Transfers rumours

[Tony Manx]

Gaston. You know I respect you but they've done it at a cost. The French team are a joke and been honest the Top 14 is only being enhanced by the foreign imports. In fact the only thing French about the whole thing is the soil its played on.
For someone like me who was a fan of the old French teams it's sad to see no top French side spearheaded by French men.

Whole heartedly agree!!

But just like I am not going to get to hear Peter West commentating on BBC televised rugby varsity games or internationals or see Walters reffing international games in a blazer, we are not going to see the like of the old French teams again made up solely of French born or even naturalised or qualified players!! Nor for that matter, English, Irish, Scottish teams either!!!

Indeed, in this day of defense led rugby, one wonders where those teams would be playing in this era! Doubtful it would be in the top division!!!

Memories eh?!!

 

[gaston le gaff]

Gaston. You know I respect you but they've done it at a cost. The French team are a joke and been honest the Top 14 is only being enhanced by the foreign imports. In fact the only thing French about the whole thing is the soil its played on.
For someone like me who was a fan of the old French teams it's sad to see no top French side spearheaded by French men.

You know my friend it's just the way the French are trying to bring peace and harmony to their world today by bringing the Nations together to be better people and a better world.(hence the 69 different varieties) even is their rugby is still sh** but it will improve with Noves, well it could not get any worse could it!!!!!! The only way is now up well that is after the WC.!!!!!!!!!!

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

http://www.sport24.co.za/Rugby/Super15/Goosen-on-his-way-to-WP-20150610

Johan Goosen​, Racing Metro --> WP/Stormers

Also Jano Vermaak, Toulouse --> WP/Stormers

Lets make this happen. While I'd want more I certainly see both as 'upgrades' from the departing Catrakilis and Groom.

Also. John Plumtree to WP/Stormers.. could be worse I suppose..
http://www.sport24.co.za/Rugby/Super15/Plumtree-linked-to-Stormers-job-20150610

Also, I love the Top14. The amount of foreigners makes the tournament very acessable to outsiders and lets face it the tournament is long enough and with enough teams and attritional enough (players are bound to get injured and opportunities will present themselves) to mean actual French qualified players should get more than enough time to show their wares and playng against and alongside 'imported stars' means you can get a good gauge of their ability. Lets not dump all of PSA's poor decisions and just unavoidable global realities at French club rugby's door.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

I found a picture of the entire Leicester squad for 2015-16:

Would still finish ahead of Glous

 

[gaston le gaff]

we are not dumping PSA on the French clubs he has nothing to do there and no one would let him near them, PSA and French National rugby is the problem with this issue, whether Noves can revamp and kick start the National team we will have to be patient, but although not my choice Noves will do a better job, there are enough excellent French players in the TOP 14 to make a decent National team but we need a coach who can produce the goods, PSA certainly has done nothing with Toulon and there were still loads of foreign players there during his reign.

 

[FrenchFan]

Gaston. You know I respect you but they've done it at a cost. The French team are a joke and been honest the Top 14 is only being enhanced by the foreign imports. In fact the only thing French about the whole thing is the soil its played on.
For someone like me who was a fan of the old French teams it's sad to see no top French side spearheaded by French men.

Only 3 foreign head coaches in T14, 2 next season - the rest are French: Laporte Urios Noves Landreau Labit Travers
Azema Davicarrere Ibanez Godignon Azam Collazo.

And sides like Clermont aren't spearheaded by French players?! Lopez Parra Fofana Bonnaire Rougerie Domingo etc

Stade Francais: Dupuy Plisson Fillol Slimani Sempéré Burban Arias Sinzelle etc..v 1 Parisse

More jealousy pouring out. Have you tried another tune.

 

[JJFlash]

Whole heartedly agree!!

But just like I am not going to get to hear Peter West commentating on BBC televised rugby varsity games or internationals or see Walters reffing international games in a blazer, we are not going to see the like of the old French teams again made up solely of French born or even naturalised or qualified players!! Nor for that matter, English, Irish, Scottish teams either!!!

Indeed, in this day of defense led rugby, one wonders where those teams would be playing in this era! Doubtful it would be in the top division!!!

Memories eh?!!

Gwynne Walters, if I remember correctly, used to regularly ref the Varsity match in the 60s- not sure if he was wearing a blazer, though!

 

[munstermuffin]

Only 3 foreign head coaches in T14, 2 next season - the rest are French: Laporte Urios Noves Landreau Labit Travers
Azema Davicarrere Ibanez Godignon Azam Collazo.

And sides like Clermont aren't spearheaded by French players?! Lopez Parra Fofana Bonnaire Rougerie Domingo etc

Stade Francais: Dupuy Plisson Fillol Slimani Sempéré Burban Arias Sinzelle etc..v 1 Parisse

More jealousy pouring out. Have you tried another tune.

I'm on about the players and well yeah that's it I'm jealous .
Lopez struggling to get a game. And yes teams have French guys but they're not the spearheads. Yeah French teams are stronger than us here in Ireland but our teams are more stable and built upon home talents. We haven't the budgets of French teams but equally haven't the risk for example if a money man pulled the funds out of any team then that club in France could go from top to bottom rapidly.

Perpignan was 1 of the toughest places to go in rugby up to a few years ago. Money dried a bit and now look.

 

[gaston le gaff]

The problem is maybe even too much money, while the competition is great and we see world stars week in week out, there is so much at stake so there is loads of money thrown at the Top 14 and the clubs by Presidents who want results, good or bad everyone has an opinion, i would even go as far as to say this has also become a competition between the wealthy Presidents some sort of power game amongst the super rich.
We have plenty of home produced players but as i have often said when money is available the French clubs tend to look at established world class performers as the risk with younger players is far to great for the clubs. (Chelsea fashion) That's a shame but you me or anyone else is not going to change that. I personnally think that everything should be on an even playing field but that's never going to happen, they tried that in the Grand Prix's and the stables with the most money always come out on top. As far as the National team goes there will be improvements with Noves he's a man who does not like failure, same for Montpellier and Jake White, only success so maybe watch this space. The perfect solution does nor exist so things will not change and now all the other sides in Europe will have to think harder and maybe find more money if they want to compete at Euro club level. Don't worry we will not be a threat in the WC to Ireland we could struggle to get out of the pool stages.

 

[FrenchFan]

I'm on about the players and well yeah that's it I'm jealous ��.
Lopez struggling to get a game. And yes teams have French guys but they're not the spearheads. Yeah French teams are stronger than us here in Ireland but our teams are more stable and built upon home talents. We haven't the budgets of French teams but equally haven't the risk for example if a money man pulled the funds out of any team then that club in France could go from top to bottom rapidly.

.

Lopez is currently on 20 games with his club (started 19) + 7 for France total 27 games - 28 if he plays in the final. And consistently picked ahead of James all season. If his club hadn't called him back during 6N he would have played the game v Eng. That would have been 29 games.

He's 2 games away from the 30 games limit. Not bad for a guy struggling to get a game!!

Perpignan was 1 of the toughest places to go in rugby up to a few years ago. Money dried a bit and now look

More nonsense. Perpignan weren't good enough to stay in T14 and poorly coached. They went down based on their sporting resutlt.

 

[goodNumber10]

I'm on about the players and well yeah that's it I'm jealous .
Lopez struggling to get a game. And yes teams have French guys but they're not the spearheads. Yeah French teams are stronger than us here in Ireland but our teams are more stable and built upon home talents. We haven't the budgets of French teams but equally haven't the risk for example if a money man pulled the funds out of any team then that club in France could go from top to bottom rapidly.

Perpignan was 1 of the toughest places to go in rugby up to a few years ago. Money dried a bit and now look.

what money men are those then? (genuine question)

 

[FrenchFan]

The problem is maybe even too much money, while the competition is great and we see world stars week in week out, there is so much at stake so there is loads of money thrown at the Top 14 and the clubs by Presidents who want results, good or bad everyone has an opinion, i would even go as far as to say this has also become a competition between the wealthy Presidents some sort of power game amongst the super rich.
We have plenty of home produced players but as i have often said when money is available the French clubs tend to look at established world class performers as the risk with younger players is far to great for the clubs. (Chelsea fashion) That's a shame but you me or anyone else is not going to change that. I personnally think that everything should be on an even playing field but that's never going to happen, they tried that in the Grand Prix's and the stables with the most money always come out on top. As far as the National team goes there will be improvements with Noves he's a man who does not like failure, same for Montpellier and Jake White, only success so maybe watch this space. The perfect solution does nor exist so things will not change and now all the other sides in Europe will have to think harder and maybe find more money if they want to compete at Euro club level. Don't worry we will not be a threat in the WC to Ireland we could struggle to get out of the pool stages.

Not every club has bags of money Gaston. And not all presidents have Boudjellal's ego. Most of them are largely anonymous. Most people have never heard of Clermont's president. They had to do a piece on him in the media to introduce him! The majority keep a low profile.

The problem is that every club is tarred with the same Toulon brush these days. Clubs have very different budgets with different recruitment policies.

Toulouse have the biggest budget (35M), still we don't recruit like Toulon. Bordeaux are on 15 M and only balanced their books because they have the best attendance of all. Without the support they have, they'd be in the red.

Racing have said they will change their recruitment policy in favour of more French league players - no internationals http://www.therugbyforum.com/threads/35665-Montpellier-unveil-signings-for-2015-2016?p=727969&viewfull=1#post727969

Oyonnax are on the 2nd smallest budget (14 M) yet finished 5th.

 

[goodNumber10]

Not every club has bags of money Gaston. And not all presidents have Boudjellal's ego. Most of them are largely anonymous. Most people have never heard of Clermont's president. They had to do a piece on him in the media to introduce him! The majority keep a low profile.

The problem is that every club is tarred with the same Toulon brush these days. Clubs have very different budgets with different recruitment policies.

Toulouse have the biggest budget (35M), still we don't recruit like Toulon. Bordeaux are on 15 M and only balanced their books because they have the best attendance of all. Without the support they have, they'd be in the red.

Racing have said they will change their recruitment policy in favour of more French league players - no internationals http://www.therugbyforum.com/threads/35665-Montpellier-unveil-signings-for-2015-2016?p=727969&viewfull=1#post727969

Oyonnax are on the 2nd smallest budget (14 M) yet finished 5th.

I might be wrong but I was under the impression that the Clermont president was mainly there due to Michelin being the main sponsors.

Additionally I only thought there were only a couple with sole backers like Toloun. Tolouse for example i thought was a collective backing it.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

I love how me LOLing at Matt Stevens being signed by Toulon has turned into this.

 

[gaston le gaff]

YES QUITE AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! its a french thing

 

[Patchey]

Tuilagi to Toulouse is being strongly hinted in the media...

Hmm.

 

[munstermuffin]

what money men are those then? (genuine question)

For example IF Boudjellal got bored and pulled out of Toulon they wouldn't survive the current spending solely on revenue from gate receipts and competition revenue and TV deals.
@FrenchFan there's some players that have started a lot more games here in Ireland and I wouldn't class them as spearheading a team. But if you disagree then fair enough.
@Gaston again that's a superb post with good points.

 

[gaston le gaff]

just want to clarify one thing about Toulon, they now do not need Boujellal's millions as they are now auto financing themselves, of course he injected money for several years but now he does not need to anymore and does not. He said this week he has signed for another 5 years and then thats it but if they keep on winning they will be in an excellent position financially. What you have to understand is the sponsorships and partners as massive and injected bucketfulls of money each season, we at Montpellier have over 500 big and small and hopefully this year we will be in the same position as Toulon or very close.

 

[munstermuffin]

just want to clarify one thing about Toulon, they now do not need Boujellal's millions as they are now auto financing themselves, of course he injected money for several years but now he does not need to anymore and does not. He said this week he has signed for another 5 years and then thats it but if they keep on winning they will be in an excellent position financially. What you have to understand is the sponsorships and partners as massive and injected bucketfulls of money each season, we at Montpellier have over 500 big and small and hopefully this year we will be in the same position as Toulon or very close.

But my point is it's built on massive cash injections. These investors inject as they want returns in the form of success. And don't care if players are french or foreign as long as the club is successful.
Is Top 14 the best league around? Easily yes. But the fact is it is more a soccer model now in terms of all the imports and it's very possible you will see a big club hit financial trouble.

 

[gaston le gaff]

personally i cant see why...... some maybe, the clubs that are not as strong financially but the Toulon, Racing Toulouse, Stade, Castres Montpellier and others are not going down financially they will get stronger and in a few years time there will be most of the clubs auto finanacing themselves, plus if you make a loss you are controlled by the DNGC where you can be heavily fined and be relegated a couple of divisions, Montauban, Nimes were both top flight and got relegated 2 divisions.there are also an awful lot of press rumours about how much cash in clubs there is, which are just pure and very often speculation and completely untrue..