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14 May 2011
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In the spotlight:
Sébastien Chabal
Photo: Cleva Media
/Eoin Mundow |
As bad weeks go this must
rank as one of the worst in Sébastien Chabal's
career. On Wednesday he was left out of the provisional
France World Cup squad and then on Thursday he was banned
for 60 days - meaning he will miss Racing-Metro's attempt to
win their first French title in 21 years.
Chabal's lengthy ban was
handed down by the LNR after comments he made in an
interview with Journal du Dimanche criticizing Top 14
referees. Chabal branded them "useless" and further got
himself in hot water by claiming they also favoured Castres
and Biarritz - due to past and present links to the LNR
presidency.
The interview had been
meant to drum up publicity ahead of Chabal's autobiography
'Ma Petite Etoile' being published, but he has subsequently
ended his ties with the newspaper.
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13 May 2011
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Clermont joy:
Brock James
Photo: Eoin Mundow/
Cleva Media |
Clermont Auvergne 27
(6)
Biarritz Olympic 17 (17)
Stade Marcel Michelin
Defending champions Clermont
Auvergne rallied from 17-3 down to beat Biarritz 27-17 on
Friday night, and book their place for a semi-final showdown
with Stade Toulousain.
Clermont were stunned by two
first-half tries from Biarritz as they initially fumbled
their lines, but they fought back to score 21 unanswered
points in the second period, with Brock James, Alexandre
Lapandry and Julien Malzieu all touching down - although two
of those tries came in controversial circumstances.
Scrum-half Morgan Parra
converted two of the three tries, with James kicking the
other to complete the turnaround and set up a
mouth-watering semi-final against Toulouse in Marseille on May 27. If they can win that they will then
go on to contest an incredible fifth successive Top 14 final.
Read More... |
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12 May 2011
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Key player:
Morgan Parra
Photo: Eoin Mundow/
Cleva Media |
The first of the Top 14
quarter-finals takes place on Friday, with defending
champions Clermont Auvergne hosting Biarritz at the Stade
Marcel Michelin.
For Vern Cotter's Clermont this
match provides another stepping stone towards defending
their hard-won inaugural title, although the mighty Stade
Toulousain are next up for whichever team triumphs on
Friday.
For those of a superstitious
disposition they may look wryly at the date - Friday 13th -
but fans, players and coaches will be hoping to avoid any
horror shows as the Top 14 season draws to a climax.
Clermont, by dint of home
advantage, must surely start as favourites, although both
these sides actually finished on 72 points - along with
Montpellier. 'Les Jaunards' had a tough workout away to
Stade Toulousain last weekend, eventually losing 15-6 in a
match that was dominated by the injury to Aurélien Rougerie.
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11 May
2011
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Not Toulon now:
Paul Sackey
Photo: Eoin Mundow/
Cleva Media |
The shockwaves of
Toulon's non-qualification for the Top 14 play-offs -
and next season's Heineken Cup - are rumbling on.
Multi-millionaire club
president Mourad Boudjellal let his feelings be known
earlier in the week and two casualties have already been
confirmed.
Top 14 League Table 2010/11
Former England winger
Paul Sackey has been released after just one season
at the club, while forwards coach Aubin Hueber has
also been dismissed.
A club statement said
Hueber would remain with Toulon, but would be "assigned to
another mission".
Former La Rochelle head
coach Serge Milhas has been tipped to replace Hueber
following reports that he met Boudjellal and Philippe
Saint-André on Tuesday.
Read More... |
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07 May
2011
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Limping out:
Aurélien Rougerie
Photo: Eoin Mundow
/Cleva Media |
France international
Aurélien Rougerie is a major doubt for the World Cup
after suffering a horror ankle injury.
The Clermont Auvergne
skipper, who has 55 France caps, sustained a
fractured and dislocated left ankle while playing
for his club against Stade Toulousain on Saturday.
Top 14,
r26 Review
The initial damage was
done when he was tackled without the ball by
Toulouse's Yannick Jauzion in the 33rd minute.
Jauzion, who was recently dropped by France, picked
up a yellow card for his actions.
Rougerie subsequently
aggravated the injury when a team-mate fell on his
already damaged ankle.
A Clermont statement
after the game confirmed Rougerie had a fracture, as
well as damaged ligaments as a result of the
dislocation. He will undergo surgery next week and
is expected to have a plate inserted.
Read More... |
07 May 2011
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Down and out:
Jonny Wilkinson
Photo: Eoin Mundow
/Cleva Media |
Big-spending Toulon have
failed to make the Top 14 play-offs after crashing 27-3 away
to Montpellier - who will now go through at Toulon's
expense.
Fabien Galthié's side came into
this match on the back of two successive defeats and knowing
they had to win to qualify, and they got off to a superb
start when Argentine Martin Bustos Moyano touched down after
just five minutes.
The versatile Puma duly
converted his own try, but Toulon soon cut the advantage
when Jonny Wilkinson landed a penalty in reply on nine
minutes.
Top 14 League Table 2010/11
But that was as good as it got
on a miserable afternoon for Philippe Saint-André's side.
The late injury which forced skipper Joe Van Niekerk to
withdraw from their starting line-up was an ominous omen,
and one hates to think how ambitious and straight-talking
owner Mourad Boudjellal will respond to them making neither
the play-offs nor next season's Heineken Cup.
Read More... |
06 May 2011
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History in the making?
Fulgence Ouedraogo
Photo: Eoin Mundow
/Cleva Media |
It may not have been the
standout clash when the Top 14 fixtures were first unveiled
but there's no doubting that Montpellier's home game with
Toulon is the pick of Saturday's final round games.
Either or both sides could yet
make the play-offs, but Montpellier go into the match
knowing they simply have to win if they're to have any
chance of ending the season in the top six.
Top 14 League Table 2010/11
Toulon's all stars arrive with
Gavin Henson "reintegrated" and determined to make amends
for a difficult past fortnight, while president Mourad
Boudjellal will countenance nothing other than play-off
qualification.
Elsewhere there's a heavyweight
clash between Stade Toulousain and Clermont Auvergne, while
high-flying Racing-Métro journey across Paris to take on
city rivals Stade Francais.
Read More... |
06 May 2011
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Destination unknown: Stade Toulousain's
ex-All Blacks scrum-half Byron Kelleher
Photo: Eoin Mundow/Cleva Media |
Former All Blacks
scrum-half Byron Kelleher was in Bayonne for a
medical on Thursday according to reports in the French
press.
Kelleher signed a
pre-contract deal with the Basque club some months ago but
it appeared that deal was falling through after the recent
presidential reshuffle.
Bayonne had reportedly
tried in vain to contact Kelleher all last week, and -
according to both Midi Olympique and L'Equipe
- the Basque club was somewhat surprised when the Stade
Toulousain player arrived on Thursday for talks and a
medical.
Read More... |
04 May 2011
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Last chance saloon:
Gavin Henson
Photo: Eoin Mundow
/Cleva Media |
Toulon head coach Philippe Saint-André has
likened Gavin Henson's one week suspension to taking
"a yellow card, not a red one".
Henson was "reintegrated" to the Toulon squad on Monday
after club owner Mourad Boudjellal made a u-turn on his
original decision to sack the Welsh star.
Boudjellal claimed he had changed his mind after a period of
reflection, enabling Henson to return to action - until the
end of the current season at least.
Henson had put his short-term contract in jeopardy after a
nightclub bust-up with team-mates following the team's Top
14 victory over Stade Toulousain.
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04 May
2011
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Bayonne bound:
Cédric Heymans
Photo: Eoin Mundow
/Cleva Media |
Stade Toulousain's Cédric
Heymans will reportedly confirm his summer transfer to
Bayonne later this week.
The 32-year-old France international has
been in fine form for Toulouse of late after switching from
wing to full-back, but it now seems the former Brive star
will be based on the Basque coast next season.
Midi Olympique claims Heymans
will pen a two-year deal (with the option of a third) with
Bayonne despite still having one year left on his contract
at Toulouse.
Furthermore, the French rugby paper
suggested that former All Black Ross Filipo would
remain with Bayonne - rather than sign for London Wasps as
was previously reported - while the Basques are also still
trying to entice Heymans' erstwhile club colleague
Frédéric Michalak to join them.
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02 May 2011
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Second chance:
Gavin Henson
Photo: Eoin Mundow
/Cleva Media |
Wales international Gavin
Henson has been handed a surprise reprieve by Toulon.
The 29-year-old was
officially welcomed back into the Toulon squad this morning
following an announcement by club owner Mourad Boudjellal.
It had been expected that
Henson would be shown the door after being suspended for a
week following a reported night-club altercation with
team-mates.
French newspaper L'Equipe
reported last week that Boudjellal had made up his mind to
terminate Henson's short-term contract - he was only signed
until the end of this season - but it seems the Toulon
hierarchy have had second thoughts.
Read More... |
27 April 2011
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Stirring up a storm:
Sébastien Chabal
Photo: Eoin Mundow
/Cleva Media |
France international
Sébastien Chabal has been suspended by his club
Racing-Métro 92 after an pre-published extract from his
forthcoming autobiography sparked a right old rumpus.
Chabal was quoted in the Sunday
newspaper Journal du Dimanche being highly critical
of the level of refereeing in Top 14, going on to claim that
Castres got preferential treatment because of its links with
current LNR president (and former Castres president)
Pierre-Yves Revol.
What initially looked like a
nifty piece of PR for his autobiography - Ma Petite
Etoile - quickly spun out of control, however, with
Castres, the LNR and the FFR all voicing disquiet over
Chabal's remarks.
Having witnessed the brewing
storm Chabal's club Racing moved to try and diffuse the
situation by banning their star number eight with immediate
effect. Their hope, surely, was that it would counter any
ban subsequently handed down to Chabal, and thus leave him
eligible for the club's forthcoming league play-offs.
Read More... |
26 April 2011
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Au revoir:
Frédéric Michalak
Photo: Eoin Mundow
/Cleva Media |
Frédéric Michalak
will leave Stade Toulousain and sign for Australia's
Waratahs, according to reports in France.
The 28-year-old
international stalled on new contract talks with Toulouse as
he wanted to play at fly-half, but head coach Guy Noves
preferred to use him at scrum-half.
Last week's announcement
that
Toulouse had signed Australian
scrum-half Luke Burgess (from the Waratahs) was
widely seen as confirmation that Michalak would leave, and
it now appears he will head down under.
Toulouse have also signed
All Blacks star Luke McAlister - who can play at centre of
fly-half - as well as Stade Francais No 10 Lionel Beauxis.
Read More... |
26 April 2011
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Sébastien
Chabal scored a potentially
crucial late try for Racing-Métro
Photo: Eoin Mundow/Cleva Media |
Before we turn our attention to
next weekend's European semi-finals - featuring no less than
four French sides - FRC felt it was time to reflect on the
ramifications of Top 14's latest results in the penultimate
round of league fixtures.
Top 14: Round 25 Review
Top 14 League Table 2010/11
There are still plenty of
unresolved questions with one match left to play, but the
fog is beginning to clear in terms of what can and cannot be
achieved regarding Top 14's end of season play-offs.
Read More... |
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23
April
2011
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Try-scorer: Toulon's
Gabi Lovobalavu
Photo: Eoin Mundow
/Cleva Media |
Toulon turned on the
power as they beat Perpignan 43-12 to complete the
league double over the 2009 champions.
Toulon's bonus-point win -
which featured four tries - means the Catalans must now hope
that Brive beat Montpellier tonight, otherwise they cannot
qualify for the end-of-season play-offs.
Top 14 League Table 2010/11
If it was revenge that Toulon
wanted, after their Heineken Cup defeat in Barcelona, then
it won't have come much sweeter than this.
The hits were fulsome and
commitment unquestioned as both sides slugged it out during
the opening half hour. Clear openings were at a premium and
it was with a certain inevitability that the point-scoring
was monopolized up to then by Jonny Wilkinson and Jérôme
Porical (with three penalties apiece).
Read More...
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22 April 2011
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Close, but no cigar: Biarritz hooker
Romain Terrain shows the pain
Photo:
Eoin
Mundow/Cleva Media |
Castres 16
(6)
Biarritz 13 (3)
In-form Castres
maintained their 100% home record with a dogged 16-13
victory over Biarritz at the Stade Pierre Antoine on
Friday night.
Castres' latest win
was their seventh in eight league games, and moved them
up to second in Top 14 - pending results elsewhere on
Saturday.
Ace marksman Romain
Teulet was once again their star man, landing three
penalties and converting Rodrigo Capo-Ortega's
second-half try as he helped take his team to the edge
of play-off qualification. An away trip to Perpignan
looms on the final day - in two weeks' time - but
Castres look to have done enough barring some freakish
results to at least make it through to the
quarter-finals.
Read More... |
22 April 2011
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Toulon and Perpignan
do battle again
Photo: Eoin Mundow
/Cleva Media |
With the relegation issues now
resolved it is the ongoing scramble for play-off places
which takes precedence in Top 14 this weekend. The equation
is simple, if convoluted - nine teams can still qualify for
the six play-off berths, with just seven points separating
second-placed Racing-Métro from ninth placed Bayonne.
Top 14 League Table 2010/11
But, of course, it's not just a
question of making it into the top six. There's also the
finishing position to consider as the top two qualify
straight through to the semi-finals, while the other four
jockey for home advantage. Leaders Stade Toulousain should
secure their semi-final presence with a home game against
hapless Bourgoin likely to bring five points, and a possible
cricket score, while champions Clermont Auvergne will be
aiming to consolidate their own play-off hopes with a home
game against relegated La Rochelle.
Read More... |
21 April 2011
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Heading to Paris?
Dan Carter
Photo: Michael Paler |
While European champions
Stade Toulousain were busy confirming
their latest recruits rumours continue to abound
about other big-name stars set to arrive in France next
season.
Dan Carter, Sonny Bill
Williams and Willie Mason have all been linked this week
with lucrative Top 14 contracts, while Stade Francais and
France centre Mathieu Bastareaud is also said to be on the
move.
Toulon, unsurprisingly,
are at the hub of much of the proposed transfer - being
linked with Williams, Mason and Bastareaud - while Carter is
said to be on his way to Paris for a second spell in French
club rugby.
And what of Stade
Toulousain's Frédéric Michalak? The inconsistent half-back
continues to stall on a new deal with the four-time European
champions, fuelling speculation of a move either to another
Top 14 side, or (more likely) back to the southern
hemisphere to try his hand at Super 15 rugby.
Read More... |
21 April 2011
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Uncertain future:
Frédéric Michalak
Photo: Eoin Mundow
/Cleva Media |
European champions
Stade Toulousain have confirmed the signings of Luke
McAlister, Luke Burgess, Gurthro Steenkamp,
Lionel Beauxis and Timoci Matanavu for next season.
In addition the French
giants have also announced that youngsters Jean-Marc
Doussain, Nicolas Bézy and Russlan Buokerou have signed
their first deals with the club.
One notable absentee from
that list, however, remains enigmatic half-back Frédéric
Michalak, with the French international currently
stalling on a new contract as he weighs up his options.
The versatile
international has already held discussions with Biarritz and
ProD2 leaders Lyon OU, while Bayonne are also rumoured to be
interested. A move to the southern hemisphere is also on the
cards, with Michalak having previously spent a season in
South Africa with the Natal Sharks.
Read More... |
