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05 January 2009
 The start of a New Year usually heralds the
opportunity to wipe the slate clean and start
afresh, but several players will be cursing their
luck after Round 14 of France’s premier rugby
competition brought a catalogue of injuries.
No fewer than four players broke their noses and
there were also serious knee injuries for Castres’
English centre Phil Christophers and Brive’s
Uruguayan prop Pablo Henn.
Christophers was stretchered off during his team’s
13-13 away draw at Bayonne, and his season now looks
over after confirmation that he ruptured the
internal lateral ligament of his left knee.
Further tests this week could further confirm the
suspicion that his anterior cruciate ligament was
also damaged, leading to a lengthy recuperation for
the three-times capped 27-year-old.
Read More... |
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By Colin Spiro, 05 January 2009
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All Smiles - Dan Carter |
Rugby clubs across the globe may be feeling the affects
of the economic downturn but it appears ‘Le credit
crunch’ could work to Top 14’s favour if weekend reports
are to be believed.
The
French open market system, with its lack of salary caps,
has already proved too tempting for the likes of Dan
Carter and Jerry Collins, but now it looks as if the
fiscal pressures being imposed in Great Britain could
spawn another surge of foreign imports.
French sports minister Bernard Laporte may not like the
idea – he told Mid-Olympique today that he wants to
limit the number of ‘les etrangers’ in Top 14 – but
that’s not going to stop clubs trying to recruit
high-profile players who will add both kudos and
marketing ability, in addition to playing strength.
And
it’s not hard to see why. Monday’s papers were full of
the exploits of Clermont’s Fijian winger Napolioni
Nalaga after he scored four tries against Toulon, while
the Sunday evening clash between Brive and Perpignan was
pared down to a two-man duel that saw Carter overshadow
his English rival Andy Goode – who is still the leading
points-scorer in Top 14.
Read More... |
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03 January 2009
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Toulouse 34 |
Montpellier 0 |
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Bayonne 13 |
Castres 13 |
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Stade Francais 56 |
Dax
15 |
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Clermont 32 |
Toulon 5 |
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Mont-de-Marsan 16 |
Montauban 13 |
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Bourgoin 15 |
Biarritz 14 |
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Brive |
Perpignan (Sun) |
The top two
of Toulouse and Stade Francais both recorded resounding home
wins to start the New Year, but the real story of round 14
was at the other end of the table.
Basement
club Mont-de-Marsan beat Montauban 16-13 to record their
third successive home win, while troubled Toulon slumped to
yet another thumping – this time 32-5 away to Clermont, for
whom Napolioni Nalaga scored an incredible four tries.
Those two
results, combined with Castres’ draw at Bayonne on Friday
night (see
report) and Bourgoin’s 15-14 home win against
sliding Biarritz, left just seven points separating the
bottom six clubs as the battle to avoid relegation sizzled
in the winter sun.
Mont-de-Marsan’s
deserved defeat of Montauban was arguably the pick of
the results with the league’s bottom team continuing their
recent revival as their fight for Top 14 survival gathered
increasing momentum.
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03 January 2009
Bayonne’s home draw with Castres (see
report) was overshadowed by the death of
Basque singer Michel “Mixu” Mixelena on Friday night.
The
former leader of Sustraia suffered a heart attack minutes
before the start of the game as he returned to sit with his
wife and children in the stands after parading on the pitch
with Pottok, the club mascot.
Emergency services worked to revive Mixelena for more than
an hour but the singer was subsequently pronounced dead.
Meanwhile, Danny Cipriani, the hottest property in
English rugby, could be heading to France next season
because his wage demands are proving too high for Guinness
Premiership clubs.
Read More... |
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02 January 2009
Bayonne 13 (7) Castres 13 (13)
A brace
of late penalty misses cost Bayonne dearly as they were held
13-13 at home to lowly Castres.
Replacement fly-half Manny Edmonds was the culprit, spurning
two long-distance efforts in the closing 11 minutes, but at
least Bayonne held on to their unbeaten home record - a
situation that looked doubtful as they headed for the
half-time break 7-13 down.
But a
spirited second-half performance at least saw them draw
level after the entire front row was replaced four minutes
after the restart.
Edmonds
- who came on earlier for the injured Daniel Larrachea -
initiated the fight back with his 53rd-minute penalty, and
centre Craig Gower ensured parity when he landed a drop-goal
four minutes later.
At that
point the force was very much with the home side, but
Castres dug deep to hold on for a draw that could prove
crucial in their ongoing fight against relegation.
Read More... |
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01 January 2009
So, the
run-in starts here. New Year, new hopes, same old story at
the top and bottom of the league. Toulouse, as one would
expect, head Top 14 with a three-point cushion over nearest
rivals Stade Francais, while Mont-de-Marsan bring up the
rear having won just three out of 13 games so far this
season.
That
much was predictable, but in between there’s been a
catalogue of surprises with the Basque clubs Biarritz and
Bayonne featuring heavily for contrasting reasons.
Bayonne
have far exceeded expectations to turn around for the second
half of the season in fourth, while Biarritz and have so
woefully underperformed that they have now been dragged into
an unforeseen relegation battle on the back of five
successive league defeats. This week they travel to Bourgoin
for a must-win match that could define the rest of the
season for both clubs.
The
plight of Castres has been the other major story of the
season, with the team that finished fifth last year now
staring at the very real possibility of dropping down to Pro
D2.
Read More... |
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29 December 2008
 The
International Rugby Board (IRB) has been dragged
into the ongoing Marius Tincu affair after his club
Perpignan allowed the Romanian hooker to play
against Castres last week.
The
Catalans included Tincu for the Top 14 match despite the
player being suspended until March 9 by an earlier
disciplinary committee of the ERC. That 18-week ban stemmed
from an alleged eye-gouging offence against the Ospreys in a
Heineken Cup clash in October.
The
original punishment was upheld on appeal and Tincu was
subsequently sidelined from all rugby, with France’s Ligue
Nationale de Rugby (LNR) confirming the ban included Top 14
matches.
However,
Perpignan have backed their player’s claims of innocence
throughout and even threatened to withdraw from the Heineken
Cup over the matter. They say Tincu was punished without
concrete evidence and vowed to pursue the case through the
civil courts if necessary.
Read More... |
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29 December 2008
French
international Sebastien Chabal says he is still unsure which
Top 14 club he will play for when he returns home at the end
of this season.
The
talismanic forward, known as “Seabass”, is heading back to
France after four years with the Sale Sharks in England,
with Montpellier being tipped as his likely destination.
The
ambitious Top 14 club are apparently close to signing
Chabal’s international second-row colleague (and captain)
Lionel Nallet from Castres, and have been further boosted by
young stars Louis Picamoles, Fulgence Ouedraogo, Francois
Trinh-Duc and Julien Tomas all signing contract extensions.
But
Chabal has spoken in the past of wishing to continue working
with Philippe Saint-Andre, the Sharks’ French coach who has
also confirmed he will be heading back to France at the end
of the season.
Speculation in the press has linked Saint-Andre heavily with
Toulon, where current incumbent Tana Umaga is struggling
with an ongoing battle against relegation.
Read More... |
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20 December 2008
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Toulouse 27 |
Mont-de-Marsan 6 |
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Brive 20 |
Bourgoin 12 |
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Montpellier 33 |
Toulon 8 |
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Perpignan 16 |
Castres 9 |
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Stade Francais 35 |
Bayonne 8 |
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Dax
16 |
Clermont 20 |
Toulouse
and Stade Francais both registered bonus-point victories as
the Top 14 drew to a close for 2008 at the halfway point in
the season.
Defending champions Toulouse ran in four tries to
ensure they end the year in top spot as they predictably
overwhelmed basement club Mont-de-Marsan 27-6.
Their
all-star back line proved too strong for the battling
visitors with Florian Fritz, Maxime Medard, Yannick Jauzion
and Clement Poitrenaud all getting on the scoresheet. But
the biggest cheers of the afternoon were reserved for
returning hero Vincent Clerc as the international winger
made his long-awaited playing comeback at the Stade Ernest
Wallon.
Read More... |
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20 December 2008
Dax
16 (10) Clermont 20 (10)
Aurelian
Rougerie’s last-minute try – his second of the game – earned
Clermont a rare away win as they triumphed 20-16 against
valiant Dax at the Stade Maurice Boyau.
The
victory was only their second in seven attempts on the road
this campaign – their first since beating Bourgoin on
October 4 – and it consolidated Les Jaunards in fifth place
at the halfway point of the season.
It was
the perfect antidote for Vern Cotter’s men after last week’s
Irish heartbreak in Munster, with returning captain Rougerie
stealing the headlines with his two-try display.
And yet
it could so easily have been Dax who were celebrating after
another battling performance that confirmed them as a class
above current relegations strugglers such as Mont-de-Marsan,
Castres and Toulon.
Read More... |
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20 December
2008
In
a landmark ruling for French sport Perpignan’s
Marius Tincu has had his domestic 18-week ban
overturned by the Comite National Olympique et
Sportif Francais (CNOSF).
The
Romanian hooker was originally handed the lengthy ban by the
European Rugby Cup (ERC) after being found guilty of eye
gouging in the Heineken Cup match against the Ospreys on
October 18.
Despite
a plea of innocence, and threats by Perpignan to pull out of
the competition, his appeal was subsequently dismissed and
the Ligue Nationale de Rugby (LNR) promptly extended it to
cover all Top 14 games as well.
The
Catalans final roll of the dice was a further appeal, this
time to the CNOSF, France’s top sporting body, on the
grounds that a ban in a European club competition should not
apply to domestic league games as well.
The
CNOSF ruled in Tincu’s favour and on Friday the LNR accepted
their ruling and allowed the hooker to resume playing duties
in the Top 14 with immediate effect.
Read More... |
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19 December 2008
It’s
back to Top 14 action this weekend for the final
round of games this year before players take a
two-week break for Christmas, and there are plenty
of enticing clashes to get the festive juices
flowing.
Second-placed Stade Francais against fourth-placed Bayonne
looks the pick of the bunch, but there’s also Dan Carter’s
home league debut as Perpignan entertain relegation
threatened Castres at the Stade Aime Giral.
Elsewhere, it’s top versus bottom as Toulouse host
Mont-de-Marsan, while underperforming Biarritz could slip to
a seventh successive defeat when they travel to Montauban.
In-form
Brive host lowly Bourgoin and there’s also the third
consecutive meeting between Montpellier and Toulon as the
league season reaches its halfway stage.
Certainly beats Christmas shopping!
Read More... |
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18 December 2008
Former
All Black centre Luke McAlister is reported to have
been offered a mega-bucks deal to join Top 14 side
Toulon next season, perhaps alongside Sale
colleagues Sebastien Chabal and head coach Philippe
Saint-Andre.
Chabal and Saint-Andre have already confirmed they
will be leaving the Manchester club to return to
France next season – with Toulon seen as their most
likely destination – and now it is being reported
that McAlister has been offered $1.5m per season to
join them.
The highly talented Kiwi had been expected to return
to New Zealand at the end of his two-year contract
with the Guinness Premiership side (in mid 2009),
but the lure of the Euro could now see him end up in
France.
That would effectively end his hopes of returning to
the All Black fold for the 2011 World Cup, hosted by
New Zealand.
His father and manager Charlie McAlister was
allegedly spotted in the south of France last week,
and Sale’s incoming coach Kingsley Jones admitted
that his star player was now being openly courted by
Top 14 clubs.
Read More... |
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17 December
2008
Former Springbok coach Jake White has completed his
consultancy role at Toulon a week earlier than
expected.
White had been due to work with the Top 14
strugglers for more than two weeks, but departed
after their weekend victory over Montpellier in the
European Challenge Cup.
The highly esteemed coach did, however, stay long
enough to make a raft of suggested changes,
including trimming the playing squad, upgrading the
club’s training facilities and initiating a South
African scouting programme – which he would
facilitate, of course.
“He saw what he needed to see and said what he
needed to say,” said Toulon president Mourad
Boudjellal. “He explained a lot of things to me and
might be back,” he added in an interview with
Var-Matin.
Former Toulon player Anton Oliver recently admitted
that the club’s infrastructure and training
facilities were completely inadequate, and it seems
White drew the same conclusions after his brief
stay.
“Our training centre is not worthy of a club in Top
14,” admitted Boudjellal. “It’s not in line with the
ambitions I have for this club. Refurbishment has
been planned but we’re waiting.”
Boudjellal also confirmed that White had told him to
reduce the playing squad.
Read More... |
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16 December 2008
Top 14 leaders Toulouse had mixed news ahead of
Saturday’s clash with basement club Mont-de-Marsan.
The in-form defending champions will have to make do
without David Skrela for up to a month after an MRI
scan confirmed the international fly-half had torn a
thigh muscle.
Frustratingly for Skrela it is a repeat of the
injury he sustained while playing for France against
Australia in November. He was only eight minutes
into his comeback – against Newport Gwent Dragons on
Saturday – when he had to be replaced.
Skrela’s absence, combined with a holiday for Byron
Kelleher and an injury to Jean-Baptiste Ellisalde,
means that Freddie Michalak is being lined up to
play scrum-half at the weekend, with South Africa
Gaffie Du Toit stepping in to the fly-half role.
But on a more positive note long-term absentee
Vincent Clerc came through the latest stage of his
comeback unscathed at the weekend and could be
included in the squad to face Les Montois.
The international winger has been absent since March
following torn knee ligaments, but managed nearly an
hour for the Toulouse Espoirs at the weekend.
Read More... |
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By Colin Spiro, 12 December
2008
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Ben Cohen: French connection
© Diarmid Courreges |
Ben Cohen talks to FRC about his move to Brive and
how having twins has changed his perspective on
life.
"I genuinely do think that French
rugby is behind – not necessarily on the pitch,
because they can go and beat anyone of their given
day – but I think behind the scenes they are" - Ben
Cohen
England World Cup winner Ben Cohen says he has no
regrets about joining French Top 14 side Brive,
where he is currently plying his trade with fellow
Brits Andy Goode, Steve Thompson and Barry Davies.
The 30-year-old
winger would love to still be playing for his
country but is resigned to life on the international
hard shoulder after deciding to up sticks and move
to France in 2007.
Up until then
Cohen had been a one-team man, racing in for more
than 100 tries for his beloved Northampton Saints
before the relationship broke down when he was
overlooked for the captaincy.
A brief break from
the game was followed by his transfer to Top 14 side
Brive - or
Club
Athlétique Brive Corrèze Limousin to give it its
full name -
with whom he is now enjoying his second season as
they fight for Heineken Cup qualification.
Read More... |
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11 December
2008
Marius
Tincu’s 18-week ban has been officially extended by
the Ligue Nationale de Rugby (LNR) to include Top 14
matches.
Perpignan’s Romanian hooker was originally slapped
with the lengthy ban by ERC – which oversees
European club competitions – after an alleged
eye-gouging incident on October 10 against the
Ospreys prop Paul James in the Heineken Cup.
The French club defended its player and said it was
outraged by the length of the ban, even threatening
to withdraw from the competition when it was first
handed down. It subsequently lost an appeal to the
ERC and had been pinning its hopes on the LNR ruling
in Tincu’s favour.
Read More... |
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10 December 2008
Former
Springbok coach Jake White has acknowledged he’s got
his work cut out at Toulon after starting his
three-week consultancy stint with the Top 14
strugglers.
White, who has been called in to work alongside head
coach Tana Umaga, admitted he didn’t see much to
smile about when watching the club’s 14-10 European
Challenge Cup defeat in Montpellier.
“The scrum and defence was okay, but the lineout was
very poor and the kicking game only average,” he
told AFP.
Toulon president Mourad Boudjellal got White on
board in an advisory role after a string of
disappointing results saw the Top 14 newcomers edge
ever nearer the relegation zone.
The outspoken president is desperate to ensure his
massive player investment is not wasted with a swift
return to Pro D2.
Read More... |
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09 December 2008
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Skeate: Eye on the ball
© RossSkeate.com 2008 |
"Structured
rugby has its place, but I wanted to be in the French league
that was full of flair and running sort of rugby" - Ross
Skeate
At 6ft 7ins Ross Skeate is used to making a big
impression, but Toulon’s new South African lock is
hoping that it’s his game – not just his frame –
that sets tongues wagging in Top 14.
The 26-year-old joined Toulon from Western Province
last month and said he is already relishing the
change of continents and rugby styles as he begins
to settle in to life in the south of France.
“They are a great bunch of guys and when I arrived
they were really easy to get along with and people
like Jerry Collins – who I played with for the
Barbarians – have really helped me find my feet. We
are a very tight squad,” said the imposing second
row.
But how did a talented South African - capped at
school, under-19 and under-21 level – come to ply
his trade down in the harbour town of Toulon?
“Basically I found myself in a position where I
didn’t want to be, playing-wise and career-wise, and
I thought something fresh would challenge me. I
needed a new obstacle and to experience a new way of
doing things,” he explained.
“That was really the major reason for my decision –
that I needed a fresh challenge and I needed to get
better as a player. I wasn’t getting enough game
time (in South Africa) so I decided to come out here
and face a new challenge.”
Read More... |
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08 December 2008
Relegation-threatened Castres are facing a player
exodus if reports in Midi Olympique are to be
believed, with French captain Lionel Nallet and
international scrum-half Sebastien Tillous-Borde
both wanting away.
Thirty-two-year-old Nallet, who has 42 caps for the
national team, is apparently in talks with
Montpellier – together with Sale’s Sebastien Chabal
– while Tillous-Borde (23) is soon expected to
confirm a switch to Brive.
The double loss
will only be partially compensated by the signing of
Montauban coaching duo Laurent Labit and Laurent
Travers.
In a further
blow to the club - which is currently 13th in Top 14
- it was also confirmed that fly-half Cameron
McIntyre sustained a double fracture of the jaw in
their 33-3 Heineken Cup defeat at Leinster.
The Kiwi
fly-half is now expected to be out of action for at
least two months.
Elsewhere, it
appears that
Bayonne’s audacious bid
to lure Australia fly-half Matt Giteau will
end in failure.
Read More... |
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Bourgoin’s
deteriorating season continued in freefall with the
news Tarcisse Romer has resigned from his post as
director general at the Top 14 club.
Romer, who
joined the club in October 2007, tendered his resignation to
Bourgoin president Pierre Martinet on Wednesday and will now
leave the Top 14 strugglers following their weekend clash
with Worcester Warriors in the European Challenge Cup.
It is just
the latest blow in a troubled season for Bourgoin, who have
been fighting to hold it together both on and off the pitch.
Romer’s
resignation follows the recent departure of sporting
director Eric Catinot and comes on top of serious financial
worries for Bourgoin.
Martinet
has already had to deal with a player delegation unhappy
with the current situation, and now the club is also facing
the very real possibility of relegation despite a stunning
away win at Castres at the weekend.
Read More... |
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02 December
2008
The
‘will he/won’t he?’ Matt Giteau story continues to develop
by the day, if not the hour, with the latest developments
including the reported offer of the national captaincy in an
effort to keep him in Australia.
The
Wallaby fly-half has admitted to weighing up a staggering
financial offer from Top 14 club Bayonne (see
report), but news reports Down Under claim the
Australian Rugby Union is unwilling to release from his
contract and will offer the captaincy as a sweetener for
staying.
In
addition to being contracted to ARU until 2011, Giteau also
has a year left of his club contract with the Western Force
still to run.
It now
appears that should Giteau simply walk out on that he could
be hauled before the International Rugby Board, together
with the club he moves to.
Read More... |
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01 December
2008
In
demand Wallaby fly-half Matt Giteau has admitted he is
considering a huge offer to play for Top 14 side Bayonne.
Despite club denials at the weekend Giteau
has confirmed that Bayonne owner Alain Afflelou made him a
staggering financial offer when the pair met in Paris last
week.
According to reports in Australia the Wallaby
No 10 admitted he was tempted by a deal that would be worth
nearly $10m (Aus) spread over four years.
“I think whenever anyone’s presented with
that type of offer you’d sit down and consider your
options,” he said.
Read More... |
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29 November 2008
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Toulouse 32 |
Bayonne 11 |
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Montauban 6 |
Perpignan 9 |
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Castres 9 |
Bourgoin 23 |
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Mont-de-Marsan
12 |
Clermont 11 |
|
Toulon 6 |
Dax 13 |
|
Biarritz 13 |
Stade Francais 32 |
|
Montpellier 9 |
Brive 22 |
Relegation threatened Mont-de-Marsan and
Bourgoin both sprung surprise victories on Saturday as the
focus turned firmly on the bottom of the table in Top 14.
Basement club Mont-de-Marsan pulled
off the biggest shock of the afternoon with a 12-11 home win
against last year’s runners-up Clermont, leaving them
celebrating back-to-back victories for the first time this
season.
Ex-Saracens full-back Brent Russell scored
the game’s only try as Clermont edged into an 11-9 lead
shortly before half-time, but the combined boots of Yannick
Laforgue (three penalties) and Damien Cler (one penalty)
proved enough to earn Les Montois the win.
Clermont, meanwhile, were left to reflect on
their sixth defeat of the season – hardly the top four form
their fans have come to expect – and an unwise decision to
field a weakened team.
Read More... |
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29 November 2008
Australia fly-half Matt Giteau was the focus
of rumour and denial at the weekend following newspaper
reports of an alleged £4.25m offer from Top 14 club Bayonne.
Sydney’s Daily Telegraph reported the
lucrative four-year deal had been made after Giteau met with
club representatives, but Bayonne chairman Francis Salagoity
categorically denied the rumours.
“I have not had any contact with this player
or his agent,” he said. “What’s more, we couldn’t afford to
offer such an amount of money to any player. This whole
story is false,” he added.
The transfer reports emerged after Giteau had
admitted he wanted to play in France on a “sabbatical” deal
similar to the one the New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) has
granted for Dan Carter to join Perpignan.
But The Australian Rugby Union (ARU) appear
less inclined to be flexible and said they would hold Giteau
to his national contract, which is not due to expire until
the World Cup in 2011.
An ARU spokesman denied the early release of
Ricky Elsom from his national contract had set a precedent,
adding that he had been granted “compassionate leave” to
join Leinster three months before his contract ran out.
“Matt is under contract with the ARU until 2011 and for him
to play overseas he would need a clearance from the ARU. Our
position is that we don’t entertain sabbaticals,” he
stressed.
Read More... |
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29 November 2008
Toulouse 32 (17) Bayonne 11 (3)
Leaders Toulouse brushed aside battling
Bayonne with a comprehensive 32-11 victory as they threw
down the gauntlet to any would-be title challengers.
The defending champions opened with such
intensity that they demolished the Bayonne pack in the first
two scrums, earning a brace of early penalties that Freddie
Michalak eagerly anticipated.
They matched electric pace with slick
handling, carving open a Bayonne defence that had previously
gone nearly 400 minutes without conceding a try.
By the end of a pulsating evening the
visitors’ battered back line had been breached three times
with tries from Clement Poitrenaud, Byron Kelleher and
Virgile Lacombe condemning them to only their third defeat
of the season.
Michalak added five penalties as he
rediscovered his kicking form to the delight of another
sell-out crowd at the Ernest-Wallon.
Read More... |
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28 November 2008
It’s round 12 of Top 14, the penultimate
round before the halfway mark, and this week’s fixtures are
dominated by the top-two clash between Toulouse and Bayonne.
The Ernest-Wallon stadium is sold out yet
again for the Friday night match, with Toulouse looking to
open up clear water between themselves and the chasing pack.
There is also a fascinating English battle in
the Montpellier-Brive clash as former Leicester Tigers
team-mates Ollie Smith and Andy Goode come up in direct
opposition to one another.
Elsewhere, Toulon will be looking to build on
last week’s success when they take on fellow strugglers Dax,
while Castres and Bourgoin also do battle in another vital
match for the team’s fighting to avoid the drop.
Up at the other end would-be leaders
Perpignan travel to Montauban as they seek to recover after
last week’s reverse at Clermont, while Stade Francais travel
to play a Biarritz side which has lost its last three games.
As ever, I’ll be putting my reputation on the
block as I seek to go one better than last week’s six out of
seven correct predictions.
Toulouse v Bayonne (20.35,
28/11/08)
Leaders Toulouse play host to surprise
high-fliers Bayonne in a top-two clash fit for it’s Friday
night primetime billing. The defending champions struggled
for fluency in the past two rounds with their roster of
internationals absent with their respective countries, but
their narrow wins against Toulon and Bourgoin ensured they
remained in top spot.
Read More... |
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28 November 2008
Australia fly-half Matt Giteau is the latest
star name to admit that he wants to play French club rugby
in the Top 14.
Giteau, who revealed his desire in French
rugby newspaper Midi Olympique, said he would like a similar
deal to that offered to All Blacks fly-half Dan Carter, who
has been given a six-month sabbatical to play for Perpignan
by the New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU).
Giteau, who is contracted to the Australian
Rugby Union (ARU), has been instrumental to the Wallabies’
success on their current European tour and was clearly
smitten by his time spent in France recently.
“After the tour, I am going to discuss with
the federation to see if it will authorise me to get some
experience in France like what the NZRU did with Carter,” he
said.
“It would be fantastic. I adore your country,
your way of life, your food, the croissants at breakfast,”
he was reported as saying.
Giteau indicated he would like to play in
France some time before the next World Cup in 2011, but the
likelihood is that it would be sooner rather than later.
This is in part due to the fact he is reportedly in conflict
with the Western Force, his Australian franchise.
Reports suggest he is unhappy due to money he
is owed for a sponsorship deal and that he is seeking to
leave the club immediately.
Read More... |
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27 November 2008
Toulon president Mourad Boudjellal has
admitted that he initially targeted All Blacks coach Graham
Henry to work as a temporary consultant alongside Tana
Umaga.
Boudjellal revealed his intentions after
confirming that ex-Springbok coach Jake White would take up
the role instead, performing a “club audit” while he works
at Toulon between December 3-22.
No name, it seems, is too great for
Boudjellal to consider bringing to the Top 14 club, although
results on the pitch have so far proved elusive for the
big-spending outfit as they seek to consolidate following
last year’s promotion.
White’s imminent arrival follows a failed
attempt to recruit Australian John Connolly earlier this
month.
Read More... |
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26 November 2008
In the latest twist to the ongoing Toulon
saga the club’s millionaire president Mourad Boudjellal has
hired former Springbok coach Jake White as a temporary
‘consultant’.
The arrival of White, scheduled for December
3rd, follows hot on the heals of the failed
recruitment of Australian John Connolly.
Boudjellal turned to Connolly as the team
struggled for cohesion, and wins, but the two-day experiment
was kicked into touch when players and current coach Tana
Umaga objected to his arrival.
A player walkout was only averted when
Connolly’s consultancy was abruptly terminated, with results
taking a distinct upturn on the pitch following the unseemly
episode.
Aubin Hueber was brought in as a full-time
assistant coach, after Jean-Jacques Crenca was dismissed,
and Toulon’s recent performances have given grounds for
optimism with a narrow away defeat at Toulouse followed by
victory at the weekend at home to Biarritz.
Read More... |
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25 November 2008
The rumours claiming Sebastien Chabal will
return to France next season appear to be gathering pace,
with differing stories in the country’s top sporting papers
this week.
Midi-Olympique, the specialist rugby paper,
claimed Chabal could be part of a package of players to join
Toulon following an alleged meeting between owner Mourad
Boudjellal and current Sale coach Philippe Saint-Andre.
The paper said the pair met in Paris on
November 16th, with Boudjellal trying to line up
Saint-Andre to become Toulon coach next season. It went on
to suggest that if Saint-Andre did come he could also bring
over English-based French players Sebastien Bruno, Lionel
Faure and Chabal – who plays at No 8 for Sale.
However, sports daily L’Equipe said Chabal,
who earned rave reviews for his performances in the November
internationals, was keener to ply his formidable trade in
Paris.
The 30-year-old has been with Sale wince 2004
but although he signed a two-year contract extension only
last year it now appears that a return to his homeland is a
virtual certainty.
“I know in my heart that I want to return to
France and that I will return,” he told L’Equipe.
“That will mean one big salary less for my
club and I am just waiting for their agreement that I can
leave.”
Read More... |
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24 November 2008
Former IRB Player of the Year Bryan Habana
has confirmed that he is eyeing a move to France’s Top 14
next season.
The Springbok flyer told the Afrikaans
newspaper Sondag that he expects to be playing club rugby in
Europe next year after his contract runs out with the Bulls,
his current club.
“I can definitely see myself playing in
Europe. For now it’s concentrating on the Springboks and
when the end of my contract comes up I don’t think I’ll see
myself going to England, Scotland or Wales. It’s a little
bit too cold, too wet and too far from South Africa,” he
said.
Habana, who scored a late try in South
Africa’s record 42-6 victory against England at Twickenham
on Saturday, said his future preference would be a spell
with a Top 14 club.
“The South of France is wonderful and being
in France last year it grew in my heart. To experience
something different and set new goals is definitely part of
my future.
“I really can’t see myself in England ‘ I’d
have to really, really get a good offer to go there,” he
added.
But Habana said his focus now was on helping
the Springboks beat the British and Irish Lions this winter.
Read More... |
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23 November 2008
|
Bourgoin 12 |
Toulouse 18 |
|
Stade Francais
19 |
Castres 12 |
|
Bayonne 42 |
Montpellier 9 |
|
Mont-de-Marsan
12 |
Dax 6 |
|
Toulon 10 |
Biarritz 5 |
|
Brive 33 |
Montauban 28 |
|
Clermont 29 |
Perpignan 9 |
High-flying Bayonne were the big winners in round 11 of the
Top 14, with the Basque club moving up to second after
demolishing Montpellier 42-9 at the Stade jean Dauger.
The
hosts ran in five tries to record their ninth win in 11,
claiming their first attacking bonus of the season in the
process.
Hooker David Roumieu and winger Sam Gerber both went over as
Bayonne opened up an early 15-3 advantage, but it was a
three-try blitz midway through the second half that really
did for Montpellier.
The
visitors were already 21-6 down before
Thibault
Lacroix scored twice in four minutes, with his replacement
Vincent Inigo adding a third just sixty seconds later.
Australian Manny Edmonds landed all three conversions en
route to a match return of 17 points as Richard Dourthe’s
team continued to defy pre-season expectations.
Read More... |
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22 November 2008
Results took precedence over performance as
Toulouse and Stade Francais both recorded wins that
maintained their respective title challenges on Friday
night.
For leaders Toulouse it was a case of getting
the job done while their first XV was again effectively away
on international duty, while for Stade there was obvious
relief at finally ending a run of three successive league
defeats.
Conversely, it was a night of ‘close but no
cigar’ for the vanquished, with Bourgoin and Castres going
down to their ninth and seventh defeats respectively.
It could be argued that both deserved more
for their efforts on a wintry and wet evening, but neither,
ultimately, had the conviction to claim much needed wins.
Bourgoin
were the first to suffer, losing 18-12 at home to
Toulouse as the visitors overcame their spirited hosts
thanks to tries from Maleli Kunavore and Byron Kelleher –
the latter with the final move of the match.
Read More... |
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21 November 2008
Here we go again with another fascinating
round of matches in Top 14 as the season draws inexorably
towards the halfway stage. Defending champions Toulouse
travel to lowly Bourgoin as they seek to consolidate top
spot but there are a number of intriguing match-ups as
international duties continue to play havoc with the clubs.
Most notably early-season leaders Stade Francais will be
keen to get their show back on the road after three
successive defeats, while Clermont – last year’s runners-up
– entertain championship chasing Perpignan on Saturday
evening.
My reputation, such as it is, goes on the
line again with my round 11 predictions, hoping to go one
better than last week’s 6 out of 7 correct calls.
Once more it’s all to play for, with four
teams in contention for the leaders’ spot, while Toulon and
Bourgoin battle to escape the drop zone. Should be another
good one.
Bourgoin v Toulouse (19.00,
21/11/08)
The November internationals may have
seriously weakened Toulouse but the fixture list has been
kind to the defending champions: last week they hosted
struggling Toulon – squeaking to a 19-18 win - and now they
head to Bourgoin, another club in serious freefall after a
run of five defeats in their last six league games.
Toulouse, on the other hand, have won six on the spin and
will be hoping that Freddie Michalak rediscovers his kicking
form after his wayward return against Toulon.
Verdict: Toulouse win.
Read More... |
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18 November 2008
Montpellier’s reward for beating former
leaders Stade Francais on Friday is the loss of three
players – two to injury and one to the national team.
Argentine fly-half Frederico Todeschini could
be out for three months after tearing a bicep against Stade,
while centre Sylvain Mirande is undergoing further tests
after a suspected double fracture in his hand.
As if that wasn’t bad enough, they have also
lost Julien Tomas to the French squad after the scrum-half
was called up in place of the injured Jean-Baptiste
Elissalde.
Former Montpellier prop Laurent Vili was also
in the news this week following the launch of a fund-raising
appeal on his behalf by Provale, the players’ union.
Provale is trying to bolster Vili’s coffers
ahead of a forthcoming court case, in which the
ex-Montpellier player is accused of murder.
He has already been acquitted once, but the
case is set for an appeal hearing in early December.
Provale has stepped in because the initial
case cost Vili €40,000.
“Who today can easily find €40,000 to defend
themselves? It’s time for the great family of rugby to prove
its solidarity,” said a Provale statement.
Better news for high-flying Bayonne
though, with confirmation that long-term absentee Julien
Tilloles is back in training. The scrum-half has been out
for four months following an operation on his right knee.
Perpignan
have confirmed the DNACG has approved the playing licence
for All Black fly-half Dan Carter.
Read More... |
|
16 November 2008
|
Montpellier 26 |
Stade
Francais 13 |
|
Castres 26 |
Mont-de-Marsan 3 |
|
Bourgoin 9 |
Bayonne 13 |
|
Toulouse 19 |
Toulon 18 |
|
Dax
20 |
Montauban 20 |
|
Brive 18 |
Clermont 16 |
|
Perpignan 27 |
Biarritz 12 |
Struggling Toulon came wi | |
