Heineken Cup Semi Final- Toulon v Munster

[Big Ewis]

(yes, this is a rare double post)

the pic Holliver TRIED to post p ) just to rob it in.....nah, not really, but it's a nice pic, look at Wilko's genuine happiness. And Lobbe looks absolutely terrified for some reason:

 

[gaston le gaff]

And gaston. How in the world have you become so francophile ? Have you lost a really bad bet some years ago or ??[/QUOTE]

you either love them or hate them, i'm the former, why do you think 1/2 of Blighty come here for hols then buy something, and if you are old like me the medical cover is second to none, although i am ok most of the time

 

[Big Ewis]

haha, indeed, you love em or hate em. But again, God gave France beautiful things you can't find anywhere else, but to compensate he gave it the French. The good is great, but the bad as disastrous. Nothing in between !

 

[gaston le gaff]

The best moaners raleurs in the World!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! too hot, too windy, too cold, on and on and on and on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Big Ewis]

The best moaners raleurs in the World!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! too hot, too windy, too cold, on and on and on and on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

the word "râler" is a French word, isn't it ?! I don't think there's an exact translation in any language.

 

[gaston le gaff]

It has to be French, here its a profession!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Big Ewis]

It has to be French, here its a profession!!!!!!!!!!!!!

oh yes. Yes it most certainly is ! It's too bad "râling" isn't considered a professional sport. We'd win at least one gold every single year at the Olympics for sure no matter what.

 

[Draggs]

I think you are missing the point gaston. The impression I get from reading posts on this and other rugby forums is that Toulon are somewhat despised by a wide section of general French rugby fans. They are a bit like the Auckland NPC team used to be back in the 1990s, nationally disliked. There even used to be widely distributed T-Shirt in Christchurch back then that said;

I SUPPORT TWO TEAMS,
CANTERBURY AND ANY TEAM
PLAYING AUCKLAND
​

I've seen similar ones for Scotland/England, Wales/England and even Red Sox/Yankees

People hate success. Yankees, Manchester United, Barcelona, Brazil, All Blacks, Rangers FC.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

People hate success. Yankees, Manchester United, Barcelona, Brazil, All Blacks, Rangers FC.

I think it's more that people hate buying success.

Also: are the All Blacks hated?
Everybody loves them, for the most (bar their SH rivals).

 

[Big Ewis]

Some excellent tackling stats there for the dudes in red.

 

[Feicarsinn]

People hate success. Yankees, Manchester United, Barcelona, Brazil, All Blacks, Rangers FC.

What Olyy said. Brazil, The All Blacks and Barcelona are pretty much universally loved. Manchester United are the most popular football team in England. As for Rangers, well there are other reasons to dislike Rangers.

 

[Draggs]

These clubs have huge support, but their opponents are much louder too.

Everybody is just jealous of Rangers undefeated league year

 

[Tony Manx]

Can you imagine a team like Toulon suddenly deciding to base themselves in, say, Marseilles?

You obviously do not understand the passion that the city has for the team and the way the team interacts with the supporters in Toulon......OK so they have imported players but most if not all of them have found a new home rather than somewhere to earn a buck! The fact is that the French owners and french trainers have welded together a unit who work hard for each other as many a team, like Biarritz, have failed to do.

Furthermore I have not heard any support from Boudjellal for the concept of Wray and others to transport home games to far off locations...why because he understands his (mainly working class) supporters and their love of the team...

I am a supporter for Biarritz, yes, and wish that Blanco had half the commercial ability of Boudjellal as we would not be looking at extinction and, anyway, I am not jealous of success rather delighted by it!

 

[Groundhog]

Listen obvious clash of cultures. I hate Toulon for what they represent. Thats no mark on the fans who have a right to support their team although I find singing the French national anthem a tad ironic. If the game is moving towards where money buys you success we simply can't compete. Naturally Im against something which erodes our decades of hard work in Ireland to build ourselves into a power of European rugby when a team uses money to pass us by in a number of years, and if the money doesn't go it will be unlikely to change.
Yes Toulon have a history, but until they got money it was a history of being a poor team.
Toulon are undoubtedly a well rounded team which are well coached but when you put in the money and let the team gel it's bound to happen. It's the players, not just coaching which does this, although they are credited with building a no nonsense professional and ambitious environment for their stars.
Im not asking all of you to agree with me just understand where Im coming from instead of throwing out the idiotic "jealous" comments that have surfaced in the past.

 

[gaston le gaff]

Listen obvious clash of cultures. I hate Toulon for what they represent. Thats no mark on the fans who have a right to support their team although I find singing the French national anthem a tad ironic. If the game is moving towards where money buys you success we simply can't compete. Naturally Im against something which erodes our decades of hard work in Ireland to build ourselves into a power of European rugby when a team uses money to pass us by in a number of years, and if the money doesn't go it will be unlikely to change.
Yes Toulon have a history, but until they got money it was a history of being a poor team.
Toulon are undoubtedly a well rounded team which are well coached but when you put in the money and let the team gel it's bound to happen. It's the players, not just coaching which does this, although they are credited with building a no nonsense professional and ambitious environment for their stars.
Im not asking all of you to agree with me just understand where Im coming from instead of throwing out the idiotic "jealous" comments that have surfaced in the past.

Firstly do your homework and you will see they have been an excellent team over many years never heard of Eric Champ, or the Herrero brothers Toulon has been a major force before and are again and they are a team winning so leave the money issue alone Racing have spent as much and have won nothing, jealous excuses which are not idiotic at all just pure fact get over it everyone will change one day and remember most of the TOP 14 CLUBS ACTUALLY MAKE MONEY and therefore invest........ simple lessons in business end of story get over it !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[LittleGuy]

I don't buy for a second that the All Blacks are universally loved, respected yes, but loved no. Just have a gander at any archived match thread here involving New Zealand, I can't exactly feel the love in nearly any of them(in fact I've actually been thinking of suggesting segregated match threads they are so atrocious.)

 

[Groundhog]

Firstly do your homework and you will see they have been an excellent team over many years never heard of Eric Champ, or the Herrero brothers Toulon has been a major force before and are again and they are a team winning so leave the money issue alone Racing have spent as much and have won nothing, jealous excuses which are not idiotic at all just pure fact get over it everyone will change one day and remember most of the TOP 14 CLUBS ACTUALLY MAKE MONEY and therefore invest........ simple lessons in business end of story get over it !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh look it's you. Addressing points I never ****ing made as per usual. Right firstly in recent history Toulon were up until 2005/6 a Pro D2 side who bounced between division two and one. I don't know about the times before that and honestly don't care but they have certainly not been a constant European force and this particular side is entirely built in recent years, within a couple of seasons. I never said they weren't self funding, so good job there champ. The fact remains that it was funding from an outside source which brought them to this level, whether they can operate autonomously now or not. If you read the post instead of getting so defensive you would notice I said that given a few years to gel with a consistent roster of world class players and a decent environment, a class team could be built. Racing have neither. I'm not jealous of Toulon, we have a different rugby culture in Ireland whereby I would hate to see my team populated so greatly by foreign players. I'm sure I would see it differently were I brought up in the French rugby tradition but I am not. I would sure like that amount of money, but more so we could hold on to all the players we produce and invest it in the academy and at grass roots (yes I am aware Toulon do have a decent academy), with the occasional signing in an area we are weak.
If you can't actually argue someone's points without getting wildly defensive, don't join a forum, it's here for debate. For the record Toulon deserved their win yesterday, we were rightly outplayed, and I have no ill wishes towards most of Toulon's players. It's the ideal of Toulon I dislike.

 

[munstermuffin]

well, which ever man. Not everything is about ideological alignment. Personally, I'd have liked Clermont although I do want Jonny to go down as even greater so another H Cup would allow him to be more considered in the all-time greats discussions. I love this man. Yes, pure homo. Some might prefer the shiny yellow Clermont style with their gorgeous skills and passing and running and all, others the more gritty muddy but still at times awesome on attack style of Toulon.
There isn't "the neutral French fan", that's just a strange notion that never existed.



Agreed. munstermuffin is working off fabricated stereotype and not facts. Toulon have put together some of the most gorgeous pieces of play and tries of the season, and this in the Top 14 with teams like on-form Toulouse, Clermont, Paris, Montypellier or Bordeaux. Mermoz has won his form back this year and has finished off some beautiful scores, been a willing and efficient passer, Basta's on form, Giteau's a fkn genius at midfield, Wilko with T-Bordes/Claassens/Michalak at HB, D.Armitage can beat some guys...and they're well coached enough to make those plays happen. Very good chemistry.



Agreed. Racing (early season) is what I'd call a team of mercenaries. Not anymore though, the guys have been playing some SERIOUS Rugby since about the last third of the season.

stormer: I'd like to second that out-of-SA-Saffa XV. South Africa has really produced a ton of great players and there are so many in the Top 14 alone that basically have test Rugby level, it deserves recognition. I mean I'd legitimately pick Gerhard Vosloo in the French national team, even at his age. And we actually ARE stealing Rory Kockott from you ungrateful spoiled people. Thanks again !

And gaston. How in the world have you become so francophile ? Have you lost a really bad bet some years ago or ??

Stats are that for a times in 22/ tries scored ratio in HEC Of all 8 Quarter Finalists they'd worst record.

On another stat Simon Zebo made most carries and tackles yesterday.

 

[Groundhog]

Zebo played like a man with a serious point to prove. When he gets his head down he has the potential to be top class, there's no shortage of talent but his form can't dip in the coming weeks.

 

[big ginger 8]

All I've seen these last few pages: !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!