Oh no, one more bloody french guy...

[Big Ewis]

No, but I've celebrated my 25th birthday with crazy Toulonnais and Bandol rosé in floatin' in the swimming pool they just built for my boss. I've lot of friends on "la Rade" My grandfather discovered rugby in Mayol when he was in the army at Frejus \o/

well the best thing about there is you get free refreshments (sorry about that one....).
Not necessarily my style, but I must say it's a beautiful region.

 

[Tony Manx]

Well, after 8 years of Purgatory d2 and 10 years of survival (ahem 2010...) in Top16/14 seeing the "galactics" glory from our dark shores of Adour and Nive, hearing our neighbours brag about their ***les, I think I can tickle a little
Smainos (a cross between Smain -humorist who looks like Serge- and Carlos -french singer with the same body-) destroyed all the job made by Martin, giving the keys to the "senators" (Hari, Yach, August, Thion, Brusque) firing coaches after coaches and bad recruitements (I know, we're good at that in Bayonne too). If it werent the city counsil of Biarritz, BO would be in Fed 1 and it grieves me a little.
I look to your comeback too, I miss challenging neighbors, friends, cousins txurigorri supporters. I don't think we'll go down this year, our youngsters seem to be more efficients than outsiders in the past, I have only two regrets this season: I rue the match at LOU and at home against MHR.
No connection with Domaine de Chevallier, will Domaine Clarence Dillon be interesting?

Guess you have seen the same problems at BO as I have!!!

NOt heard of Clarence Dillon I must admit but see from their website that it is available in Chipping Camden but they do not give the details or an address.... I will be close to there early next year and would love to try it!!

I have to say I am very jealous of you in Bordeaux if only, and that is not the only reason, you get to see UBB who are one of the most exciting teams of the Top 14 and are my present favourites...until BO get back that is!!

 

[Sapinou]

Guess you have seen the same problems at BO as I have!!!

NOt heard of Clarence Dillon I must admit but see from their website that it is available in Chipping Camden but they do not give the details or an address.... I will be close to there early next year and would love to try it!!

I have to say I am very jealous of you in Bordeaux if only, and that is not the only reason, you get to see UBB who are one of the most exciting teams of the Top 14 and are my present favourites...until BO get back that is!!

For the Domaine, he regroups Chateau Haut-Brion, Chateau la Mission Haut-Brion and Chateau Quintus (ancient Tertre Daugay in St Emillion). You can visit & taste Haut-Brion &/or la Mission for free, you only have to call them. Unfortunately I go back to Bayonne in 10 days for work, ending my exile
For the UBB, il love their way of playing rugby (even if they've lot of luck, always the good rebound...) I can't stand the fans here (most of them disgusted Girondins de Bordeaux fans who're there just because UBB wins home.), most of them were BO fans when UBB was in d2 (I went to Moga that time, like a game against Colomiers attendance 500...) just beacause Biarritz wins and remembers the holidays... and Vincent Etcheto, the Aviron rejected-lover grandson of Jean Dauger who spat on the team that made him the man he is, in the stadium who bore the name of his glorious ancestor. Add five Bayonne loss in six championship matches, a strong community of Bayonnais in Bordeaux there is already the ingredients of a great Aquitaine rivalry so, I only went to see Bayonne and Toulon here.

 

[FrenchFan]

well you create your own luck. If you play high risk rugby in the right conditions, this puts the opposition on the back foot. They're also quite unpredictable and play well from broken play. They're a creative side with excellent finishers. I like the way they are coached as well, Etcheto has really got the back division motoring in a big way. No foreign stars. Just excellent back play with great passing-offloading skills and a collective sense of where the opposition is or isn't. It's collective intelligence.

I also like the way they go looking for local talent as they don't have a big cheque book. They plucked Romain Lonca 22 out of nowhere from Fédérale 2 (!) only last season. This lanky guy is deceptively quick and has got some pair of hands any toulousain would be proud of ...

 

[Big Ewis]

Lonca's definitely good and that's a good write-up on Bordeaux FrenchFan. They do have "collective intelligence" as you say. There is the one particularly good "foreign star" Talebula, the guy can be genius.
They're pretty well coached, but what I like about them is their procurement department. They knew Perpignan were sinking, and although they already had very good weapons out in the backs, they still elected to get Sofiane Guitoune and although they play him at fullback it's paid dividends already (when healthy..); and Séb Tao who's one HELL of a LH prop in the making. Doesn't go back in the scrum, either stays solid or takes it to his opponent, a much better prospect for me than Xavier Chiocci, and just 22.
They know where to pick, and how to use em. They've got super underrated guys, you talk about Lonca, I'll add you one name I bet you don't know: Darly Domvo. French wing/fullback, 22, always beating first defenders, slight build but got a real step, every match he bonnifies one situation at least. Blair Connor, one heck of a winger, very talented. And their centers, all underrated (LeBourhis, Rey, Lacroix..). Fantastic addition of Beauxis to back up the young Bernard, and you've got two possible France scrumhalves in Lesgourgues backed up by another very underrated (but still very young) Serin...that's one heck of a backline, and it actually works. Just ask Clermont.

 

[Tony Manx]

I love you BE if only for recognizing Ysnn Lesgourges!!!!

 

[Rich Taff]

we should open a sub forum for all the French winos here...

count me in !

Blatant Racism. We Welsh pride ourselves on our ability to be winos, drunks and alcohol abusers.

Oh wait, maybe that's not what wino means...

Welcome to the forums Sapinou (You've been warned about Ewis, but beware Das as well. They share a brain like some kind of eccentric hive community)

 

[FrenchFan]

Lonca's definitely good and that's a good write-up on Bordeaux FrenchFan. They do have "collective intelligence" as you say. There is the one particularly good "foreign star" Talebula, the guy can be genius.

yes Talebula is dynamite. I'm a big fan when he gets going he is very exciting. But they haven't built their squad around big names. They have Guitoune. But he's been injured. Their difference is in the collective (as they say on Star Trek about the Borgs but it applies to UBB somehow never mind...)

I like my Top 14 trip to Bordeaux. It's become one of my favourite, I love the town and the atmosphere. I also like the Bordeaux fans and the way they take the **** out of everybody including us Toulousains how dare they...

They're pretty well coached, but what I like about them is their procurement department. They knew Perpignan were sinking, and although they already had very good weapons out in the backs, they still elected to get Sofiane Guitoune and although they play him at fullback it's paid dividends already (when healthy..); and Séb Tao who's one HELL of a LH prop in the making. Doesn't go back in the scrum, either stays solid or takes it to his opponent, a much better prospect for me than Xavier Chiocci, and just 22.

Heard good things about Seb Taofefinua the other monster (brother of Romain). I'm not a fan of Chiocci he's been riding the Toulon wave but not up to international standard IMO. Seb Tao is one to watch all right for next season...

They know where to pick, and how to use em. They've got super underrated guys, you talk about Lonca, I'll add you one name I bet you don't know: Darly Domvo. French wing/fullback, 22, always beating first defenders, slight build but got a real step, every match he bonnifies one situation at least.

I know Darly Domvo. I saw him before you did . Exciting prospect. In fact he is one of the youngsters we've been watching with the Cellule De Détection des Talents Anonymes of which I'm the unelected president...

Blair Connor, one heck of a winger, very talented. And their centers, all underrated (LeBourhis, Rey, Lacroix..). Fantastic addition of Beauxis to back up the young Bernard, and you've got two possible France scrumhalves in Lesgourgues backed up by another very underrated (but still very young) Serin...that's one heck of a backline, and it actually works. Just ask Clermont.

Don't forget I am also a part time talent scout for Stade Toulousain...lurking around...always ready to snap up local talent to feed the Toulouse ogre

yes but again you focus on the individuals in that UBB backline, but most Top 14 have exciting backline players look at the roll call at Clermont, scarry. But UBB have a talented backline coach who knows what he's at. Etcheto has an unerring eye for talent. And he knows how to gel a group of players. This guy is an encyclopedia of backplay.

Vincent whispers in his players ears... Things that cannot be repeated. Things many can only dream of...he knows...He can conjure up flair out of a donkey...Turn a tractor into a ballerina...While other coaches will rant and rave at their team, Vincent only has to blink...

Vincent for Président

 

[Big Ewis]

well Séb Tao (called "little Tao", interesting a 130kg prop is called "little" ) in an interview even mentioned he wanted to possibly become a "versatile" prop (polyvalent) as in maybe one day play on the right, at TH. Honestly, I can absolutely see it happening. Scrummaging the way he does, for his age and enormous frame, that's pretty damn intriguing and impressive. "Fat" Pac Isl type props like him don't usually produce much in the scrum, but this guy has real wit and has incorporated real technique and attention to detail into his performances.

And what's that little prose there at the end of your message, did you write that or did you quote a Siffredi production tagline and replace the words ? It's got that erotic feel about it..
"Vincent for Président" - even with his very high-pitched voice, he'd be 10x more intimidating than our current Elysée clown.

P.S.: do you really actually work for the ST ?!