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

[Torquemada 1420]

Glad to see Rado effectively booted out of the game

https://www.rugbyrama.fr/rugby/pro-d2/2 ... tory.shtml

[Marylandolorian]

When you think it’s about 8 black players (including PI) in most of the pro teams, I don’t think he’ll be welcome anywhere near a rugby event, even as a spectator.
Imagine having Macalou or Diaby asking him which fruit they should eat.

[Torquemada 1420]

When you think it’s about 8 black players (including PI) in most of the pro teams, I don’t think he’ll be welcome anywhere near a rugby event, even as a spectator.
Imagine having Macalou or Diaby asking him which fruit they should eat.

Indeed. He'd not be safe in any dressing room.

[Torquemada 1420]

This is sh*t news
https://www.rugbyrama.fr/rugby/top-14/2 ... tory.shtml

Le Garrec was beginning to look the natural second to Dupont. Especially since Couilloud fluffed his lines badly in Australia.

[Marylandolorian]

Yep, bad news, I agree with you this kid is very promising, he’ll be only 21 for the RWC, I like the way he plays, you aren’t going to like the comparison but he looks like Parra at his beginning.
My complaint is one more time we see a 75kg 19 years old playing in Top14 getting badly injured.

[Torquemada 1420]

Yep, bad news, I agree with you this kid is very promising, he’ll be only 21 for the RWC, I like the way he plays, you aren’t going to like the comparison but he looks like Parra at his beginning.
My complaint is one more time we see a 75kg 19 years old playing in Top14 getting badly injured.

Parra never attacked the fringes though like this kid.

Yes. Although I think this says more about T14 style and tactics per se: plenty of lightweights playing in NZ. Look at Finlay Christie.

[Marylandolorian]

My beef is more about the young age/light weight correlation in Top14 injuries, also ( I looked, as I didn’t know him) Finlay Christie is 26 and 82kg.

[Torquemada 1420]

My beef is more about the young age/light weight correlation in Top14 injuries, also ( I looked, as I didn’t know him) Finlay Christie is 26 and 82kg.

Part of this might be down to styles. NPC does not look to make yards from contact like T14. I have no evidence to support this but would bet T14 has more collisions than any other league: even the Currie Cup.

The artificial surfaces seem to change this because lumbering, crash bang gets exposed by high tempo: witness how Racing and Lyon now play versus Toulon and Brive.

[Torquemada 1420]

Bernol is mostly on the mark with this https://www.rugbyrama.fr/rugby/xv-de-fr ... tory.shtml

Things are going backwards. The Ntamack thing at 12 was always going to be a crock of sh*t. Not least because so much of the good over the last 2 years was built around 2 carriers at 12/13: usually Fickou- Vakatawa. Danty coming on "normalised" that on Sunday.

A serious hiding is on the cards against the ABs.

[Marylandolorian]

I still can’t make up my mind about the Jalibert-Ntamak combo, maybe it’s a good idea if everyone was doing as planned (see Labit interview on l’E), but one thing we shouldn’t see is Jalibert in 15.

https://www.lequipe.fr/Rugby/Actualites ... ie/1298173

Even though he did a good job in 4, I think Woki should stay in 7
Don’t we have anybody better than Atonio and Tao?
Not looking for a shit fight, but Macalou was awful, why? even RR give him 3.5.

Anyway, I like this team, so much quality in almost every position but as long they don’t play as a group like the Irish showed us this weekend they won’t win anything.

[Torquemada 1420]

I still can’t make up my mind about the Jalibert-Ntamak combo, maybe it’s a good idea if everyone was doing as planned (see Labit interview on l’E), but one thing we shouldn’t see is Jalibert in 15.

https://www.lequipe.fr/Rugby/Actualites ... ie/1298173

Even though he did a good job in 4, I think Woki should stay in 7
We don’t have anybody better than Atonio and Tao?
Not looking for a shit fight, but Macalou was awful, even RR give him 3.5.

Anyway, I like this team, so much quality in almost every position but as long they don’t play as a group like the Irish showed us this weekend they won’t win anything.

Yeah. Commented on that on the English rugby thread. As far as I could tell, Jaminet was not injured so WhyTF would you move Jalibert to 15 when he's never played there before and, worse, given he is meant to be the FH, it should have been Ntamack who went out of position. Anyway, the whole build up over 2 years has been for gainline breaking centres (usually Fickou and Vakatawa) with the wings benefiting from that: Penaud, Thomas, Villiere. To suddenly change to a tactic that Fra hasn't used since the 1990s is moronic. Danty coming on made the midfield look balanced and he's really not that good.

Woki is an absolute must starter because he steals so much opposition lineout. It's f***ing invaluable. But not as a lock. Especially when there is enough competition at lock already. Tao is a joke selection: Iturria, Le Roux, Geraci, Lambi, Gabriallagues, Jedrasiak ...FFS
Yup, Macalou had a nightmare in the 1st half. When Woki went off, he took all the lineout ball which was critical since rolling mauls looked the only way Fra was going to score. Sadly I think he made the mistake of trying too hard and I doubt Galthie will ever select him again. BTW, it would have made more sense to put Macalou on the wing and move Lebel to FB..............
Atonio

[Torquemada 1420]

And here we go:

À titre personnel, on vous a souvent vu en premier attaquant pour fixer la défense adverse. Était-ce une manière de s’adapter aux qualités de Matthieu Jalibert et Romain Ntamack ?

Bien évidemment. Il vaut mieux que Romain soit sur ses pieds et apporte sa technique, son jeu de passes, ses énormes qualités. Et moi, j’ai pu servir de point de fixation, en étant un peu plus costaud que lui. Cela a plutôt bien marché. On commence à trouver des automatismes même si ce n’est pas simple. C’était notre première configuration tous les trois ensemble face à l’Argentine. Nous nous étions peut-être trompés en envoyant un peu trop Romain au contact. Ce n’est pas sa qualité première. Lui, c’est le jeu, la vitesse, c’est mieux de le laisser debout et moi au contact.

So Galthie has tolieted 2 year's of development to shoehorn Ntamack into the side.

[TheFrog]

Just read the last few posts. Agree on Le Garrec, excellent scrum-half. Young Colly isn't bad either. Add to this Lucu and even Couilloud, and France are pretty safe at 9, though Dupont will be hard to replace such is his influence on the game.

Ntamack has stamped his authority on the 10 jersey by his display against the AB. What I like about Ntamack is that he knows when is the time to pass the ball and when is the time to attack the line. Jalibert might be punchier but he does try too hard at times.

[Torquemada 1420]

Just read the last few posts. Agree on Le Garrec, excellent scrum-half. Young Colly isn't bad either. Add to this Lucu and even Couilloud, and France are pretty safe at 9, though Dupont will be hard to replace such is his influence on the game.

Ntamack has stamped his authority on the 10 jersey by his display against the AB. What I like about Ntamack is that he knows when is the time to pass the ball and when is the time to attack the line. Jalibert might be punchier but he does try too hard at times.

Couilloud blew his chance in Aus when he showed he wasn't up to intl standard (much to my disappointment).

Ntamack will probably be a one-off, flash in the pan. His game management against a 4th string Cardiff was dire. I think he had a point to prove in the AB game but time will tell if he can play consistently. My thoughts are he simply doesn't have the kicking game.

[TheFrog]

Couilloud wasn't that bad in Australia. I think he overplayed a bit, conscious it was his one chance to impress and he cooked it up. Beside, the management seems happy to keep club pairs playing together, and Luci is pretty good too.

On Ntamack, I didn't watch him against Cardiff. But the few times I saw him at 10 for France, he impressed me. Really rugby brain.

[Marylandolorian]

Kevin Gourdon learned this week that a heart problem forces him to put an immediate end to his sports career.

Sorry for the lad, I really liked him, a very smart player with great timing, as Novès said “ he wasn’t Goldorak, but he always made the right choices “

https://www.staderochelais.com/actualit ... a-carriere

[TheFrog]

Kevin Gourdon learned this week that a heart problem forces him to put an immediate end to his sports career.

Sorry for the lad, I really liked him, a very smart player with great timing, as Novès said “ he wasn’t Goldorak, but he always made the right choices “

https://www.staderochelais.com/actualit ... a-carriere

Our posts have crossed. I just opened a tribute thread for him.

[laurent]

pity really

[TheFrog]

Boxing day rugby was a major fail this year

COVID is going to break some clubs at this rate...

[TheFrog]

Boxing day rugby was a major fail this year

COVID is going to break some clubs at this rate...

[laurent]

Looks like it and it's a worry for the lower levels.

Not finishing this season would destroy the amateur game further Than laporte and his cronnies ever hoped

[TheFrog]

Clermont beat Toulouse, and a strong Toulouse line-up as well. Hope this lifts the players to higher standards of play than what we have seen so far. Happy to have Bezy back, but Hanrahan is a waste of an investment.

[Torquemada 1420]

Clermont beat Toulouse, and a strong Toulouse line-up as well. Hope this lifts the players to higher standards of play than what we have seen so far. Happy to have Bezy back, but Hanrahan is a waste of an investment.

Toulouse should have won but they really look like half the side when Dupont does not play. Was not impressed with Ntamack's game management.

[TheFrog]

Clermont beat Toulouse, and a strong Toulouse line-up as well. Hope this lifts the players to higher standards of play than what we have seen so far. Happy to have Bezy back, but Hanrahan is a waste of an investment.

Toulouse should have won but they really look like half the side when Dupont does not play. Was not impressed with Ntamack's game management.

Couldn't see the game unfortunately. I still remain faithful to Ntamack though, from what I have seen.m, he turns up for big games and reads the game well. What I like from him is that he makes the right choices in the right timing. Jalibert may have that extra zip that Ntamack doesn't have, but sometimes he tries too hard and doesn't manage very well strong movements vs weaker moments of his team.

That said... Bordeaux are ahead and I don't see enough games so I should may be shut up.

[sturginho]

Two tries for Federico Mori against Biarritz

[Marylandolorian]

Two tries for Federico Mori against Biarritz

The last one was very acrobatic, the cameraman had his tibia broken on this action.

[laurent]

Two tries for Federico Mori against Biarritz

The last one was very acrobatic, the cameraman had his tibia broken on this action.

Seriously no clue why he was this close.

I have been pitch side for years and you need to leave the space for the touch judge which was clearly not the case.

After the incident with the lineout against the all blacks I would have thought that the Refs / league would have passed the message.

At every game I have been since back in France as I am also a dirigeant I talk to the ref to tell him I'll be pitch side / back of the field.
The message is always to leave space for players and refs. (was the same when briefed at Lansdowne for the times I was accredited).

Hope he get to heal OK.

[sturginho]

Two tries for Federico Mori against Biarritz

The last one was very acrobatic, the cameraman had his tibia broken on this action.

Eek! Why didn't they show this on the YT highlights video?

[laurent]

Two tries for Federico Mori against Biarritz

The last one was very acrobatic, the cameraman had his tibia broken on this action.

Eek! Why didn't they show this on the YT highlights video?

It's on the league channel (not on the highlights)

[sturginho]

The last one was very acrobatic, the cameraman had his tibia broken on this action.

Eek! Why didn't they show this on the YT highlights video?

It's on the league channel (not on the highlights)

Sorry, I meant in the sense that the YouTube highlights video of this match didn't show this try for some reason

[laurent]

Eek! Why didn't they show this on the YT highlights video?

It's on the league channel (not on the highlights)

Sorry, I meant in the sense that the YouTube highlights video of this match didn't show this try for some reason

Shaky camera operator and unholy screaming maybe

[TheFrog]

Montpellier traveling to Toulouse and Dupont still not sure to start.

[TheFrog]

La Rochelle taking a beating from Montpellier.

When confronted to a pack that nullifies the power of its forwards, La Rochelle struggles to assert itself....

[Torquemada 1420]

La Rochelle taking a beating from Montpellier.

When confronted to a pack that nullifies the power of its forwards, La Rochelle struggles to assert itself....

I had MH to win in the FR. LaR starting with key players absent and sh*thouse West at FH meant they were always likely to lose.

[TheFrog]

La Rochelle taking a beating from Montpellier.

When confronted to a pack that nullifies the power of its forwards, La Rochelle struggles to assert itself....

I had MH to win in the FR. LaR starting with key players absent and sh*thouse West at FH meant they were always likely to lose.

I read West actually had a good game and only missed one penalty.

[TheFrog]

Would you guys know a friend who has a reliable source of Top14 feeds during the weekends? I am asking for a friend.

[Torquemada 1420]

I read West actually had a good game and only missed one penalty.

Can't say since it was not televised. Toulouse v Racing. You'd expect this to be a quality, attacking game. Instead it's a tedious, kickfest that would shame any SA team.

[Torquemada 1420]

BTW, bar one typical arcing run/break, Ntamack has managed this game really poorly (more so than Flake who has kicked almost as badly) which has contributed heavily to the loss.

[TheFrog]

After La Rochelle earlier this morning, Toulouse is the other big name falling at home.

Racing are back in business.

[Tichtheid]

Russell kicked very well, his remit was obviously to keep Toulouse very deep and that was what he did.

and Racing won