Top 14: Toulouse's Noves sparks club versus
country row; Carter resumes training
28 January 2009
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Muddied but unbowed: Byron
Kelleher will play in Biarritz
Photo: Michael Paler |
Toulouse
head coach Guy Noves has sparked another club versus country
debate after being highly critical of the three-day French
training camp this week.
Noves
said it was ridiculous that his squad had been decimated by
international calls just days after an exhausting Heineken
Cup match and prior to an important Top 14 game away to
Biarritz.
Nine of
his squad have been called up for the French training
session at Marcoussis, in Paris, and Noves told L’Equipe
that it was madness to push his players when they obviously
need rest ahead of the weekend matches.
“France
is not playing in Biarritz on Saturday,” he scoffed.
“They
are distorting the championship. If I send a team of young
hopefuls to Biarritz it will penalise other clubs who are
seeking to avoid relegation. But I cannot do otherwise.
Biarritz deserve better after playing well at the end of the
European Cup,” he added.
Noves is
clearly upset at the timing of the training camp and said it
would put an unnecessary burden on his stars.
“After
our match with Bath, it will take the players at least two
days to recover. If my players are put onto the field for
training, a catastrophe is possible because their physical
wellbeing could be at risk,” he warned.
Noves
clearly has much on his mind as he ponders the club’s double
assault on Top 14 and the Heineken Cup, especially with the
added sideshow of the forthcoming RBS Six Nations
championship.
At least
he now knows exactly what they have to do to reach this
year’s Heineken Cup final, held in Edinburgh. If they come
through their tough away draw at Cardiff Blues in April they
will then take on the winner of Leicester Tigers and Bath in
the May semi-finals.
Toulouse, of course, know all about Bath having faced them
twice in the Pool stages, but with Leicester playing at home
in the quarter-finals the Tigers would have to start as
favourites to progress from that tie.
And
while his French stars are away with the national team Noves
did at least receive some good news this week with the
return to action of fly-half David Skrela, who is likely to
play against Biarritz.
Skrela’s
return is doubly welcome because Frederic Michalak has been
in hospital this week suffering from tonsillitis, putting
his participation in serious doubt.
Bourgoin, who entertain Montauban at the weekend, are
also counting the cost of their European exertions – they
qualified for the quarter-finals of the European Challenge
Cup – with news that lock Camille Levast is likely to be out
for a month with a torn right calf.
Bayonne, likewise, could be without Pepito Elhorga for a
lengthy spell after he picked up a knee injury in the club’s
24-22 win away to Italian side Viadana. Benjamin Fall is
also definitely absent from their weekend match against
Clermont, while Jacques Deen and Rob Linde are doubtful.
Meanwhile, over in Perpignan, All Black fly-half Dan
Carter is back in training ahead of the club’s weekend clash
with Stade Francais.
Carter
missed Perpignan’s last two matches in the Heineken Cup with
an inflamed achilles but resumed light training on Monday.
He will
be desperate to play in the high-profile Paris match, which
is due to be played at the Stade de France and is likely to
attract an 80,000 sell-out crowd.
His
recuperation is doubly important for the Catalans, who are
five points behind leaders Toulouse, because his deputy
Steve Meyer has been ruled out for the rest of the season
after rupturing the anterior cruciate ligament in his left
knee. He is due to be operated on next week.
Third-choice Nicolas Laharrague is also sidelined with a
knee injury.
Perpignan's Scottish scrum-half Chris Cusiter is
available, but he has now confirmed that he will be
returning home to play for Glasgow in the Celtic League next
season.
The
26-year-old was high on Clermont’s wanted list but has opted
to go back to Scotland when his contract runs out at the end
of this season.
The
British and Irish Lion is keen to improve his chances of
further international honours after slipping behind Mike
Blair as Scotland’s current first-choice number nine.
“I’m
joining an ambitious club with huge potential and I’m
excited about the challenges that lie ahead,” he said.
Glasgow
recently stunned Toulouse with a famous Heineken Cup win at
the Ernest Wallon stadium, a performance that clearly
impressed the 39 times capped Cusiter.
“I hope
to bring the experience I’ve gained over the last two
seasons to an already very talented Glasgow side. I believe
it’s the right time to come back to Scotland. I’m looking
forward to earning a starting place for Glasgow which, in
the long run, may also help my international aspirations as
we look forward to the Rugby World Cup in 2011,” he added.
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