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21 December 2008
 Leaders
Racing Metro ’92 enjoyed a profitable weekend
before the Christmas break as they won away to
bottom club Bourg-en-Bresse, while nearest
challengers Aurillac went down at FC Auch Gers.
But the ambitious Paris club didn’t have it all
their own way and had to fight back from 10-0 down
after 21 minutes following a penalty try and five
points from the boot of Eadie.
South African Greg Goosen eventually got them on the
board with a 26th-minute penalty and
Racing were back on level terms following Argentine
Alvaro Galindo’s try just before the interval.
Goosen added the conversion, and was successful
again later on when the visitors were awarded a
penalty try of their own in the 62nd
minute. It proved the game’s decisive score and
enabled the promotion wannabes to stretch their Pro
D2 lead to seven points.
Bourg, meanwhile, were at least able to take the
satisfaction of a defensive bonus point for their
valiant efforts as they closed the gap on 15th-placed
Beziers.
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18 December 2008
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Primordial passions |
In the third of his exclusive
weekly columns for FRC, Pau captain Paul Dearlove
looks ahead to the weekend home derby with Pro D2 neighbours
Tarbes. Victory for Pau would have the double benefit of
securing local bragging rights and a possible climb to
fourth spot.
The weekend before Christmas is
traditionally a weekend for derby games in France.
My first experience of this derby match rivalry was
my first game in France. Section Paloise v Bayonne,
an inter ‘64’ (the same département des
Pyreenees-Atlantique) derby. It
also happened to be between two relegation battlers.
I have never experienced such
noise and enthusiasm. Brass bands and singing in the
stands. Every point scored or referee decision was
met with roars of approval or derision.
Thankfully we won, which also led
to my first experience of French drinking. I can
assure readers that neither the drinking nor the
hangover is any different because you are drinking
in a foreign language.
When French locals talk about the
derby match, there is a history there that is tough
for a foreigner like me to understand. Some sports
have rivalry based on religion (my time in Glasgow
exposed me to the craziness that is Celtic v Rangers
football derby) or national pride (think of the
Ashes or the Springboks v the All Blacks).
But rugby in France reveals a
peculiar regional passion. Towns that are only 20 or
30 kilometres apart (especially those within the
same “départements”) can
have intense rivalries, often leading to violence on
the pitch and occasionally in the stands. The
closest I have seen to this exists in British
football where, like in French rugby, games ignite
passions that can only be described as primordial.
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15 December 2008
A
try in each half by Fijian wing Sireli Bobo got Racing
Metro back to winning ways as they overcame Union
Bordeaux-Begles 22-6 to retain top spot in Pro D2.
The Paris side were also awarded a 39th-minute
penalty try as they picked up a crucial bonus point.
South African Greg Goosen was successful with two
out of three conversions, added to an earlier
penalty, with Union’s points all coming from the
boot of Saubusse, courtesy of three first-half
penalties.
Racing now have a four point advantage over their
nearest rivals after SU Agen continued their
march up the table and overcame second-placed
Aurillac 20-16 with an excellent away win.
Graydon Staniforth gave the home side an early lead
with his second-minute drop goal before Delkeith
Pottas and Francois Gelez exchanged penalties to
leave Aurillac 6-3 to the good.
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11 December 2008
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Spiritual calling? |
In this player’s opinion,
referees are a lot like proctologists. They are a
necessary part of the system but inevitably a pain
in the ….
Jokes aside, I am not going to
criticise (too much) what I realise is mostly a
thankless task. The problem is the overly
complicated laws and the range of interpretation
when they are applied.
It seems to me that the lawmakers
and the referees who interpret these laws have
forgotten that rugby, to survive and prosper, must
be a spectacle. Simply put, rugby is a business. It
sells a product, competes for sponsorship and
lucrative TV deals in an increasingly crowded
international market. There are even some who claim
the semi finals and final of Rugby World Cup 2007
were boring. I happen to disagree; I thought the
final was one of the most physically intense games
of rugby I’ve ever seen, but I can see their point.
And these matches were our showpieces – our greatest
marketing opportunities.
For a non rugby person, our sport
can be bewildering, and even ardent fans (and
players) are occasionally left scratching their
heads. However this is only half the problem. When
the game is stopped (and if we are honest this is
often) it denies the players the opportunity to
expose a fatiguing opposition - thereby reducing the
number of tries - and any tension that had been
building is broken.
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07 December 2008
Racing
Metro ’92 reclaimed the Pro D2 lead on Sunday as the
top three sides all lost in the latest round of
league matches.
The ambitious Paris club snuck back into pole
position courtesy of their losing bonus point at FC
Auch Gers, something that proved beyond the
pre-weekend leaders Aurillac as they tumbled
at relegation-threatened Beziers.
Beziers’
surprise 25-16 win was undoubtedly the shock result
of the weekend as they registered only their third
success of a disappointing campaign.
The home side were already six points to the good –
courtesy of two Thomas Pochelu penalties – when
Jonathan Bousquet went over for an 11th-minute
try.
Pochelu kicked the extras to leave the stunned
visitors 13-0 down, and the fly-half added two more
penalties to ensure the hosts maintained half-time
superiority.
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05 December 2008
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The journeyman pro |
In the first of his exclusive
weekly columns for FRC, Pau captain Paul Dearlove
gives us an insight into the life and times of a
professional rugby player in France's Pro D2. We welcome
Paul to the site, and look forward to his tales from the
boot room and beyond. If you want to know more about this
Paris-born, South African reared, Australian educated,
former Glasgow Warriors No 8 - and let's face it, you don't
get many of those - then check in for his regular ramblings
as Pau strive to regain their place in the elite Top 14.
A full(er) cv of Paul's career to date is at the bottom
of this article, but I'm sure the best way to learn about
the man is to read his own words. Enjoy, The Editor.
The Unknown
Soldier -
By Paul Dearlove
On a bright March day last year
this young(ish) Australian had the honour of touring
the D Day beaches in Normandy and was not only made
acutely aware of the courage it would take to deal
with real fear, but also realized how many
gravestones remember soldiers younger than me - and
also those ‘known only unto God’. This type of
experience is only part of what makes a professional
rugby player's life in France so amazing.
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01 December 2008
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Union Bordeaux-Begles 15
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Oyonnax 9 |
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Pau 35 |
Bourg-en-Bresse 3 |
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SU Agen 36 |
Colomiers 17 |
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Aurillac 29 |
Grenoble 22 |
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Stade Rochelais 33 |
Beziers 9 |
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Lyon OR 14 |
Narbonne 13 |
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Tarbes 26 |
Auch 12 |
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Racing Metro 22 |
Albi 9 |
Leaders Aurillac were given a
shock at home by Grenoble after conceding two
tries in the opening 12 minutes, before rallying to
win 29-22.
An upset looked on the cards when tries by
Julien Campo and Simon Sarthou gave the visitors an early
10-3 lead, but both tries went unconverted, allowing
Delkeith Pottas to kick Aurillac back into contention with a
hat-trick of penalties.
The leaders still trailed 13-9 at half-time
but Fijian wing Fero Lasagavibau scored a try early in the
second half, with Australian Graydon Staniforth adding the
decisive second 15 minutes from the end.
Pottas, crucially, converted both, together
with another brace of penalties as Aurillac confirmed top
spot with their ninth win of the season.
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17 November 2008
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Narbonne 6 |
Grenoble 3 |
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Bourg-en-Bresse 9 |
Beziers 3 |
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SU
Agen 19 |
La
Rochelle 16 |
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FC
Auch Gers 15 |
Union
Bordeaux-Begles 5 |
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Racing Metro ’92 31 |
Oyonnax 20 |
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SC
Albi 18 |
Tarbes
12 |
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Pau
21 |
Lyon
OR 16 |
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Colomiers 15 |
Aurillac 30 |
Aurillac
regained the lead in ProD2 thanks to a bonus-point
victory at Colomiers that saw them climb back
above Racing Metro.
Three
ties in 15 minutes either side of half-time proved decisive
with Graydon Staniforth, Julien Marshall and Dan Baleinadogo
all going over for the visitors.
Colomiers had earlier raced into an early 9-0 lead courtesy
of a trio of penalties (two from Pujo and one from Corey
Niwa) but Aurillac’s Delkeith Potts responded with three his
own before Staniforth’s breakthrough try on the stroke of
half-time.
Potts
added the conversion, as he did with the two subsequent
tries after the break, with Colomiers reduced to just two
more penalties as they were overpowered by the promotion
chasing visitors.
Racing Metro ‘92,
who had led the table going into the weekend, slipped to
second despite their 31-20 home win against Oyonnax.
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09 November 2008
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Oyonnax 25 |
FC Auch Gers 9 |
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Tarbes 16 |
Racing Metro ’92 23 |
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SCA Albi 30 |
Colomiers 20
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Union 14 |
Pau 18 |
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Grenoble 21 |
Lyon OR 20 |
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Narbonne 22 |
Bourg 21 |
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Aurillac 25 |
Stade Rochelais 19 |
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Beziers 21 |
Agen 16 |
Pierre Berbizier’s Racing Metro
regained top spot in ProD2 after coming from behind
to win 23-16 at Tarbes.
The Paris club were indebted to a converted
try 10 minutes from time by X Chavancy as they rallied from
13-10 down shortly after the half-time interval.
Racing had looked set for an easy afternoon
when South African Ashley Clarke went over for the game’s
opening score on the quarter hour, especially with former
All Black Andrew Mehrtens adding the conversion.
But Tarbes’ English fly-half Rory Teague
kicked two penalties to leave the home side trailing 6-10 at
the break, a deficit they overturned within minutes of the
restart when Thierry Lacrampe went over for a try.
Teague added the two points to lift Tarbes
13-10 clear, with Mehrtens’ 50th-minute penalty
leaving it all square.
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03 November 2008
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Racing Metro ’92 9 |
Colomiers 8 |
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Tarbes 31 |
Union Bordeaux-Begles 15 |
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Oyonnax 16 |
Albi 16 |
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SU Agen 18 |
Grenoble 12 |
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Lyon OR 12 |
Beziers 10 |
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La Rochelle 56 |
Bourg-en-Bresse 18 |
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Aurillac 31 |
RC Narbonne 9 |
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FC Auch Gers 17 |
Pau 12 |
La Rochelle are the new leaders of ProD2 after a
thumping 56-18 home win against basement club
Bourg-en-Bresse on Saturday.
The hosts initially struggled to
break free and were only 11-8 up at half-time before
a seven-try blitz lifted them clear after the
interval.
Bourg’s Alexandre Ducrozet actually opened the
scoring when he went over in the 11th minute, but
Damien Neveu replied for La Rochelle, with Remy
Tales’ two penalties ensuring the half-time lead.
But it was one-way traffic thereafter, with the new
leaders cutting free thanks to tries from Yann Fior,
Florian Ninard, Thomas Soucaze, Jonathan Garcia,
Peter Durcan, Sebastien Boboul and Kevin Burgaud.
Romain Lacoste added five conversions to complete
the scoring, before Bourg’s Florian Napoli got a
last-minute try to reduce the arrears.
The bonus point victory means La Rochelle climbed a
point clear of Racing Metro ’92, who struggled to a
9-8 home win against Colomiers on Sunday.
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28 October 2008
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Union Bordeaux-Begles
19 |
SCA Albi 6 |
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Bourg-en-Bresse 11 |
Aurillac 20 |
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Colomiers 24 |
FC Auch Gers 15 |
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Pau 16 |
Racing Metro ’92 15 |
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Grenoble 23 |
Tarbes 19 |
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Beziers 9 |
Oyonnax 30 |
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La Rochelle 23 |
Lyon OU 18 |
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RC Narbonne 25 |
SU Agen 22 |
A converted Nicolas Mouret try 10 minutes from time
gave Pau a one-point home win against leaders Racing
Metro ’92.
The Parisians looked to be heading for their
sixth win in seven as former All Black fly half Andrew
Mehrtens kicked them into 15-9 lead, but winger Mouret’s
late try brought the home side back to within a point before
Descons landed the match-winning conversion.
The result was a massive boost for Pau, who had only won
twice previously this season, and lifted them to 11th
position.
Racing remain top despite the defeat as Albi, who were in
second place, also lost at the weekend, going down 19-6 away
to Union Bordeaux-Begles.
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20 October 2008
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Lyon OR 19 |
Aurillac 13 |
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FC Auch Gers 15 |
Grenoble 9 |
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Racing Metro 37 |
Beziers 9 |
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Tarbes 25 |
Colomiers 10 |
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Oyonnax 16 |
Pau 3 |
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SCA Albi 29 |
La Rochelle 22 |
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RC Narbonne 26 |
Union Bordeaux-Begles 17 |
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SU Agen 62 |
Bourg-en-Bresse 9 |
Racing Metro ’92 usurped SCA Albi to head Pro D2
thanks to their 37-9 bonus-point win against
struggling Beziers.
Pierre Berbizier’s side ran in four
tries, including three in a 15 minute purple patch
after the interval, as they overwhelmed their
visitors and re-established their promotion
credentials.
Tongan wing Mani Vakaola scored twice, with
Jean-Frederic Dubois and Jonathan Wisniewski
grabbing the other tries. Wisniewski also kicked
three conversions and two penalties to lift his
personal tally to 17 points on a good afternoon for
the capital’s second club.
Although they are now level on points with Albi, who
beat third-placed La Rochelle 29-22, they moved
above the pre-weekend leaders by dint of their
superior points advantage (+56 compared to +28).
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06 October 2008
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Bourg-en-Gesse 22 |
Tarbes 16 |
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Stade Rochelais 18
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Pau 14 |
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Beziers 22 |
Auch 19 |
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Grenoble 10 |
Racing Metro ’92 16 |
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Aurillac 30 |
Oyonnax 26 |
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Lyon OR 15 |
Albi 22 |
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SU Agen 14 |
Union Bordeaux-Begles
17 |
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Colomiers 15 |
Narbonne 15 |
Relegated Albi are showing signs of overcoming
demotion from Top 14 and the loss of a host of
players after their 22-15 win at Lyon OR lifted them
top of the pile after five rounds in Pro D2.
The aftershocks of relegation due to financial
irregularities looked initially to be weighing Albi down
as they lost their opening match 11-6 at Aurillac, but
Eric Bechu’s squad have bounced back with four
successive victories and now head the promotion-chasing
pack.
Read More...
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