31 August 2010
|

Parisian chic? Stade Francais
centre Mathieu Bastareaud
Photo: Eoin Mundow/Cleva Media |
So, here we go again. Just four
days after round three and in the midst of a three-game
spell in nine days - there really is no rest for the wicked
in Top 14.
Top 14 Fixtures 2010/11
Round 4 is stuffed-full with
fixtures that light the imagination, with any number of
issues to zoom in on. Can giant-slayers Montpellier follow
up on their miraculous away win at Perpignan with a home
victory against Heineken Cup champions Stade Toulousain?
Top 14 League Table 2010/11
Will Toulon's disastrous start
to the new campaign suffer further humiliation away to
impressive Top 14 newcomers La Rochelle?
And what about Biarritz - with
two defeats from three - away to Perpignan - also two
defeats from three?
Read More... |
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30
August 2010
|

Brive's Shaun Perry
© Diarmid Courreges |
Brive have moved to cover the loss of injured scrum-half
Jean-Baptiste Péjoine by signing Argentine international
Agustin Figuerola.
Péjoine's expected six month absence
- due to ruptured cruciate ligaments - combined with a
calf injury to former England international Shaun Perry,
has meant that youngster Mathieu Belie has started their
last two games at No 9. But Brive have now signed the
25-year-old Figuerola on a one-year contract with an
option for another.
Top 14 League Table
The seven-time capped international
joins from Club Atletico de San Isidrio (CASI) and has
the dual attraction of being able to play at fly-half
too.
Read More...
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By Paul Dearlove, 30
August 2010
|

What future for
rugby union in Oz? |
In the latest of his exclusive
columns for FRC, Pau captain Paul Dearlove reflects
on the diminishing health of rugby union in
Australia as it struggles to compete with Aussies
Rules, Rugby League and Football...
Having just got back from a
holiday back home it is interesting to see the stark
contrast in the health of rugby union in Australia
and France. What struck me is that rugby in
Australia is dying while in France it appears to be
going from strength to strength.
For those of you not familiar
with the complexities of Australian sport, “dying”
may sound like typical journalistic hyperbole,
someone trying to whip up interest in an issue and
generate headlines. But I assure you that it is not.
Read More...
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|
29
August 2010
|
Union
Bordeaux-Bègles |
15 |
Colomiers |
20 |
|
Aurillac |
36 |
Dax |
13 |
|
FC
Auch Gers |
25 |
Carcassonne |
26 |
|
RC Narbonne |
34 |
Tarbes |
29 |
|
SCA Albi |
45 |
Saint-Etienne |
19 |
|
Grenoble |
9 |
Mont-de-Marsan |
12 |
|
Lyon OU |
22 |
Aix-en-Provence |
9 |
|
Pau |
- |
Oyonnax |
- |
ProD2 newcomers Carcassonne celebrated their
promotion from Fédérale 1 with an opening-day 25-26
away win at FC Auch Gers.
The
hosts started brightly enough and were 9-3 ahead after half
an hour thanks to a trio of penalties from Pierre-Alexandre
Dut, but Carcassonne then replied with a penalty try,
converted by former Montauban scrum-half Cédric Rosalen, as
they began to find their feet.
Dut's
fourth penalty reclaimed the lead for Auch just before the
break, but Carcassonne replied with interest as Félix Le
Bourhis, yet another former Montauban player, touched down
for the second try. Garcia was again on hand to convert,
leaving the visitors 12-17 ahead at the break.
Read More... |
28 August 2010
|

Try-scorer:
Maxime Médard
Photo: Michael Paler |
| Friday 27th Aug |
|
|
|
| Toulon |
31 |
Racing-Métro 92 |
36 |
| Saturday 28th Aug |
|
|
|
| SU Agen |
28 |
Biarritz |
23 |
| La Rochelle |
20 |
Bourgoin |
12 |
| Perpignan |
6 |
Montpellier |
16 |
| Clermont Auvergne |
33 |
Brive |
9 |
| Castres |
25 |
Bayonne |
16 |
| Stade Toulousain |
34 |
Stade Francais |
16 |
Top 14 League Table
Stade Toulousain
ran up 23 unanswered points in the second half as the
rallied from 11-16 down against Stade Francais to
win 34-16 at the Stade Municipal on Saturday night.
The victory was
richly deserved after an entertaining encounter
featuring four tries and five yellow cards, and it
lifted Guy Noves' team to the summit of Top 14 after a
bizarre weekend of results.
Read More... |
26 August 2010
|

Inspirational captain:
Thierry Dusautoir
Photo: Eoin Mundow/
Cleva Media |
We're not yet out of August and
Top 14 enters its third round on Friday as Toulon entertain
Racing-Métro 92 at the Stade Félix Mayol. The mouth-watering
clash between two of France's biggest spending and ambitious
clubs kicks off another weekend stuffed full with intrigue,
traditional rivalries and (already) crucial fixtures.
Top 14 Fixtures 2010/11
It also denotes the start of a
hectic three-game period in nine days, with Top 14's lesser
squads bound to be pushed to the limit despite the season
having only just begun. SU Agen, last season's ProD2
champions, are at home for the first time since promotion as
they host Biarritz - who have had a torrid week themselves -
while fellow newcomers La Rochelle entertain a struggling
Bourgoin side that has failed to register a single point so
far.
Top 14 League Table 2010/11
Elsewhere, the two Stades go
face-to-face down in Toulouse as the Heineken Cup champions
welcome their Parisian rivals, who are currently riding high
at the top of the table under the guidance of new head coach
Michael Cheika.
Read More... |
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18
August 2010
|

The second coming:
Juan Martin Hernández
Photo: Michael Paler |
The
after-shocks of Biarritz's
home loss to Toulon at the weekend
look set to rumble on following reports in the French press
that forwards coach Jean-Michel Gonzalez has handed
in his resignation.
According to both Midi Olympique and Canal+
the Basque club was left in a state of confusion on Tuesday
after Gonzalez failed to turn up for training. Both media
outlets also reported that he had tendered his resignation,
only for Biarritz to issue a statement denying any decision
had been taken.
"Based on the headlines today concerning Jean-Michel
Gonzalez, the president of Biarritz Olympique Pays Basque -
Serge Blanco - refutes their content.
"He
was absent from Biarritz today [Tuesday] and must meet
Jean-Michel Gonzalez upon his return, and an official
communication from the club will be made on Wednesday
afternoon.
Read More...
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|
By Joe El-Abd, 25 August 2010
|

Winning captain:
Joe El-Abd
©
RCN Toulon |
It's been a topsy-turvy start to the season for much-fancied
Toulon, but as club flanker and FRC columnist Joe El Abd
explains, an early-season home defeat may have been just the
thing to rid them of any complacency. The former Bristol man
this week talks about that home loss to Bayonne and the
backlash which followed away to Biarritz, where Toulon won
for the first time in 29 years - and under his captaincy to
boot! Take the applause Captain El-Abd...
I always think that
after you have lost a game
it's time to shut up and get to work on the training field
in an attempt to put things right. So that’s exactly what I
did last week, no blog, no interviews just hard work.
The opening weekend of
the season did not go to plan. As we all know home matches
are sacred in France so to lose our first match to Bayonne -
a team that finished 13th last season - was
inexcusable. It was the first time we had lost at home in 18
months, so we are no longer ‘Invaincu a Mayol’.
Read More... |
21 August 2010
|

Match-winner:
Kris Chesney
Photo: Michael Paler |
| Friday 20th Aug |
|
|
|
| Bourgoin |
12 |
Clermont Auvergne |
25 |
| Brive |
26 |
Perpignan |
11 |
| Stade Francais |
41 |
La Rochelle |
26 |
| Montpellier |
36 |
Racing-Métro |
19 |
| Bayonne |
27 |
SU Agen |
0 |
| Biarritz |
3 |
Toulon |
13 |
| Saturday 21st Aug |
|
|
|
| Castres |
22 |
Stade Toulousain |
16 |
Top 14 Club by Club guide for 2010/11
Big-spenders Toulon bounced back from their
opening-day home defeat by Bayonne with an impressive 3-13
away win at Biarritz - their first on the Basque
coast for 29 years.
Their victory was achieved with considerable help from their
burgeoning Brit-pack, with veteran lock Kris Chesney getting
the game's only try - and his first for the club - while
Jonny Wilkinson landed a conversion, drop-goal and penalty
to seal the win.
Toulon were also captained on the evening by former Bristol
skipper Joe El-Abd, who took over the leadership role due to
the combined absence of Joe Van Niekerk (injured) and Juan
Sebastien Lobbe (rested).
Read More... |
19 August 2010
|

Back in action:
Jonny Wilkinson
Photo: Michael Paler |
The opening round of the new
Top 14 season provided its fair share of surprises - Toulon
beaten at home by Bayonne, and La Rochelle getting off to a
winning start - but there's no rest for players as Round 2
fires into action again on Friday night.
Top 14 Fixtures 2010/11
As ever, there are any number
of tasty intrigues to highlight, but Toulon's trip to
Biarritz could just be the tie of the round as Philippe
Saint-André's star-studded squad seeks to make up for its
first-day hiccup.
Stade Francais at home to La
Rochelle may lack stardust by comparison, but it crucially
gives the early-season leaders another chance to bag five
points and extend their impressive start to the 2010/11
season.
Top 14 League Table 2010/11
Elsewhere, champions Clermont
Auvergne will be expected to pile on the points away to a
Bourgoin side which folded badly in Paris last weekend,
while Racing-Meltro welcome back Lionel Nallet and Francois
Steyn as they travel to Montpellier seeking to make it two
away wins from two.
Read More... |
18 August 2010
|

Cover boy:
Toulon's Paul Sackey
Photo: Eoin Mundow
/Cleva Media |
Paul
Sackey was England's top-scorer at the 2007 Rugby World Cup
in France, now he's moved to Toulon in order to push his
claims for an international recall in time for the 2011
competition in New Zealand.
Here,
in an extract from an exclusive interview with the superb
photo-journalist magazine
SEEN, he talks about
his new life at one of France's most ambitious clubs, his
dream of pulling on the red rose once more and what it's
like having Jonny Wilkinson as a team-mate...
Seen - Have you got fond memories of France, because
you had a fantastic World Cup here in 2007?
Paul Sackey - That’s it, and that’s another thing
because I really loved it when we were over here, and we
were here for a couple of months and I had such an amazing
time that I always said that if I had the opportunity to
come and play in France I would do it in a couple of years’
time after the [2007] World Cup. Like I said someone came in
for me and it was the only place I wanted to come to in
France so I took it. The whole atmosphere in France is
different because they love their rugby over here, it’s such
a rugby-orientated country and to be over here and
experiencing it is amazing. Just walking into Toulon, and
even in training the whole atmosphere is amazing. Sometimes
in the street it’s like a carnival here.
Read More... |
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By Paul Dearlove, 18
August 2010
|

Experienced:
Pau's Paul Dearlove
|
In the latest of his exclusive
columns for FRC, Pau captain Paul Dearlove
talks
concludes his three-part pre-season trilogy with a
look at the dark art that is the front-row...
If you’ve been
following the column over the last couple of weeks
you’ll be salivating at the thought of this, the
third and final installment. Like the conclusions to
The Godfather or Lord of the Rings, this will
contain surprises, violence and ultimately...
disappointment. Most likely because the writer has
already used his best material (just kidding, please
read on).
This week’s
column is dedicated to front rowers. It takes many
years to master the arcane art of front row play and
this long apprenticeship means that props and
hookers are often immensely experienced and also the
bearers of the collective wisdom.
A story relayed
to me from a Currie Cup game in South Africa shows
the awe in which a veteran front rower is held –
even by referees. An international loose head prop
was playing in a derby match, officiated by an
international referee. (I won’t use names as to not
embarrass those involved – let’s just say the prop
was an Os, I mean Ox, of a man and the referee was
Tappe Henning).
Read More... |
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14
August 2010
|

At the double:
Maxime Médard
Photo: Michael Paler |
| Friday 13th Aug |
|
|
|
| Stade Toulousain |
44 |
SU Agen |
24 |
| Toulon |
22 |
Bayonne |
26 |
| Biarritz |
30 |
Montpellier |
22 |
| Brive |
18 |
Racing-Métro |
23 |
| Stade Francais |
43 |
Bourgoin |
12 |
| Perpignan |
21 |
Clermont Auvergne |
13 |
| Saturday 14th Aug |
|
|
|
| La Rochelle |
22 |
Castres |
17 |
Top 14 Club by Club guide for 2010/11
Bayonne and La Rochelle were the
headline grabbers from the opening weekend of new Top 14
season.
Bayonne stunned much-fancied Toulon on
Friday with a 22-26 away win at the Stade Félix Mayol, while
on Saturday Top 14 newcomers La Rochelle beat Castres 22-17
to mark their promotion with a precious first-day win.
Bayonne debutant Yoann Huget
was the Basques' hero as he scored two tries in their
remarkable away win in Toulon.
Read More...
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13 August 2010
|

Crunch time:
Toulon's Paul Sackey
Photo: Michael Paler |
Stade Toulousain v SU Agen (Stade Ernest Wallon,
13/08/10, 18.45)
Brive v Racing-Métro 92 (Stade Amédée Domenech,
13/08/10, 19.00)
Biarritz v Montpellier (Parc des Sports Aguiléra,
13/08/10, 19.00)
Toulon v Bayonne (Stade Félix Mayol, 13/08/10, 19.00)
Stade Francais v Bourgoin (Stade Jean Bouin,
13/08/10, 19/00)
Perpignan v Clermont Auvergne (Stade Aimé Giral,
13/08/10, 21.00)
La Rochelle v Castres (Stade Marcel Deflandre,
14/08/10, 20.45)
Top 14 Club by Club guide for 2010/11
Top 14 returns to
action tonight - on Friday 13th of all days! - with the
start of the eagerly anticipated 2010/11 season. It seems,
and indeed is, barely weeks since Clermont Auvergne
finally won their maiden Bouclier de Brennus, and what
better way to start the new French campaign than with a
re-run of their final clash against Perpignan? This
time it is being played at the Catalans’ imposing home
ground (at the Stade Aimé Giral) rather than in Paris (at
the Stade de France), but both teams will be out to make
their own point at the start of the 2010/11 season.
Read More... |
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By Colin Spiro, 12
August 2010
|

Can Clermont defend
their 2010 title?
Photo: Eoin Mundow
/Cleva Media |
It may only be early August but the new
Top 14 season is almost upon us and 2010/11 promises to be
another roller-coaster ride for all those who follow the
French domestic scene.
Top 14 Fixtures 2010/11
Here at FRC we can't wait
for the action to begin - tomorrow (Friday) night - and to
help get everyone up to speed we've produced a club-by-club
guide charting recent form, squad changes and players to
watch.
The clubs are listed in the order they
finished in the league last season (hence Perpignan above
champions Clermont), with the Heineken Cup and Top 14 form
guides starting from 2010 and working back to 2005.
Hope that's all clear now here's the
guide...
Read More... |
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By Joe El-Abd, 12 August 2010
|

Aiming high:
Toulon's Joe El-Abd
Photo: Michael Paler |
On the eve of the new French season
Toulon flanker and FRC columnist Joe El Abd
gets shirty with BooStyle, talks about Toulon's hopes for
winning some silverware and runs his keen eye over 2010/11
main championship contenders.
After last Thursday
night's 25-22 victory against Stade Francais we go into the
new 2010/11 campaign unbeaten over the pre-season period.
The match against Stade was a real test and was exactly what
we were looking for before we take on Bayonne in the first
match of the season.
After last year's
disappointing season Stade looked good and I think they will
be a real force to be reckoned with under their new coach
Michael Cheika.
Top 14 Fixtures 2010/11
After the match we were
given the weekend off to rest and recuperate for the long
season ahead. I must say that the weekend off was much
needed as we now go into a period of 14 matches in only 12
weeks, which will certainly test the durability and strength
of all the squads in the Top 14.
Read More... |
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|
10 August 2010
|

Doubtful starter:
Imanol Harinordoquy
Photo: Eoin Mundow/
Cleva Media |
Heineken Cup
runners-up Biarritz have suffered a double injury
blow ahead of the opening round of Top 14 matches on Friday.
French internationals
Damien Traille and Imanol Harinordoquy both
look set to sit out their home clash with Montpellier.
Traille, who missed
the Heineken Cup final due to a broken arm, is definitely
out after picking up a hamstring injury, while Harinordoquy
sat out training on Monday due to painful ribs.
A scan has revealed
the latter has damaged cartilage and he is thus highly
doubtful for the Montpellier game.
The loss of two of
their most influential players is a major headache for
Biarritz, especially as the club has had just one warm-up
match for the new season.
Read More... |
09 August 2010
|

Mixed weekend:
Francois Steyn
Photo: Michael Paler |
Friendlies:
Aug 4th
Bayonne 27 Saracens 17
Aug 5th
Toulon 25 Stade Francais 22
Stade Toulousain 17 Bourgoin 7
Aug 6th
Biarritz 21 La Rochelle 7
Brive 29 Leicester Tigers 17
Perpignan 29 Racing-Métro 30
Clermont 26 Sale Sharks 8
SU Agen 31 Leeds 6
Aug 7th
Castres 34 Colomiers 8
Montpellier 32 Aurillac 19
The 2010/11 Top 14 season starts on Friday with Heineken Cup
champions Stade Toulousain kicking off the new campaign with
a home match against SU Agen, last season’s ProD2 winners.
Five other matches also take place on the same evening –
including a re-run of
last season’s domestic final between
Perpignan and Clermont Auvergne – before the
final match takes place on Saturday with newcomers La
Rochelle at home to Castres.
All of Top 14’s clubs
have been busy in pre-season friendly mode again during the
past week, with injuries, form, last-minute transfers,
financial concerns and international call-ups (or omissions)
adding the usual colourful backdrop as the new campaign
beckons.
Read More... |
06 August 2010
|

Uncomfortable icon:
Jonny Wilkinson
Photo: Michael Paler |
Bourgoin's
seemingly endless roller-coaster ride has taken an upward
turn following confirmation the DNACG has now unblocked four
player licences.
The Top 14 club has
been beset by financial struggles for two seasons now but
has always managed to bounce back from whatever is thrown at
them.
Last season they began
the league campaign with 12 player licences blocked and also
had to endure talk of a possible merger with Lyon OU.
Despite that the Isere club took heart from their obstacles
and put in enough winning performances to avoid relegation.
Top 14 Fixtures 2010/11
But their troubles
re-emerged this summer when the DNACG briefly sent them down
to ProD2 due to financial worries, only for the club to
successful appeal against the decision.
Read More... |
05 August 2010
|

Staying put:
Jonny Wilkinson
Photo: Michael Paler |
Toulon have refused to allow
fly-half Jonny Wilkinson to attend England's
forthcoming five-day training camp, but any potential
club-v-country row has been defused by England manager
Martin Johnson.
England's EPS squad is
due to meet up on August 8th, but with the new Top 14 season
starting just five days later Toulon have decided to keep
their influential fly-half in France.
Wilkinson, who lost his
England starting place to Toby Flood last season, is
currently resting a shoulder injury sustained during last
weekend's friendly win against Racing-Métro 92 and will sit
out tonight's home game against Stade Francais - paving the
way for Argentine Felipe Contepomi to play his first
friendly of the campaign.
Top 14 Fixtures 2010/11
Two other French-based
internationals - Stade Francais' Tom Palmer and James
Haskell will also miss part of the EPS training after
being given permission to return early back to Paris. This
compromise is a step forward from last season when Haskell's
non-release by England during a blank Six Nations weekend
sparked a furious row with Stade owner Max Guazzini. That
public spat ultimately culminated in Haskell being dropped
by Stade for their Heineken Cup quarter-final against Stade
Toulousain.
Read More... |
|
By Joe El-Abd, 02 August 2010
|

Back with a bang -
Jonny Wilkinson
Photo: Michael Paler |
Toulon flanker and FRC columnist Joe El Abd
can't wait for the new season to begin after a pre-season
camp in the Alps and three successful friendly matches. The
juices are flowing once more and the intensity stepped up a
notch with Friday's 39-10 trouncing of Racing-Métro.
The
last time I wrote my blog a couple of weeks ago
we were about to play our first friendly match of the season
against Aix-en-Provence. I always like it when the
pre-season games start because it usually means an end to
the high intensity training associated with pre season.
While training has still been tough, the emphasis is now on
rugby and getting us ready on the pitch for the start of the
season.
As I mentioned
previously the match verses Aix was organised to raise money
following the flash floods that hit Draguinon in June. On
driving through the village to the ground the damage
inflicted by the floods was plain to see and I am sure the
3000 strong crowd raised some much needed funds for the
area.
Read More... |
|
01 August 2010
|

Impressive start:
Paul Sackey
Photo: Michael Paler |
England winger Paul Sackey scored his first for Toulon
as the Cote d’Azur club beat Racing-Metro 39-10 in
their second pre-season friendly, played out in front of a
sold-out crowd at their compact Stade Felix Mayol.
Sackey’s try was one of
four scored by Philippe Saint-Andre’s side, with two of the
others coming from fellow new signings Benjamin Lapeyre
(formerly of SCA Albi) and Geoffroy Messina (ex-Stade
Francais), while lock Jocelino Suta also touched down.
England’s Jonny Wilkinson also looked sharp in his first
match back after sitting out last weekend’s 30-18 home win
against Lyon OU.
Top 14 Fixtures 2010/11
But what was looking a
near-perfect workout for Toulon turned sour after the break
when hooker Jean-Philippe Genevois – signed from Bourgoin in
the summer – sustained a fractured right wrist. The
23-year-old is now facing a three-month spell on the
sidelines – almost half the season in terms of league games
played – and his injury could lead to Toulon recruiting a
short-term replacement after having already allowed veteran
Scottish hooker Philip Fitzgerald to retire at the end of
last season. Genevois, who was capped by France ‘A’ in the
summer, was playing his first game for Toulon since signing
from Bourgoin.
Read More...
|
|
By Paul Dearlove, 29 July 2010
|

Experienced campaigner:
Pau's Paul Dearlove
|
In the latest of his exclusive
columns for FRC, Pau captain Paul Dearlove
talks
about pre-match nerves, Richie McCaw and the art of
influencing a referee in the second part of his
trilogy on the value of experience within today's
professional rugby squads.
I used to hear the older guys
saying things like “you can’t buy experience” and
I’d pretty much always dismissed it as one of those
things senior players say to convince the coaches
they should be in the team for the weekend. Now, as
a senior player myself (unbelievably, at 31, I’m the
oldest player in the Pau squad!) I am realizing just
how important experience is. Here's why...
Match Preparation.
Don’t let anyone fool you – game day is a nerve
racking experience. It doesn’t matter if you are the
biggest or best player on the field – if a guy tells
you he doesn’t get nervous, he’s lying. I remember a
former international telling me a story about how he
dealt with pre-game nerves. He asked me if I’d seen
Saving Private Ryan (remember the opening 20
minutes? Pretty hectic stuff) and to think about how
those men felt in those boats as they approached the
D-Day beaches. They knew there was a strong
likelihood they would be killed or horribly maimed.
“Imagine that feeling” the player told me “and then
think about what you have to do – it doesn’t even
come close”.
Read More... |
26 July 2010
|

Not the ideal
start: Bourgoin
Photo: Michael Paler |
Bayonne, Brive and Toulon all began their
pre-season campaigns with victory at the weekend as the
start of the 2010/11 campaign (on August 13) continues to
draw ever nearer.
Top 14 Fixtures 2010/11
Bayonne were the
first team in action as they beat Bourgoin 43-24 at
the Stade Jean Dauger on Friday night. The hosts ran in six
tries, with former All Black flanker Troy Flavell getting
the scoring underway when he touched down 34 minutes into
his first game for the Basques since joining from Japanese
club side Mitsubishi Dynaboars.
Pierre Bernard added a
second try just before the interval before Yohan Huget -
another new arrival - got on the scoresheet two minutes
after the restart. Recently capped French centre Lionel
Mazars scored Bayonne's fourth, with Rémy Martin and former
Montauban scrum-half Julien Audy adding the others.
Read More... |
|
By Carl Collett, 26 July 2010
|

Carl Collett
Photo: Carl Collett |
Australia 30 (17)
South Africa 13 (3)
Robbie Deans warned his
players before the game that the Boks would launch a heavy
attack in the opening minutes of the game, but in the first
10 minutes it was the Wallabies who had over 80% possession,
while a wild tackle from forward Jaque Fourie earned him a
yellow card and a subsequent four-week ban.
Clearly there was tension
in the Springbok camp that led to error after error, and
sure enough after 13 minutes Matt Giteau capitalized to kick
the game's opening penalty and put Australia 3-0 ahead.
The home side's lead
proved temporary however as Australia’s forward failed to
stay on their feet and the Springboks soon levelled the
score with ease.
Read More... |
|
By Carl Collett, 22 July 2010
|

Carl Collett
Photo: Carl Collett |
(French Rugby Club columnist and former
international referee Carl Collett this week talks with
former Australia coach Rod Macqueen)
Rod
Macqueen and Bob Dwyer are regarded as the two best
Australian rugby coaches of all time. To have a discussion
on rugby with Macqueen provides a clear perspective of where
Australia is in today’s competitive world rugby matches.
I spoke
with Rod about the new challenge he has given himself as
coach of the next regional rugby team in Australia, The
Melbourne ‘Rebels’, to start in the Super 15 competition in
2011.
It's
been ten years since Rod vacated the role as Australian
Coach in 1991 but his appointment is still a huge coup for
the new franchise. And while it’s no surprise to see Rod
back in the coaching seat, his role with The Melbourne
Rebels seems tailor made for a man of his character and
ability.
Read More...
|
22 July 2010
|

Toulouse will go in
search of a fifth title
Photo: Eoin Mundow
/Cleva Media |
Heineken Cup champions
Stade Toulousain will begin the defence of their
crown with a home clash against two-time winners London
Wasps.
Both teams are in Pool
6, alongside Glasgow Warriors and Newport Gwent Dragons,
with Toulouse looking to defend the title they won by
beating fellow French side
Biarritz 21-19 in last season's final.
Wasps' director of
rugby Tony Hanks said his club was excited by the challenge
of fronting up to Toulouse in their opening fixture.
"Playing the defending
champions at Le Stadium in the opening round is the sort of
big game we want to be involved in," he added.
Heineken Cup Pools & Fixtures
Biarritz start
their 2010/11 campaign with a tricky trip to Bath in Pool 4,
while Catalan giants Perpignan are away to Welch
outfit Scarlets in Pool 5.
Read More... |
19 July 2010
|

In the news: Transfer speculation continues
to swirl around Top 14 big-spenders Toulon
© RossSkeate.com 2008 |
Perpignan's
recent fly-half curse shows no sign of abating for the
season ahead following confirmation that Nicolas
Laharrague is likely to be out for two to three months.
While the Catalan club
has not yet disclosed the exact nature of Laharrague's
injury, it continues a debilitating run of injuries to their
chosen No 10s. Two seasons ago - when they won the French
title - they used nine players in that position during the
season, including just four appearances from high-profile
Kiwi signing Dan Carter.
They somehow muddled
through with a mish-mash of replacements, as well as a
number of converted fly-halves, and looked destined to go
down the same route again at the start of the 2010/11
season.
Read More... |
|
17 July 2010
|

Less bench presses,
more squats
|
In the latest of his exclusive
columns for FRC, Pau captain Paul Dearlove
talks about wasted effort, the fitness benefit of
having children and the value of experience...
I used to hear the older guys
saying things like “you can’t buy experience” and
I’d pretty much always dismissed it as one of those
things senior players say to convince the coaches
they should be in the team for the weekend. Now, as
a senior player myself (unbelievably, at 31, I’m the
oldest player in the Pau squad!) I am realizing just
how important experience is.
Gym work.
If I had my time again I’d spend a lot more time at
the squat rack and on my core strength (gainage
as it is known in France). I shudder to think how
much time and effort I’ve wasted in the gym doing
things that haven’t made me a better player. Bench
press, calf raises, bicep curls and basic sit ups
all fall into this category.
Read More...
|
|
16 July 2010
|

One that got
away:
Andy Powell
Photo:
Eoin Mundow
/Cleva Media |
The
French transfer season is now officially closed - as much as
it ever is - for clubs in Top 14 and ProD2. The latest
deadline to pass (on Thursday night) was the extended one
given to newly promoted clubs such as SU Agen, La Rochelle,
Aix-en-Provence and Carcassonne.
Top 14 Transfers 2010/11
All four
clubs were busy in the final hours leading up to the window
closure, but there is still scope for further signings as 46
players remain on the unemployed list (and have a further
month to find clubs) while the ever-diminishing number of
professionals left at bankrupt Montauban have also been
granted extra time to sort out their futures. with a new
deadline of August 5.
There is
also the season-long use of 'medical jokers' available to
clubs seeking to replace players sustaining long-term
injuries. Indeed, Toulon have already used this method
before the season has even begun with their
recent signing of Paul Perez
(as cover for the injured
Christian Loamanu).
Read More...
|
|
By Joe El Abd, 14 July 2010
|

'No rest for the wicked':
Toulon flanker Joe El-Abd
©
RCN Toulon |
After a mere four weeks off
Toulon flanker and FRC columnist Joe El Abd
has already been back in pre-season training since late
June. In his first contribution of the eagerly anticipated
2010/11 season Joe talks about fatherhood, Paul Sackey's
vehicular down-sizing, fitness training in 35 degree heat
and Friday's forthcoming charity match against
Aix-en-Provence.
They say that time
flies when you are having fun but I still can’t believe that
it’s been just over a year since our adventure in France
began. A lot has happened over the year, and not least off
the field where I became a proud father for the first time.
This in itself topped off a fantastic year.
Most people would say
that on the field we had a successful season after finishing
second to Perpignan and getting to the final of the Amlin
Challenge Cup against Cardiff. However, after losing to
Clermont in the semi-final of the Top 14 and to Cardiff a
week later in Europe everyone in the squad was left with a
huge feeling of disappointment.
Read More... |
|
09 July 2010
|

Player turned coach:
Jan-Baptiste Elissalde
Photo: Michael Paler |
Big-spending Toulon
have announced the signing of Samoan Paul Perez -
their fourth new winger of the summer.
Perez, 24, has arrived
as a 'medical joker' to cover for the still convalescing
Christian Loamanu, and joins the club's burgeoning ranks of
wide men.
Toulon had already
signed Wasps and England winger Paul Sackey, Montpellier's
highly rated Thierry Brana and former All Black Rudi Wulf
(from Auckland Blues).
Top 14 Transfers 2010/11
Perez was the top try
scorer for New Zealand club Taranaki in 2008 before being
deported after his work permit was revoked following a
conviction for domestic assault against his pregnant partner
in 2009.
Over at Stade
Toulousain, meanwhile, former player Jean-Baptiste
Elissalde is getting to grips with his new role as the
club's backs coach.
Read More...
|
09 July 2010
|

Saved: Bourgoin's fans
can cheer at last
Photo: Michael Paler |
Top
14's Bourgoin have escaped double relegation (on financial
grounds) after a successful appeal hearing with the
Fédération Française de Rugby (FFR).
The
Isère club had
previously been thrown out of Top 14 by the
DNACG - the league's financial watchdog - after failing to
show evidence they could cover their budget for 2010/11.
The
sticking point had centered on the club's reserve fund of
€900,000, which the DNACG claimed had not been banked at the
time of its ruling last week.
A
subsequent statement from the DNACG confirmed its decision
had been taken due to a "lack of explanation from the club
on time guarantees required for its ability to meet its
commitments for the 2010/11 season".
Bourgoin, however, remained confident they would win on
appeal - confidence that has now been borne out - and can
now move forwards towards the new season.
Read More... |
|
07 July 2010
|

Playing the advantage
Photo: Michael Paler |
(French Rugby Club columnist and former
international referee Carl Collett this week examines how
the differing interpretations of the advantage law are
leading to on-field confusion)
As an
international team runs onto the playing field they are
under clear instructions from their coach on how to play the
game. Surprisingly, though, it seems the referee is under
similar instructions from the refereeing coach at the IRB.
Rugby
Law is not rocket science and it is not surprising that the
IRB’s coordinator for 'Referee Development' and myself - a
former international referee - have differing views on how
the advantage law should be refereed, and indeed that
referees should be told how to referee this law, but more on
that later.
Read More... |
03 July 2010
|

France bound?
Andy Powell
Photo:
Eoin Mundow
/Cleva Media |
There
have been a number of transfers completed this week, despite
the official window closing more than a week ago, with Agen
also hoping that Welsh number eight Andy Powell will sign
for them this weekend.
Toulon full-back Luke Rooney, meanwhile, has now
completed his switch to Australia’s Melbourne Rebels,
after walking away from his previously agreed transfer to
English side Worcester Warriors.
Rooney,
a former Australian rugby league international, decided to
trigger a release clause from his Worcester move after the
club was relegated from the Guinness Premiership at the end
of last season.
Top 14 Transfers 2010/11
Now the
27-year-old is heading to Melbourne instead after spending
the past two seasons with Toulon in Top 14.
Read More... |
03 July 2010
|

More
uncertainty
for Bourgoin
Photo: Michael Paler |
The
DNACG, the league’s financial watchdog, has had a
particularly busy week with the various cases of
Montauban, Bourgoin, Tarbes, SCA Albi
and Marseilles-Vitrolles requiring their attention.
The upshot of their
latest round of hearings and judgements has resulted in
three clubs being relegated and two more being put on
financial warning. Montauban, Bourgoin and Marseilles are
the unfortunate the trio of clubs now contemplating
beginning the 2010/11 season at least one division lower
than they finished in 2009/10, while Tarbes and SCA Albi are
facing a recruitment ban until they can satisfy the DNACG of
their financial viability.
In the case of
Montauban they at least now know which division they will
play in after the FFR confirmed they will begin the new
season in Federale 1. That is a drop of two divisions for
the former Top 14 side which was initially relegated to
ProD2 after filing for bankruptcy at the end of last season
– having avoided relegation on playing results alone due to
a last-day home win against Bayonne. Still with me?
Read More... |
|
03 July 2010
|

Back in business:
Clermont Auvergne
Photo:
Eoin Mundow
/Cleva Media |
The LNR has unveiled
Top 14’s fixture list for 2010/11, with the first round of
games beginning on Friday August 13th with a
re-run of last season’s final being the pick of the matches.
Defending champions
Clermont Auvergne will travel to Perpignan on the opening
day – Friday 13th no less - with the other
opening day fixtures seeing newcomers La Rochelle at home to
Castres and SU Agen away to Stade Toulousain. All matches on
the first two rounds will be played in the evenings to ease
player hardship in the searing heat of August.
The final round of
games – the 26th – will take place on May 7th,
with the quarter-finals on May 13/14, the semi-finals on May
27/28 and the final – at the Stade de France – on June 4th.
The LNR has confirmed
that there will be two “duplicate” weekends - in rounds 18
and 21 - when Top 14 clashes with French international
matches, while all those in the France squad will also not
be released for round 19 – although it is a blank weekend in
the Six Nations.
Furthermore, to help
reduce the international clashes, there will be four midweek
rounds – the 4th, 12th, 14th
and 17th rounds.
Read More...
|
28 June 2010
|

France bound?
Andy Powell
Photo:
Eoin Mundow/
Cleva Media |
The official transfer
deadline may have passed but two major signings have moved a
step closer following weekend negotiations.
Newly promoted SU
Agen are reported to be close to signing Wales
international Andy Powell from Cardiff Blues, while
Stade Francais are in discussion with veteran All
Blacks fly-half Andrew Mehrtens.
Powell's capture by
Agen is being seen as the final piece of their summer
recruitment as they seek to strengthen for the challenge of
Top 14. The 28-year-old has previously played in France with
Béziers and would bring international savvy to the base of
the scrum.
Top 14 Transfers 2010/11
His stature within the
Welsh set up has fallen somewhat following his notorious
drink-driving escapade in a golf buggy last season, and a
fresh start across the Channel may be just what the British
Lions tourist needs to revive his career.
Read More... |
|
27 June 2010
|

Nightmare:
Marc Lièvremont
Photo:
Eoin Mundow
/Cleva Media |
Argentina thrashed France by a record 41-13 margin on
Saturday night as 'Les Bleus' were comprehensively outplayed
in Buenos Aires.
Not only
was it Argentina's biggest ever win against France, it was
also their fourth in a row at home against 'Les Bleus', and
ended a traumatic week for French sport.
Marc
Lièvremont's team had hoped not only to bounce back from
their South African humbling two weeks ago - when they lost
42-17 - but also to put a smile back on their supporters'
faces after the humiliating manner of the national football
team's exit from the ongoing World Cup.
They
were, however, shunted aside once more as France-based
fly-half Felipe Contepomi led the Pumas' rout. The Toulon
player collected a match haul of 31 points as he scored two
tries, three conversions and five penalties at the Estadio
José Amalfitani.
Read More... |
|
27 June 2010
|

Confused identity? Deans is
imposing an All Black mentality
Photo: Michael Paler |
(French Rugby Club gives a big welcome to former
international referee, part-time French resident and rugby
journalist Carl Collett as the Australian joins the site as
our latest columnist to give us a flavour of life Down
Under. This week he examines how former All Black Robbie
Deans is coping as the head coach of Australia's currently
struggling national side)
What
would qualify an All Black to be welcome in the Wallaby
camp? A good question, easily answered. He needs a great
playing record, international caps for the All Blacks and
the best coaching record to date in the Super 12 and Super
14 competition.
Read More...
|
|
27 June 2010
Montpellier Hérault
Rugby Club may be a model for modern-day rugby success –
with its 14,000 all-seater stadium and burgeoning academy
system – but all is not well behind the scenes at the
Mediterranean side.
Montpellier – or MHRC
as it is referred to in France – was only founded 24 years
ago and yet, despite being in a largely football dominated
city, has managed to battle its way into Top 14 and stay
there for the past seven seasons. That is no mean feat, as
shown by the trials of various other clubs that have come
unstuck after promotion from ProD2, and along the way it has
helped produce a clutch of young French internationals such
as current fly-half Francois Trinh-Duc, flanker and club
captain Fulgence Ouedraogo, number eight Louis Picamoles
(now at Stade Toulousain) and scrum-half Julien Tomas.
Read More...
|
|
25 June 2010
|

Familiar foe:
Juan Fernandez-Lobbe
Photo: Michael Paler |
The
energy-sapping 2009/10 season will finally grind to a halt
on Saturday for France's rugby players, with 'Les Bleus'
taking on Argentina in Buenos Aires as they seek to restore
pride to the nation's disillusioned sports fans.
The
public disgrace of France's bickering and inept football
squad has led to a national outcry here this week, but Marc
Lièvremont's team have the opportunity to lift the mood with
a victory against the Pumas on Saturday night.
A win
would also help dissipate some of the disappointment of
their recent 42-17 hammering by South Africa in Cape Town,
although Lièvremont has already stated that result has
"ruined" their summer tour.
The coach was not amused by the team's lack
of cohesion, or effort, and has thus made sweeping changes
to his starting XV for Saturday's game. Most notably he has
named a new-look centre pairing of Lionel Mazars and Florian
Fritz, while Jérôme Porical comes in for his first start at
full-back in place of Clement Poitrenaud, and winger Julien
Malzieu replaced club colleague Aurélien Rougerie out wide.
Read More... |
|
25 June 2010
|

Back in training:
Juan Martin Hernandez
Photo: Michael Paler |
Racing-Métro 92
returned for pre-season training this week bolstered by
several new additions, most notably Argentine international
Juan Martin Fernandez.
'El Magico' is back in
Paris just one year after being forced out by city rivals
Stade Francais, although his training is restricted to
jogging at present as he continues his rehab following a
back operation.
Fernandez's surgery
severely curtailed his one-off season with the Natal Sharks,
eventually leading the South African outfit to sign Brive
and England fly-half Andy Goode on a short-term loan deal.
"Physically I am fine,"
Fernandez told L'Equipe. "I ran and did not feel back
pain. I train without fear and everything is under control,"
he added.
Read More...
|
|
23 June 2010
|

Together again: Parra
and Francois Trinh-Duc
Photo:
Eoin Mundow/
Cleva Media |
France
head coach Marc Lièvremont has made seven changes to his
starting XV for Saturday's Test against Argentina in Buenos
Aires.
His
revamped side reflects his dissatisfaction with the effort
shown in their 42-17 humbling against South Africa two weeks
ago, with both full-back Jérôme Porical and centre Lionel
Mazars coming in for their full international debuts.
Both
impressed during last weekend's 37-14 victory over Argentina
'A' and now have their chance to stake a claim for France's
World Cup squad.
Other
back line changes include winger Julien Malzieu coming in
for club colleague Aurélien Rougerie, while Stade Toulousain
centre Florian Fritz gets his first start under Lièvremont
after Perpignan duo Maxime Mermoz and David Marty were both
dropped.
Read More... |
|
22 June 2010
|

Uncertain starter:
Felipe Contepomi
Photo: Michael Paler |
Argentina captain Felipe Contepomi is in the Pumas' squad to
face France on Saturday despite going off injured in their
latest defeat by Scotland.
Contepomi, who plays his club rugby with Top 14 side Toulon,
was forced off after 62 minutes with an injury to his left
knee.
Argentina will be desperate to win the match after suffering
successive home defeats to the Scots, and their recent
rivalry with France will ensure a full-blooded contest.
France
coach Marc Lièvremont appeared to have tongue firmly planted
in cheek when he described the match as "a little game
between friends", but 'Les Bleus' will also be keen to end
their gruelling season with a win after their recent
hammering by South Africa.
France,
who name their team later today (Tuesday), will definitely
be forced to make one change from the side overwhelmed 42-17
two weeks ago as debutant Wenceslas Lauret has been ruled
out.
Read More... |
|
22 June 2010
The 2010/11 league
fixtures will be unveiled by the LNR on Thursday and rumour
has it that they want to begin the new season with a
headline grabbing match, perhaps Toulon against new
champions Clermont Auvergne.
What is certain is the
new season will begin on Friday August 13th - unlucky for
some - with the first two rounds of matches scheduled to be
played in the evening to try and protect players against the
heat.
Most Top 14 teams are
now back in pre-season training with the current emphasis on
fitness as they build towards to the new league campaign. A
number of friendlies have also now been confirmed (see
below).
Top 14 Transfers 2010/11
One team notable by its
absence will be Montauban, now preparing for life in French
rugby's amateur ranks, although many of last season's squad
have now found new employment with other sides in Top 14 and
ProD2.
Read More...
|
|
19 June 2010
|

Much to ponder:
Marc Lièvremont
Photo:
Eoin Mundow/
Cleva Media |
Two
tries from Clermont Auvergne winger Julien Malzieu helped
France to a comfortable, if unconvincing, 37-14 win against
Argentina 'A' in La Plata.
'Les
Bleus' breezed into a 25-0 lead just one minute before half
time, with Malzieu, fellow winger Marc Andreu and full-back
Jérôme Porical all scoring at the Estadio de Vélez
Sarsfield.
But
Argentina grabbed a try back just before the break through
Martin Bustos Moyano and then largely outplayed France in
the second half as Marc Lièvremont's team appeared to relax
ahead of next weekend's full Test.
Malzieu
added a second try 15 minutes from time, with Stade
Toulousain's Grégory Lamboley adding their fifth try on 79
minutes. There was still time for Argentina's second try
when Miguel De Achaval touched down in injury time, with
Moyano adding his second conversion.
Read More... |
|
19 June 2010
|

Man in charge:
Michael Cheika
Photo: Michael Paler |
Stade Francais'
new head coach Michael Cheika has clearly got into
the swing of French rugby, likening managing a club to a
successful marriage after his first week in the capital.
The Australian has been
running his eye over what's left of the Stade Francais squad
- due to international commitments - and said he was more
than happy to work with what he has after a close-season
that saw twice as many departures (eight) than arrivals
(four).
Top 14 Transfers 2010/11
"We are aware there is
work to be done but the club has made a big effort and for
me the infrastructure was paramount, more so than player
recruitment," said Cheika after his first week in the job.
He told L'Equipe
that he arrived unhindered by the negative vibes surrounding
the club's traumatic 2009/10 season, and hoped his squad
would respond in kind.
Read More...
|
Last updated: 17 June
2010
|

Back in Paris:
Juan
Martin Hernández
Photo: Michael Paler |
The transfer window for Top
14 has now officially closed, with only newcomers La Rochelle and SU Agen
given an additional month to bolster their squads after promotion from
ProD2.
Big spenders
Toulon (12 signings) and Racing-Métro 92 (11) have again been
among the busiest clubs, with the cash-rich duo signing a combined
total of 23 new players between them. Bayonne (11), Agen (11)
and Montpellier (10) have also been in frenetic mood, but it
is the quality of the new arrivals at Toulon and Racing that
sets them apart.
Toulon's
recruits include England winger Paul Sackey, former All
Blacks Carl Hayman and Rudi Wulf, as well as Wallaby
legend George Smith. In addition they have picked up some of
the best young French talent around with the likes of
Thierry Brana, Benjamin Lapeyre and Jean-Philippe Genevois
all
joining the ambitious Cote D'Azur outfit.
Read More... |
|
13 June 2010
|

Honest:
Thierry Dusautoir
Photo:
Eoin Mundow/Cleva Media |
France
and England both came unstuck as they started their Southern
Hemisphere tours on Saturday.
Marc
Lièvremont's Grand Slam winners were ruthlessly brushed
aside by World Champions South Africa, going down 42-17 in
Cape Town, while Martin Johnson's England lost 27-17 to
Australia in Perth despite being awarded two penalty tries.
Lièvremont had spoken before Saturday's game about his fears
that France's tired squad could be exposed, and so it proved
as the Boks ran in five tries to record their convincing
win.
The home
side raced into a 17-0 lead after just 10 minutes with
number eight Pierre Spies and winger Gio Aplon both going
over. Morne Steyn's unerring boot added a further seven
points via two conversions and a penalty before France were
given a glimmer of hope by a try of their own from Clermont
winger Aurélien Rougerie.
Read More... |
11 June 2010

Bankrupt
Montauban have been thrown out of France's
professional rugby leagues, with the further threat of
liquidation still a possibility.
The
Tarn et Garonne outfit finished 12th in Top 14 last
season but were
subsequently relegated to ProD2
after filing for bankruptcy, saving Bayonne's
blushes in the process. But now they have suffered a
second body blow after being demoted even further having
failed to convince the DNACG - the league's financial
watchdog - they had a viable budget to play in ProD2 for
the 2010/11 season.
Top 14 Table
/
Top 14 leading scorers
/
Top 14 Results
/
Top 14
Fixtures
That
means the club, which was playing in the Heineken Cup as
recently as 2008/9, will now drop down to the amateur
ranks of the Fédérale divisions, although to which one
is still undecided. The DNACG and the LNR have both
confirmed the double drop, with Aix-en-Provence now
becoming the second club to benefit from Montauban's
financial malaise.
Read More... |
|
10 June 2010
|

On the charge: Action
from France A's win
Photo:
Joesephfotos.com |
France
scrum-half Morgan Parra is seeking to cap an
extraordinary season with victory against South Africa in
Cape Town at the weekend.
The
21-year-old has already featured prominently as France
landed the Six Nations Grand Slam, and doubled his delight
by also winning the Top 14 crown in his maiden season with
Clermont Auvergne.
Now he
is relishing the opportunity to front up against the World
Champions on their own turf.
“The key
is to match them in the areas of aggression and
combativeness,” he said. “They are very good at keeping the
ball, and using up time and also gaining the advantage line.
If we are able to make our presence felt in the tackle and
are aggressive in defence, our own game will come into place
little by little,” he told AFP.
France
debutant Wenceslas Lauret has admitted that his
inclusion in Saturday’s starting XV came as a shock.
Read More... |
|
08 June 2010
|

Back in blue:
Aurélien Rougerie
Photo: Eoin Mundow
/Cleva Media |
France
head coach Marc Lièvremont has named his starting XV to face
the Springboks in Cape Town on Saturday, with Biarritz
youngster Wenceslas Lauret earning his first cap.
The
21-year-old was surprisingly preferred at number eight to
Stade Toulousain's Louis Picamoles (15 caps) and will
feature in a back row alongside captain Thierry Dusautoir
and Clermont's Julien Bonnaire.
Lièvremont described Lauret as "a very good player" and said
he had been impressed by the 21-year-old during the build-up
to France's tour.
"He gave
us complete satisfaction in the first four days of training.
It is a great story and I hope it will not stop there,"
added Lièvremont.
Read More...
|
07 June 2010
|

Winging in?
Cédric Heymans
Photo: Michael Paler |
Toulon
are reportedly on the verge of yet another major transfer coup as
they seek to make up for the disappointment of seeing Sonny
Bill Williams return home to New Zealand.
The
cash-rich club is not used to being snubbed and, according
to Midi Olympique, is now courting Stade Toulousain
and France winger Cédric Heymans to join their roster of
international stars.
Heymans,
32, still has two years left on his contract with the
European champions but as with George Smith -
who signed for
Toulon last week - he was recently in close contact with
head coach Philippe Saint-André as part of the Barbarians
squad which played against England and Ireland.
Top 14 Transfers 2010/11
Heymans,
capped more than 50 times by France, may feel it is time for
a change after being dropped to the bench by Toulouse for
the Heineken Cup final in preference for Maxime Médard. The
17-time French champions also bolstered their wing resources
at the end of last season by signing Fijian flyer Vilimoni
Delasau from Montauban.
Read More... |
|
06 June 2010
|

Sidelined:
Mathieu Bastareaud
Photo: Michael Paler |
Toulon’s
Sonny Bill Williams has reportedly turned down a
massive $6m contract offer in order to return to New Zealand
and push for an All Blacks World Cup berth.
The
highly talented 24-year-old had been courted by the NZRU for
months, with All Blacks head coach Graham Henry even meeting
the player to discuss his future. At the same time cash-rich
Toulon tabled a three-year deal said to be worth $6m to
retain the centre’s services, but it seems the lure of the
All Blacks shirt – and the 2011 World Cup on home turf –
proved too great for Williams to refuse.
Top 14 Transfers 2010/11
He has
now signed an 18-month contract with the NZRU, although it
remains unknown which club franchise he will play for.
According to the Sydney Morning Herald an official
announcement will be made later this week, with Auckland a
possible destination as Williams and his partner have
property there.
Read More... |
|
05 June 2010
|

Barbarian brothers: Toulouse duo Byron Kelleher
and Jean-Baptiste Elissalde, who played his final game
Photo: Michael Paler |
Jean-Baptiste Elissalde kicked a penalty to help the
Barbarians beat Ireland 29-23 in Limerick on Friday in his
final game before retiring.
The
32-year-old will now put his energies and talents into his
new role as Stade Toulousain's backs coach, having succeeded
Philippe Rouge-Thomas.
Elissalde won three Heineken Cups during his playing career
with Stade Toulousain, scoring 1,929 points in 239 matches
for Europe's most successful club team.
He also
made 35 appearances for France and was cherished for his
versatility in being able to play at either scrum-half or
fly-half.
Read More... |
|
04 June 2010
|

Busy: Toulon
coach Saint-André
Photo: Michael Paler |
George Smith, the world's most capped international
flanker, has become the latest star player to sign up for
Toulon.
Smith,
29, has a agreed a one-year deal with the option of a
second, and bolsters a back row already swaggering with the
class of club captain Joe van Niekerk and Juan Fernandez
Lobbe.
The
Australian announced his international retirement earlier
this year after amassing 110 caps for the Wallabies, and
joins the French side from Super 14 outfit ACT Brumbies.
His
recruitment is yet another transfer coup for the team which
finished second in Top 14 last season, following the likes
of England winger Paul Sackey and former All Blacks prop
Carl Hayman.
Top 14 Transfers 2010/11
Smith's
move was finalized while on tour with the Barbarians, who
are being coached by Toulon's Philippe Saint-André, and also
include future team-mates Sackey and Ross Skeate. Clearly
Saint-André has made the most of the opportunity to do a
spot more recruitment as he seeks to strengthen a squad that
narrowly missed out on both European and domestic honours
this season.
Read More... |
|
31 May 2010
|

Try double:
Paul Sackey
Photo: Michael Paler |
Toulon-bound
winger Paul Sackey grabbed two tries under the tutelage of
future coach Philippe Saint-André as the Barbarians gave
England plenty to think about at Twickenham.
Sackey's
brace helped the invitational side rally from 32-7 down with
a vibrant second-half performance, before Martin Johnson's
team closed the match out to win 35-26.
Sackey,
who has signed for Toulon from London Wasps, was joined on
th scoresheet by Stade Toulousain prop Census Johnstone,
while Jean-Baptiste Elissalde kicked three conversions for
the Barbarians.
Stade
Francais flanker James Haskell also scored a try, sprinting
in from 50m to open England's account during Sunday's
entertaining encounter.
Read More... |
30 May 2010
|

Victorious :
Aurélien Rougerie
Photo: Eoin Mundow/
Cleva Media |
At first
he appeared to be trying to hide them, but as the seconds
ticked down towards
Clermont's victory so the
tears welled up ever more on Vern Cotter's weather-beaten
face.
The
38-year-old Kiwi took over the coaching reins at Clermont in
2006 and has now led them to the Top 14 final in each of his
four seasons in charge, but until Saturday night he was as
embroiled in their continual failures as any player that has
ever pulled on the club's famous yellow and blue shirts.
Now,
finally, he can kick back and laugh at all those 'chokers'
headlines, dismissing talk of a 'curse' and look forward to
a whole year (at least) of his team deservedly being
described as champions.
They did
it the hard, that's for sure, but they have now done it, and
that is all the matters. At the 11th time of asking they
finally lifted the Bouclier de Brennus, and in so doing
became the first team to do so since the play-offs were
introduced after finishing outside the top two.
Read More... |
|
29 May 2010
|

Let the party begin:
Clermont celebrations
Photo: Eoin Mundow
/Cleva Media |
Perpignan 6 (6)
Clermont Auvergne 19 (13)
Stade de France
The
waiting is finally over. One hundred years of pain, 10
losing finals and talk of a Top 14 curse can all now be
consigned to the bin - Clermont Auvergne are French
champions.
The
Michelin-backed club sparked riotous scenes both in Paris
and back in Montferrand after they downed defending
champions Perpignan 19-6 to bring to an end one of the
sorriest losing runs in professional sport.
‘Les
Jaunards’ had infamously lost all 10 of their previous final
appearances, including the last three in succession, but
they made it 11th time lucky thanks to another
superb forwards' display and an assured performance from
21-year-old France scrum-half Morgan Parra.
Read More...
|
|
28 May 2010
|

Back in action:
Julien Dupuy
Photo: Michael Paler |
Julien Dupuy will begin his rugby rehabilitation as part
of the France 'A' squad contesting this summer's Churchill
Cup.
The
Stade Francais and France player missed the entire second
half of the season after being
banned for 23 weeks for an eye-gouging
incident in his club's Heineken Cup clash with
Ulster on December 12 2009.
He has
not played any competitive rugby since then, not only
missing Stade's remaining league games but also losing his
France starting spot to Clermont youngster Morgan Parra.
But now
he has been handed the opportunity to get his international
claims back on track as part of the France 'A' squad this
summer.
Dupuy
will be desperate not only to get back on the pitch, but
also to push his own chances of making the full France squad
for next year's World Cup.
Read More... |
|
27 May 2010
|

Barbarian:
Byron Kelleher
Photo: Michael Paler |
Toulon
head coach Philippe Saint-André has ensured there is more
than a whiff of 'je ne sais quoi' among the Barbarians'
squad to face England at Twickenham this Sunday.
Saint-André is in charge of the Barbarians for this match -
and their subsequent game against Ireland - and his
connections have helped bring in 11 France-based players (as
well as Toulon-bound Paul Sackey) as they help England
prepare for their summer tour to Australia and New Zealand.
The
Barbarians have no less than four of Stade Toulousain's
Heineken Cup winners in their starting line-up (Florian
Fritz, Cédric Heymans, Jean-Baptiste Elissalde and Byron
Kelleher), with a further place on the bench for prop Census
Johnstone.
For
Elissalde it represents a suitably high-profile swansong
after the 31-year-old confirmed his retirement in the
aftermath of Toulouse's victory last weekend. The popular
French international will start at fly-half ahead of taking
up the role of backs coach at the four-time European
champions.
Read More... |
By Colin Spiro, 27 May 2010
|

Captain on a mission:
Aurélien Rougerie
Photo: Eoin Mundow/Cleva Media |
If
championships were won by perseverance alone then Clermont
Auvergne would not currently be staring at a blank trophy
cabinet and a devastating record of having lost all 10 of
their previous French finals.
The fact
the last three of those have come in successive seasons
(2007, 2008, 2009) has merely heightened their pain, and the
unwanted tags of 'chokers' and 'perennial bridesmaids' will
remain in place until that ghastly sequence is broken.
Top 14 Table
/
Top 14 try-scorers
/
Top 14 Results
/
Top 14
Fixtures
On
Saturday 'Les Jaunards' will take up Thomas H Palmer's
proverb and 'try, try again' as they enter their fourth
consecutive Top 14 final, this time in a re-run of last
year's battle with defending champions Perpignan.
Last
time out
they lost 22-13 and their
tale of final misery dates back to 1936, when they were
downed by RC Narbonne 6-3. They made the final again the
following season, but lost to little known CS Vienne 13-7,
while their next defeat (in 1970) was to La Voulte Sportif
(who they?) when they were beaten 3-0.
Read More... |
25 May 2010
|

Future coach?
Jean-Baptiste Elissalde
Photo: Michael Paler |
Heineken Cup winner
Yannick Jauzion has been ruled out of France's summer
internationals after picking up an elbow injury in Stade
Toulousain's weekend win over Biarritz.
The 31-year-old, capped
68 times by France, will be replaced by Florian Fritz,
his centre partner at Stade Toulousain for the games against
South Africa and Argentina.
Fritz, 26, is currently
in England ahead of this weekend's non-cap international
against the Barbarians and will now hope to add to his 17
appearances for 'Les Bleus'.
His call up comes just
days after helping Toulouse to their record fourth Heineken
Cup triumph, with the centre playing an integral role as he
kicked one long range penalty and also slotted an
opportunistic drop-goal while his side were temporarily down
to 14 men.
Top 14 Transfers 2010/11
Back in Toulouse the
victory hangovers are just about subsiding, but head coach
Guy Noves has already turned his attention to next season's
campaign, specifically with a back-room shake up following
confirmation that backs coach Philippe Rouge-Thomas
will leave the club this summer.
Read More... |
|
24 May 2010
|

Heading
home:
Brive's Steve Thompson
© Diarmid Courreges |
Toulon's failure to
kick an early second-half penalty against Cardiff cost them
dearly, according to both the club's owner (Mourad
Boudjellal) and its head coach (Philippe Saint-André).
The French side were
leading 13-6 at the time after a buoyant first period and
looked to be heading for their first European trophy, but
Fernandez-Lobbe took a quick tap penalty in the 45th minute
instead of handing the ball to England fly-half Jonny
Wilkinson.
Toulon failed to gain
anything from the quick penalty and five minutes later their
game fell apart after Wilkinson collapsed trying to kick a
far more difficult attempt from the sidelines.
Cardiff immediately
seized upon the temporary confusion caused by Tom May being
switched from centre to fly-half and the Blues then rattled
up 22 points in 20 minutes
to seal the win.
Read More... |
|
24 May 2010
La
Rochelle will play in Top 14 next season after Benjamin
Dambielle's unerring boot guided them to a highly
entertaining 32-26 victory against Lyon OU in the ProD2
play-off final at Brive's Stade Amédée Domenech.
The
former Brive and Biarritz full-back kicked six penalties and
two conversions to help the 'Maritimers' overcome a
blitzkrieg start by Lyon, who ran in three tries in the
opening half hour.
Former
London Irish and Gloucester winger James Bailey was first to
cross the line when he touched down for Lyon after just
three minutes to give them the perfect start.
Outside
centre Cédric Leite was next over, on 18 minutes, when he
capitalised on a break by fellow centre Vinaya Wakanivuga,
while Bailey doubled up just six minutes later after a rare
dominant scrum from Lyon. Full-back Pierre-Yves Montagnat
missed the latter two conversions, but Lyon were still 20-9
to the good at that point.
Read More... |
|
23 May 2010
|

Toulon
fly-half
Jonny Wilkinson
Photo: Michael Paler |
Cardiff 28 (6)
Toulon 21 (13)
Two tries in four
second-half minutes did for Toulon as Cardiff Blues rallied
from a 6-13 half-time deficit to eventually beat the French
side 28-21 in Marseille.
It was a second
successive weekend of heartbreak for Philippe Saint-André's
side - following their extra-time defeat to Clermont in the
Top 14 play-offs - and means that Jonny Wilkinson and
company will end the season empty-handed.
Indeed, the England
fly-half didn't even get to play out the match after being
forced off with a back injury in th 47th minute after
failing with a penalty attempt.
His side were 13-6 up
at the time, but his replacement Tom May - who was moved
from the centres - was immediately under pressure as he
failed to clear his lines. Welsh centre Jamie Roberts
touched down minutes later as Cardiff capitalized on
Toulon's uncertainty, with Ben Blair levelling the scores
with his simple conversion.
Read More... |
|
By Ollie Phillips, 22 May 2010
|

Not this
time:
Ollie Phillips
Photo: Michael Paler |
[FRC columnist Ollie Phillips, IRB Sevens Player of the
Year, Stade Francais winger and FRC columnist Ollie
Phillips talks about missing out on playing fort England,
reflects on his first season in France and looks ahead to
the arrival of Michael Cheika].
The season may be over as far as Stade Francais are
concerned – indeed, it finished two weeks ago - but
until Friday I thought I still had a few games left
to play, but this time for England’s sevens team.
Unfortunately that opportunity to play a couple of
IRB tournaments, including this weekend at
Twickenham, has now been taken away from me due to
an ongoing player-release dispute in France.
Essentially it involved four players who were not
released by their clubs to play for the France
sevens team, and who have now been dropped from the
full French side to tour South Africa and Argentina
this summer.
Read More...
|
23 May 2010
|

Let the party begin:
Joy for Toulouse
Photo: Eoin Mundow
/Cleva Media |
Stade Toulousain
21 (12)
Biarritz Olympic 19 (9)
French giants Stade
Toulousain withstood a late rally from Biarritz to claim their fourth
European crown as they beat the Basques 21-19 on a gloriously sunny
afternoon in Paris.
Guy Noves’ team failed
to score a try – although not for want of trying – but the combined boots of
David Skrela (15 points) and Florian Fritz (six) proved sufficient as they
continually capitalized on the utter dominance of their pack in the scrums.
Heineken Cup Pools & Fixtures
Time and again the
Toulouse forwards pulverized their Biarritz opponents, causing such havoc at
the set piece that at times it looked like men against boys.
But Toulouse didn’t have
it all their own way, and they struggled especially at the lineout, where
Imanol Harinordoquy and Jérôme Thion were both outstanding for the Basques.
Read More... |
|
16 May 2010
Lyon OU
will play La Rochelle in the ProD2 play-off final, with the
winners securing promotion to Top 14.
Lyon,
who finished second in the league, went through thanks to a
29-13 home win against Pau that takes coach Raphael
Saint-André one step closer to competing against his brother
(Toulon’s Philippe) in next season’s Top 14 championship.
ProD2 Table
/
ProD2 Top scorers
/
ProD2
Fixtures & Results
The
hosts were always in control after Pau gifted them four
penalties in the opening quarter of an hour – all gratefully
kicked by Pierre-Yves Montagnat – and their superiority was
further consolidated when Pau full-back Clement Fromont was
harshly yellow-carded for a trip.
Read More...
|
15 May 2010
|

Toulon's Jonny Wilkinson
kicked 16 points
Photo: Michael Paler |
Clermont Auvergne
35 (6)
Toulon 29 (9)
after extra-time (at 22-22)
Stade Geoffroy Guichard, Saint-Etienne
Jonny
Wilkinson's hopes of leading his Toulon side to Top 14 glory
in his maiden season with the club were dashed by agonizing
extra-time defeat against Clermont Auvergne.
The
England World Cup winner kicked 16 points, including
sumptuous drop-goal from the halfway line, but his efforts
proved in vain as Toulon went down 29-35 in Saint Etienne.
The
result means defending champions Perpignan will now play Clermont Auvergne in
a re-run of last year’s
match, which the Catalans won 22-13.
Wilkinson will now have to concentrate his efforts on trying
to lead Toulon to victory in the Amlin Challenge Cup final
against Cardiff, while Stade Toulousain will no doubt
commiserate themselves with the thought of next Saturday's
Heineken Cup final against Biarritz.
Read More... |
|
14 May 2010
|

Playing
for fun again:
Jonny Wilkinson
Photo: Michael Paler |
Toulon flanker and FRC columnist Joe El Abd
this week talks to club colleagues Jonny Wilkinson and Tom
May about moving to France, the mood in the Toulon camp, the
struggles of learning a new language and their forthcoming
Top 14 semi-final against Clermont Auvergne.
Leading up to Toulon’s
big semi-final at the weekend against Clermont Auvergne I
thought I’d ask a few questions to a couple of my team mates
Tom May and Jonny Wilkinson on how they are enjoying life in
France and their thoughts on the upcoming semi-final.
JEA: So,
first how are you enjoying life on the Cote d’Azur and how
has your life changed?
TM: To be fair
I’ve loved the opportunity to experience life down here. The
biggest difference is probably the weather as it allows you
to spend a lot more time outside and due to this I think I
find myself being a lot more relaxed when I am at home.
Read More...
|
|
14 May 2010
|

Catalan joy: Into
the Top 14 final, again
Photo: Tom Oddy |
Perpignan 21 (9)
Stade Toulousain 13 (13)
Stade de la Mosson, Montpellier
Defending champions Perpignan
beat Stade Toulousain 21-13 in Montpellier on Friday night
to end the Heineken Cup finalists' dream of a European and
domestic double.
Jérôme Porical was the
Catalans' hero, kicking seven of his eight penalty attempts
as Perpignan used their forward domination to clinical
effect.
They will now go on to defend
their title - their first for 54 years - against the winners
of Saturday's clash between Clermont Auvergne and Toulon.
It was a predictably tight
affair, with Toulouse scoring the only try of the game, but
the Catalans took increasing control of the match as it wore
on, winning both the physical and psychological battles.
Read More...
|
|
13 May 2010
|

"No problem going to
Lyon" - Paul Dearlove
|
The Top 14
play-offs may be be generating the majority of
headlines this week but it’s also a crucial weekend
in ProD2, with four teams putting themselves on the
line for the opportunity to take a step nearer
plying their trade in France’s elite division next
season.
Champions SU
Agen have already secured their slot in Top 14, so
now it’s over to Lyon OU, La Rochelle, Oyonnax and
Pau to stake their respective claims.
Lyon OU
finished second – although level on points with
third-placed La Rochelle – and so have home
advantage against Pau, while La Rochelle’s dramatic
last-day win at Oyonnax means they now have a home
semi-final against the same opponents.
Home advantage
can be crucial in these matches, but Pau’s Paul
Dearlove (and FRC columnist) says his
side have nothing to fear from their trip to Lyon.
Earlier in the season they drew 22-22 at Lyon, and
they go into Sunday’s match full of confidence on
the back of a run that seen them lose just twice in
their last 18 games – dating back to mid-December.
Read More... |
13 May
2010
|

SU Agen have
confirmed 11 signings |
ProD2 champions SU Agen have
announced 11 new signings as they ready themselves for their return to Top
14.
President
Alain Tingaud has moved quickly to bolster the club's squad,
with the former French giants adding a mix of experience and
potential to the group which won this season's championship
by 11 points.
Top 14 Transfers 2010/11
The
eight-time French champions from Lot et Garonne are
returning to the big time in 2010/11, and have confirmed
their intention to make an impact with a raft of new
arrivals to bolster a multinational squad that already
includes the likes of Fijian wingers Rupeni Caucaunibuca and
Saimoni Vaka, Tongan number eight Fonua Opeti, South African
fly-half Conrad Barnard (signed mid-season from Toulon) and
experienced Argentine prop Agustin Lopresti.
Read More... |
Last updated: 12 May
2010
|

'El Magico': Juan
Martin Hernández
Photo: Michael Paler |
Tuesday's official
confirmation that Juan Martin Hernández has signed for ambitious
Racing-Métro 92 continues the raft of big-name transfers heading to Top 14
in 2010/11.
In
Hernandez's case it is a welcome return to Paris just one
year after being ushered out by Stade Francais, where he had
spent a trophy-laden five seasons. The Argentine
international has signed on for two years initially, with
the option of a third year.
The
27-year-old, nicknamed 'El Magico', adds further glamour to
a club that already boasts the likes of Lionel Nallet,
Sébastien Chabal and Francois Steyn. There is also little
doubt that the sky blue and whites have now usurped
Hernández's former club as the current top dogs in Paris.
Their
sixth-placed finished guarantees them Heineken Cup rugby
next season - something Stade have missed out on for the
first time in a decade - while multi-millionaire owner Jacky
Lorenzetti has confirmed that next season's budget has been
increased to
€17m.
Read More... |
11 May 2010
|

'El Magico': Juan
Martin Hernández
Photo: Michael Paler |
Defeated
play-off quarter-finalists Racing-Métro 92 are
nearing completion of their player recruitment, with
Argentine playmaker Juan-Martin Hernández set to be
confirmed as their latest arrival by the end of the month.
The
former Stade Francais star has long-been touted for a return
to Paris - after his one-season stay with South
Africa's Natal Sharks - and will be unveiled shortly as
Racing's stellar capture for 2010/11.
'El
Magico' will join an ever-strengthening squad that has
already surprised many by finishing sixth and making the
play-offs in its first season back in Top 14. That means
Pierre Berbizier's side will be playing Heineken Cup rugby
next season, in sharp contrast to Hernandez's previous Paris
employers Stade Francais.
Top 14 Table
/
Top 14 try-scorers
/
Top 14 Results
/
Top 14
Fixtures
The
Jacky Lorenzetti owned club pulled off a triple transfer
coup last summer by signing Sébastien Chabal, Lionel Nallet
and Francois Steyn, and the cash-rich Parisians show no sign
of easing up just yet.
Read More... |
10 May 2010
|

In the pink?
James Haskell
Photo: Michael Paler |
Stade Francais'
ongoing financial troubles have now hit the club's players,
with the squad agreeing to a 3% wage cut to help ease the
problem.
The flamboyant
Parisians - who regularly sell-out the 80,000 capacity Stade
de France - were surprisingly called before the DNACG before
the end of the 2009/10 season, with reports claiming
they had a budget shortfall of up to
€2.5m.
Stade Francais' unfolding season of
woe
Montauban's subsequent
bankruptcy may have stolen the headlines, but Stade's
summons to the league's financial watchdog was a serious
warning to Max Guazzini's club - despite the
multi-millionaire owner downplaying any financial problems.
The club's failure to
secure either a league play-off slot or qualification for
next season's Heineken Cup has further hit them in the
pocket, and now it appears that the players have been told
to shoulder some of the club's financial burden.
Read More... |
|
09 May 2010
|

Pau scrum-half
Clément Darbo
Photo: Colin Spiro |
La Rochelle and
Pau were the big winners on the final day of the
ProD2 regular season, with the former winning away
at Oyonnax 9-6 and the latter triumphing 19-16 at FC
Auch Gers.
La Rochelle’s
victory over Oyonnax means they will now be at home
to the same opponents in the play-off semi-finals,
while Pau’s narrow win at Auch secured them the
final play-off slot (away to Lyon OU), despite
finishing level on points with sixth-placed
Grenoble.
ProD2 Table
/
ProD2 Top scorers
/
ProD2
Fixtures & Results
Grenoble did
all they could to try and edge Pau out – winning
with the attacking bonus at home to Union
Bordeaux-Begles – but it was just not enough as they
missed out by the smallest of margins on the chance
for promotion to Top 14.
Read More... |
|
08 May 2010
|

Double try-scorer:
Vincent Clerc
Photo: Michael Paler |
Stade Toulousain
35 (14)
Castres 12 (6)
Le Stadium
Heineken
Cup finalists Stade Toulousain kept up hopes of a European
and domestic double after seeing off Castres 35-12 in their
Top 14 play-off quarterfinal.
The
south-west giants outclassed their opponents from start to
finish, running in four unanswered tries as they emphasized
the gulf in class between regular trophy-winners and
championship wannabes.
It was
the proverbial men against boys at times, with the
vanquished visitors ending battered, beaten and a man down
as their frustrations finally got the better of them.
Toulouse
got off to just the start they wanted when full-back Maxime
Médard - one of eight team changes from their win over
Leinster - went over for the game's opening try after just
four minutes.
Read More...
|
|
07 May 2010
|

Not enough:
Francois Steyn
Photo: Michael Paler |
Clermont Auvergne 21 (6)
Racing-Métro 17 (5)
Stade Marcel Michelin
France
scrum-half Morgan Parra kicked five second-half penalties to
ease Clermont Auvergne to a narrow 21-17 home win against
valiant Racing-Metro 92.
Parra,
who took over the kicking duties after Brock James wobbled
yet again, was on target in the 49th, 61st, 64th, 71st and
77th minutes as Clermont secured their quarter-final win.
The
10-time runners-up had looked to be heading for yet more Top
14 heartache as they stood 12-17 down with 15 minutes left,
but the yellow card for Racing lock Santiago Dellape proved
decisive as Clermont used their numerical superiority to
telling effect.
Read More...
|
07 May 2010
|

Erik Lund has
signed for Biarritz
Photo: Colin Spiro |
England flanker Magnus
Lund will be joined at Biarritz next season by his brother
Erik after the 6ft 8ins Leeds lock agreed to sign for the
Basques.
The transfer, which had
been mooted for months now, was finally confirmed ahead of
Leeds' final league match of the season, and after they had
secured their Guinness Premiership status.
Erik - nicknamed 'The
Viking' - admitted it had been a tough decision to leave
Leeds for the Basque outfit, but admitted that the family
connection had been the clincher in his move.
"There are some obvious
reasons why I decided to join Biarritz, notably the chance
to play alongside my brother, to play in the Heineken Cup
and experience a new lifestyle," said Lund.
Read More... |
07 May 2010
|

Who can
stop Toulouse?
Photo: Colin Spiro |
Top
14 Play-Off Quarterfinals:
Clermont Auvergne v Racing-Métro 92
Stade Marcel Michelin, May 7, 21.00
Stade Toulousain v Castres
Le Stadium, May 8, 16.30
Clermont Auvergne play host to Racing-Métro 92
tonight in the first of the weekend’s two play-off
quarterfinals, with the winners progressing through to a
semi-final against in-form Toulon.
‘Les
Jaunards’ will start the match as overwhelming favourites,
owing to their home advantage, their superior league form -
they finished third as opposed to Racing’s sixth place – and
their recent history.
Clermont
should certainly be used to the big stage having made it
through to the last three Top 14 finals, but they are yet to
shed their unwanted ‘chokers’ tag after losing all three.
Indeed, the Michelin backed club has lost all 10 of its
final appearances to date and has yet to lift the cherished
Bouclier de Brennus.
Read More... |
06 May 2010
|

Rank outsiders:
Racing-Métro
Photo: Michael Paler |
Top
14 Play-Off Quarterfinals:
Clermont Auvergne v Racing-Métro 92
Stade Marcel Michelin, May 7, 21.00
Stade Toulousain v Castres
Le Stadium, May 8, 16.30
Ten-times runners-up Clermont
Auvergne have received mixed news on the fitness front
going into their home quarter-final against Racing-Métro
92. France scrum-half Morgan Parra has been passed fit
and will take his place in the starting XV, but Argentine
hooker Mario Ledesma has been ruled out with a knee problem.
Parra's
fitness will give Clermont a valuable second place-kicking
option should fly-half Brock James suffer another off day -
such as his Heineken horror show against Leinster.
Read More... |
05 May 2010
|

London bound:
Nic Berry
Photo: Michael Paler |
Australian scrum-half
Nic Berry has
confirmed his departure from Racing-Métro 92, with the
26-year-old signing for Guinness Premiership outfit London
Wasps.
The former Queensland Reds and
Australian Under-21 international has agreed a two-year deal
with the London club, whom he played against twice during
this season's Amlin Challenge Cup.
Top 14 Transfers 2010/11
"I have really enjoyed my time in
France to date, but the chance to discover a new city and a
very competitive Premiership was too good to turn down,"
said Berry.
Wasps' director of rugby Tony Hanks
described Berry as a player "who has such a wealth of
experience and talent", and someone who would be a "very
valuable asset".
Read More... |
|
02 May 2010
|
Aurillac |
45 |
Lannemezan |
3 |
|
Dax |
8 |
Union Bordeaux-Bègles |
9 |
|
Pau |
18 |
Mont-de-Marsan |
6 |
|
La Rochelle |
36 |
RC Narbonne |
21 |
|
Aix-en-Provence |
23 |
FC Auch Gers |
14 |
|
SU Agen |
34 |
Lyon OU |
11 |
|
Colomiers |
16 |
Tarbes |
14 |
|
Oyonnax |
26 |
Grenoble |
19 |
Season-long leaders SU Agen finally secured the ProD2
title on Sunday, and with it promotion back to Top 14, after
they beat second-placed Lyon OU 34-11.
The
result means Agen cannot now be caught with just one more
league match to be played and the eight-time French
champions will now return to Top 14 after three seasons down
in ProD2.
Read More... |
02 May 2010
|

Euro glory:
The Heineken Cup
Photo: Michael Paler |
Biarritz 18 (3)
Munster 7 (7)
Scrum-half Dimitri Yachvili kicked Biarritz to a 18-7 victory over Irish
giants Munster on Sunday afternoon, setting up an all-French Heineken Cup
final against Stade Toulousain on May 22.
Yachvili
landed six out of six penalties as the Basques battled back
from Keith Earls' first-half try for Munster, with the
result also partially avenging Biarritz's final defeat to
the same opponents four seasons ago.
The
opening 20 minutes in San Sebastian was littered with
unforced errors from both sides as the importance of the
occasion appeared to set nerves jangling.
Stray
passes, knock-ons and over-cooked kicks ensured it was a
staccato start before Earls' 28th-minute try - touched down
under the posts - finally broke the deadlock as Munster
countered superbly after Biarritz were turned over following
eight phases of forward pressure.
Read More... |
02 May 2010
|

Taking the applause:
Stade Toulousain players
Photo: Colin Spiro |
Toulouse 26 (9)
Leinster 16 (9)
European giants Stade Toulousain are through to their sixth Heineken Cup
final in 15 years after beating defending champions Leinster 26-16 in south
west France.
Two quick-fire tries in
five second-half minutes finally broke the stubborn Irish defence, with
fly-half David Skrela claiming the second of those to add to his four
penalties and two conversions.
That 21-point haul meant
Skrela deservedly picked up the Man-of-the-Match award, and followed on
superbly from his 27-point show against Stade Francais in the quarter-final.
Read More...
|
|
01 May 2010
|

Cometh
the hour:
Jonny
Wilkinson
Photo: Michael Paler |
In-form Toulon
continued their remarkable season as Jonny Wilkinson's
14-point haul guided them to a 19-12 away win at Connacht in
Friday's ACC semi-final.
It was an the cash-rich
French club's 11th straight win and means they will now play
either London Wasps or Cardiff Blues at Marseille's Stade
Vélodrome in the final on May 23. Marseille is a mere Wilko
kick from Toulon, and indeed, the Cote d'Azur club know the
ground well after hosting Top 14 matches there against both
Stade Toulousain and Perpignan this season.
A fanatical sell-out
crowd is ensured as Philippe Saint-André's team aim to cap
his remarkable first season with European glory. They also
have the small matter of a Top 14 semi-final to come as the
season reaches an unbelievable climax.
Friday's victory -
which also featured a try from Aussie centre Mafileo Kefu -
also continues a superb season for French rugby generally,
following on from the national team's Grand Slam. All it
needs now is for Biarritz and Stade Toulousain to win their
respective Heineken Cup semi-finals!
Read More... |
30 April 2010
|

Key player: Byron Kelleher
Photo: Michael Paler |
The waiting is almost
over and boy do we have a weekend that's got the juices salivating. It's
France against Ireland as the Heineken Cup throws up two fascinating
semi-finals, with the quality of sides on show rivalling international
status as the stars come out to play.
Three-time champions
Stade Toulousain play host to title holders Leinster on Saturday,
with 2006 runners-up Biarritz welcoming Irish giants Munster
(who beat them in that final) to the Basque heartland of San Sebastian on
Sunday. A riot of colour and noise is guaranteed at both matches and the
possibility of including 'epic' in the match reports is strong.
Read More... |
|
29 April 2010
|

Togetherness: Toulon have team spirit
Photo: Michael Paler |
In-form Toulon go into
Friday night’s ACC semi-final flying high with all the
confidence that 10 successive wins brings, but their current
productivity is down to far more than just the financial
benevolence of multi-millionaire president Mourad
Boudjellal.
Recruitment may have
been facilitated by the Boudjellal’s cash – that’s
undeniable – but head coach Philippe Saint-André has still
worked wonders in fashioning a squad that is now challenging
for honours on two fronts in less than a season since taking
the helm.
One of those new
recruits added last summer was former Bristol captain Joe
El-Abd, the back row snarler who has formed such a dynamic
partnership alongside Joe van Niekerk and Juan Sebastien
Lobbe – two of the finest players currently plying their
trade in Top 14.
Read More... |
27 April 2010
|

Top of the pile:
Jonny Wilkinson
Photo: Michael Paler |
The proof that money -
or
lack of it in Montauban's case
- is becoming increasingly linked to success has never been
more clear.
The respective league
positions of Toulon - backed by Mourad Boudjellal - and
Racing-Métro 92 - financed by Jacky Lorenzetti - underline
what can be achieved with oodles of cash, while Montauban's
sad decline into bankruptcy and the ongoing asset-stripping
of Bourgoin both emphasize the plight of the less well off
clubs.
Of course, money alone
does not guarantee success - look at Stade Francais this
season - but it sure does go a helluva long way towards
building capable squads. Perhaps the best illustration of
this is the pivotal fly-half position at Toulon.
Top 14 Table
/
Top 14 leading scorers
/
Top 14 Results
/
Top 14
Fixtures
/
Top 14
Transfers
Head coach Philippe
Saint-André has the luxury of being able to select World Cup
winner Jonny Wilkinson when fit and available, but should
back up be required he then has the outstanding quality of
Argentine Felipe Contepomi to stand in as locum.
Read More... |
27 April 2010
Bayonne
have escaped relegation to ProD2 - despite finishing 13th -
after debt-ridden Montauban filed for bankruptcy on
Monday.
Montauban's decision means
they will now be automatically demoted to ProD2 at the very
least, although the damning spectre of liquidation is now
fast approaching over the horizon. Should that eventuality
arrive then Montauban would be further relegated down to
Fédérale 3 - the bottom rung of the French club rugby
ladder.
Bayonne's
escape is certainly fortuitous - especially
losing 22-8 at Montauban on Saturday
- but Montauban now faces a very real battle for mere
survival, with their demotion certain to prompt a max exodus
of disillusioned players this summer.
They will
feel, rightly, that they kept their end of the bargain by
securing their last-day survival on the pitch, but anger is
now emerging as the helplessness of the club's position
becomes ever clearer.
Read More... |
|
By Colin Spiro, 26 April 2010
|

French sandwich: New Zealand fly half
Dan Carter gets a
double hit
Photo: Eoin Mundow/Cleva Media |
They say
a picture is worth a thousand words, but the varying quality
of today's sports photos could set that count anywhere
between 10-10,000.
We're
lucky enough to have the superb Michael Paler photos to
enhance the visual impact here at frenchrugbyclub.com,
and the site would be severely devalued without his
excellent (and prolific) contributions.
I've
always been a sucker for high quality sporting photos and
one of my most treasured books is Flip Schalke's exquisite 'Muhammad
Ali - The Birth of a Legend, Miami 1961-64'. Its classic
cover - an underwater shot of Ali shadowboxing - is worth
the purchase alone and sets a mighty high standard in the
world of photo-journalism.
Read More... |
25 April 2010
|

Cheers to tears
Photo: Michael Paler |
Wessel Jooste and Sylvain Nicolas have
become the latest Bourgoin players - the fifth and sixth
respectively - to confirm their exit from the Isère club
this summer.
Their departures are as sad as they were
inevitable, with South African Jooste joining a growing
enclave of former Bourgoin players at newly-relegated
Bayonne, while 22-year-old Nicolas has been snapped up by
perennial talent poachers Stade Toulousain.
Top 14 Transfers 2010/11
They follow the already confirmed exits
of France international fly-half Benjamin Boyet (heading to
Bayonne) and the Toulon-bound front-row pair of
Jean-Philippe Genevois and Karena Wihongi.
In addition Fijian winger Albert Vulivuli
(24) is said to be finalising negotiations to sign for
ambitious Racing-Métro 92 just one season after joining the
claret and blue outfit.
Read More... |
25 April 2010
|

Jamie Noon:
Committed
Photo: Michael Paler |
The lack
of tears that accompanied
Riki Flutey’s decision to end his
Brive encounter this week was in stark contrast
to the high esteem in which fellow England colleague Jamie
Noon is held at the French club. Indeed, while Flutey was
busying his hasty escape plan Noon was putting the finishing
touches to a two-year extension on his current contract with
the Limousin club.
Top 14 Transfers 2010/11
Both
England centres arrived last summer amid much optimism that
Brive could continue their ascent of Top 14, but less than
12 months later and their varying fortunes perfectly
encapsulate the ‘foreigners’ conundrum that is currently
running through French rugby.
Club
owners and fans alike rightly want to field the strongest
possible side they can muster – hence the high number of
overseas imports – but not at any price. Integration, both
on and off the field, is a prerequisite to success and
acceptance, and lack of it, by contrast, will mark you out.
And it’s a two-way street. As long as you are prepared to
learn the language – or at least make an attempt at it –
then your eyes (and taste buds) will be open to a wondrous
new culture that hums with warm-heartedness and generosity.
Read More... |
24 April 2010
|
Sat 24
April |
|
|
|
|
Stade Toulousain |
25 |
Castres |
17 |
|
Montpellier |
34 |
Bourgoin |
27 |
|
Montauban |
22 |
Bayonne |
8 |
|
Brive |
23 |
Toulon |
26 |
|
Perpignan |
44 |
SCA
Albi |
0 |
|
Stade Francais |
41 |
Racing-Métro 92 |
17 |
|
Biarritz |
19 |
Clermont Auvergne |
26 |
Directly through to semi-finals:
Perpignan and Toulon
Quarter-finals (May 7/8):
Clermont Auvergne v Racing-Métro 92
Stade Toulousain v Castres
Relegated:
SCA Albi and Bayonne (if Montauban do not win their
appeal against administrative relegation by the DNACG)
French heavyweights
Stade Toulousain and Clermont Auvergne both secured home
quarter-finals in the Top 14 play-offs after crucial
last-day wins, while crisis club Montauban managed a
stay of execution after beating relegation rivals Bayonne
22-8.
Read More... |
23 April 2010
|

Doubtful starter:
Jonny Wilkinson
Photo: Michael Paler |
The dramatic events of
last weekend's
fixtures resolved many of Top 14's unknowns, but this
Saturday's final round still has plenty of permutations to
ponder.
All six play-off spots have now been
taken, but which two teams progress through to the semis now
looks like a four-horse race between Toulon, Perpignan,
Clermont Auvergne and Castres.
The latter have slipped somewhat in
recent weeks and must win away to Stade Toulousain to have
any chance of finishing in the top two, but with Heineken
Cup semis occupying the minds of Guy Noves' team it is not
out of the question.
Top 14 Table
/
Top 14 try-scorers
/
Top 14 Results
/
Top 14
Fixtures
There is also the small matter
of home advantage in the quarter-finals to play for, with
much jockeying to be done for the teams finishing between
third and fifth. Only sixth-placed Racing-Métro 92 cannot
change position, but they still have the tasty prospect of a
Paris double over city rivals Stade Francais to contemplate.
Read More... |
21 April 2010
|

Mass exodus:
Bourgoin
Photo: Michael Paler |
The ongoing exodus from Bourgoin
has continued with confirmation that international fly-half
Benjamin Boyet has signed to join Bayonne next
season.
Boyet's departure for the Basque country
had been long-expected, with the 30-year-old joining the
likes of
Toulon-bound duo Jean-Philippe Genevois and Karena Wihongi
as the Bourgoin squad undergoes major renovation.
Top 14 Transfers 2010/11
The Isere club has
been walking a financial tightrope all season and a
squad-wide decision to take a 17% wage cut back in September
has effectively triggered release clauses for the majority
of players.
Fijian winger Albert
Vulivuli, 24, could be the next to leave with Racing-Métro
ready to swoop, while others expected to head for the exit
include Sylvain Nicolas (Stade Toulousain), Arnaud Tchougong
(Perpignan), Jean-Francois Coux (Montpellier) and David
Janin (Montpellier).
Read More... |
|
21 April 2010
|

Brive encounter:
Riki Flutey
Photo: Michael Paler |
It's
been the longest drawn out exit of the season but French
media reports have now confirmed that Riki Flutey has
played his last game for Brive.
The
injury-plagued England centre has opted for a swift return
whence he came (London Wasps) after a failed season in
France during he managed just five matches for Brive.
Top 14 Transfers 2010/11
According to both L'Equipe and rugbyrama.com
Flutey's two-year contract has been terminated 12 months
early after both he and the club agreed it was the best way
forward.
Flutey
arrived amid a torrent of headlines and hopes that he would
help take the Limousin club forward, but his restricted
appearances and failure to integrate means that his
departure will not be mourned - not by the fans anyway.
Read More...
|
|
19 April 2010
|
SU Agen |
57 |
RC Narbonne |
12 |
|
Lannemezan |
16 |
Tarbes |
39 |
|
Union Bordeaux-Bègles |
14 |
La Rochelle |
28 |
|
Pau |
45 |
Aix-en-Provence |
10 |
|
Mont-de-Marsan |
29 |
Colomiers |
29 |
|
FC Auch Gers |
36 |
Oyonnax |
20 |
|
Grenoble |
28 |
Dax |
5 |
|
Aurillac |
18 |
Lyon OU |
25 |
Runaway
leaders SU Agen can put the champagne on ice after their
eight-try demolition of RC Narbonne on Sunday took them
within a whisker of automatic promotion to Top 14.
Only the
most freakish set of results can now deny them after
long-time chasers Oyonnax slipped up again – going down
36-20 at FC Auch Gers – meaning Agen have a whopping 13
point lead over second-placed La Rochelle.
With
just two games to go that is sufficient to ensure La
Rochelle cannot catch them, but third-placed Lyon OU are
just a point further back and have a game in hand – meaning
they have a theoretical chance of finishing top if they win
all three games with bonus points and Agen lose both of
theirs without gaining a single defensive point.
Read More... |
18 April 2010
|

Aiming high:
Jonny Wilkinson
Photo: Michael Paler |
Toulon are the new leaders of Top
14 after they maintained their unbeaten 'home' record with a
33-23 win against defending champions Perpignan at
the Stade Vélodrome.
A sell-out 60,000-strong crowd cheered on
Philippe Saint-Andre's team as they registered a ninth
successive victory (eight in the league) to claim top spot,
with Jonny Wilkinson kicking 23 points in addition to a
first-half try-double from Australian full-back Luke Rooney.
Top 14 Table
/
Top 14 try-scorers
/
Top 14 Results
/
Top 14
Fixtures
Wilkinson landed five penalties, two
drop-goals (including a late effort from 50m) and a conversion as Toulon registered a crucial
home win against the Catalans - and morning leaders.
Pierre Berbizier's Racing-Métro 92
were also in celebratory mood after they rallied from 6-19
down to beat Biarritz 29-22 and secure the sixth and
final play-off berth.
Read More... |
|
By Colin Spiro, 18 April 2010
|

"I'm very, very
pleased," - Haskell
Photo: Michael Paler |
More than a
few eyebrows were raised when James Haskell didn’t even make
the bench for
Stade Francais’ Heineken Cup quarterfinal at
Stade Toulousain last weekend, but his shock non-selection
was just the latest incident in an action-packed year since
the England flanker signed from London Wasps last summer.
There was
the initial outcry – largely from the British media – when
he first announced his switch; the early burst of tries that
put him back on Martin Johnson’s radar; the rooftop nude
modelling for Stade’s infamous Dieux de Stade calendar;
the
public tug-of-war between the RFU and Stade president Max
Guazzini; and now his bizarre non-selection for Stade’s
biggest game of the season.
The latter
two now appear inextricably linked with the rumour mill
suggesting Guazzini got his revenge on Haskell for the
player opting to remain in England during a blank weekend in
the Six Nations – and thereby missing Stade’s 0-29 home
drubbing by Stade Toulousain in Top 14. The club remains
adamant it was a tactical decision – albeit a mighty strange
and costly one – while the player himself has (not
unnaturally) kept his own counsel, except to confirm to
frenchrugbyclub.com that he was “100% fit and ready for selection”.
Read More...
|
17 April 2010
|

Injured again: Riki Flutey
Photo: Michael Paler |
Riki
Flutey's troubled debut season with Brive has
finished as it began - with the player sidelined by a
shoulder injury.
The
England international - who is reportedly still keen on a
return to the UK - has managed just five matches for the
French club this season, one more than he's played for
England.
He was
initially ruled out at the start of the campaign after
requiring surgery for the injury he picked up while on duty
with the British and Irish Lions. He did manage to play one
match after returning to Brive at the conclusion on the Six
Nations, but it now seems that further surgery could be on
the cards after aggravating the same shoulder.
Top 14 Table
/
Top 14 leading scorers
/
Top 14 Results
/
Top 14
Fixtures
/
Top 14
Transfers
The 30-year-old was
trumpeted as a marquee signing when he joined from Wasps in
the close season but Brive will feel they have been
short-changed after the Kiwi-born centre has managed just
five games for the Limousin club during a trying campaign.
Read More... |
15 April 2010
|

Aiming high:
Jonny Wilkinson
Photo: Michael Paler |
Focus returns to Top 14 this weekend
following last week's Heineken dramas, and what a set of
fixtures we have in store for the penultimate round of
league games.
The ongoing battle for sixth-spot reaches
a potentially decisive climax with seventh-placed Biarritz
travelling to Paris to take on current incumbents
Racing-Métro, while eighth-placed Brive hover in the wings
hoping to take advantage of any slip ups when they go to
13th-placed Bayonne.
Further up the table we have a mighty
top-two clash in Marseille as Toulon host Perpignan in front
of 60,000 passionate fans, while just below them
fourth-placed Clermont welcome Castres.
Top 14 Table
/
Top 14 try-scorers
/
Top 14 Results
/
Top 14
Fixtures
Read More... |
14 April 2010
|

Vindicated:
Guy Noves
Photo: Colin Spiro |
Stade Toulousain coach
Guy Noves has revealed that he urged his payers to up their intensity at
half-time in their
weekend victory over Stade Francais.
"What did I say to them?
I said it was necessary to play faster, as you must do in European
quarter-finals" he said.
"We wanted to have Byron
[Kelleher] passing the ball much faster because their defence was well
drilled - especially in the first half - and the slow ball allowed them to
get in position. In the first half we were playing at Top 14 pace, and that
wasn't enough," he told the Stade Toulousain website.
Noves has come in for
unaccustomed media flak this season due to Toulouse's sometimes indifferent
league form, but the experienced coach was clearly in bullish mood following
Sunday's 42-16 victory.
Read More... |
|
14 April 2010
|

Friends reunited:
Philippe Saint-André
Photo: Michael Paler |
Toulon head coach Philippe Saint-André has been
handed the honour of taking charge of the Barbarians
for their two summer internationals against England and
Ireland.
Saint-André will team up with former Sale Sharks colleague
Kingsley Jones for the tour, and has already used his Toulon
connections by helping persuade Paul Sackey and
Carl Hayman (who will both join Toulon in the summer) to
don the famous Barbarians' shirt.
Former
Toulon player - and Barbarians regular - Jerry Collins is
also in the squad, and the world's most famous invitational
club has further confirmed that England outcast Danny
Cipriani would play for them before heading off to take up
his contract with Super 15 franchise Melbourne Rebels.
Read More...
|
13 April 2010
|

Paris favourite:
Mark Gasnier
Photo: Michael Paler |
The battle
to save financially crippled Montauban continues to
twist and turn, although one of three rescue packages now
appears dead in the water.
Over the
weekend it emerged that FDIC - sponsors of Toulouse FC -
could come to their aid with a
€3m cash
injection, but on Monday the company denied it would be able
or willing to finance such a deal.
Two other
possibilities remain in the offing, although neither has so
far found favour with Montauban Mayor Brigitte Barèges.
And unless something can be hashed out quickly it
remains likely that
Montauban
will be relegated to ProD2 due to the
€1.7m
shortfall in this season's budget.
That
bombshell news came after Montauban was one of three Top 14
clubs - and six in total - that was hauled before the
all-powerful DNACG earlier this month.
Read More... |
|
13 April 2010
|
Aix-en-Provence |
10 |
SU Agen |
31 |
|
Tarbes |
40 |
Dax |
21 |
|
Union Bordeaux-Bègles |
46 |
Lannemezan |
17 |
|
RC Narbonne |
20 |
FC Auch Gers |
19 |
|
La Rochelle |
21 |
Aurillac |
22 |
|
Colomiers |
12 |
Pau |
29 |
|
Mont-de-Marsan |
31 |
Oyonnax |
26 |
|
Lyon OU |
27 |
Grenoble |
19 |
SU
Agen's seemingly inexorable return to Top 14 looks all
but assured after they won 31-10 at Aix-en-Provence
to open up a 10-point lead over Oyonnax, who slipped up away
to Mont-de-Marsan.
Tongan
number eight Opeti Fonua was the Agen hero as the
23-year-old grabbed a first-half hat-trick of tries to leave
him equal with last season's tally of nine - although this
year it has been achieved with six fewer games.
Read More... |
|
By Joe El Abd, 12 April 2010
|

Stade
Toulousain
after their victory
Photo: Colin Spiro |
Toulon flanker and FRC columnist Joe El Abd
this week talks about European rugby and varying fortunes of
Stade Toulousain, Stade Francais, Clermont Auvergne,
Biarritz and his very own Toulon.
For anyone
who loves rugby the weekend couldn’t have been better. What
an advert for rugby!
It all
started on Friday with
the game between Leinster and Clermont
in what turned out to be a classic. I thought Clermont were
outstanding in every facet of the game apart from arguably
the most important part – goal-kicking. I think Clermont had
enough chances to win the game three times over but it
wasn’t to be as Brock James had one of those nights he will
want to forget. In total, including two drop goals, he
missed a potential 23 points in kicks which in the end
decided the result.
I am not
sure how Clermont are going to react after a result like
that but I am sure this loss will make them even more
determined to finally lift the Top 14 title.
Read More... |
By Colin Spiro, at Stade de
Toulouse, 11 April 2010
|

Nice try: Patricio Albacete powers over
for Stade
Toulousain's second try against Stade Francais
Photo: Colin Spiro |
Stade Toulousain 42
(13)
Stade Francais 16 (10)
European specialists
Stade Toulousain are just one game away from a record sixth Heineken Cup
final after trouncing arch rivals Stade Francais 42-16 on a sun-kissed
afternoon in south west France.
The Parisians held on
for an hour, even having the temerity to open the scoring through Rodrigo
Roncero’s 19th-minute try, but Toulouse finally broke their
defensive shackles as they cut loose in the closing quarter.
Man-of-the-match Yannick
Jauzion scored a crucial try to edge them ahead just before half-time, while
later scores from Patricio Albacete and Cedric Heymans added the flourish
after Guy Noves’ team rolled out their sublime champagne rugby in the second
period.
Read More... |
|
11 April 2010
|

All smiles: Iain Balshaw scored
a crucial try for Biarritz
Photo: Michael Paler |
Biarritz Olympic
withstood a controversial late call to beat the Ospreys 29-28 and set up a
'home' Heineken Cup semi-final against Irish giants Munster.
The Basques were
outscored by three tries to two, but just did enough thanks to the combined
efforts of Takudzwa Ngwenya, Iain Balshaw, Dimitri Yachvili and Damien
Traille.
But the packed out
Estadio Anoeta, in San Sebastian, held its collective breath at the game's
finale as confusion reined following a a crucial reffing decision which
turned down Ospreys' claims for a late penalty against Yachvili.
Read More...
|
|
09 April 2010
|

The main prize:
Heineken Cup
Photo: Michael Paler |
Clermont
Auvergne paid the penalty for their kicking profligacy as they were knocked
out of this season's Heineken Cup despite a hat-trick of tries from France
winger Julien Malzieu.
'Les
Jaunards' have a history of falling on the big stage and this latest reverse
- a heart-breaking 29-28 loss away to defending champions Leinster - will
just add to their reputation as big-match chokers.
The
normally reliable Brock James had a shocking evening with the boot,
squandering seven kicks at goal in total as the French side missed a golden
opportunity to claim a semi-final berth.
The visitors were roared on by 3,000
travelling fans as they sought to make club history and progress into the
last four, and they made an excellent start to be 10-0 up after quarter of
an hour.
Read More... |
10 April 2010
|

Key player: Stade Toulousain's Byron
Kelleher
Photo: Michael Paler |
Stade Toulousain
scrum-half Byron Kelleher has promised a re-run of his infamous bus-top Haka
should his team go all the way and win this season’s Heineken Cup.
The former All Black
scrum-half marked the culmination of a superb debut season in 2007/8 by
giving club supporters a half-naked demonstration of the famous Maori
welcome while Stade Toulousain toured the city with the Brennus Bouclier –
the Top 14 trophy.
It was a memorable
highlight in a season jam-packed with peaks – Kelleher was also voted Top
14’s Player of the Year – but there was also one notable low point as Stade
lost the final of the Heineken Cup to Munster.
Read More... |
09 April 2010
|

Danger man:
Shane Williams
Photo: Michael Paler |
Biarritz will be facing
a star-studded Ospreys side when they take on the Welsh province at a sold
out Estadio Anoeta in San Sebastian, Spain, on Saturday afternoon.
Welsh wing wizard Shane
Williams has recovered from his shoulder injury to claim a staring place,
while lock Alun Wyn Jones also returns alongside hooker Huw Bennett.
Heineken Cup Pools & Fixtures
Biarritz coach Jack
Isaacs singled out Williams as a potential match-winner for the Welsh,
admitting that the 33-year-old “is capable of making the difference”.
Williams recently scored
his 50th try for Wales during the Six Nations and Isaacs was full
of praise for the former IRB Player of the Year.
Read More... |
08 April 2010
|

Paris
switch? Leinster's
Brian O'Driscoll
Photo: Michael Paler |
Ireland captain Brian
O'Driscoll has raised the prospect of following Leinster
coach Michael Cheika across the Channel to Stade Francais
- although not until after the 2011 World Cup.
The highly decorated
centre has previously been linked with a switch to Biarritz
(in 2005) and said he was "open" to the idea of playing in
Paris once his current contract with the Irish Rugby
Football Union (IRFU) runs out. "I don't rule anything out,"
he said in an interview with the Irish Independent.
Top 14 Transfers 2010/11
Leinster's current boss
Cheika was recently announced as Stade Francais' new head
coach for 2010/11 after a turbulent season for the French
giants in which they have consistently struggled for
results.
Read More... |
|
06 April 2010
|
Aurillac |
36 |
Tarbes |
18 |
|
Grenoble |
28 |
Aix-en-Provence |
5 |
|
Dax |
19 |
Mont-de-Marsan |
15 |
|
SU Agen |
31 |
Colomiers |
3 |
|
FC Auch Gers |
3 |
La Rochelle |
9 |
|
Oyonnax |
16 |
Union Bordeaux-Bègles |
6 |
|
RC Narbonne |
3 |
Lyon OU |
27 |
|
Lannemezan |
15 |
Pau |
21 |
ProD2 leaders SU Agen
have become the first team to secure their play-off slot
after their resounding 31-3 home win against Colomiers
at the weekend.
Agen's latest victory - their 18th in 26 games - lifted them
to 89 points, a full 22 clear of sixth-placed Pau with just
four games to play. It also moved them six clear of
second-placed Oyonnax courtesy of their eighth attacking
bonus of the season.
South
African fly-half Conrad Barnard kicked four penalties in the
opening half four to ease them 12-3 ahead, with Fijian
centre Saimoni Vaka adding a try just before the interval to
stretch the lead.
Read More... |
04 April 2010
|

Riding
high: Perpignan
are in pole position
Photo: Michael Paler |
Defending champions Perpignan put
down a significant marker for the play-offs as they won
17-11 at Castres on Saturday night.
The victory was built on first-half tries
from from Farid Sid (after eight minutes) and Henry Tuilagi
(33), with the latter crucially scored while Perpignan were
down to 14 men after Ovidiu Tonita's yellow card.
Full-back Jerome Porical knocked over
both conversions to earn them a 14-8 half-time lead after
Mathieu Nicolas had replied with a try for the hosts.
Romain Teulet missed that conversion, but
did bring Castres back to within three points after a
penalty either side of half time, but Catalan fly-half Gavin
Hume added a drop-goal after 58 minutes to seal the win.
Read More... |
|
02 April 2010
|

Try-scorer: Jean Bouilhou (c)
grabbed Toulouse's third
Photo: Michael Paler |
Toulouse
28 (10)
Racing 23 (9)
They
were made to work extremely hard, but Stade Toulousain
eventually overcame a determined Racing-Métro thanks to
tries from Clément Poitrenaud, Yoann Maestri and Jean
Bouilhou.
Stade
went into the game still smarting from last week's 26-10
loss at Biarritz and having been defeated in two of their
past three home games. But this win lifted them above Toulon
into fourth and sets them up perfectly for next weekend's
Heineken Cup quarterfinal against struggling Stade Francais.
Read More...
|
|
By Ollie Phillips, 01 April 2010
|

Happier
times: Ollie Phillips scoring against
Bath in this season's Heineken Cup
Photo: Michael Paler |
[FRC columnist Ollie Phillips, IRB Sevens Player of the
Year, Stade Francais winger and FRC columnist Ollie
Phillips talks about finance, injury, Max Guazzini, the
Heineken Cup and birthday boy James Haskell].
Much has
been written and said about Stade Francais in recent weeks
but as far as we’re concerned what’s happened has happened
and all we can do is try and win our remaining four games –
starting with Clermont Auvergne at the Stade de France on
Saturday.
Read More...
|
31 March 2010
|

Upwardly mobile:
Racing-Métro
Photo: Michael Paler |
The increasingly tense finale to Top 14
ratchets up a further notch this weekend with all still to
play for throughout the congested table. Joint leaders
Castres and Perpignan go head-to-head at the Stade Pierre
Antoine, while Biarritz (at home to Montauban) and Brive (at
home to Bourgoin) retain hopes of a play-off slot as they
pray for sixth-placed Racing-Métro to slip up at Stade
Toulousain.
Top 14 Table
/
Top 14 try-scorers
/
Top 14 Results
/
Top 14
Fixtures
Third-placed Clermont Auvergne,
meanwhile, travel to Paris for the latest installment of
Stade Francais' soap-opera of a season. The capital club
suffered the indignity of being called before the DNACG this
week, capping a woeful month that saw them lose successive
games to Brive (24-16), Stade Toulousain (29-0) and
Perpignan (44-23).
Read More... |
|
29 March 2010
Montauban appear destined for ProD2 after club president
Patrick Vianco confirmed they will be relegated on financial
grounds if they fail to find the
€1.7m
shortfall in this season's budget.
The
bombshell news comes after Montauban was one of three Top 14
clubs - and six in total - that was hauled before the
all-powerful DNACG on Tuesday. The DNACG is the league's
financial watchdog and has the power - as it did with SCA
Albi in 2007/8 - to relegate.
Top 14 Table
/
Top 14 leading scorers
/
Top 14 Results
/
Top 14
Fixtures
/
Top 14
Transfers
Read More...
|
30 March 2010
|

Out for the season:
Yves Donguy
Photo: Michael Paler |
Springbok lock Bakkies Botha is said to have held
constructive talks with Toulon at the weekend over a
proposed move to the French club following the 2011 World
Cup.
The
30-year-old - currently recuperating from an Achilles
rupture - had dinner with club captain and fellow South
African Joe van Niekerk on Friday night as the pair watched
Toulon win 13-9 at Bourgoin.
Top 14 Table
/
Top 14 try-scorers
/
Top 14 Results
/
Top 14
Fixtures
Botha's
agent Gerrie Swart confirmed the pair had met but denied
Bulls star had also held talks with club president Mourad
Boudjellal.
There
seems little doubt, however, that Toulon want to sign Botha
- considered one of the world's best second row forwards.
Read More... |
29 March 2010
|

Where did it all go
wrong?
Photo: Michael Paler |
On-field
disaster is being aped by off-field catastrophe at Stade
Francais, with the capital club currently showing an
operating loss of
€2.5m
for the 2009/10 season.
The
alarming budget shortfall has caught the ever-eager eye of
the DNACG - French rugby's financial watchdog - and Stade
Francais are one of six clubs that have been summoned to
appear before it's high council on Tuesday, according to
Midi Olympique.
Stade Francais' unfolding season of
woe
Montauban
and Bourgoin are the other two Top 14 sides to have been
called in, along with three others from ProD2.
But it is
Stade's plight that will set alarm bells ringing throughout
French rugby as they one of the country's acknowledged
giants, and have long been held up as a template for
off-field expansion.
Read More... |
|
29 March 2010
|

Aussie Rebel?
Mark Gasnier
Photo: Michael Paler |
Stade Francais' Mark
Gasnier looks increasingly likely to return to Australia
at the end of the season, with new Super 15 franchise
Melbourne Rebels leading the chase for the former rugby
league international.
Rebels coach Rod Macqueen has admitted
that he's already met Gasnier, while ongoing discussions with the ARU are
believed to be nearing a deal that help finance the player's return.
Top 14 Transfers 2010/11
Queensland Reds - coached by former
Gasnier's former Stade boss Ewen McKenzie - and the Brumbies are also in
contention for the player's signature, although Melbourne remain favourites.
"We still remain very
interested in acquiring Mark's services," confirmed Rebels
chief executive Brian Waldron. "I think as time goes on the
decision gets closer for him."
Read More...
|
|
28 March 2010
Long-time leaders SU Agen took another step
towards Top 14 after a profitable weekend for the
would-be champions. The visit of basement club
Lannemezan proffered up a regulation five points
as they eased to a 43-3 win on Saturday, while
nearest rivals Oyonnax subsequently went down 19-6
at Pau on Sunday afternoon.
The two
results combined to put Agen five points clear with just
five games to go, of which three of those are at home.
Their
dismantling of Lannemezan was predictable enough with the
Agen collecting three unanswered tries in either half, with
South African fly-half Conrad Barnard adding four
conversions and a penalty for good measure.
Tongan
back-rower Ueleni Fono began the rout with the opening try
after 10 minutes, while Georgian prop Anton Peikrishvili and
debutant Mathieu Lamoulie both also went over before the
break. Lisiate Fa'aoso - another Tongan - and Cyril Chavet
followed suit after the break, with the hosts also adding a
penalty try as their dominance was complete.
Read More... |
29 March 2010
|

Where did it all go wrong?
Stade's James Haskell
Photo: Michael Paler |
The 2009/10
season has proven a tumultuous one for French giants Stade
Francais, with the flamboyant Paris outfit stumbling from
one crisis to another, both on and off the field.
Rarely have they been out
of the French (or international) headlines, with last week’s
announcement that Leinster’s Michael Cheika will become
their third head coach in less than 12 months just the
latest in a seemingly never-ending stream of eye-catching
stories to emerge from the club.
Their latest defeat -
a 44-23 hammering by Perpignan
- means they are currently languishing in ninth position in
Top 14 with just three matches to go and are set to miss out
on the end-of-season play-offs for the first time since
2000/01. And this despite the number of clubs involved in
those play-offs being expanded from four to six this season.
Read More... |
27 March 2010
|

Rocket man:
Francois Steyn
Photo: Michael Paler |
Defending champions Perpignan ran
in seven tries against rudderless Stade Francais as
they hammered the Parisians 44-23 at the Stade Aimé Giral.
This latest defeat was their third on the
spin - and their 12th overall in the league this season -
and effectively ended their slim play-off hopes, especially
with Racing-Métro seeing off Brive 25-18.
Two Lionel Beauxis successes gave Stade
an early 6-0 lead, but they found themselves 24-9 down at
half time after the Catalans responded with four tries.
Top 14 Table
/
Top 14 try-scorers
/
Top 14 Results
/
Top 14
Fixtures
Fit-again Jerome Porical celebrated his
return with the opening try - which he converted himself -
before Gerrie Britz, Farid Sid and David Marty all followed
suit.
Read More... |
|
26 March 2010
|

Toulon bound:
Carl Hayman
Photo: Michael Paler |
Toulon are back in the headlines just days after
completing the stunning transfer of New Zealand's Carl
Hayman. Now the big-spending Top 14 side is being linked
with two more international stars, with South Africa's
Bakkies Botha and former All Blacks captain Reuben
Thorne the latest to be tipped to join.
Reports
in France claim Botha (30) will be in Toulon this weekend to
sort out details on a two-year deal that would start after
the 2011 World Cup, while Thorne (35) is said to be on the
verge of agreeing a deal for next season.
Botha
almost joined Toulon at the beginning of 2008/9 but the
already agreed transfer from the Bulls was finally scuppered
when the South African Rugby Union refused to sanction the
move.
Read More...
|
26 March 2010
|

Comeback king:
Tana Umaga
Photo: Michael Paler |
Domestic rivalries are renewed in Top 14
this weekend as the ongoing nerve-jangler of a season
reboots in France. Tense and tetchy squabbles can be
expected throughout the country as various endgame scenarios
are played out in front of packed houses and blazing Spring
sunshine.
Top 14 Table
/
Top 14 try-scorers
/
Top 14 Results
/
Top 14
Fixtures
Play-off positions and the
scrap to avoid relegation means all the round 23 fixtures
carry extra importance, with the only resolved issue to date
being that SCA Albi will return whence they came (ProD2) at
the end of the season.
But even they could yet have a
significant say in who else joins them as they host
13th-placed Montauban in a game the visitors dare not lose.
Elsewhere, the dogfight for the sixth and final play-off
slot heats up with seventh-placed Brive travelling to
current incumbents Racing-Métro, while outsiders Stade
Francais go to defending champions Perpignan and
almost-out-of-it Biarritz host Stade Toulousain (across the
border in northern Spain).
Read More... |
|
24 March 2010
|

Centre of attention:
Brive's Riki Flutey
Photo: Michael Paler |
Brive
CEO Simon Gillham has denied that either Munster or
London Wasps has contacted the French club with a view to
signing England centre Riki Flutey.
Reports
of
Flutey’s imminent departure have been
doing the rounds for weeks now, but Gillham said
that as far as he was concerned the England centre would
remain at Brive next season to see out the final year of his
contract.
Flutey,
30, has only played four matches for Brive since signing
last summer – due to injury and international calls – and
has been widely reported as being unsettled at the French
club.
Brive
are currently pushing to try and secure the final top six
slot in Top 14, but as things stand would miss out on the
play-offs and qualification for next season’s Heineken Cup.
Read More...
|
|
24 March 2010
|

Comeback king:
Tana Umaga
Photo: Michael Paler |
Toulon assistant
coach Tana Umaga is set to make his playing return on
Friday when he will come out of retirement (aged 36) for the
club’s away game at Bourgoin.
Umaga is still awaiting
his playing licence from the LNR, but is likely to start on
the wing as a direct replacement for the injured Christian
Loamanu.
“He has lost none of
his timing and demonstrated the enthusiasm of a junior,”
said Toulon head coach Philippe Saint-André. “If I thought
he wasn’t fit to play then I wouldn’t pick him,” he added.
Top 14 Transfers 2010/11
The
former New Zealand captain
agreed to strap
on his boots once more after Loamanu
dislocated a hip setting up a try in the club's recent
league win over Castres.
Read More...
|
24 March 2010
|

Toulon bound:
Carl Hayman
Photo: Michael Paler |
Carl
Hayman has further explained his decision to sign for Toulon
and put his future financial security ahead of possible
World Cup glory.
The
former All Blacks prop had been widely tipped to return to
New Zealand at the end this season – when his three-year
contract expired with Newcastle Falcons – but has instead
agreed a lucrative deal with Top 14’s cash-rich Toulon as he
joins the likes of Jonny Wilkinson, Sonny Bill Williams and
Juan Sebastien Lobbe at the Cote d’Azur club.
Top 14 Transfers 2010/11
“There’s
a time in one’s life and one’s career when you have to be a
bit selfish sometimes and think of yourself,” explained the
30-year-old prop. “I’ve done good service to the All Black
jersey and been at the coal face just about every week in my
bloody career when I was in New Zealand. I played about 80
minutes every week, so I’ve done my bloody dash,” he told
Sky Sports.
Read More... |
|
21 March 2010
|

Grand Slam: France
are deserved champs |
It
wasn't pretty, it wasn't fluent, but France can now relax
and reflect on a victorious 2010 Six Nations campaign after
their nervy 12-10 home win against England secured their
ninth Grand Slam.
Head
coach Marc Lièvremont was quick to heap praise on his
forwards after their gritty victory, trotting out the sacred
French rugby phrase: "Pas de mêlée, pas de victoire".
His
pragmatism would no doubt have been appreciated by Martin
Johnson, his opposite number, and in many ways this was a
role reversal of how both these teams have fared in this
year's tournament.
England
scored the only try of the game when Northampton full-back
Ben Foden rounded off a rapier backline move, while France
ground to victory thanks to the combined boots of Morgan
Para (three pens) and Francois Trinh-Duc (a drop-goal).
Read More...
|
20 March 2010
|

Toulon bound:
Carl Hayman
Photo: Michael Paler |
Former All
Blacks prop Carl Hayman, 30, will be unveiled as
big-spending Toulon's latest star signing, according
to reports emerging from Newcastle.
Hayman -
considered one of the world's best tighthead props - will
follow in the footsteps of Jonny Wilkinson and Tom May in
signing for the Cote d'Azur club after spurning the
opportunity to return home and claim a place in the All
Blacks' 2011 World Cup squad.
Top 14 Transfers 2010/11
The
financial riches and cultural lifestyle on offer proved too
great to refuse for the Newcastle Falcons captain, with club
chairman Dave Thompson admitting defeat in his efforts to
retain Hayman.
"We did
everything we possibly could to keep Carl," Thompson told
The Journal. "We offered Carl the best possible deal we
could muster, and it's a shame he has decided to look
elsewhere, but we fully respect and understand that choice,"
added Thompson.
Read More... |
|
By Colin Spiro, 19 March 2010
|

'The epitome of French
coolness and class'
Photo: Eden Park |
On
the eve of France's Grand Slam showdown with England FRC
talks to former France fly-half (and Grand Slam winner)
Franck Mesnel.
Franck
Mesnel was once dubbed “the epitome of French coolness and
class”, and it’s certainly hard to refute that tribute,
although you won’t find him draped around an espresso in a
Paris café puffing away happily on a Gitanes. The coffee,
the café and Paris, yes, but smoking is not on the Mesnel
agenda.
He looks
as fit and fresh now, aged 48, as he did in his prime – and
what a prime! Mesnel trained as an architect but found
himself at the centre, or rather fly-half, of the now famed
back quintet at Paris side Racing Club de France (now known
as Racing-Metro 92) that gave birth to the sobriquet “Le
Showbizz” in the mid 1980s. Not satisfied with playing a
flair minded counter-attack game, the capital’s then number
one club also took to indulging in a number of “jokes” while
simultaneously engaged in all the seriousness that was and
remains French club rugby.
Read More...
|
19 March 2010
|

Answering the call:
Michael
Cheika
Photo: Michael Paler |
Stade
Francais have named Leinster boss Michael Cheika as
their new director of rugby.
Cheika,
who played for Stade in the 1991/2 season, comes in after it
was confirmed that current head coach Jacques Delmas would
not have his contract renewed in the summer.
Cheika
guided Leinster to Heineken Cup success last season and had
already confirmed that he would be departing the Irish
province at the end of 2009/10 - with his successor being
Clermont Auvergne No 2 Joe Schmidt.
He will
take over a club that has suffered a traumatic season both
on and off the pitch this season.
The
43-year-old Australian has signed a three-year deal with
Stade Francais, confirmed a statement on the club website.
"Michael Cheika will, of course, be involved in recruiting
for next season," it added.
Read More... |
19 March 2010
|

Comeback king:
Tana Umaga
Photo: Michael Paler |
All
Blacks legend Tana Umaga is set for a sensational playing
return with Toulon after signing as a 'medical joker' until
the end of the season.
The
36-year-old former New Zealand captain has agreed to strap
on his boots once more after Toulon winger Christian Loamanu
dislocated a hip setting up a try in the club's recent
league win over Castres.
Umaga's
playing return has echoes of last season when (as then head
coach) he decided the best way to oversee Toulon's fight
against relegation was to take to the field again.
Top 14 Table
/
Top 14 leading scorers
/
Top 14 Results
/
Top 14
Fixtures
/
Top 14
Transfers
His
on-field presence for the last nine games proved decisive as
the Cote d'Azur club successfully staved off the drop, with
Umaga scoring a try and earning wide-scale plaudits for his
level of play.
Read More... |
|
19 March 2010
|

What's going on?
Stade Francais turmoil
Photo: Michael Paler |
Stade
Francais will announce their third head coach within a
year following confirmation that Jacques Delmas will
not have his contract renewed in the summer.
Delmas
was brought in after Australian Ewen McKenzie was sacked in
September, but with Stade currently languishing in eighth
position - and likely to miss the end-of-season play-offs -
owner Max Guazzini has run out of patience.
The
Paris giants are due to announce a new 'sporting director'
today (Friday), with former head coach Fabien Galthié
expected to take the role.
"It's
hard but it's part of the job," Delmas told French newspaper
Sud-Ouest.
Read More...
|
|
By Joe El Abd, 18 March 2010
|

'Huge
inspiration':
Tana Umaga
Photo: Michael Paler |
Toulon flanker and FRC columnist Joe El Abd
this week talks about the incredible atmosphere of the Stade
Félix Mayol, Christian Loamanu's horrific injury and the
prospect of Tana Umaga returning to the playing field in the
closing stages of the season.
I
mentioned
in my last blog how Toulon
are never too far from the headlines with regards to all the
incoming transfers for next season. Well, over the past
couple of weeks Toulon have hit the headlines again, but
this time for a number of different reasons.
Top 14 Transfers 2010/11
Firstly,
last Friday night saw the team
beat table- topping Castres 19-6 at
the Stade Félix Mayol. The atmosphere on the
night was even more electrifying than normal and the win
puts us in a strong position to achieve an all-important top
six finish and a place in the end of season play-offs.
Read More... |
|
18 March 2010
|

Trying times: Stade Francais
have had a traumatic season
Photo: Michael Paler |
Reports
in the French press claim Stade Francais owner Max Guazzini
has run out of patience with head coach Jacques Delmas
and will not renew his contract in the summer.
Delmas -
who led Biarritz to two French championships and a Heineken
Cup final - was only brought in after previous head coach
Ewen McKenzie was sacked in September
2009.
Top 14 Table 2008/9
/
Top 14 Transfers
/
ProD2 Transfers
/
Top 14
Fixtures 2009/10
/
Stade
began brightly under Delmas' stewardship but have struggled
in recent months and now find themselves sitting eighth in
the league and facing the prospect of missing out on the
end-of-season play-offs for the first time since 2000/01 -
and that despite the format being extended to include six
rather than four teams.
Read More...
|
|
17 March 2010
|

Scapegoat:
Jonny Wilkinson
Photo: Michael Paler |
One-time
golden boy Jonny Wilkinson has been unceremoniously dumped
by England as manager Martin Johnson has rung the changes
for Saturday's Paris showdown with France.
Wilkinson, 30, has paid the price for a mounting media
campaign which has primarily blamed the former World Cup
hero for England's stale and static rugby.
It
appears the Toulon fly-half has been made the scapegoat for
a team which has continually under-performed, with Leicester
Tigers' Toby Flood named in his place for the weekend match
against Grand Slam chasing France.
Paris
when it sizzles can be a daunting venue at the best of
times, but Saturday night is bound to be a highly charged
affair as Marc Lièvremont's team go in search of revenge
(for last year's 34-10 defeat) and a first Grand Slam since
2004.
Read More... |
|
15 March 2010
|

Wanted:
Carl Hayman
Photo: Michael Paler |
All
Blacks prop Carl Hayman is reportedly the latest big-name
signing being lined up by Top 14's Toulon.
The
Newcastle Falcons star is said to be weighing up offers from
both Toulon and the New Zealand Rugby Union as he
contemplates whether to return home in time to make the All
Blacks' World Cup squad.
News of
their interest in one of the world's most prized props comes
in the same week that the club has confirmed that backs
coach Tana Umaga will definitely leave at the end of the
season to take up a player-coaching role with Counties
Manukau back in New Zealand.
Top 14 Table
/
Top 14 leading scorers
/
Top 14 Results
/
Top 14
Fixtures
/
Top 14
Transfers
Umaga
was previously head coach of the Top 14 outfit as he
presided over their rise from ProD2 two seasons ago, but
stepped back to allow Philippe Saint-André to take over
after struggling in their first season back in the top
flight.
Read More...
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|
16 March 2010
|

Back in blue:
Mathieu Bastareaud
Photo: Michael Paler |
Grand
Slam-chasing France have made just one change for their
weekend clash with England, recalling rested centre Mathieu
Bastareaud in place of David Marty.
Perpignan's Marty did nothing wrong as he ran in two tries
against Italy in Sunday's 46-20 demolition, but coach Marc
Lièvremont was always going to turn to Bastareaud as 'Les
Bleus' push for their first Grand Slam since 2004.
The
Stade Francais youngster has been one of the players of the
tournament so far and only sat out the Italy match as a
precaution ahead of the England game.
His
bulk, power and speed combine to make him a near unstoppable
man-mountain in the centres, where he is already building up
an excellent rapport with Stade Toulousain's Yannick
Jauzion.
Read More... |
|
15 March 2010
|

Four down, one to go: France kept their Grand Slam hopes
alive with a 46-20 home win against Italy in Paris
Photo: Michael Paler |
France
coach Marc Lièvremont has named an unchanged 23-man squad
for their Grand Slam showdown with England following 'Les
Bleus' emphatic 46-20 home win against Italy on Sunday.
France
rain in six tries as they dominated Italy in Paris, with
David Marty (2), Imanol Harinordoquy, Marc Andreu, Yannick
Jauzion and Alexandre Lapandry all crossing before Italy
rallied with two late scores from Carlo Del Fava and Pablo
Canavosio.
Read More...
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|
15 March 2010
|
Lannemezan |
24 |
Colomiers |
22 |
|
Tarbes |
22 |
Lyon OU |
16 |
|
Aurillac |
24 |
FC Auch Gers |
15 |
|
Union Bordeaux-Bègles |
31 |
Pau |
13 |
|
RC Narbonne |
24 |
Dax |
18 |
|
Oyonnax |
36 |
Aix-en-Provence |
18 |
|
La Rochelle |
25 |
Grenoble |
21 |
|
Mont-de-Marsan |
18 |
SU Agen |
12 |
Just two
rounds after beating Oyonnax 23-11 to open up a six-point
gap long-time leaders SU Agen now find themselves
level-pegging with their championship rivals after losing
18-12 at Mont-de-Marsan on Sunday.
Agen's
defeat - their first in seven games - left them tied with
Oyonnax on 79 points, although their next two games at both
at home to lowly Colomiers and Lannemezan.
Read More... |
14 March 2010
| Fri 12
March |
|
|
|
|
Toulon |
19 |
Castres |
6 |
|
Bayonne |
22 |
Clermont Auvergne |
13 |
|
Stade Toulousain |
34 |
Montpellier |
3 |
| SCA Albi |
7 |
Bourgoin |
17 |
|
Brive |
24 |
Stade Francais |
16 |
|
Perpignan |
19 |
Biarritz |
14 |
| Sat
13 March |
|
|
|
|
Montauban |
45 |
Racing-Métro 92 |
31 |
Fly-half
Cédric Rosalen kicked 30 points as relegation-threatened
Montauban beat high-flying Racing-Métro 45-31 at
the Stade Sapiac on Saturday night.
The win
wasn't enough to lift Montauban out of the drop zone but
they are now just one point behind 13th-placed Montpellier
with four games left to play. Bayonne and Bourgoin also
remain within touching distance despite their Friday night
wins (see below) as just three points now separate the four
teams above relegated Albi in an increasingly congested
table.
Read More... |
|
12 March 2010
|

Centre of attention:
Brive's Riki Flutey
Photo: Michael Paler |
Brive
CEO Simon Gillham has reiterated that want-away England
centre Riki Flutey will remain at the Limousin club
next season.
Flutey,
30, has been heavily linked with a summer move away – to
either Munster or his former club London Wasps – but Gillham
insists that the Kiwi-born player will remain in France. “He
is under contract until June 2011,” he stressed.
Top 14 Table
/
Top 14 leading scorers
/
Top 14 Results
/
Top 14
Fixtures
/
Top 14
Transfers
Gillham’s unequivocal stance follows a report in London’s
Evening Standard paper earlier this week which claimed
Flutey had agreed to rejoin Wasps. It said the London club
had found extra cash to finance the deal after seeing
fly-half Danny Cipriani sign for Melbourne Rebels.
Read More...
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|
12 March 2010
|

Under pressure:
Steve Borthwick
Photo: Michael Paler |
The Calcutta Cup is up
for grabs at Murrayfield this weekend and both Scotland and
England will go into the match looking to get back on track
after disappointing defeats in their last RBS Six Nations
matches.
Scotland went down
16-12 in Italy and are now looking at a possible wooden
spoon, while England again failed to convert possession into
points as they lost 16-20 at home to Ireland. The world’s
oldest international fixture – dating back to 1871 – will be
a typically tribal affair as national rivalries are renewed,
but it’s unlikely to be a free-flowing feast of running
rugby as the result takes precedence over all else.
Under-pressure Toulon
and England fly-half Jonny Wilkinson is desperate to put in
a match-winning performance but he’s acutely aware of t |