Le Taupe XIV et la mégalomanie d'un secretaire d'état ripoux

[Torquemada 1420]

Saturday's game.

A lot to try and distil from this which had discussions going well into Sunday too.

Positives
1) At half time, Eng had played the best rugby they'd performed since the last RWC........ and were still behind. Youngs had his best game ever. Personally, I don't think under Jones they will play so well again. I know Fra could get better: we've yet to see an 80 min performance.
2) And could have led by more
- as Bernol pointed out, Jalibert was a bit clumsy and should have dotted down that try chance
- I'm not convinced that Curry was supporting his own body weight on the pen turnover on the tryline just on HT following Thomas' break
3) The defeat margin was tiny, especially in the context of the pen given against Ollivon.
4) Ollivon/Thomas contrived to blow another try with a fwd pass: personally I think Thomas overran it.
5) Jalibert had his best game for France even allowing for the missed try and some questionable tactics by the entire side in the 2nd half.
6) Tao had a great game for his 60 mins. Dave Ellis had pointed out that one reason this side has gotten so competitive is the locks (Le Roux and Willemse) not only do their locking duties but also act as additional back rows. In Le Roux's case, he's also a lineout target. I felt lock depth was a potential weakness so for Tao to put in that showing was a welcome surprise.
7) Marchand was brilliant as was Baille.

Negatives
a) Another loss.
b) The tactics in the 2nd half were woeful although some of that may have been down to ii) below but then it should have been expected and use of subs and game plan adapted accordingly.
c) Despite the tackle success and effectively having 6 backrows on the park (including Dupont and the locks), Fra failed to slow Eng ball down at all which partly assisted Youngs in having a blinder.

Glass half full
i) There were no really bad performances (maybe Haouas)........ but still lost.
ii) The worst players were Haouas, Dupont and Ollivon. We wondered if COVID had affected some players: Dupont seemed gassed at half time which really was the root of much of the loss of impetus. If so, that should fix itself.
iii) Thomas defending was better....... but still missed 3 tackles. 3 tackles that Villiere would not have missed.
iv) Penaud looked short of match fitness and really saw too little ball for a player capable of his impact so expect more.
v) Was the loss a good thing? Plenty of people though that a GS would be bad for this Fre side this early.

[laurent]

Pro D2 Crazyness

[laurent]

Agen UBB Game postponed due to covid
Racing - Stade Français in the balance
Toulon Montpellier postponed

Looks like there is going some trouble

[SaintK]

Pro D2 Crazyness

[laurent]

Toulouse doing Toulouse things


with some nice stuff at la Rochelle

Only 3 games due to covid spreading....

[laurent]

Nice one

[Tichtheid]

Premier Sports has picked up the rights to the Top14 for two years, it starts right away – this weekend’s games are to be shown and the deal will cover the 21/22 and 22/23 season

[Torquemada 1420]

Premier Sports has picked up the rights to the Top14 for two years, it starts right away – this weekend’s games are to be shown and the deal will cover the 21/22 and 22/23 season

Can't make head nor tail of their options
https://www.premiersports.com/subscribenow
What the hell is the difference between 1 and 2 and the "from £10.99" has no further detail? It all looks like it was knocked up by a 5 year old on a BBC Micro.

[Tichtheid]

Premier Sports has picked up the rights to the Top14 for two years, it starts right away – this weekend’s games are to be shown and the deal will cover the 21/22 and 22/23 season

Can't make head nor tail of their options
https://www.premiersports.com/subscribenow
What the hell is the difference between 1 and 2 and the "from £10.99" has no further detail? It all looks like it was knocked up by a 5 year old on a BBC Micro.

By the looks of it you have to have Sky tv for option one, perhaps?

If you can do so, it's best to go through a tv provider, ie Sky or Virgin, there have been a few issues with the player freezing during games. It doesn't happen often, but I have heard of it.

I get my coverage through Virgin and it's always been stable.

Also, if you do go with the player, keep an eye out around August time as they often offer 12 months for a discounted rate - I seem to remember guys on the Glasgow forum paying around £85 for the year.

[Torquemada 1420]

Premier Sports has picked up the rights to the Top14 for two years, it starts right away – this weekend’s games are to be shown and the deal will cover the 21/22 and 22/23 season

Can't make head nor tail of their options
https://www.premiersports.com/subscribenow
What the hell is the difference between 1 and 2 and the "from £10.99" has no further detail? It all looks like it was knocked up by a 5 year old on a BBC Micro.

By the looks of it you have to have Sky tv for option one, perhaps?

If you can do so, it's best to go through a tv provider, ie Sky or Virgin, there have been a few issues with the player freezing during games. It doesn't happen often, but I have heard of it.

I get my coverage through Virgin and it's always been stable.

Also, if you do go with the player, keep an eye out around August time as they often offer 12 months for a discounted rate - I seem to remember guys on the Glasgow forum paying around £85 for the year.

Cheers for the heads up.

[La soule]

Exiting finish to the T14 this year with all to play for, both for the qualification to the knock out phase and the team who will play in the barrage to stay up.

USAP v BO for the final of the Pro D2. Bo game away to Vannes made nice viewing. USAP should win that game. The hooker from BO has a lot of potential.

[laurent]

Exiting finish to the T14 this year with all to play for, both for the qualification to the knock out phase and the team who will play in the barrage to stay up.

USAP v BO for the final of the Pro D2. Bo game away to Vannes made nice viewing. USAP should win that game. The hooker from BO has a lot of potential.

Trouble With BO is the absolute Shitheads at the top.

I hope they get to the Barrage to be kicked out by Bayonne.

[La soule]

Exiting finish to the T14 this year with all to play for, both for the qualification to the knock out phase and the team who will play in the barrage to stay up.

USAP v BO for the final of the Pro D2. Bo game away to Vannes made nice viewing. USAP should win that game. The hooker from BO has a lot of potential.

Trouble With BO is the absolute Shitheads at the top.

I hope they get to the Barrage to be kicked out by Bayonne.

I hope Bayonne will stay up without having to play that relegation game. I reckon Pau would see off BO, not sure Bayonne would.

[Torquemada 1420]

Trouble With BO is the absolute Shitheads at the top.

I hope they get to the Barrage to be kicked out by Bayonne.

BO = toffs. Bayonne = workers.

In other results this week:
- Bernol's predictions 4/7
- Torq's predictions 7/7

[Torquemada 1420]

Premier Sports has picked up the rights to the Top14 for two years, it starts right away – this weekend’s games are to be shown and the deal will cover the 21/22 and 22/23 season

Can't make head nor tail of their options
https://www.premiersports.com/subscribenow
What the hell is the difference between 1 and 2 and the "from £10.99" has no further detail? It all looks like it was knocked up by a 5 year old on a BBC Micro.

By the looks of it you have to have Sky tv for option one, perhaps?

If you can do so, it's best to go through a tv provider, ie Sky or Virgin, there have been a few issues with the player freezing during games. It doesn't happen often, but I have heard of it.

I get my coverage through Virgin and it's always been stable.

Also, if you do go with the player, keep an eye out around August time as they often offer 12 months for a discounted rate - I seem to remember guys on the Glasgow forum paying around £85 for the year.

I spoke with them and basically 1 and 2 are the same if you don't already have any Sky subscription. If you have Sky, no point in electing 2 which is the online access only.

[laurent]

Bourg en Bresse Beats Narbonne in the Nationale Final.

both go up in Pro D2

Now is the Pro D2 Final.
Perpignan - Biarritz winner goes up loser plays either Pau or Bayonne to go up.
Valence-Romans and Soyaux-Angoulème go down.

This evening in Pro 14 will decide who goes on the final stages and also who is in the semi final + the barrage game.

[laurent]

Perpignan goes up Biarritz plays Bayonne for a spot in top 14

Racing and Bordeaux will host Clermont and Stade Français in the play off

Toulouse and La rochelle are straight in the semi final.

[La soule]

Perpignan goes up Biarritz plays Bayonne for a spot in top 14

Racing and Bordeaux will host Clermont and Stade Français in the play off

Toulouse and La rochelle are straight in the semi final.

A basque derby for the accession game.....Should make good viewing.

Gutted for Bayonne though. Exiting games ahead for the knockout stage. The Paris derby should be interesting for Fickou as well...

[laurent]

Perpignan goes up Biarritz plays Bayonne for a spot in top 14

Racing and Bordeaux will host Clermont and Stade Français in the play off

Toulouse and La rochelle are straight in the semi final.

A basque derby for the accession game.....Should make good viewing.

Gutted for Bayonne though. Exiting games ahead for the knockout stage. The Paris derby should be interesting for Fickou as well...

Indeed the basque / pas basque derby looks tasty if you like a good fight.

[La soule]

Oivon out for 6/9 months. Pity for the guy.

Bourgarit out for the rest of the season.

Tough for les bleus going down to OZ.

[laurent]

Clermont and SF did not make the semi finals.

Biarritz goes up amidst controversy (way over 5000 at the stadium) Bayonne blew it apparently.

[SaintK]

Clermont and SF did not make the semi finals.

Biarritz goes up amidst controversy (way over 5000 at the stadium) Bayonne blew it apparently.

Hmmm, I see what you mean
[media] [/media]

[Tichtheid]

So a rematch of the Heine, LaR v Toulouse.

C’mon Toulouse

Good to see Ntamack up and walking, it looked bad at the time

[laurent]

ASM Romagnat beat Blagnac in the Elite 1

[Tichtheid]

Terrific win for Toulouse, they were the better side, more so than in the Euro final

[Tichtheid]

Double post

[laurent]

La Rochelle Outdoing Clermont...

[laurent]

Well this is back



and Yionel is playing in Béziers.

[Tichtheid]

Well this is back



and Yionel is playing in Béziers.

We can't view the video here, but I went to watch Carcassonne a few times when I lived south of Quillan, up in the mountains. I'll be keeping an eye on their progress.

[Tichtheid]

I’m enjoying Stade v Racing, Fickou just gets better and better.

Some real Skillz on display from Racing

[Tichtheid]

Racing win 21-36 away to their local rivals Stade.

Their scrum looks gettable, otherwise with Finn and Teddy to come in, they look really good

[Tichtheid]

This evening's second offering, Toulon v Montpellier was anywhere near as entertaining as the first, but it did provide a sting in the tail at least - Montpelier earning a draw after a try and conversion around the 83 minute mark.

I can't see either of these sides troubling Racing or Stade, but it's early days.

[Torquemada 1420]

He shouldn’t have gotten a red . One more the time the TMO didn’t do his job.

It was a joke decision which decided the game.

No idea WTF your lot were doing at BO.

[Torquemada 1420]

He shouldn’t have gotten a red . One more the time the TMO didn’t do his job.

It was a joke decision which decided the game.

No idea WTF your lot were doing at BO.

I was BO way before UBB, I couldn’t stand Begles as I played them and lost too often in Crabos and Reichel.
But yes, I’ve been a Bordeaux fan since their Top14 beginning, I was born there after all.

This is the answer.

Interrogé par Rugbyrama, notre manager, Christophe Urios, s’est confié sur la performance de son équipe contre le Biarritz Olympique : “Pourquoi un non-match ? Parce qu’on n’a pas joué ? qu’aujourd’hui, on a pris une leçon d’enthousiasme, de courage, de couille et de rugby. […] Aujourd’hui, on n’a pas assez mis d’engagement ou pas suffisamment pour battre Biarritz […] Quand tu as de l’envie et de la volonté, il y a toujours un chemin. Aujourd’hui, le BO avait plus envie que nous. Le rugby, c’est aussi simple que ça. Après, vous pouvez me dire ce que vous voulez, le reste, c’est de l’enfumage“.

LOL

And yes, looked like a half arsed effort by UBB.

[Tichtheid]

Fickou is doing his thing again tonight.

There was a time a few years ago when I thought him and Fofana would be the new Charvet and Sella, now I think Fickou could be out there on his own

[Slick]

Fickou is doing his thing again tonight.

There was a time a few years ago when I thought him and Fofana would be the new Charvet and Sella, now I think Fickou could be out there on his own

He is superb.

But Sella is my favourite player of all time so I can’t have that I’m afraid.

Edit: wasn’t he just given credit for that through the legs thing for the Racing try but it was actually Beale?

By the way, have you come across Brothers in Arms by David Beresford? Incredible book that sounds right up your street

[Tichtheid]

Fickou is doing his thing again tonight.

There was a time a few years ago when I thought him and Fofana would be the new Charvet and Sella, now I think Fickou could be out there on his own

He is superb.

But Sella is my favourite player of all time so I can’t have that I’m afraid.

Edit: wasn’t he just given credit for that through the legs thing for the Racing try but it was actually Beale?

By the way, have you come across Brothers in Arms by David Beresford? Incredible book that sounds right up your street

Oh good shout, I had forgotten about that book, I meant to get it when it came out

[Tichtheid]

Sella had that thing about him, apart from the skills, pace, vision, he was hard as nails, there were a few who stood out like that in the amateur era, JPR, Gary Armstrong, Will Carling too

Edit, I don’t mean fighting hard, that’s not hard, I mean the ability to take huge hits again and again and usually come off best in a collision

[Slick]

Sella had that thing about him, apart from the skills, pace, vision, he was hard as nails, there were a few who stood out like that in the amateur era, JPR, Gary Armstrong, Will Carling too

Edit, I don’t mean fighting hard, that’s not hard, I mean the ability to take huge hits again and again and usually come off best in a collision

Yup, an incredible ability to stay on his feet in the tackle. I’ve never seen anyone glide like that either. He could also fight, fight as well apparently

I once went on a tour as a kid to France and we played Agen. As we arrived Sella wandered over and asked if we would like him to give us a bit of coaching. I don’t get starstruck but that was the closest.

[Tichtheid]

Ouch, the ref has stuffed his ankle

I know that pain, I did my ankle and the ligaments several times,