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15 December
2008
All Black fly-half Dan Carter kicked 16 points on
his debut to help guide Perpignan to a 26-20 home
win against Leicester Tigers.
The Kiwi No 10 kicked two conversions and four
penalties on his first outing at the Stade Aime
Giral, and afterwards admitted he had felt so
nervous it was like being back at his first day at
school.
Carter missed with a penalty attempt either
side of half time, but centre Gerrie Britz scored
two tries to ensure that Perpignan kept alive their
slim quarter-final hopes. They are still third in
Pool 3, six points behind both Leicester and the
Ospreys (their next opponents).
“The fact we won the game is really good,” admitted
a relieved Carter. “But there are still a lot of
important games to come. I cannot ease up. I must
keep learning and improving,” he said.
But he was clearly thrilled to have got off to a
winning start, and to begin paying back part of the
£30,000 per game investment the Catalans have made
in him.
“To have come and beat a team of the quality of
Leicester in my first game in Europe was a great
start,” he said.
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14 December
2008
An
afternoon and evening of high drama in the Heineken
Cup saw Toulouse and Montauban both register wins,
while Clermont, Biarritz and Stade Francais all fell
to narrow defeats – the latter with the final kick
of another absorbing match.
The Paris club appeared set to avenge last week’s
home defeat against Harlequins in Pool 4 when they
led the Londoners 17-16 deep into time added on,
only for Kiwi fly half Nick Evans to make two breaks
in a 29-phase play before slotting a scuffed
drop-goal to send The Stoop into wild celebration.
It was harsh on the Stade Francais players, who had
given their all in the rain and mud, and now leaves
the capital’s giants with a mighty struggle to
qualify for the quarter-final stages.
It was another backs-to-the-wall performance from
Harlequins and spoke volumes of their depths of
belief and resilience, especially after a dominant
Stade Francais had opened an 11-3 advantage after
just 10 minutes.
Evans and Stade scrum-half Falie Oelschig exchanged
early penalties, before the latter went over for the
opening try when he fully capitalised on Will
Skinner’s missed tackle from the back of a five
metre scrum.
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13 December
2008
Castres 18 (9) Leinster 15 (12)
Castres
stunned group leaders Leinster with a surprise 18-15
win, with Anthony Lagardere’s six penalties
accounting for all their points.
The Irish side had gone into the match with three
wins from three in Pool two, and confident of
another victory after last week’s 33-3 trouncing,
but were left to rue a hatful of missed
opportunities as they came unstuck against the Top
14 strugglers.
For Castres it was the perfect end to a troubled
week after confirmation their coaches would be
departing at the end of the season, together with
club captain and talisman Lionel Nallet – bound for
Montpellier apparently.
But if the sparse home crowd believed Nallet’s
commitment would be diminished they were in for a
pleasant surprise as the French captain put in
another huge performance to lift his charges to
their maiden Heineken Cup win of the season.
And yet it had all started so differently at the
Stade Pierre Antoine, with Leinster dominating early
possession and scoring a seemingly inevitable try
after just five minutes when Gavin Dempsey touched
down after a Brian O’Driscoll grubber kick.
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12 December
2008
Clermont’s
hopes of causing an upset in Munster have been dealt a
severe blow with confirmation that captain Aurélien Rougerie
has been ruled out with a jaw injury.
The
inspirational winger was outstanding as ‘Les Jaunards’ beat
the defending champions 25-19 at home last week, but his
absence from Thomond Park is a major set back.
Prop
Thomas Domingo will also miss Saturday’s Pool 1 clash, while
Munster are expected to recall fit again hooker Jerry
Flannery in the only change to their side.
Centre
Barry Murphy has recovered from a back strain that saw him
miss midweek training.
Meanwhile, Dax were thumped 59-7 by London Irish in
last night’s Pool one match in the European Challenge Cup.
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11 December 2008
Dan
Carter’s eagerly awaited debut may be stealing the headlines
this week but there are six other French teams in Heineken
Cup action before Perpignan entertain Leicester Tigers at
the Stade Aime Giral on Sunday afternoon.
Last
week’s results were largely disappointing for Top 14 sides
but Toulouse (who beat Newport Gwent Dragons), Clermont (who
beat champions Munster), Stade Francais (who lost at home to
Harlequins) and Biarritz (who lost narrowly to Cardiff
Blues) are all still capable of qualifying for the
quarter-finals.
Another
win for Toulouse would make it four from four in Pool 5 and
continue their 11-match winning streak, but Clermont and
Stade Francais both travel more in hope than expectation.
As for
Perpignan, nothing but a win against Leicester Tigers would
suffice – although given their investment in Carter it will
be intriguing to see how the All Blacks’ No 10 settles in to
his new role with the Catalans.
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10 December 2008
The
waiting is almost over following confirmation that All Black
fly-half Dan Carter will definitely make his Perpignan debut
in Sunday’s crucial home clash with Leicester Tigers in the
Heineken Cup.
The
26-year-old has only partaken of one training session with
the Catalans so far but anything bar a weekend win at the
Stade Aime Giral would effectively end their dreams of
European glory this season.
Club
president Paul Goze admitted as much when he told the press
that Carter would definitely start.
“With us
being three matches from the end of the pool stages we are
not masters of our destiny now. We are going all out to beat
Leicester and have no regrets,” he said.
However,
costly defeats to the Ospreys and away to Leicester may have
already put the Heineken Cup out of reach, leaving Goze to
accept the Top 14 play-off title may be the more realistic
target for Perpignan this season.
“USAP
are a good team but one which, until now, has never been
able to make that step up. With Carter, we have the
possibility of doing that. He can lead us to the French
championship, which we have been waiting for for 54 years,”
he added.
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07 December 2008
Clermont Auvergne put a
smile back on the face of French rugby when they beat
reigning Heineken Cup champions Munster 25-19 at the Stade
Marcel Michelin on Sunday afternoon.
Brock James was the
Clermont hero, scoring all 25 points in the crucial Pool 1
encounter as Les Jaunards repeated last year’s group win
over the Munster. The Australian fly half kicked six
penalties and ran in a second-half try as the Top 14 outfit
rallied from 16-9 down just before half-time.
James and his Irish
counterpart Ronan O’Gara traded two penalties apiece in the
opening skirmishes before Munster hooker Marcus Horan
crashed over for the game’s first try on 25 minutes.
O’Gara converted from
the corner to give the visitors a seven-point cushion before
a pair of James penalties either side of the interval
reduced that back down to one.
Then, seven minutes into
the second half, James made the game’s telling play, beating
two tackles to touch down for the hosts as they regained the
lead.
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06 December 2008
Three times champions
Stade Toulouse were France’s only winners on a miserable day
for Top 14 sides in both the Heineken Cup and the European
Challenge Cup.
Last year’s runners-up
turned on the style to dispatch Newport Gwent Dragons 26-7,
but there were defeats for Castres, Perpignan and Stade
Francais – the latter in front of a Heineken Cup record
crowd of 76,569.
But while Castres and
Perpignan were expected to lose - away to Leinster and
Leicester Tigers respectively – Stade Francais’ 15-10 defeat
to Harlequins was a hammer blow to the Paris club’s European
aspirations.
Ewen McKenzie’s side
started brightly enough - twice being denied an opening try
by television replays in the first five minutes – but their
momentum ran dry once Quins had weathered the initial storm.
The huge crowd had been
royally entertained with the pre-match razzmatazz, but it
was the English visitors who were sitting pretty (though not
in pink) as tries from Tom Williams and Jordan Turner-Hall
saw them open up a 12-0 lead after 25 minutes.
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06 December 2008
Biarritz outscored hosts
Cardiff Blues by two tries to nil, but still went down 21-17
in their Pool 6 Heineken Cup clash.
The metronomic boot of
Kiwi full-back Ben Blair proved their undoing as the
competition’s leading scorer kicked five out of six penalty
attempts to rattle up another 15 points.
Biarritz put their Top
14 struggles behind them as they began the match in dynamic
fashion, taking the fight to their hosts as they put Cardiff
under early pressure. Their reward was a 19th-minute
try when Takudzwa Ngwenya broke from deep before switching
inside for international centre Damien Traille to go over in
the corner.
Julien Peyrelongue added
the conversion to put Biarritz 7-0 up as the group leaders
were shocked into action.
A Blair penalty soon
reduced the arrears but Biarritz were unlucky not to add a
second try when speedster Ngwenya knocked on after chipping
through.
Peyrelongue and Blair
then exchanged penalties before Blues fly-half Nick Robinson
dropped the first of his two crucial drop-goals.
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05 December 2008
Another frenetic weekend
of Heineken Cup matches gets underway tonight, with French
sides Montauban and Biarritz both in action, before the big
guns of Stades Toulouse and Francais enter the fray on
Saturday afternoon.
This is the crucial
third round of matches in both the Heineken Cup and European
Challenge Cup, with reversed fixtures following next weekend
as the battle for quarter-final berths hots up.
As ever, we at FRC will
be keeping you up to date with all the matches and results,
as well as putting our collective battered neck once more
onto the chopping block with a full set of predictions.
Last week’s Top 14
upsets made us look like turkeys, but hey, that’s what sport
is all about right?
Sale Sharks v
Montauban, Pool 1, 20.45, Friday
Montauban, who have narrowly lost
both their games so far in their debut Heineken Cup season,
face another tough challenge when they travel to England’s
Sale Sharks.
The Manchester side,
which won in Clermont in the opening round, will be doubly
keen to get the result following yesterday’s news that
French director of rugby Philippe Saint-Andre will be
stepping down at the end of the reason – possibly to coach
Top 14 side Toulon.
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03 December 2008
France’s big guns -
Toulouse and Stade Francais - are both at home in the
Heineken Cup, looking to continue their 100 per cent winning
starts with games against Newport Gwent Dragons and
Harlequins respectively.
The latter Pool four
clash is already certain to enter the record books with the
ambitious Paris club hosting a European game at the Stade de
France for the first time. More than 65,000 tickets have
already been sold, guaranteeing it eclipses the current
Heineken Cup record attendance of 44,112 – also set by Stade
when they hosted Sale at the Parc des Princes in 2006/7.
Flamboyant president Max
Guazzini is laying on Moulin Rouge dancers, a medieval joust
and cheerleaders for the huge crowd, with 20,000 pink flags
also being given away to ensure the carnival atmosphere.
If it is anything like
the colour-drenched Top 14 play-off between Toulouse and
Clermont then it will be an occasion to savour for players
and fans alike.
Quins director of rugby
Dean Richards is certainly looking forward to the “fantastic
occasion” but said his players would be focused on following
up earlier victories against Ulster and the Scarlets.
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by Johnny Lidgate 03 December 2008
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Free-wheeling: Stade Toulouse |
We at FRC
wanted to know just why French giants Stade Toulouse are
consistently regarded as the best team in Europe, so we sent
special correspondent Johnny Lidgate along to the
Ernest-Wallon to find out why. Here's what he thought...
One club stands above all
others in European rugby.
They are three-time
Heineken Cup champions - a record - and 17-time champions of
France, also a record.
They are the Rouges et
Noir from the Ville Rose and to the Anglophone ear even
their nickname has a certain cachet compared to the
sub-American monikers - Force, anyone? - of say, the Super
14.
I write, of course, of
French aristocrats Stade Toulousain.
The city of Toulouse
nestles in the heart of French rugby's heartland, the south
west of the country.
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06 November 2008
 Perpignan
have upped the ante in the ongoing row over Marius Tincu’s
18-week ban, threatening to pull out of the Heineken Cup
unless the ruling is overturned.
The drastic move, which came after the ERC’s disciplinary
commission found the hooker guilty of eye gouging against
Ospreys prop Paul James, would not only be a major blow to
the competition but also to new star signing Dan Carter –
who opted to sign for Perpignan specifically because of
their Heineken Cup involvement.
But it seems the Catalan club are hell-bent on overturning
Tuesday’s ruling, claiming it has been made without
sufficient evidence to warrant such a ban. If the ruling
remains in place Tincu, a Romanian international, would be
unavailable to play until March.
A Perpignan statement variously labelled the commission’s
decision as “scandalous”, “grotesque” and “worthy of a
banana-boat republic”.
It added: “USAP will use all means possible, including going
in front of civil courts if necessary, to defend their
player Marius Tincu and reserve the right to resort to
measures which will have the heaviest consequences for the
competition if the club aren’t heard.”
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19 October 2008
Crisis-club Montauban
suffered more Heineken Cup heartbreak, but there were wins
for Stade Francais, Biarritz, Toulouse and Clermont in the
second round of European action.
Montauban, who lost to a
late penalty kick in Munster week, looked set to mark their
home debut with victory before Napolioni Nalaga scored five
minutes from time to steal victory for Clermont in the
all-French Pool One clash on Sunday afternoon.
More than 8,000 people
crammed in to the Stade de Sapiac as Montauban sought to put
their financial worries aside on their home debut in
Europe’s premier club competition, but Nalaga’s 75th-minute
try – his second of the game – proved decisive as Clermont
won 24-19.
The Fijian winger was
prominent throughout, opening the scoring after just three
minutes following a lightning Clermont counter-attack
initiated by Pierre Mignoni. Brock James converted and then
exchanged penalties with Petre Mitu as they stretched their
lead to 10-3.
Mitu, who is enjoying a
fine competition, pulled Montauban back to 9-10 with two
further penalties before Clermont flanker Alexandre Audebert
scored the game’s second try 15 minutes before the interval
following another line-break by Nalaga. James again
converted as Clermont, beaten by Sale last week, went in at
half-time 17-12 ahead.
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18 October 2008
Three tries in nine
second-half minutes saw Stade Francais maintain their 100%
winning record this season but it was agony for Perpignan as
they had a last-minute try disallowed in their narrow defeat
to the Ospreys.
Stade, like Toulouse last
night, took their time to exert dominance before cruising to
a crushing 37-15 victory over Llanelli Scarlets in Pool 4 at
the Stade Jean Bouin.
The runaway Top 14
leaders, who have now won nine consecutive games, were
restricted to penalties and speculative drop goals as they
struggled to assert their authority in the initial stages,
but they turned on the power after the interval as tries
from winger Julien Saubade and captain Sergio Parisse (2)
extended their lead from 9-8 to 30-8 in the blink of an eye.
Italian number eight
Parisse was a massive presence throughout and was only
denied a hat-trick when desperate defending stopped him just
inches short of the line on the hour mark.
Full-back Lionel Beauxis
was also in fine form, adding four second-half conversions
to his three first-half penalties to maintain his own 100%
record, in contrast to Juan Martin Hernandez who missed with
all three of his attempted drop goals.
Beauxis also had the
pleasure of securing Stade’s winning bonus point when he
charged down an attempted kick and ran in Paris’ fourth try
from the halfway line in the closing minutes, taking his
personal tally to 22 points in the process.
The Scarlets started
brightly, even scoring the game’s first try when Mark Jones
sped in after 19 minutes, and their refusal to cave in was
later rewarded when replacement Ceiron Thomas touched down
five minutes from the end. But in truth they were never in
this contest once Stade had stretched their legs after the
interval and a second successive defeat leaves them
contemplating an early exit from this year’s Heineken Cup.
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by Michel Dora 18 October 2008
Glasgow Warriors 16 (9)
Toulouse 22 (7)
Toulouse rediscovered their attacking flair with three tries
in a comfortable 22-16 victory against Glasgow Warriors at
Firhill in Pool 5.
The three times champions
were initially slow to find their rhythm – not entirely
surprising given their short turnaround from Sunday’s narrow
win against Bath – but put paid to their Scottish hosts with
a 15-point burst shortly after half-time.
Tries from scrum-half
Byron Kelleher and captain Yannick Jauzion added to David
Skrela’s first-half effort to ensure the win, with
Toulouse’s only disappointment being to miss out on an
attacking bonus point.
That may yet be crucial at
the end of what is bound to be a tight group, but for now
Guy Noves’ team were just happy to get the win under their
belt on a cold and wet night in Glasgow.
The home side were
typically dogged in the opening exchanges, scrapping for
loose ball and capitalising on Toulouse’s sloppy early play
as they coughed up nine handling errors in the first half.
Three penalties from the returning Dan Parks gave them a 9-7
interval lead despite Skrela’s silky opening try.
The French fly-half had
another outstanding game for the ‘Rouges et Noirs’, tackling
hard, kicking with aplomb and setting his centres free with
a series of well timed passes. And when Toulouse stole
possession from a Glasgow scrum in the 24th minute he was
also on hand to glide past three defenders and touch down
for his seventh Heineken Cup try, although his first for
Toulouse.
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17 October 2008
Record first day
attendances confirmed the growing status of the Heineken Cup
but French clubs will be looking for a more successful
weekend than last when only Stade Francais, Perpignan and
Toulouse (just) recorded wins.
The 31,885 who watched
Toulouse, last year’s runners-up, scramble a two-point
victory against Bath were part of an overall figure of
152,991 for the first round of matches, and there’s sure to
be more entertainment this weekend with another full set of
games.
Toulouse kick-off the
action tonight with a tricky trip to Scotland, while Stade
Francais and Perpignan both face Welsh opposition (in the
shape of Llanelli Scarlets and the Ospreys respectively) on
Saturday.
Biarritz entertain Italy’s
Rugby Calvisano while struggling Castres play host to
Edinburgh, before Sunday afternoon’s all French clash
between crisis club Montauban and Clermont.
It should be another
fascinating weekend across Europe.
Glasgow Warriors v
Toulouse, Pool 5, Firhill Arena (20.00, 17/10/08)
French champions Toulouse
were given a mighty shock by Bath last week, coming within
seconds of a disastrous home defeat – a wake-up call that
should ensure against complacency when they take on the
Warriors at Firhill. Their biggest problem could be fatigue
– it’s only five days since they played Bath on Sunday
afternoon – but with a squad their size the three-times
should be able to cope.
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by Declan Johnstone
15 October 2008
Former New Zealand
scrum-halves Justin Marshall and Byron Kelleher have both
been cited after the weekend’s Heineken Cup and European
Challenge Cup matches.
The ex-All Blacks, who now
ply their trade for Montpellier and Toulouse respectively,
have been summonsed to appear in Ireland on Thursday to
answer their charges.
Marshall has been cited
for an alleged high tackle on Bristol’s Tom Ascott, while
Kelleher is accused of stamping in Toulouse’s narrow home
win against Bath.
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13 October 2008
 There
was no doubting which game was dominating the sports pages
after a frantic opening weekend in the Heineken Cup, with
Toulouse’s last-kick win against Bath providing food for
thought for both sides.
Midi-Olympique, France’s
rugby newspaper, simply ran a headline ‘Ouf! Toulouse’ after
David Skrela’s touchline penalty saved the home side from
defeat.
Bath looked to have the
match won when Nick Abendanon broke through to score two
minutes from time but Skrela’s sixth successful kick
snatched victory for Toulouse, prompting plenty of
reflection from the three times champions.
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12 October 2008
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Pool 1 |
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Munster 19 |
Montauban 17 |
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Clermont 15 |
Sale Sharks 32 |
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Pool 2 |
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Edinburgh 16 |
Leinster 27 |
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London Wasps 25 |
Castres 11 |
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Pool 3 |
|
Perpignan 27 |
Benetton Treviso 16 |
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Leicester Tigers 12 |
Ospreys 6 |
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Pool 4 |
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Llanelli Scarlets 22 |
Harlequins 29 |
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Ulster 10 |
Stade Francais 26 |
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Pool 5 |
|
Newport Gwent Dragons 32 |
Glasgow Warriors 22 |
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Toulouse 18 |
Bath 16 |
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Pool 6 |
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Rugby Calvisano 20 |
Cardiff Blues 56 |
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Gloucester 22 |
Biarritz 10 |
Three-times champions Toulouse needed a last-ditch penalty
from David Skrela to snatch an 18-16 home win against Bath
in the opening round of Heineken Cup matches.
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by
Declan Johnstone
10
October 2008
 Munster
(10) 19 Montauban (3) 17
Defending champions Munster were given a huge scare by
unfancied Montauban, requiring a late penalty from Ronan
O’Gara to save their blushes at newly-refurbished Thomond
Park.
The
Heineken Cup debutants came within two minutes of causing a
sensational upset that would have sent shockwaves around
Europe, but in the end the Irish side drew just deep enough
to scrape a win they hardly deserved.
The Top
14 side out-fought their more illustrious opponents, showing
greater tenacity and cohesion for most of the match despite
making 10 changes from the side which lost to Stade Francais
at the weekend.
Read More...
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10
October 2008
 The
action may have already started, with Toulon’s abysmal
capitulation to Northampton Saints (see
report), but there are 13 more European
matches involving French Top 14 sides this weekend,
beginning with Montauban away to Munster tonight and
concluding with Bourgoin away to Bucaresti Oaks on Sunday.
Different clubs tend to view the two competitions (Heineken
Cup and European Challenge Cup) with different eyes, some
deeming it the Holy Grail of achievement (such as Toulouse)
whereas others merely see it as an opportunity to rest their
star players in readiness for a return to Top 14 action
(like Toulon).
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by Colin Spiro 08 October 2008
Danny Cipriani, the pin-up
boy of English rugby, was left with a bloody nose and cut
lip after a training ground bust-up with club and
international team-mate Josh Lewsey, according to press
reports.
The Wasps pair apparently
came to blows after tempers frayed, and perhaps egos too,
halting the training session as Wasps prepared for their
home Heineken Cup tie against Top 14’s Castres.
Cipriani, 20, has only
just returned to the first team after a dislocated fracture
of his ankle, a career-threatening injury that he has
overcome six weeks ahead of schedule.
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07 October 2008
The Heineken Cup, Europe’s
premier club competition, kicks into action on Friday with
France boasting seven representatives in this year’s
24-strong intake, including debutants Montauban.
They face a daunting first
match away to holders Munster, who triumphed over Toulouse
in last year’s final, and set off under Tony McGahan’s
stewardship seeking to match the French club’s record of
three HC trophies.
The Friday-night clash at
new-look Thomond Park will test Montauban’s European
ambitions to the full – they are in the so-called ‘Pool of
Death’ along with Clermont and Sale Sharks - and captain
Marc Raynaud was happy to admit it provided an attractive
distraction from their main goal this season.
“For us the main focus is
on our national championship [Top 14], but we will also in
the European tournament,” he said.
Some French clubs have not
been averse to sending out virtual second-string teams in
European competition and it remains to be seen what starting
XV Montauban put out when they travel to Ireland.
“We will try to play to
the maximum of our capabilities and we know it is going to
be tough against the European champions,” admitted French
international Raynaud. “But we are going to enjoy it as much
as we possibly can, and play for pleasure.”
Read More...
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