Who are the (big) rivalries in the French game ?

[Rugga-lad]

Tried to google it, nothing.
thanks for any help

 

[Groundhog]

Biarritz and Bayonne is quite a bloody local rivalry typically I believe. You'll remember Imanol Harinordoquy's auld fella running on for a fight a few years back.

Don't quote me on this but I think there's a big Paris rivallry between Racing and Stade, as well as Stade and Tolouse.

 

[gaston le gaff]

It was once and could be once again no doubt, but rivalries have to be in the same division and and i am afraid this is not the case as Biarritz are in an inferior division the Pro D2, and Bayonne are in the TOP 14 as for the rest you have to realise the size of France and there are hardly any teams participating who are next to each other, bar the 2 Parisien teams. Rivalries exist with any team playing in the Elite Championship whether they are reasonably close (2/3hrs drive) or not

 

[Sapinou]

Of course the Krunx (Crunch written Basque style lol) Bayonne-Biarritz is the first bug rivalry to come (oh god I dream another 1934 final against them).
You have an old rivalry between Clermont and Brive too, the Parisians too.
You'll find a lot of big rivalries in pro D2 Narbonne-Beziers( the real club from Hérault ) Narbonne-USAP, Pau-Agen, Dax-Mont de Marsan, BO-Pau (BO stole Thion, Harinordoquy, Traille, Brusque, Gonzalez from Pau and the bearnais have a real big ressentement against Biarritz for That), USAP-Béziers (one of the biggest mass brawl I've ever seen, with a young Swarzewski and Nyanga in their Bitteroise years)

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

I only know of the Basque derby and Racing-SF in Paris. The one now defunct till Biaritz get up again and the other old one only now slowly getting some relevance again as RM92 has only relatively recently been promoted to the top 14.

 

[Tony Manx]

BO-Pau (BO stole Thion, Harinordoquy, Traille, Brusque, Gonzalez from Pau and the bearnais have a real big ressentement against Biarritz for That)

Haha...."stole" is a bit strong when it was about money, yes, but also them wanting to advance their careers!

On your basis, BO would "hate" most teams in the Top 14 ....Dusatoir, Imanol, Montes to ST, Barraque & Lesgourges to UBB, Lakafia, Lauret, Cronje etc to Paris.....etc etcetera

Players moving does not necessarily mean a grudge match. More about what it means to the supporters and for that there really is only one and that is BOPB v AB!!!

I have to say that that is what is holding back the inevitability of 'fusion' as the commercial grounds are overwhelming being the only way to get a truly competitive team in the Basque Country. Failing that only a huge benefactor taking over one or the other of the badly managed two clubs will do it!!!!

Of course, that does not mean there will not be a bit of an edge this weekend when BO intend to thrash Pau!!!

 

[tituslechmakus]

Well at present time, I would say the biggest rivalry is Clermont/Toulon as they are both among the strongest club teams in Champs cup and in top 14 !

 

[Tony Manx]

Well at present time, I would say the biggest rivalry is Clermont/Toulon as they are both among the strongest club teams in Champs cup and in top 14 !

Rivalry maybe but lacks a history to be a grudge match such as Liverpool v ManU or even BO v Bayonne where there is real dislike amongst the spectators. When one player left and moved the mile to BO, he had to change his doctors who would not treat him after the move!!

 

[tituslechmakus]

Rivalry maybe but lacks a history to be a grudge match such as Liverpool v ManU or even BO v Bayonne where there is real dislike amongst the spectators. When one player left and moved the mile to BO, he had to change his doctors who would not treat him after the move!!

Yep, I know it has no rivalry history, but as most of the clubs in top 14 now ... They are too far from each other to have real rivalry, like Everton/LFC, ManU/City or Real/Atletico ! But if you notice, only a few of these big rivalries are not comming from proximity ... As far as I know, only the Real/Barca, Juve/Milan or PSG/OM could be comparable. And nothing that much in rugby appart from BO/AB (not anymore though).

 

[SelimNiai]

I knew the Biarittz-Bayonne derby is big. Years ago I went to Bayonne (lovely place btw) and someone who came with us wore a Biarittz shirt, he wasn't allowed in the taxi back with us because the driver was a huge Bayonne fan and refused to take a guy in a Biarritz shirt. Off topic but a similar thing happened in Prague where someone in a taxi queue in frot of us was ignored as he had a Sparta shirt on in Slavia territory

 

[Tony Manx]

I knew the Biarittz-Bayonne derby is big. Years ago I went to Bayonne (lovely place btw) and someone who came with us wore a Biarittz shirt, he wasn't allowed in the taxi back with us because the driver was a huge Bayonne fan and refused to take a guy in a Biarritz shirt. Off topic but a similar thing happened in Prague where someone in a taxi queue in frot of us was ignored as he had a Sparta shirt on in Slavia territory

That sounds about right!!!

Incidentally, the whole area around Biarritz is fabulous and caters for everything anyone could ever want from the Mountains to the seas, the small b&B's to the top class hotels, from Rugby to surfing via Football and every other sport including easy access to the number one Spanish holiday city (outside of Barcelona) in San Sebastian.

Yours

Tha Basque Tourist board

 

[SelimNiai]

That sounds about right!!!

Incidentally, the whole area around Biarritz is fabulous and caters for everything anyone could ever want from the Mountains to the seas, the small b&B's to the top class hotels, from Rugby to surfing via Football and every other sport including easy access to the number one Spanish holiday city (outside of Barcelona) in San Sebastian.

Yours

Tha Basque Tourist board

Went on a French exchange trip. My only regret is that I went too young so didn't really appreciate it as much if I did it a couple of years later. Went around the time as the Fete de Bayonne and didn't really understand what was going on.

 

[Sapinou]

Went on a French exchange trip. My only regret is that I went too young so didn't really appreciate it as much if I did it a couple of years later. Went around the time as the Fete de Bayonne and didn't really understand what was going on.

Hahaha, as a born & grown Bayonnais I understand your feelings. You were here the best time (after a Game day at Jean Dauger), feel free to come back soin the rivalry here is si strong That you always are the bloody bayonnais or biarrot of someone, it divides even famillies you always have a cousin, a wife or even a Brother who support the other side

Tony, concerning the Section Paloise's heist by Blanco & Martin, Pau was a serious contender for Brennus at the time, ***les expectations weren't the reason. Remember, the same time Joe Rohff came too. It was very funny for us too see Sergio whining on RCT five star rooster, he was the first with Castres to make this.

 

[tituslechmakus]

Went on a French exchange trip. My only regret is that I went too young so didn't really appreciate it as much if I did it a couple of years later. Went around the time as the Fete de Bayonne and didn't really understand what was going on.

If you do it for the five days it last, then it is normal that you don't really understand what is going on ! On sunday evening, you do not understand anything anymore though !!! A bit like between 70 and 80 minute at the Millenium ;-) if you see what I mean !!!