Top 14 Day 8

[Big Ewis]

[TABLE="width: 100%"]
<tbody>[TR="class: infoboxheadlite"]
[TH="colspan: 4"]8e Journée[/TH]
[/TR]
[TR="class: altrow"]
[TD="class: textcenter"]27/09[/TD]
[TD="class: textcenter"]20:45[/TD]
[TD="class: textright"]Stade Français[/TD]
[TD]Montpellier Hérault Rugby[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: textcenter"]28/09[/TD]
[TD="class: textcenter"]14:55[/TD]
[TD="class: textright"]Oyonnax[/TD]
[TD]Rugby Club Toulonnais[/TD]
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[TR="class: altrow"]
[TD="class: textcenter"] - [/TD]
[TD="class: textcenter"]18:30[/TD]
[TD="class: textright"]Aviron Bayonnais[/TD]
[TD]Biarritz Olympique[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: textcenter"] - [/TD]
[TD="class: textcenter"]18:30[/TD]
[TD="class: textright"]Castres Olympique[/TD]
[TD]Racing Métro 92[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: altrow"]
[TD="class: textcenter"] - [/TD]
[TD="class: textcenter"]18:30[/TD]
[TD="class: textright"]Grenoble[/TD]
[TD]CA Brive-Corrèze[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: textcenter"] - [/TD]
[TD="class: textcenter"]20:35[/TD]
[TD="class: textright"]Perpignan[/TD]
[TD]Stade Toulousain[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: altrow"]
[TD="class: textcenter"]29/09[/TD]
[TD="class: textcenter"]12:30[/TD]
[TD="class: textright"]ASM Clermont[/TD]
[TD]Union Bordeaux-Bègles[/TD]
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</tbody>[/TABLE]



With respect to Tony, I don't mean to take your place I'm just eager to having this thread done so discussion may commence. I hope you agree with this.
They've got a game on Sunday this weekend too, the day I'll be traveling.........traveling back to Qatar.

A tremendous test for MP on the weekend's opener: SF are a good test at home for them.
Toulouse in Perpignan should look good too. Both clubs have this year particularly a lot to prove in the league.

 

[gaston le gaff]

Things not good at Montpellier with injuries we are down to are last 2/2nd row and will be traveling to Paris with 3 or 4 espoirs as the infirmary is choca..... main stream back row down to 3 + Alex Bias is at a disiplinary today so if he gets a ban the proverbial will hit the fan at great speed. Mario Ledesma has signed for anther 3 years which is great news but could find himself on the bench with Fabien Galthie in Paris, thank God they know the pitch welll enough. But worse things have happened at sea and this will give 1 or 2 players the chance to show their worth, which is never a bad idea.

 

[gaston le gaff]

Alex Bias got diplomatic immuninity yesterday at the disiplinary so will be available Fri evening agaist Stade, i think Serge Blanco assisted by the Yach were his defence, who needs Perry Mason!!!!!!!!!

 

[gaston le gaff]

Gaston is very busy tomorrow so here are his predictions for Week 8..............
Home victories for Bayonne ( sorry Tony), Castres, Clermont, Grenoble, Perpignan, away Victory for Toulon, the fortress mythology of Oyonnax was crushed last week by Stade Francais, (see Gaston's super predictions week 7)
The Big One Stade Francais v Montpellier, due to the amount of injuries we have this will be extremely difficult for Montpellier so to cover my arse, the head says home win for Stade, but the heart is stronger and says away win for Montpellier, yes you guessed, this is the obvious Joker for this week, i have tried to influence Gaston's choice but he is adamant that this is how it has to be.

 

[Big Ewis]

yeh, I'll have to say all home victories for sure, SF is on fire these days and should take care of business at home against another on fire squad, albeit.
I'd love to see MP prevail, but my stomach, my pancreas, my adrenal glands AND my brain tell me SF.
My left testicle is agnostic though, always...

Toulon beats Oyonnax as the exception, yes, as you said, the mythological fortress will be confronted with an all too real/tangible problem, the RCT...
as for Perpignan Toulouse, it may be spectacular and tight but I just don't know who Toulouse are bringing..I'd still guess Perpignan.

No need for a joker for me. I bet I get em all straight (hopefully I'm wrong about MP losing)

 

[gaston le gaff]

yeh, I'll have to say all home victories for sure, SF is on fire these days and should take care of business at home against another on fire squad, albeit.
I'd love to see MP prevail, but my stomach, my pancreas, my adrenal glands AND my brain tell me SF.
My left testicle is agnostic though, always...

Toulon beats Oyonnax as the exception, yes, as you said, the mythological fortress will be confronted with an all too real/tangible problem, the RCT...
as for Perpignan Toulouse, it may be spectacular and tight but I just don't know who Toulouse are bringing..I'd still guess Perpignan.

No need for a joker for me. I bet I get em all straight (hopefully I'm wrong about MP losing)

If you do, it will be a FIRST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Big Ewis]

If you do, it will be a FIRST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

no...there isn't a thing that's a first for me Gaston...<_<

 

[usap dessie]

I'm going for home wins except at oyonnax where i feel toulon will be just too strong . I'm also a glass half empty sort of guy and as im going to the perpignan game saturday night there's a small chance of them completely ruining my weekend !!! but im going to stick with a close USAP win .

 

[gaston le gaff]

Le XV de départ: Floch ; Nagusa, Tuitavaké, Olivier, Audrin ; (o) Trinh-Duc, (m) Pélissié ; Bias, Tulou, Ouedraogo (cap) ; Privat, Tchalé-Watchou ; Bustos, Ivaldi, Watremez.
Les remplaçants: Géli, Mas, Aliouat, Galletier, Paillaugue, Combezou, Sicart, Leleimalefaga.
same as last week with lots of youngsters on the bench, we are running out of players fast, please no more injuries, and below the opposition

Stade Francais....


Le XV de départ: Bonneval ; Arias, Doumayrou, P. Williams, Camara ; (o) Plisson, (m) Dupuy ; Rabadan, Parisse, LaValla ; Papé, Mostert ; Slimani, Sempéré, Van der Merwe.

Les remplaçants: De Malmanche, Attoub, Flanquart, Burban, Fillol, Danty, Porical, Taulafo

 

[Big Ewis]

^ ooh, thanks !

 

[Tony Manx]

G'day guys.......I see nothing has changed in my absence including Rodrigues saying that Fusion is like a marriage in that it takes two parties and there does not seem to be the love for it!! Get your head out of your arse Rodrigues!!

In addition, in amongst all the constructively critical comments on their Facebook site, the only blindingly supportive post has been taken by the PR machine of BO and posted on their own website where they reiterate their right to remove those that "attack" any one in the club....or censorship as under a dictatorship it would be called!!!!

Great week of weather in the Basque country, I am told, but can only imagine that the game tomorrow will not reflect that! It is normally a turgid, grim fighting (literally) affair where the fear of losing is more prevalent than the desire to win......and this will be even more so this year with the sides at the bottom of the league and the loser will fall maybe too far back to survive! The reverse fixture on the last weekend of February will certainly have a huge impact on the relegation battle!!

It could go either way and will do a Gaston and say "Tony's heart thinks that BO will win but in his head it will be AB"!!

I think that even with the injuries that Gaston is being a little ingenuous to think that MHL will not have a really good chance against Stade Fingleton and I see them winning it as am not really impressed so far with SF!!

The others will all be home including Oyonnax as I can see Toulon taking it less seriously than they should!

PS It was good of BO to get Bias off the hook!!

 

[gaston le gaff]

Yes thanks again for the defending lawyers BLANCO and Yach, rugbyrams has posted Lucien is on the bench just in case the Yach gets injured. Stade at home are doing quite well still unbeaten in their new ground + 2 away wins, i think if we had a full strengh team we would be up for the challenge, hence the Joker.

 

[Tony Manx]

As I said, do not rate Stade Fingleton as yet although there is little doubt that the improvement is fantastic over prior seasons......yet they still only just managed to outscore MHL but yield the LBP!

Good performance from the guys who were standing in for MHL..................what is the current situation re Hape, Gaston? Is he another Erinle?!!

As the ***anic sets sail, the BO lambs for the derby today are............................

Crew

1- Menini 2- Genevois 3- Gomez Kodela 4- Lund E. 5- Taele 6- Furno 7- Molcard 8- Fono
9- Roussarie 10- Waenga
11- Pietersen 12- Traille (c.) 13- Burotu 14- Ngwenya 15- Couet-Lannes

Musicians to shuffle the deckchairs..............

16- Ruffenach 17- Synaeghel 18- Lockley 19- Harinordoquy 20- Lesgourgues 21- Baby 22- Peyrelongue 23- Van Staden

Not very hopeful but at least there will not be that many BO supporters present to, as they did last week at home, boo them as if they were all mini Sebastian Vettels!!!

Come on boys, give us something to cheer for!!

 

[Big Ewis]

1/1 for me ...

 

[Tony Manx]

1/1 for me ...

0/1

 

[Tony Manx]

Oyonnax make good start with superb try....................could be one for me this one!!

 

[Big Ewis]

0/1

thought MP would edge the Parisians at home ?...nah...but they did put up a fair contest. More than some may expect with this whole home-away advantage, MP did fairly well.

 

[Big Ewis]

Can Oyo do it again ? 13-9 at the 25th minute, not bad....they must hold though the whole way of course..

Finally seeing Ali Williams as a Toulonais ! Looks weeeeeeird...he's in All-White at the moment..

 

[Saint Matt]

Great finish Delon Armitage.

 

[Tony Manx]

Great finish Delon Armitage.

Almost just almost was going to celebrate but realised just in time that perhaps he better not!! Floodgates could open but hope not as the spirit and passion from the Oyo guys is immense!!