|
By Harry Spencer, 12 May 2011
|
Locked-in: Harry in
action for Tarbes |
FRC
columnist and Tarbes lock Harry Spencer
gives his thoughts on what makes some clubs
successful while others either flounder, or appear
happy to plod along in mid-table obscurity...
One month ago a team-mate of mine
wrote on his Facebook wall “Cherch club avec
ambition!!” which, to those of you who don’t
know, translates as "Searching for a club with
ambition!!". It got me thinking, and over this
past month I have gone over it many times. What is
it that players look for in a club or team? How
important is it? What characterises 'ambition'?
My first thoughts take me back
about three years; I was a new addition to the
Saracens academy at the time and we were coming to
the end of my first season with the club. Then, if
you were to ask someone to describe Saracens as a
team you may well have come across the terms
“Mid-table”, “Making up the numbers” and “Team of
mercenaries”. However harsh these might seem, they
were ultimately true.
Read More... |
|
10 May
2011
|
Mont-de-Marsan |
48 |
Oyonnax |
24 |
|
Pau |
6 |
Grenoble |
22 |
|
FC Auch Gers |
29 |
Union
Bordeaux-Bègles |
27 |
|
Colomiers |
35 |
Carcassonne |
15 |
|
Dax |
60 |
RC Narbonne |
17 |
|
Aix-en-Provence |
24 |
SCA Albi |
25 |
|
Aurillac |
35 |
Tarbes |
21 |
|
Saint-Etienne |
14 |
Lyon OU |
23 |
It went
to the last day of the regular season but Lyon
OU finally clinched their historic promotion to Top 14
when they were crowned ProD2 champions on Sunday.
Rafael
Saint-André's side narrowly missed out last season when they
lost in the play-off final to La Rochelle, but they ensured
against that by finishing first this time around to claim
the solitary automatic promotion slot.
In they
end they finished two points clear of Grenoble after winning
23-14 at basement club Saint-Etienne on Sunday,
meaning Grenoble, Mont-de-Marsan, SCA Albi and Union
Bordeaux-Bègles will now scrap it out in the play-offs for
the other promotion berth.
Read More... |
|
|
|
03 May
2011
|
Lyon OU |
19 |
Pau |
9 |
|
Aurillac |
21 |
Mont-de-Marsan |
28 |
|
Union Bordeaux-Bègles |
50 |
Tarbes |
23 |
|
SCA
Albi |
31 |
Carcassonne |
5 |
|
Oyonnax |
39 |
Aix-en-Provence |
32 |
|
FC Auch Gers |
34 |
Saint-Etienne |
19 |
|
RC Narbonne |
23 |
Colomiers |
17 |
|
Grenoble |
31 |
Dax |
24 |
Lyon
OU will be promoted to Top 14 as long as they don't lose
their final league game of the season - away to basement
club Saint Etienne. Raphael Saint-André's will go into that
match three points clear of second placed Grenoble after
both teams won at the weekend, meaning only a massive shock
result can now prevent Lyon from ascending to French rugby's
top table. Saint Etienne have only won one match all season
- in comparison to Lyon's 20 league victories - but the
champagne will still have to remain on ice until victory has
been assured.
Lyon's
latest win was a hard-fought 19-9 home victory against
Pau on Saturday. Both sides were level 6-6 at the break
after a tense first half saw Lyon's Lee Thomas and Pau's
Clément Darbo land two penalties apiece.
Read More... |
|
|
|
18
April
2011
A
Jonathan Bousquet drop-goal two minutes from time condemned
leaders Lyon OU to their first 'home' defeat of the
season as they went down 19-18 in front of 30,000 fans at
the Stade Gerland against derby rivals Oyonnax on
Sunday. It was supposed to be their day of glory - with a
win virtually assuring them ascendancy to Top 14 - but
instead they now face a nervous finale as they seek to avoid
a repeat of last season's heartbreak - when they lost to La
Rochelle in the play-off finals.
Their
weekend loss, combined with Grenoble's 13-10 home win
against Aurillac on Saturday, means the race to claim the
sole automatic promotion slot has very much become a
two-horse affair, and is likely to go down to the final kick
of the season.
Read More... |
|
13
April
2011
ProD2
leaders Lyon OU maintained their upward momentum with
a 15-8 away win at Tarbes on Saturday - a victory
that left them six clear of Grenoble with just three games
left to play.
Their
next two games are both at home - against Oyonnax and Pau -
and Top 14 surely beckons if they can win those. Should they
still need a result on the final day of the regular season
then an away trip to basement boys Saint Etienne - who have
won just once all season - shouldn't prove too taxing.
Lyon
opened up a 6-0 lead after 24 minutes thanks to penalty from
Pierre-Yves Montagnat and a drop-goal from Fijian Vinaya
Wakanivuga, but Tarbes hit back with a try from outside
centre Sébastien Caujolle, with Anthony Bourgeois then
kicking a 40th-minute penalty to put them 8-6 ahead at the
break.
Read More... |
|
04 April
2011
ProD2
leaders Lyon
OU took a massive step towards Top 14 on Sunday when
they defeated second-placed SCA Albi 25-12.
This
latest win for Raphael Saint-André's side saw them open up a
seven-point advantage at the top of ProD2, with Grenoble -
who won at Oyonnax - now moving above Albi into second
place.
A tense
first-half saw both sides temporarily down to 14 men after
Vinaya Wakanivuga and Sofiane Guitoune were yellow-carded in
the 24th minute, while Lyon just edged the score by leading
9-6 at the interval thanks to a brace of penalties from
Pierre-Yves Montagnat and a further success from Lee Thomas.
Albi had
two Frédéric Manca penalties to show for their efforts, and
the visitors' full-back added a third soon after the
resumption to leave it 9-9.
But Lyon
replied with three more penalties of their own (one for
Montagnat and two for Thomas) before victory was finally
sealed thanks to a try from former Bourgoin winger Franck
Romanet six minutes from time.
Read More... |
|
29 March
2011
|
Aix-en-Provence |
30 |
Mont-de-Marsan |
15 |
|
Carcassonne |
16 |
Pau |
22 |
|
Dax |
24 |
Union Bordeaux-Bègles |
26 |
|
Tarbes |
15 |
Oyonnax |
19 |
|
Aurillac |
21 |
Saint-Etienne |
18 |
|
SCA Albi |
34 |
Colomiers |
15 |
|
Lyon OU |
45 |
RC Narbonne |
12 |
|
Grenoble |
34 |
FC Auch Gers |
6 |
Lyon
OU remain in pole position to secure automatic promotion
to Top 14 after they beat RC Narbonne 45-12 on
Saturday to maintain their four-point lead over SCA Albi.
Raphael
Saint-André's side dominated the first half, running in four
tries as they opened up a 28-0 lead despite having Fijian
centre Vinaya Wakanivuga sin-binned in the seventh minute.
The hosts were already 7-0 up by then after winger Mosese
Ratuvou had touched down with Pierre-Yves Montagnat adding
the conversion.
Romanian
prop Bogdan Balan and flanker Eugene N'Zi both went over for
converted tries (in the 14th and 23rd minutes respectively)
before Tongan hooker Ephram Taukafa completed the first-half
rout by adding Lyon's fourth try just before the break.
Read More... |
|
By Harry Spencer, 22 March 2011
|
Locked-in: Harry
in action for Tarbes |
FRC
columnist and Tarbes lock Harry Spencer
talks about the club banter, on and off-field
expectations and why he believes mid-table
mediocrity will do just fine, for now...
With six games of the regular
season remaining Tarbes lie in 7th place
in Pro D2, seven points under the play-offs and 15
points clear of the relegation zone. Not bad for a
team who were facing demotion to Fédérale
1 only two seasons ago due to financial problems. It
seems that, with a new president and new coaching
set-up, a certain degree of stability has been
brought to the Bigourdan club over the last two
years.
A club with a rich history,
albeit under a different name, and not shy of some
controversy (RE: attempted merger with Lannemezan),
is well on its way to establishing its new identity
within French rugby. However, financial restraints
still remain, results can be unpredictable, and the
holy grail of the Top 14 still seems a million miles
away.
Read More... |
|
14 March
2011
ProD2
leaders Lyon OU slipped to their second consecutive
defeat as they surprisingly lost 22-19 away to lowly
Colomiers on Sunday afternoon.
Raphael
Saint-André's side appeared well set as they opened up a
10-0 lead after half an hour, with Romain Loursac claiming
all of their points via a try, conversion and penalty. But
Colomiers fought back to parity before the break as Malakai
Bakaniceva's try was supplemented by five points from the
boot of Yannick Lafforgue.
The
Colomiers fly-half then entered a kicking competition with
Loursac after the break as each player landed three
penalties apiece to leave it 19-19 with just seven minutes
remaining. Colomiers had even withstood the loss of Romain
Mémain to a 57th-minute yellow card, and their chances of
victory took a further blow when Adrien Foucras followed
suit four minutes from time - but up stepped Hugo Hernandez
to slot the decisive penalty with the final kick of the
game..
Read More...
|
|
07 March
2011
ProD2 leaders Lyon OU lost for the first time
in three and a half months as they went down 25-18
at FC Auch Gers on Saturday evening.
Pierre-Alexandre Dut (Auch) and Romain Loursac (Lyon) kicked
four penalties each as the first half ended 12-12, with the
visitors pulling level just before the break despite having
Fijian Vinaya Wakanivuga in the the sin-bin.
The
second half followed a similar pattern with Lyon 18-15 up
after an hour before Auch number eight Mathieu De Pauw
crossed for the game's only try. Dut added the conversion to
put the hosts 22-18 ahead, with full-back Mathieu Peluchon
going on to add a 78th-minute penalty to seal the win.
Lyon's
loss was their first since November 21st 2010, but their
eight-point lead was only trimmed by a single point as
second-placed SCA Albi drew 16-16 at home to
third-placed Grenoble on Sunday.
Read More... |
|
02 March
2011
|
Pau |
24 |
Tarbes |
27 |
|
Carcassonne |
39 |
RC Narbonne |
5 |
|
Lyon OU |
33 |
Aurillac |
8 |
|
SCA Albi |
27 |
Union
Bordeaux-Bègles |
8 |
|
Saint-Etienne |
10 |
Mont-de-Marsan |
31 |
|
Aix-en-Provence |
28 |
Dax |
13 |
|
Oyonnax |
15 |
FC Auch Gers |
12 |
|
Colomiers |
22 |
Grenoble |
22 |
Ambitious Lyon OU continued their march
towards Top 14 with a 33-8 home win against Aurillac
on Saturday that maintained their eight-point lead
at the summit of ProD2.
Rafael
Saint-André's side ran in three tries in their latest win -
their 16th of the season - but were denied an attacking
bonus when Aurillac lock Julien Maréchal touched down for
the visitors in the closing stages.
Winger
Rémy Grosso had earlier opened the afternoon's scoring with
an eighth-minute try for the hosts as Lyon dominated the first half.
Full-back Romain Loursac kicked the conversion and went on
to add three penalties before the break, with Lee Thomas
adding another (while Loursac was sin-binned) as Lyon opened up a 19-3 advantage.
Read More... |
|
20
February 2011
Leaders
Lyon OU stretched their advantage to eight points at
the top of ProD2 following their 12-12 away draw at
third-placed Grenoble on Sunday.
Lyon had
to fight back from 12-6 down after Blair Stewart's fourth
successful penalty for Grenoble (on 41 minutes), and also
had to weather a home onslaught when down to 14 men due to
Vinaya Wakanivuga's first-half yellow card.
But they
did do successfully thanks to three points each from four
different players, with Xavier Sadourny and Lee Thomas both
landing drop-goals, while Romain Loursac and Pierre-Yves
Montagnat kicked a penalty each.
The draw
might have halted Lyon's seven-match winning streak, but it
was another significant result for Rafael Saint-André's side
as they pursue the solitary automatic promotion slot.
Read More... |
|
By Harry Spencer, 16 February 2011
|
Locked-in: Harry Spencer
in action for Tarbes |
FRC
is delighted to welcome Tarbes lock Harry Spencer
as its latest player columnist. The 23-year-old
second row joined Tarbes (in ProD2) from Saracens
last summer and is now adjusting to the life of a
professional rugby player in the French Pyrenees...
For a fuller biog see the foot of this article.
In many ways my experiences of
moving to France and a French rugby club are quite
unique, but I get the impression that to a lot of
people they are in no way surprising. It all really
kicked off in the middle of June 2010, one day after
returning from Canada with England Counties. From a
number of rather expensive phone calls and frequent
emailing, I had been made aware that the day I
returned to England would also be the day before the
deadline for French ProD2 contracts to be signed.
Therefore hasty decisions were made and I ended up
agreeing terms with Tarbes Pyrenees Rugby, a place I
had never heard of, let alone visited.
2010/11 ProD2 Table
This started three weeks of
frantic communications with the English speaking
finance director at Tarbes, and what seemed like the
mobilising of a small army to move everything and
the kitchen sink from Hatfield, Herts - where I had
been living for the past three years whilst playing
at Saracens - to the heart of the French Pyrenees.
Read More... |
|
07
February 2011
|
Mont-de-Marsan |
34 |
RC Narbonne |
6 |
|
Saint-Etienne |
18 |
Colomiers |
24 |
|
SCA
Albi |
26 |
Pau |
29 |
|
Aurillac |
41 |
Carcassonne |
21 |
|
Grenoble |
67 |
Aix-en-Provence |
18 |
|
FC Auch Gers |
15 |
Tarbes |
12 |
|
Lyon OU |
21 |
Union Bordeaux-Bègles |
13 |
|
Oyonnax |
18 |
Dax |
12 |
Rafael
Saint-André's Lyon OU have opened up a six-point gap
at the top of ProD2 following their weekend home 21-13 win
against Union Bordeaux-Bègles.
The
division's pace-setters have now 15 of their 20 league
games, with their chase for automatic promotion aided on
Sunday by nearest rivals SCA Albi slipping to a surprise
29-26 home defeat by Pau.
Lyon's
latest win was their seventh on the spin, but they had to
come from behind after former Waikato hooker Ole Avei had
rumbled over for his fifth try of the season for Bordeaux
(in the 18th minute).
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... |
|
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... |
|
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... |
|
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... |
|
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... |
|
11 March 2010
|
Mont-de-Marsan |
46 |
Lannemezan |
6 |
|
Grenoble |
22 |
Tarbes |
20 |
|
RC Narbonne |
25 |
Aurillac |
9 |
|
Lyon OU |
20 |
La Rochelle |
14 |
|
FC Auch Gers |
15 |
Dax |
21 |
|
Aix-en-Provence |
13 |
Union Bordeaux-Bègles |
10 |
|
Pau |
16 |
SU Agen |
16 |
|
Colomiers |
12 |
Oyonnax |
13 |
ProD2
leaders SU Agen were held to a 16-16 draw at Pau
on Sunday as the play-off chasing home side recorded their
fifth tie of the season.
In-form
scrum-half Clement Darbo crossed for Pau on 27 minutes to
open the scoring, adding the conversion himself and a
subsequent penalty as they went 10-0 up shortly before the
interval.
Both
sides had a player sin-binned right on stroke of half-time,
with Pau’s Jeremy Tomuli and Agen’s Laurent Cabarry – both
props – seeing yellow.
Read More... |
|
01 March 2010
|
Union Bordeaux-Bègles |
24 |
Mont-de-Marsan |
21 |
|
Grenoble |
27 |
RC Narbonne |
14 |
|
Dax |
22 |
Aurillac |
13 |
|
Pau |
16 |
Tarbes |
15 |
|
La Rochelle |
11 |
Colomiers |
6 |
|
FC Auch Gers |
18 |
Lyon OU |
25 |
|
SU Agen |
23 |
Oyonnax |
11 |
|
Lannemezan |
32 |
Aix-en-Provence |
28 |
SU Agen
took a massive step towards the ProD2 title - and automatic
promotion to Top 14 - following their 23-11 home win against
second-placed Oyonnax on Sunday. Their weekend
victory lifted Agen six points clear of their nearest rivals
with just eight games remaining as they continued their
quest to secure top flight status.
Former
Toulon fly-half Conrad Barnard kicked two penalties and a
conversion as the hosts opened up a 13-6 half-time
advantage, with the South African maintaining his impressive
start for the leaders since joining after Christmas.
Read More... |
|
22 February 2010
Leaders SU Agen fought back from 3-9 at
half-time to beat Union Bordeaux-Bègles
21-16 and set up a potential championship showdown
with second-placed Oyonnax next weekend.
Agen
opened the scoring through Conrad Barnard's sixth-minute
penalty, but found themselves trailing at the interval after
a nine-point burst in five minutes from Union thanks to a
penalty from Henri-Pierre Vermis and drop-goals from both
Jaco Van Schalkwyk and Raphael Lagarde.
Barnard's second penalty success narrowed the gap three
minutes after the restart and Agen then reclaimed the lead
when full-back Sofiane Guitoune touched down for the game's
opening try on 47 minutes.
Barnard
was on target with the conversion to make it 13-9, but the
ProD2 leaders found themselves behind again after Tongan
centre Saia Fekitoa scored a try (converted by Vermis) for
the visitors on 54 minutes.
Read More... |
|
16 February 2010
|
Aurillac |
36 |
Mont-de-Marsan |
12 |
|
SU Agen |
23 |
Dax |
6 |
|
Colomiers |
6 |
FC Auch Gers |
9 |
|
Aix-en-Provence |
19 |
Tarbes |
21 |
|
Lannemezan |
PP |
Lyon OU |
PP |
SU
Agen
have reclaimed the ProD2 lead following their
weekend 23-6 home victory against Dax, a
result which saw them move three points clear of
second-placed Oyonnax.
The hosts
won out thanks to a dominant performance from their pack as
they warmed up for their forthcoming clash against Oyonnax
(on Feb 27) with a comfortable home win in a match that was
originally postponed from round 16 (on January 9) due to
snow.
The
conditions were below freezing again on Saturday, but Agen
threw off their winter slumber (only one victory in their
last four league games) as they eased clear in the
second-half after being held to 6-6 in the opening period.
Read More... |
|
08 February 2010
|
Union Bordeaux-Bègles |
16 |
Tarbes |
9 |
|
Dax |
3 |
Pau |
3 |
|
Colomiers |
13 |
Aurillac |
9 |
|
FC Auch Gers |
3 |
Mont-de-Marsan |
19 |
|
RC Narbonne |
43 |
Aix-en-Provence |
10 |
|
Grenoble |
12 |
SU Agen |
12 |
|
Oyonnax |
21 |
Lyon OU |
6 |
|
Lannemezan |
5 |
La Rochelle |
31 |
Oyonnax
are the new ProD2 leaders after long-time front-runners
SU Agen drew 12-12 away to Grenoble on Saturday,
paving the way for second-placed Oyonnax leapfrog
into first place after their 21-6 bonus-point home win
against Lyon OU on Sunday.
Agen’s
latest result continued a run of indifferent recent form
that has now seen them win just once in their last four
league games, dating back to December 19th.
It may
not have been a disastrous result given the context of the
match – drawing away to the fifth–placed side – but it does
mean they have now coughed up the ProD2 leadership (and a
one-time 10 point lead), although they do still have a game
in hand.
Read More... |
|
31 January 2010
|
Tarbes |
7 |
La Rochelle |
12 |
|
Aurillac |
12 |
Union Bordeaux-Bègles |
7 |
|
RC Narbonne |
6 |
Oyonnax |
13 |
|
Dax |
34 |
Lannemezan |
8 |
|
SU Agen |
21 |
FC Auch Gers |
6 |
|
Aix-en-Provence |
20 |
Mont-de-Marsan |
18 |
|
Pau |
26 |
Grenoble |
3 |
|
Lyon OU |
50 |
Colomiers |
10 |
ProD2 leaders SU Agen
returned to winning ways at the weekend, beating FC
Auch Gers 21-6 at home to banish the bitterness of
successive league defeats to La Rochelle and Aurillac.
Tongan flanker Opeti Fonua
got them off to a positive start with his fifth-minute try -
his fifth of the season - but Agen failed to score again in
the first half, ending up with a narrow 5-3 lead at the
interval after Christophe Clarac had potted a penalty back
for the visitors.
Read More... |
|
26 January 2010
|
Mont-de-Marsan |
18 |
Tarbes |
12 |
|
Union Bordeaux-Bègles |
21 |
RC Narbonne |
12 |
|
Colomiers |
10 |
Grenoble |
10 |
|
La Rochelle |
37 |
Aix-en-Provence |
3 |
|
Oyonnax |
29 |
Dax |
10 |
|
Aurillac |
19 |
SU Agen |
17 |
|
Lyon OU |
22 |
Pau |
22 |
|
Lannemezan |
10 |
FC Auch Gers |
17 |
SU Agen's one-time
10-point lead has now been trimmed to just two as the
pre-season promotion favourites lost their second successive
league match - and their third in five games - as they went
down 19-17 at Aurillac on Sunday.
The home side led 6-0 at
half-time thanks to a brace of penalties from fly-half
Jérémy Bourlon, and they eased further ahead soon after the
restart thanks his third success at goal. But Agen then hit
back in style, running in two tries in five minutes as
Saïmoni Vaka and Rupeni Caucaunibuca both touched down for
the visitors - for their fourth and seventh tries of the
season respectively.
Read More... |
|
18 January 2010
|
Tarbes |
13 |
Oyonnax |
9 |
|
RC Narbonne |
56 |
Lannemezan |
10 |
|
Dax |
10 |
Colomiers |
0 |
|
Pau |
21 |
Aurillac |
14 |
|
FC Auch Gers |
17 |
Union Bordeaux-Bègles |
6 |
|
Aix-en-Provence |
12 |
Lyon OU |
12 |
|
La Rochelle |
20 |
SU Agen |
10 |
|
Grenoble |
14 |
Mont-de-Marsan |
9 |
Leaders SU Agen
lost for only the fourth time this season as they went down
20-10 at play-off hopefuls La Rochelle on Sunday.
The visitors took a
fourth-minute lead courtesy of a François Gelez penalty, but
found themselves trailing at half-time after Rochelle
full-back Sébastien Boboul slotted two of his own in reply.
The home side even survived going temporarily down to 14 men
after hooker Franco Pani saw yellow in the 34th minute.
Read More... |
|
12 January 2010
|
Pau |
46 |
RC Narbonne |
7 |
|
La Rochelle |
25 |
Mont-de-Marsan |
20 |
|
Oyonnax |
13 |
Aurillac |
10 |
|
Union Bordeaux-Bègles |
27 |
Lyon OU |
9 |
|
Lannemezan |
10 |
Grenoble |
43 |
|
SU Agen |
PP |
Dax |
PP |
|
Aix-en-Provence |
PP |
Tarbes |
PP |
|
Colomiers |
PP |
FC Auch Gers |
PP |
Last season's play-off
finalists Oyonnax took advantage of SU Agen's
postponed home match (against Dax) to close the gap on the
ProD2 leaders to six points following their weekend home win
against Aurillac.
The hosts got off to an
ideal star when free-scoring former Brive winger Jérôme
Naves went over in the eighth minute for his sixth try of
the season, but scoring was limited for the rest of the
first half with both sides clocking one penalty each as
Oyonnax went in 8-3 ahead at the interval.
Read More... |
|
21
December 2009
|
La Rochelle |
21 |
Oyonnax |
26 |
|
Union Bordeaux-Bègles |
14 |
Grenoble |
14 |
|
SU Agen |
32 |
Tarbes |
14 |
|
Aix-en-Provence |
6 |
Dax |
15 |
|
Lannemezan |
PP |
Lyon OU |
PP |
|
Aurillac |
PP |
Mont-de-Marsan |
PP |
|
Pau |
3 |
FC Auch Gers |
3 |
|
Colomiers |
35 |
RC Narbonne |
13 |
ProD2 reached the halfway
stage at the weekend and leaders SU Agen once more
underlined their credentials to claim the only automatic
promotion slot with a resounding 32-14 bonus-point win
against Tarbes.
The pre-season favourites
have now opened up a 10 point margin at the head of ProD2 as
they continue their relentless march towards Top 14.
Saturday's win was their
12th in 15 outings and they now look good value to avoid the
somewhat unpredictable nature of the end-of-season
play-offs. Last year they lost out to Oyonnax at the
semi-final stage despite having finished clear of the
chasing pack in second place - behind runaway leaders
Racing-Métro 92 - but their dominant form so far this season
would seem to suggest the play-offs will be superfluous this
time around.
Read More... |
|
14 December
2009
|
Mont-de-Marsan |
18 |
Pau |
14 |
|
Tarbes |
28 |
Colomiers |
21 |
|
RC Narbonne |
16 |
La Rochelle |
13 |
|
Lyon OU |
9 |
SU Agen |
10 |
|
FC Auch Gers |
35 |
Aix-en-Provence |
14 |
|
Union Bordeaux-Bègles |
17 |
Dax |
16 |
|
Lannemezan |
9 |
Aurillac |
19 |
|
Grenoble |
21 |
Oyonnax |
13 |
ProD2 leaders SU Agen
got back to winning ways at the weekend, edging out
third-placed Lyon OU 10-9 to register a hard-fought
away victory.
Romain Sola's 73rd-minute
drop-goal sealed it for the visitors, adding to Laurent
Cabarry's earlier try just before half-time. It completed a
sound fightback by Agen after they had earlier dropped 6-0
behind and also seen hooker Jalil Narjissi sin-binned.
Read More... |
|
07 December
2009
|
Lyon OU |
22 |
Aurillac |
10 |
|
Tarbes |
12 |
Lannemezan |
13 |
|
Colomiers |
10 |
Mont-de-Marsan |
15 |
|
Dax |
15 |
Grenoble |
8 |
|
La Rochelle |
27 |
Union Bordeaux-Bègles |
13 |
|
Oyonnax |
25 |
FC Auch Gers |
18 |
|
Aix-en-Provence |
21 |
Pau |
16 |
|
RC Narbonne |
22 |
SU Agen |
16 |
Fédérale 1 champions
Lannemezan finally registered their first ProD2 win on
Saturday - at the 13th attempt - as they beat fierce local
rivals Tarbes. Not only that, their maiden league win
came on the road as they inflicted a 12-13 (that number
again!) defeat on their Pyrenean neighbours.
It was a triumph of
persistence for Lannemezan in the first Armagnac de Bigorre
derby for 22 years, and also offers a glimmer of hope that
survival may yet be achievable.
The visitors were 9-6 down
at half-time as Richard Apanui outkicked Thomas Pochelu by
three penalties to two, and it looked like being another
valiant defeat when Apanui added a fourth success to make it
12-6 in the 68th minute.
Read More... |
|
30
November
2009
|
Aurillac |
25 |
La Rochelle |
22 |
|
Grenoble |
9 |
Lyon OU |
9 |
|
Dax |
19 |
Tarbes
|
16 |
|
Pau |
PP |
Colomiers |
PP |
|
SU Agen |
29 |
Aix-en-Provence |
3 |
|
FC Auch Gers |
27 |
RC Narbonne |
32 |
|
Oyonnax |
36 |
Mont-de-Marsan |
10 |
|
Lannemezan |
9 |
Union Bordeaux-Bègles |
16 |
Pace-setters SU Agen
have now opened up an eight-point gap at the top of ProD2 as
they continue their seemingly inexorable drive towards
securing automatic promotion to Top 14.
Their latest win - their
10th in 12 matches - saw them thrash struggling
Aix-en-Provence 29-3 as they picked up their fourth
bonus-point victory of an increasingly profitable season.
Read More... |
|
23
November
2009
|
Pau |
25 |
Lannemezan |
12 |
|
La
Rochelle |
20 |
FC Auch Gers |
6 |
|
Aix-en-Provence |
13 |
Grenoble |
15 |
|
Lyon OU |
20 |
RC Narbonne |
8 |
|
Mont-de-Marsan |
16 |
Dax |
5 |
|
Union Bordeaux-Bègles |
17 |
Oyonnax |
10 |
|
Tarbes |
11 |
Aurillac |
13 |
|
Colomiers |
16 |
SU Agen |
21 |
Rupeni Caucaunibuca scored
his third try in seven games to help SU Agen win
21-16 at Colomiers and maintain their five-point lead
in ProD2.
The Fijian's ninth-minute
try opened the scoring at Colomiers, with Romain Sola adding
the conversion for good measure as the visitors went 7-0
ahead. Two Frédéric Pujo penalties temporarily brought the
hosts back to near parity before an 11-point burst either
side of half-time took Agen 18-6 clear. Sola kicked a brace
of penalties, adding to Adri Badenhorst's 41st-minute try.
Read More... |
|
08 November
2009
|
Mont-de-Marsan |
15 |
Lyon OU |
15 |
|
Aurillac |
38 |
Aix-en-Provence |
19 |
|
La Rochelle |
29 |
Dax |
10 |
|
FC Auch Gers |
15 |
Grenoble |
17 |
|
Oyonnax |
16 |
Pau |
9 |
|
Union Bordeaux-Bègles |
31 |
Colomiers |
9 |
|
Lannemezan |
11 |
SU Agen |
41 |
|
RC Narbonne |
27 |
Tarbes |
20 |
The top three teams in
ProD2 all won at the weekend, but leaders SU Agen
still manage to extend their advantage thanks to a
bonus-point 41-11 victory at basement club Lannemezan.
The win-less hosts started
brightly enough and were 6-3 ahead at half-time thanks to a
couple of successful Manuel Cascarra penalties. But the
39th-minute yellow card for Nicolas Sentous proved costly,
with Agen managing their first try in reply soon after the
resumption through Jalil Narjissi.
Read More... |
|
02 November
2009
|
Grenoble |
9 |
La Rochelle |
9 |
|
Colomiers |
17 |
Lannemezan |
13 |
|
Pau |
17 |
Union Bordeaux-Bègles |
11 |
|
Lyon OU |
PP |
Tarbes |
PP |
|
SU Agen |
37 |
Mont-de-Marsan |
8 |
|
FC Auch Gers |
34 |
Aurillac |
23 |
|
Aix-en-Provence |
3 |
Oyonnax |
16 |
|
Dax |
3 |
RC Narbonne |
17 |
Table-toppers SU Agen
opened up a four-point lead in ProD2 at the weekend as they
hammered Mont-de-Marsan 37-8 to record a bonus-point
home win. The hosts ran-in five tries, including two in the
final four minutes to secure the extra point.
A brace of Romain Sola
penalties put them 6-0 up after 20 minutes, with the home
side stretching their advantage after being awarded a
penalty try shortly before the interval. Sola added the
conversion, but was off target when flanker Opeti Fonua
touched down eight minutes after the resumption to leave it
18-0.
Read More... |
|
26 October
2009
|
Tarbes |
28 |
Grenoble |
18 |
|
Aurillac |
15 |
RC Narbonne |
3 |
|
Union Bordeaux-Bègles |
21 |
Aix-en-Provence |
10 |
|
Dax |
22 |
FC Auch Gers |
14 |
|
SU Agen |
20 |
Pau |
14 |
|
Oyonnax |
31 |
Colomiers |
15 |
|
La Rochelle |
18 |
Lyon OU |
19 |
|
Lannemezan |
16 |
Mont-de-Marsan |
18 |
SU Agen returned to
winning ways, and the top of the table, thanks to their
20-14 home victory over Pau on Saturday.
The home side started in
emphatic fashion, opening up a 20-3 advantage after half an
hour courtesy of tries from lock Cyril Chavet (14th minute)
and full-back Romain Edmond-Samuel (21st minute). Fly-half
Romain Sola added both conversions and a brace of penalties,
but Pau gradually clawed their way back into the match after
making wholesale changes at half-time.
Read More... |
|
19 October
2009
|
Lyon OU |
26 |
FC Auch Gers |
6 |
|
Mont-de-Marsan |
16 |
Union Bordeaux-Bègles |
12 |
|
Tarbes |
22 |
Pau |
23 |
|
Aurillac |
20 |
Dax |
6 |
|
Aix-en-Provence |
12 |
Lannemezan |
8 |
|
Colomiers |
19 |
La Rochelle |
13 |
|
Oyonnax |
12 |
SU Agen |
10 |
|
RC Narbonne |
32 |
Grenoble |
0 |
RC Narbonne
are the new leaders of ProD2 after they demolished
high-flying Grenoble 32-0 to leapfrog over SU
Agen, who went down 12-10 at Oyonnax.
Narbonne ran in four
unanswered tries against Grenoble, with former Brumbies No 8
Jone Tawake setting the scoreboard rolling with his
eighth-minute opener for the home side. Christopher Ruiz
added the conversion and a subsequent drop-goal before
21-year-old Fijian winger Sionasa Vunisa grabbed try number
two - and his fourth for the season - after 27 minutes.
Read More... |
|
28
September 2009
|
SU Agen 22 |
Grenoble 16 |
|
Aix-en-Provence 24 |
RC Narbonne 19 |
|
Mont-de-Marsan 6 |
FC
Auch Gers 16 |
|
Pau 16 |
Dax 14 |
|
Lyon OU 18 |
Oyonnax 22 |
|
La Rochelle 22 |
Lannemezan 6 |
|
Aurillac 22 |
Colomiers 12 |
|
Tarbes 15 |
Union Bordeaux-Bègles
12 |
Pre-season
promotion favourites SU Agen took over top
spot in ProD2 on Sunday, following their 22-16 home
win over previous leaders Grenoble.
The combined boots of
Agen's Romain Sola (three pens) and Grenoble's
Pierre-Alexandre Dut (on pen and two drop-goals) dominated
the opening period as the two teams were locked together 9-9
at the interval, but the hosts then surged ahead when Fijian
winger Rupeni Caucaunibuca touched down just two minutes
after the restart.
Read More... |
|
20 September
2009
|
Grenoble 16 |
Pau 15 |
|
Colomiers 12 |
Lyon OU 12 |
|
Union Bordeaux-Bègles 22 |
Aurillac 9 |
|
La Rochelle 16 |
Tarbes
6 |
|
Mont-de-Marsan 24 |
Aix-en-Provence 18 |
|
Oyonnax 13 |
RC
Narbonne 6 |
|
FC Auch Gers 3 |
SU Agen 19 |
|
Lannemezan 11 |
Dax 23 |
Grenoble
confirmed their status as early-season pace setters
in ProD2 when thy made it four wins from four with a
narrow 16-15 home victory over Pau on Friday
night.
But the home side had to
fight back from 0-9 down after half an hour as a trio of
Andre Hough penalties potentially set Pau up for a second
successive away win.
Peni Fakalelu's 35th-minute yellow card changed the context
of the contest, however, with Grenoble capitalising on the
Tongan prop's exclusion to score the game's only try -
through Julien Campo - right on the stroke of half time.
Read More... |
|
13 September
2009
|
Tarbes 36 |
Mont-de-Marsan 12 |
|
Grenoble 22 |
Colomiers 12 |
|
RC Narbonne 33 |
Union
BB 12 |
|
Pau 9 |
Lyon OU 13 |
|
FC Auch Gers 28 |
Lannemezan 3 |
|
Aix-en-Provence 16 |
La
Rochelle 22 |
|
Dax 27 |
Oyonnax
6 |
|
SU Agen
14 |
Aurillac
6 |
RC
Narbonne
are the new leaders of ProD2 after their 33-12 home
win against Union Bordeaux-Bègles lifted them
clear at the top courtesy of their attacking bonus
point.
First-half
tries from Fijian duo Jone Tawake – his first since signing
from the ACT Brumbies - and Sunia Vuli Koto set them on
their way, with full-back Romain Martial grabbing their
third midway through the second-half. Christopher Ruiz
converted all three, and also landed a trio of penalties, as
they eased passed a Union side reliant on Henri-Pierre
Vermis’ boot for all of their points.
Read More... |
|
11 September
2009
|
Paul Dearlove: 'I am
injured,... it's awful' |
In the latest of his exclusive
columns for FRC, Pau captain Paul Dearlove
talks about the flip-side to being paid to play sport for a
living...
As anyone can
attest – sometimes work sucks. Here are some of the
down-sides of pro rugby.
Injury
I am currently
injured, and it is awful. Not only do you lack the
personal satisfaction of playing – you miss that
wonderful feeling when the team achieves something.
Pau had a great win away at
Aurillac last weekend and while I was
excited, it can’t match the feeling when the final
whistle blows and you have 22 other guys to share it
with (to put it in perspective, since I’ve been at
Pau we have played around 50 games away – we have
won six).
Look no further
than
Ewen McKenzie and Christophe
Dominici (the ex-coaches of Stade
Francais). Five weeks ago there was no doubt they
were the men for the job. Now, they are without a
job. This applies to players too, especially those
in the UK. To explain this a little more fully – if
you are playing in the UK, there is often a clause
in your contract that says if you are unable to play
for any reason (it is most often applied for injury)
for more than a stated period of time – the club can
terminate your contract. Just like that. As Donald
would say... “You’re fired”.
Read More... |
|
08 September
2009
|
Mont-de-Marsan 9 |
Grenoble 12 |
|
Aurillac 12
|
Pau 16 |
|
Union 23 |
FC
Auch Gers 21 |
|
Colomiers 19 |
Dax 13 |
|
SU Agen 26 |
La Rochelle 21 |
|
Oyonnax 28 |
Tarbes
12 |
|
Lyon OU 36 |
Aix-en-Provence 14 |
|
Lannemezan 13 |
RC Narbonne 16 |
The pre-season theory that ProD2 could be the most
open and level competition for many years already
appears to be panning out with just three teams left
with a 100% win record after only two rounds -
Grenoble, Narbonne and Lyon - while two of the three
clubs yet to record a victory were promoted from
Fédérale 1 - Aix-en-Provence and Lannemezan.
It all
adds credence to the belief that most teams will be able to
beat each other on their given day this season, with
supposed promotion favourites like SU Agen, Dax and
Mont-de-Marsan all tasting defeat over the opening
fortnight.
Agen
went down 16-13 away to Dax in round one, but got that
winning feeling back on Saturday when they held off a
determined La Rochelle side to record a 26-21 home
win.
Read More... |
|
31
August
2009
|
Grenoble 39 |
Lannemezan 10 |
|
Lyon OU 17 |
Union Bordeaux-Bègles 13 |
|
RC Narbonne 28 |
Pau 12 |
|
FC Auch Gers 31 |
Colomiers 22 |
|
Aurillac 25 |
Oyonnax 16 |
|
Mont-de-Marsan 22 |
La
Rochelle 21 |
|
Tarbes 22 |
Aix-en-Provence 15 |
|
Dax 16 |
SU Agen 13 |
Relegated Dax made a positive start to life
back in ProD2 as they beat promotion favourites
SU Agen 16-13 in the standout tie of the
weekend’s opening round of matches.
Thomas
Lièvremont's men were 9-0 up half-time thanks to a trio of
penalties from former Castres fly-half Anthony Lagardère,
and when he subsequently converted a 50th-minute
penalty try the home side had opened up a 16-3 advantage.
Read More... |
27 August
2009
|
'No players objected':
Pau's Paul Dearlove |
In the latest of his exclusive
columns for FRC, Pau captain Paul Dearlove
tackles the 'Bloodgate' scandal currently dominating the
British (and global) game - including his own experience
with the club-sanctioned use of blood capsules - and he asks
where is the line truly drawn between acceptable and
unacceptable levels of 'cheating'...
“If you’re not cheating – you’re
not trying!”
I have heard this from many
coaches and players and I understand the mentality.
Rugby is a game with many areas requiring
interpretation and this opens the door to all types
of games within the game.
But what is cheating? Slowing the
ball down for two or three seconds is against the
laws, but is it cheating? Holding or obstructing an
opposition supporting runner for even the shortest
moment can save a try - this is also unlawful but
teams train strategies with dummy runners for
exactly this purpose. I could go on but anyone who
has played or watched a game of rugby could pinpoint
innumerable examples of players ‘cheating’.
Read More...
|
29 July 2009
|
Something to cheer
at last: Tarbes fans
Photo: Colin Spiro |
Troubled
Tarbes’
turbulent pre-season is
finally showing signs of stability, with the Midi-Pyrenees
club announcing that Romanian hooker Razvan Mavrodin
is to be the new forwards’ coach.
Incoming
president Jean-Pierre Davant confirmed the appointment after
his own induction, saying that Mavrodin, 35, will work with
backs coach
Philippe Bérot.
ProD2 Transfers
/
Pre-season friendlies
Former
forwards coach
Frédéric
Bodin failed to appear at the start of pre-season
training, together with team manager Christian Martinez, in
a controversial turn of events where each party blamed the
other.
Davant
is hoping to draw a line under the episode now with the
appointment of Mavrodin. The Romanian hooker - a veteran of
49 international caps and two spells with Tarbes – said he
had no hesitation in taking the job.
Read More... |
|
18 July 2009
|
All new: Lannemezan
have recruited heavily
Photo: Colin Spiro |
ProD2
new boys Lannemezan have finalised their transfer
activity for the forthcoming season, signing a whopping 19
players, including many from neighbouring clubs Tarbes and
Pau. They have also brought Patrick Bentayou on board as an
additional coach following the retirement of Michel
Antichan.
They
have also been granted permission by the LNR to play all
their home games on Sunday afternoons, rather than Saturday
evenings, due to inadequate floodlight facilities. A Similar
arrangement was agreed last season for Bourg-en-Bresse.
Top 14 Table
/
Top 14 Transfers
/
ProD2 Transfers
/
Top 14
Fixtures 2009/10
/
Pre-season friendlies
Local
rivals Tarbes, meanwhile, continue to be mired in
financial and political problems that are seriously
hampering their own pre-season plans. They are currently
subject to a transfer embargo having come within a whisker
of being relegated to Federale 1 at the end of last season
due to financial problems.
Read More... |
|
09 June 2009
|
Double your money:
Julien Dupuy
photo: Michael Paler |
French side Stade
Francais have doubled their bid for Julien Dupuy after Leicester
Tigers refused their initial offer as derisory.
The want-away scrum-half
– currently on tour with France in New Zealand –
has made no secret of his desire to return to Top 14, but his
hopes have so far been blocked by Leicester in the face of what they deemed
an insufficient transfer fee.
Dupuy, 25, still has one
year left on his contract with the Guinness Premiership champions and coach
Richard Cockerill is adamant that the club must be properly compensated if
losing a player they would ideally like to retain.
Top 14 Table
/ Top 14 Fixtures
/
Top 14 Transfers - The story so far...
Stade Francais have now
doubled their initial bid to €200,000, according to a report in the
Leicester Mercury, although the paper said negotiations were likely to
remain on hold until Dupuy returned from France’s summer tour.
Read More... |
|
01 June 2009
|
On the up:
Lannemezan
Photo: Colin Spiro |
Lannemezan and
Aix-en-Provence have both won promotion to ProD2 after getting through
the final of the Trophy Jean Prat – effectively a play-off system for teams
from the amateur Fédérale 1 league.
Lannemezan upset the
formbook by narrowly overcoming favourites Chalon-sur-Saone in their two-leg
semi-final. They won the home match 16-9 last week before holding out for a
15-9 defeat in the return match – giving them a one-point victory margin
overall.
They will now meet
Aix-en-Provence in the competition final after the latter beat Carcassonne
in both legs, winning 18-9 and 35-25.
Both Lannemezan and
Aix-en-Provence must now prepare for life as fully professional rugby clubs
in ProD2, where they will replace Bourg-en-Bresse and Beziers,
who were both relegated this season.
Read More... |
31 May 2009
|
Double delight:
Iain Balshaw
Photo: Michael Paler |
SCA Albi have been promoted
back to Top 14 after beating Oyonnax 14-12 in the ProD2 play-off final in
Montpellier.
Winger Pierre-Gilles
Lakafia, 22, was Albi's hero after scoring the only try of a tight match in
the 28th minute. It means Albi have secured an immediate return back the big
time following last season's relegation due to financial irregularities -
the first time a team has bounced back at the first attempt.
ProD2 Table
/
Top 14 Transfers - The story so far...
But Eric Bechu's men didn't
have it all their own way, and were even 6-5 down at half-time despite
Lakafia's try. The erratic kicking of Frederic Manca cost them a hatful of
potential points - eight in the first-half alone - as they clearly missed
the accuracy of their injured Kiwi Blair Stewart.
Read More...
|
|
24 May 2009
SU Agen 15 (6) Oyonnax 18 (12)
Unheralded Oyonnax pulled off a major shock by beating
favourites SU Agen 18-15 away from home to win the second
semi-final of the ProD2 play-offs.
Again, like Saturday's first semi-final, there were no tries, but
Oyonnax will care not a fig about that after stunning
confident Agen with a disciplined and ultimately deserving
win.
It means the Ain club will now play SCA Albi in the ProD2
play-off final, for the right
to join champions Racing-Metro 92
in gaining promotion to Top 14.
Agen had gone into
the match as overwhelming favourites having finished the
regular season in second place, some nine points ahead of
their fifth-placed rivals. In addition, the free-scoring
hosts had amassed more than double Oyonnax's tally of 41
tries and had also beaten them at home and away during the
season.
Read More... |
|
22 May 2009
The
ProD2 play-offs also get underway this weekend with
four teams vying to join
champions Racing-Metro 92 in
getting promoted up to Top 14.
SU
Agen finished second behind Racing and the once-mighty
club are clear favourites to go up. Fist they have a home
semi-final at the Stade Armandie against fifth-placed
Oyonnax, a team they beat home (26-19) and away (19-3)
during the regular season.
Agen –
eight times French champions - have been in prolific form
during the second half of the season, boosted by the return
to the club of controversial Fijian winger Rupeni
Caucaunibuca.
Read More... |
|
17 May 2009
|
FC Auch Gers 10 |
Lyon OU 12 |
|
SU Agen 32 |
Racing-Métro
17 |
|
La Rochelle 19 |
Tarbes
13 |
|
RC
Narbonne 16 |
Oyonnax 29 |
|
SCA Albi 24 |
Béziers
6 |
|
Union
19 |
Grenoble 21 |
|
Pau 16 |
Aurillac 19 |
|
Bourg-en-Bresse 52 |
Colomiers 27 |
SU Agen
will play Oyonnax, and La Rochelle will travel to
SCA Albi in the ProD2 play-offs, to decide which
team joins champions Racing-Métro
92 in going up to Top 14.
The four
play-off hopefuls all won their final games, leaving Lyon OU
to rue their poor form earlier in the season after their
eighth win in nine games left them tantalisingly just one
point short of qualifying.
La Rochelle
began the day in third-place and knew that a win would
guarantee their presence in the play-offs, something they
achieved with a 19-13 home victory against Tarbes.
Read More... |
07 May
2009
|
'Pranksterism': Pau
captain Paul Dearlove
|
In the latest of his exclusive
columns for FRC, Pau captain Paul Dearlove
tries to explain what turns hardened rugby professionals
into juvenile pranksters...
I don’t know if it is because
professional rugby players get most of their
decisions made for them (when to train, when and
what to eat etc) and we need an outlet, or if it is
because we are all infants at heart, but there is
always an undercurrent of “pranksterism” when we get
together.
Acting like children (especially
when we travel) seems to be the norm rather than the
exception. Today I will give you an insight into the
best pranks of the year at Section Paloise.
The biggest prankster at Pau is a
6ft 7,ins 120 kilo, former policeman, second rower.
He set the tone of the season early when he decided
anyone’s phone left in the locker room was fair
game. Coaches, the club president and other players
would receive text messages from a player usually
criticizing something they’d done or said the
previous week. The oblivious player would then
receive a (usually terse) phone call from the
recipient asking them to explain themselves.
Read More... |
|
03 May 2009
|
Aurillac 37 |
FC Auch Gers 36 |
|
Racing-Métro
48 |
Bourg-en-Bresse 32 |
|
Tarbes 23 |
Pau 22 |
|
Grenoble 10 |
Oyonnax 18 |
|
Lyon OU 30 |
Union 10 |
|
SCA Albi 30 |
SU
Agen 23 |
|
Béziers
37 |
RC Narbonne 18 |
|
Colomiers |
La Rochelle (Sun) |
The
race for play-off places became clearer at the
weekend as outsiders Tarbes and Pau both fell from
the reckoning, leaving just five teams battling for
the four available slots.
Second-placed
SU Agen are already guaranteed one of those, leaving SCA
Albi, Oyonnax, La Rochelle and Lyon OU to fight it out on
the final weekend, with a mere two points separating third
from fifth. And the congestion could increase further when
La Rochelle travel to Colomiers this afternoon for the
weekend's final game - with an away win set to leave it two
points between four clubs.
SCA Albi
ensured their presence in the final-day drama with a
hard-fought 30-23 home win against SU Agen.
Read More... |
|
01 May 2009
|
Aurillac |
v |
FC Auch Gers |
|
Racing Métro |
v |
Bourg-en-Bresse |
|
Tarbes |
v |
Pau |
|
Grenoble |
v |
Oyonnax |
|
Lyon OU |
v |
Union |
|
SCA Albi |
v |
SU Agen |
|
Béziers |
v |
RC Narbonne |
|
Colomiers |
v |
La Rochelle (Sun) |
With Top 14 taking a break and only
one French team (Bourgoin)
involved in European action, the
spotlight falls firmly on ProD2 this weekend and the
race for promotion play-off berths.
Champions
Racing-Métro
92 may have dominated the headlines during the week with
their
marquee signings of Sebastien Chabal
and Lionel Nallet, but seven other teams are
still in contention for possible promotion as ProD2 enters
its penultimate round of matches.
Second-placed SU Agen – the division’s highest scorers –
have already secured their play-off place (at home), but La
Rochelle, SCA Albi, Oyonnax, Lyon OU, Pau and Tarbes all
have a mathematical chance of joining them.
Read More... |
29 April
2009
|
Two of a kind: Racing Metro's
Sebastien Chabal and Lionel Nallet
Photos: Michael Paler |
Racing-Metro 92
have confirmed the headline-grabbing double capture of
French internationals Sebastien Chabal and Lionel Nallet.
Both had
long been tipped to join
the newly promoted ProD2 champions, with the pair
reigniting a former club partnership they had together at
Bourgoin.
Since
then Chabal went on to become a cross-Channel hero following
his transfer to Sale Sharks, but the iconic second row - who
earns a fortune through his off-field advertising - declared
he would be returning back to France earlier this season to
be with his wife and children.
Nallet -
the France captain - joins from Castres after a difficult
season at both club and international level.
Read More... |
|
29
April
2009
|
Getting shirty: Jacky Lorenzetti
has attacked Stade Francais
Photo: Michael Paler |
Just
days after
securing promotion to Top 14
the needle has already begun, with Racing Metro 92 president
Jacky Lorenzetti taking a sideswipe at his Stade
Francais counterpart Max Guazzani.
"He
considers the [Stade Francais] shirt as a kind of tool for
merchandising. We believe it is the identity of the club,"
said Lorenzetti. "Do not touch the shirt - it displays the
club's colours," he added.
Lorenzetti also confirmed that Racing would continue to play
their home games at Colombes stadium next season - the
former home of the national team before the Parcs des
Princes - but that it would be extended to hold 14,000
spectators.
Read More...
|
|
By Colin Spiro, 26 April
2009
|
Wanted: Mercurial
fly-half Francois Steyn
Photo: Steve Haag
Back Page Sport.com |
Racing-Metro 92
confirmed their promotion to Top 14 on
Sunday, becoming the capital’s second club in
France’s premier division.
But who, or what, are
Racing-Metro 92, and what are their chances of making an
impact in the top flight given the struggles of Toulon and
Mont-de-Marsan this season?
Of last year’s two
promoted clubs Racing bear strongest comparison to Toulon as
they will go up on the back of sustained league success and
bankrolled by an ambitious multi-millionaire.
For Mourad Boudjellal
read Jacky Lorenzetti, the uber-wealthy boss of real estate
giants Foncia who isn’t shy of investing his millions into
Racing.
Read More... |
26 April
2009
|
RC Narbonne 21 |
Pau 15 |
|
Béziers
35 |
Tarbes
19 |
|
FC
Auch Gers 7 |
SCA
Albi 11 |
|
Oyonnax 27 |
Colomiers 16 |
|
La Rochelle 23 |
Grenoble 7 |
|
Lyon OU 27 |
Bourg-en-Bresse 10 |
|
SU Agen 16 |
Aurillac 12 |
|
Union 12 |
Racing Métro
33 |
Racing Métro
92 secured promotion to Top 14 next season -
trading places with relegated
Mont-de-Marsan - after they beat Union
Bordeaux-Begles 33-12 on Sunday afternoon, and
broke the 100 point barrier in the process.
Pierre
Berbizier's runaway leaders notched victory number 23 - out
of 28 - as they were finally able to pop the champagne
that's been on ice for several weeks now. They will become
the second Paris club in Top 14 - after Stade Francais - and
are now set to unveil a raft of high profile signings,
beginning with South African fly-half Francois Steyn.
Read More... |
24 April
2009
|
Sergio Parisse:
Outstanding player
Photo: Michael Paler
|
In the latest of his exclusive
columns for FRC, Pau captain Paul Dearlove
runs the rule over Ian McGeechan's British Lions squad and
sees how many would get in his own World XV...
While
the rugby world digests Ian McGeechan’s
British and Irish Lions this
week – I thought it would be an
interesting exercise to pick a current world XV and
see how many of those Lions would make it. There are
some notable omissions (as there have to be) and I’m
sure there will be many of you that disagree with
certain selections (I certainly don’t agree with
everyone that has made the Lions squad) but I will
explain my reasoning as we go and should my team
ever get the opportunity to play the Martians – I
reckon we’d do ok.
Let’s
start at the front – where rugby starts anyway. You
should ignore whatever those little men with the
nice hair say.
Read More...
|
|
19 April 2009
|
Racing Metro 35 |
Auch 13 |
|
Tarbes 24 |
Oyonnax 15 |
|
Pau 11 |
SCA
Albi 3 |
|
Colomiers 44 |
Union
16 |
|
Aurillac 25 |
Béziers
24 |
|
La Rochelle 37 |
Narbonne 16 |
|
Bourg 19 |
Grenoble 6 |
|
SU Agen 25 |
Lyon 0 |
Long-time leaders Racing Metro 92 will be
promoted to Top 14 if they win at Union
Bordeaux-Bègles next Sunday.
The
ambitious Paris club are on the brink of joining the big
time following their 35-13 home victory against struggling
FC Auch Gers at the weekend – their 22nd
win of an outstanding campaign.
Read More... |
|
13 April 2009
|
SCA Albi 14 |
Racing 26 |
|
Bourg 31 |
Pau 12 |
|
Colomiers 19 |
SU Agen 28 |
|
Auch 6 |
Tarbes 16 |
|
Oyonnax 18 |
Union 17 |
|
Grenoble 17 |
Aurillac 20 |
|
Béziers 15 |
La Rochelle 9 |
|
Narbonne 6 |
Lyon 26 |
Runaway leaders Racing Metro 92 need just two
more wins to guarantee automatic promotion to Top 14
after their 26-14 away victory at third-placed
SCA Albi.
Sunday's
win maintained their 12 point advantage at the head of
ProD2, and the champagne can surely now be put on ice as
they near completion of their season-long quest to join the
big boys in France’s premier division.
Their
latest victory – their 21st of the season –
featured a try in each half from Samoan Sefulu Gaugau, as
well as their now seemingly obligatory penalty try – their
fourth in successive games.
Read More... |
10 April
2009
|
Paul Dearlove:
Talking ELV's
|
In the latest of his exclusive
columns for FRC, Pau captain Paul Dearlove gives a
current player's insight into the Experimental Law
Variations (ELVs) currently attracting such wide ranging
criticism...
The thing about commenting on a
topical issue is that no one listens unless you’ve
got either an outlandish opinion or you point
fingers – why do you think David Campese still gets
asked for comments?
That is why I just roll my eyes
when I read the criticisms being leveled at the new
laws being trialed to various degrees throughout the
rugby world. Rugby luminaries and, in
particular, the “blazer brigade” in the northern
hemisphere – none of whom are actually playing
anymore – think the ELV’s are destroying rugby and
all seem to want a return to the glory days when
rugby was “the running game”.
You know what they say about
opinions and a***holes – everyone has got one (and
yes, I do see the irony of calling them a***holes
while giving my own opinion in the same breath).
Read More... |
|
05 April 2009
|
Oyonnax 28 |
Racing 13 |
|
Union 25 |
Auch 8 |
|
Tarbes 20 |
SCA Albi 11 |
|
Lyon OU 25 |
Pau 12 |
|
Aurillac 25 |
Colomiers 15 |
|
Grenoble 23 |
Narbonne 16 |
|
Béziers 23 |
Bourg 26 |
|
La
Rochelle 23 |
SU Agen 25 |
Leaders Racing Metro slipped to their first
defeat in nine games as they went down 28-13 at
Oyonnax on Sunday, with Pierre Yves Montagnat
the home side’s hero.
The
23-year-old kicked five penalties to put Oyonnax in control
and then rounded off a perfect afternoon by scoring his
side’s only try (in the final minute) before dusting himself
down to land the conversion.
Sébastien Bouillot and Bertrand Guilloux also claimed a
drop-goal each as the hosts consolidated their play-off push
with a victory that lifted them up from fifth to fourth.
Read More... |
|
03 April 2009
 Troubled
Pro D2 club FC Auch Gers have a “99% chance” of going
bankrupt according to club chairman Eric Belooussoff.
He
further added that the club’s dire financial situation –
caused by the withdrawal of funding by major sponsor
Textilot – was likely to result in it being ejected from Pro
D2.
Belooussoff said he would personally finance players’ wages
until the end of the season to avoid the club having to
forfeit league fixtures – which would automatically result
in demotion to Federale 3.
Read More... |
26 March
2009
|
Paul Dearlove:
Home comforts |
In the latest of his exclusive
columns for FRC, Pau captain Paul Dearlove asks why
rugby teams have no problem getting up for home matches, but
struggle to perform when playing away...
Pressure is something we all deal
with on a daily basis. Meeting that deadline at
work, organizing a present for your wife’s birthday
(which turns out to have been yesterday – who knew?)
or a phone call from the principal of the school
about why your child’s teacher needs six weeks
stress leave.
It is a part of all our lives.
But today I’m going to get specific and ask – 'why
is there so much more pressure when you play at home
and does this provide an answer as to why the home
team invariably wins?'
We lost our first game at home
this season on the weekend. People had
been talking about ‘Fortress Hameau’ and how teams
feared coming here. Perhaps this had an element of
truth and helped us in close games, but this doesn’t
explain how we can win 12 games in a row at home and
only win two games away.
Read More... |
|
22 March 2009
|
Lyon OU 45 |
Grenoble 6 |
|
Bourg 24 |
Narbonne 16 |
|
Colomiers 31 |
SCA Albi 37 |
|
Pau 22 |
Union 27 |
|
Auch 15 |
Oyonnax 12 |
|
Racing 25 |
Tarbes
16 |
|
La Rochelle 36 |
Aurillac 19 |
|
SU Agen 51 |
Beziers 16 |
Two surprise defeats (for Pau and
Oyonnax) shook up the fight for play-off places in
ProD2 this weekend, with La Rochelle and Lyon OU the
biggest beneficiaries as the season draws to a
nail-biting climax.
La Rochelle climbed from sixth to fourth on
the back of their 33-19 home win against Aurillac, while
Lyon emerged as play-off contenders following Pau’s first
home defeat of the season – 22-27 by mid-table Union
Bordeaux-Begles – and Oyonnax’s 15-12 loss at FC Auch Gers.
Lyon stay in seventh position, but they are
now just three points behind Oyonnax and Pau, who are tied
on 65 points.
Read More... |
|
16 March 2009
|
SCA Albi 30 |
Oyonnax 13 |
|
Bourg
20 |
La Rochelle 38 |
|
Pau 25 |
Auch
14 |
|
Colomiers 19 |
Racing 27 |
|
Union 12 |
Tarbes 27 |
|
Grenoble 16 |
SU Agen 20 |
|
Beziers 17 |
Lyon OU 56 |
|
Narbonne 23 |
Aurillac 23 |
Racing Metro ’92
moved another step nearer Top 14 rugby next season
with a 27-14 victory away to Colomiers on
Saturday.
The
runaway leaders went ahead thanks to a brace of early Andrew
Mehrtens penalties and Sireli Bobo’s 26th-minute
try – his seventh of the season – but Colomiers showed
admirable fight for the cause and refused to buckle in the
face of the Parisians’ onslaught.
Read More... |
13 March
2009
|
Paul Dearlove:
weather
expert |
In the latest of his exclusive
weekly columns for FRC, Pau captain Paul Dearlove
takes
us through a typical week for a professional rugby player.
and explains why the backs always seem to be drinking
coffee...
The typical week of a
professional rugby player looks something like this:
Monday morning
– recovery pool session (if you
played less than 30 minutes you have to do a fitness
session before the pool).
Monday afternoon
– video of last weekend’s game.
Weights followed by a short and light field session
(lineouts/handling for forwards or passing for
backs).
Tuesday morning
– weights and a speed session.
Tuesday afternoon
– rugby (usually something
technical – limited contact).
Wednesday morning
– weights followed by lineouts
and scrums for the forwards and attacking plays for
the backs (in reality the backs spend more time
drinking coffee and talking about the weekend than
actually running – if I had a dollar for every time
I said “I wish I was a back” at training…).
Read More... |
10.03.09 - News:
Lamb lined up by Racing Metro
in place of Wilkinson; Toulon target Contepomi
08.03.09 - ProD2: Racing halt Pau's surge;
Oyonnax to third after beating Beziers
06.03.09 -
Paul Dearlove's exclusive column:
Me and my 'lucky undies';
The value of superstitions
01.03.09 - ProD2: Pau beat Oyonnax to climb to
third, while Racing Metro surge on
23.02.09 - ProD2 round 20: Racing Metro '92 power
on while SU Agen lose ground
22.02.09 - ProD2: Pau battle back to defeat La
Rochelle and move up to fourth spot
19.02.09 -
Paul Dearlove's exclusive column:
Drugs in rugby - Part II:
The 'recreational' debate
17.02.09 - Racing Metro confirm their interest in
Wilkinson, Chabal, Nallet and Steyn
15.02.09 - ProD2: Racing beat Agen to move 10
points clear; Aurillac's slump goes on
12.02.09 -
Paul Dearlove's exclusive column:
Drugs in rugby - Part I:
Performance enhancing
09.02.09 - ProD2: Racing extend lead as rivals
stumble; Bourg pull off shock victory
06.02.09 - News:
Gloucester's Balshaw agrees to join French club Racing Metro '92
05.02.09 -
Paul Dearlove's exclusive
weekly column:
Are 'les
etrangers'
good for French rugby?
04.02.09 - News: Seven French clubs
questioned in agent payments scandal; Toulon target Azam
02.02.09 - ProD2 round 18: Racing win again but
SU Agen lose ground after defeat at Oyonnax
28.01.09 -
Paul Dearlove's exclusive
column:
Do the French deserve
their reputation for foul play? - Part II
27.01.09 - ProD2: Tempers flare as La Rochelle
beat leaders Racing Metro '92
23.01.09 - News: Toulouse beckons for David and
Picamoles; FC Auch Gers saved
19.01.09 - News:
Wilkinson tipped to join ambitious
French club Racing Metro
18.01.09 - ProD2: Racing Metro 92 pull clear as
La Rochelle stumble at Oyonnax
17.01.09 - Racing Metro confirm Chabal
interest;
Montauban ease financial worries
15.01.09 -
Paul Dearlove's column:
Do the French deserve their
reputations for foul play?
12.01.09 - ProD2: La Rochelle up to second as
Racing Metro and Agen are frozen out
08.01.09 -
Paul Dearlove's exclusive
column:
Is
professional rugby going to be credit crunched?
07.01.09 - News: Pro D2’s FC Auch Gers
facing potential bankruptcy; Toulon’s troubles
continue
21.12.08 - ProD2 round 14:
Racing
Metro stretch their lead as Aurillac lose at Auch
18.12.08 -
Paul Dearlove's exclusive
column:
When two tribes go to war - The local derby
15.12.08 - ProD2, round 13:
Racing Metro ’92 stay top as SU Agen
build momentum
11.12.08 -
Paul Dearlove's
exclusive column: The
game they play in heaven but who is playing God?
07.12.08 - ProD2 round 12:
Top three lose as Racing Metro '92
reclaim top spot
05.12.08 -
The
Unknown Soldier
- Life as a journeyman professional in France's
ProD2
01.12.08 - ProD2 round 11: Aurillac
recover against Grenoble to win and stay top
17.11.08 - ProD2 round-up: Aurillac reclaim the
lead; Bourg stay bottom despite win
09.11.08 - ProD2, round 9: Racing regain lead
after Aurillac defeat Stade Rochelais
03.11.08 - Pro D2, round 8: La Rochelle usurp
Racing on a bad weekend For Paris
28.10.08 - Pro D2 round seven: Top two
lose as La Rochelle go level with Racing Metro
20.10.08 - Pro D2: Round 6 -
Racing Metro ’92 regain the lead
06.10.08 - Pro D2: Round 5 –
Albi
rise to the challenge
29.09.08 - Pro D2: Round 4 –
Grenoble go top after Aurillac
suffer first defeat
22.09.08 - Pro D2: Round 3 – Aurillac win again
to move three points clear
|
