victory behind dude

I agree! If Bayonne can carry with them their attack and smarten up their defense one point is more than possible and a win not out of the question!!! Sorry Gaston!!

R

Rugby9

Academy Player

May 7, 2015

#6

I saw a few of Toulouse's games earlier in the season and they looked poor, especially their front row, which surprised me considering the experience the likes of Tialata, Steenkamp, Johnstone etc.

How are they doing now? I see they are up to 3rd in the Top 14 and have recently beaten Toulon so I assume these guys must have improved over the past few months?

gaston le gaff

First XV

May 7, 2015

#7

Toulouse are Toulouse and should never be overlooked or under estimated they had a bad patch but that looks to be well and truly over and they are actually fighting for a direct semi place or a 1/4 final at home with 2 home games Brive and Bordeaux away to Grenoble they could get as many as 12/14 points so are definetly in the mix.
17 French Championships and 4 European ***les do not under estimate Toulouse they are force always to be considered..

- - - Updated - - -

Tony Manx said:
I agree! If Bayonne can carry with them their attack and smarten up their defense one point is more than possible and a win not out of the question!!! Sorry Gaston!!

don't be sorry Tony it's not going to happen!!!!!!

R

Rugby9

Academy Player

May 7, 2015

#8

gaston le gaff said:
Toulouse are Toulouse and should never be overlooked or under estimated they had a bad patch but that looks to be well and truly over and they are actually fighting for a direct semi place or a 1/4 final at home with 2 home games Brive and Bordeaux away to Grenoble they could get as many as 12/14 points so are definetly in the mix.
17 French Championships and 4 European ***les do not under estimate Toulouse they are force always to be considered.

Thanks, good to know. I see Noves may get the French job so could make them more determined to win their remaining games and see him off in style with another ***le.

gaston le gaff

First XV

May 7, 2015

#9

not sure about another ***le, but they will be in the mix that's for sure, everybody has to beat Toulon to get a ***le, easier said than done !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

FrenchFan

First XV

TRF Legend

May 8, 2015

#10

Rugby9 said:
I saw a few of Toulouse's games earlier in the season and they looked poor, especially their front row, which surprised me considering the experience the likes of Tialata, Steenkamp, Johnstone etc.

How are they doing now? I see they are up to 3rd in the Top 14 and have recently beaten Toulon so I assume these guys must have improved over the past few months?

we had a crisis in the frontrow at the start of the season with 3 props missing incl. the ones you mentioned. They tried to steady the ship by fielding 2 academy players who have since grown into their role. Of course this fact was ignored by the many Toulouse bashers.
We've been well below par all season. Yet we're 3rd and on course for a home semi. We have beaten a full strength Toulon twice home & away (not many can say that). We'll finish with a bang with a spot in the final or fizzle out if Noves is on his way out.

R

Rugby9

Academy Player

May 8, 2015

#11

Will definitely be interesting to see how they go this weekend against Brive, just reading Planet Rugbys preview of this weeks Top 14 games and I hadn't realised that Toulouse had such a bad record this year against the lower ranked teams.

One more question (happy to start another thread if I am de-railing this one) what happened to Tolofua? A few years ago i thought he was tipped to be the next big french hooker despite being a teenager but i have really not heard much about him, at least not in the British media. Was he over-hyped too soon or been struggling with injuries?

gaston le gaff

First XV

May 8, 2015

#12

The team hopefully to beat Bayonne then take 5pts in the last 10 minutes fingers crossed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Le XV de dÃ©part: Lucas ; Dupont, Tuitavake, Ebersohn, Artru ; (o) Trinh-Duc, (m) Paillaugue ; Battut, Qera, Ouedraogo ; Timani, Donnelly ; Cilliers, Geli, Nariashvili.

RemplaÃ§ants: Ivaldi, Watremez, Tchale-Watchou, Mowen, Galletier, Pelissie, Vulivuli, King.

FrenchFan

First XV

TRF Legend

May 8, 2015

#13

Rugby9 said:
Will definitely be interesting to see how they go this weekend against Brive, just reading Planet Rugbys preview of this weeks Top 14 games and I hadn't realised that Toulouse had such a bad record this year against the lower ranked teams.

One more question (happy to start another thread if I am de-railing this one) what happened to Tolofua? ?

Christopher has been injured since late March. Don't know when he is back. He got some games earlier in the season but he dropped back to the bench time because his throwing was a problem i.e. too irregular. Corey Flynn has settled in quickly and is much more accurate in that area as you'd expect from an ex-AB. But more importantly IMO there is incoming pressure from Julien Marchand (20) from the academy who has played more games (12 or 13 which is great for his first season) than Tolofua. We had a major prop crisis at the start of the season so Noves probably didn't want to further weaken the frontrow and line-out with a young hooker.

A few years ago i thought he was tipped to be the next big french hooker despite being a teenager but i have really not heard much about him, at least not in the British media. Was he over-hyped too soon or been struggling with injuries?

I think Chris been thrown in at the deep end with the senior side very early (he was barely 18) in a star-studded team this is hard. He was over-hyped too soon in relation to the French team but that's the media here. But his natural qualities are still here. His throw is something he can fix with work. I heard Sean Fitzpatrick was not a very good thrower initially but got there eventually with hard work. Physically he is a monster, much more destructive in the loose and scrum than the others and naturally good ball in hand. But given the emphasis on set pieces in our league his throwing is a problem when you're up agst a big T14 with a greasy ball and you have to hit your jumper no matter what.
There is too much expectation placed on young players in relation to the French squad. This is something Noves has always fought against to protect younger players (it was the same when Michalak started, the media hype around Freddie has always irritated the hell out of Noves). Tolofua is under contract here until 2017.

Last edited: May 8, 2015

R

Rugby9

Academy Player

May 8, 2015

#14

Thank you, that's really interesting! Will be interesting to see how he and Marchand progress over the next couple of seasons!

Tony Manx

TRF Season Ticket Holder

TRF Legend

May 9, 2015

#15

Did Toulouse squeak a bonus point at all?!!!!

 After today's results, (at the time of writing Grenoble are losing 3-22 to Clermont), the probable battle for relegation that will take place over the last two days of the season proper will take place between :

Brive (48 points) – away to Castres and home to Stade Frangipan
Grenoble (48 points) – home to Toulouse and away to Lyon
Castres (47 points) – home to Brive and away to Racing
Bayonne (47 points) – away to Bordeaux and home to La Rochelle
Lyon (37 points) – away to Oyonnax and home to Grenoble

Lyon are almost certainly relegated being 10 points adrift and just cannot see them winning both matches with bonus points and Castres and Bayonne getting nothing!
So that leaves one place for the other four to avoid and, for me, the favourite to be relegated must be Brive who are away to fellow relegation candidate Castres and home to barrage candidate Racing.

But what do I know!!!
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Last edited: May 9, 2015

FrenchFan

First XV

TRF Legend

May 9, 2015

#16

Tony Manx said:
Did Toulouse squeak a bonus point at all?!!!!

after their 9 try shellacking of Brive just about

. Will post some of those tries when I get them.

67 - 19 final score

Tony Manx

TRF Season Ticket Holder

TRF Legend

May 10, 2015

#17

FrenchFan said:
after their 9 try shellacking of Brive just about . Will post some of those tries when I get them.

67 - 19 final score

Was my attempt at sarcasm my friend!! Congrats on you second half of the season.....tremendous!!

gaston le gaff

First XV

May 10, 2015

#18

Toulouse hit form just at the right time but that never really surprises me, Toulon are still the team to beat if antone else wants the Bouclier.

FrenchFan

First XV

TRF Legend

May 10, 2015

#19

FrenchFan said:
after their 9 try shellacking of Brive just about . Will post some of those tries when I get them.

67 - 19 final score

The 9 Toulouse tries. 3 by Huget. The 2nd try is vintage.

Last edited by a moderator: May 4, 2017

Tony Manx

TRF Season Ticket Holder

TRF Legend

May 10, 2015

#20

Parisse has been given the most ridiculous red card I have seen......he went up for the ball with Dulin but LeRoux CLEARLY pulled Parisse's shirt preventinig him from competing and, Parisse, with his eyes on the ball, was pulled round meaning Dulin fell over him. LeRoux should have been red carded for causing the dangerous incident not Parisse who legitimately competed. Ashley Johnson's yellow when Wasps played was far worse and he was totally at fault yet the very same ref only gave a yellow then for that!

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