Paris v Ospreys - Pool 3

[An Tarbh]

If the Ospreys can come away with a bp from this one they'll be doing well, Paris have been on a great run of form since the start of the season only losing once, and you can only see that continuing this Saturday. Crucial thing is that the Ospreys keep things tight and frustrate the Parisians, although at least for the Ospreys it's the less intimidating venue of the Jean Bouin as opposed to the Parc des Princes which Sale will have to endure.

 

[DonBilly]

If the Ospreys can come away with a bp from this one they'll be doing well, Paris have been on a great run of form since the start of the season only losing once, and you can only see that continuing this Saturday. Crucial thing is that the Ospreys keep things tight and frustrate the Parisians, although at least for the Ospreys it's the less intimidating venue of the Jean Bouin as opposed to the Parc des Princes which Sale will have to endure.
[/b]

Paris have not lost in Paris, whichever Stadium (Jean Bouin, Parc des Princes or Stade de France) they played in since the Top14 final they lost in June 2004 versus Biarritz in the prolongation time. This is going to be a big challenge for the Ospreys. Winning in Paris would be stunning achievement.

 

[DonBilly]

Paris team for next week-end match:

Forwards: Szarzewski, Blin, Marconnet, De Villiers, Roncero, Montes, Auradou, Du Plooy, James, Marchois, Samo, Ma. Bergamasco, Parisse, Martin

Backs: Albouy, Fillol, Skrela, Beauxis, Mi. Bergamasco, Messina, Glas, Dominici, Saubade, Arias, Hernandez, Corleto.

 

[An Tarbh]

<div class='quotemain'>
If the Ospreys can come away with a bp from this one they'll be doing well, Paris have been on a great run of form since the start of the season only losing once, and you can only see that continuing this Saturday. Crucial thing is that the Ospreys keep things tight and frustrate the Parisians, although at least for the Ospreys it's the less intimidating venue of the Jean Bouin as opposed to the Parc des Princes which Sale will have to endure.
[/b]

Paris have not lost in Paris, whichever Stadium (Jean Bouin, Parc des Princes or Stade de France) they played in since the Top14 final they lost in June 2004 versus Biarritz in the prolongation time. This is going to be a big challenge for the Ospreys. Winning in Paris would be stunning achievement.
[/b][/quote]

I wasn't questioning Paris' home record, as far as I know they've never lost a pool match at home and only Munster have won there in the quarter final in 2003. It'd definitely be the shock of the weekend were the Ospreys to win.

 

[An Tarbh]

Paris make 6 changes from their win in Italy with Hernandez replacing Corleto at fullback, Bergamasco replaces the injured Liebenberg in the centre, Christophe Dominici returns on the wing. The front row is strengthened by the presence of Szarewski while Auradou returns to skipper the side from the second row and in the back row Rémy Martin takes his place alongside Parisse and Bergamasco.

A couple of changes for the Ospreys with Gavin Henson starting at fly half after missing out last week while Huw Bennet replaces Barry Williams to start at hooker.

Paris: 15 Juan Martin Hernandez, 14 Julien Saubade, 13 Geoffroy Messina, 12 Mirco Bergamasco, 11 Christophe Dominici, 10 David Skrela, 9 Alexandre Albouy, 8 Sergio Parisse, 7 Rémy Martin, 6 Mauro Bergamasco, 5 Boela du Plooy, 4 David Auradou ©, 3 Pieter de Villiers, 2 Dimitri Szarzewski, 1 Sylvain Marconnet.
Replacements: 16 Mathieu Blin, 17 Rodrigo Roncero, 18 Mike James, 19 Radike Samo, 20 Jérôme Fillol, 21 Lionel Beauxis, 22 Ignacio Corleto,

Ospreys: 15 Lee Byrne, 14 Nikki Walker, 13 Sonny Parker, 12 Andrew Bishop, 11 Shane Williams, 10 Gavin Henson, 9 Justin Marshall, 8 Ryan Jones, 7 Steve Tandy, 6 Filo Tiatia, 5 Ian Evans, 4 Brent Cockbain, 3 Adam Jones, 2 Huw Bennett, 1 Duncan Jones (captain).
Replacements: 16 Barry Williams, 17 Paul James, 18 Alun Wyn Jones, 19 Jonathan Thomas, 20 Jason Spice, 21 James Hook, 22 Stefan Terblanche.

Referee: Alain Rolland

 

[gjohn85]

Good win for Paris eventhough they didn't play as well as they normally do.

Henson was really inconsitant today, he done one thing great, then do something stupid. Leave the guy at 12 with Hook at 10.

Anyway, why was Jonah Lomu doing in Paris? was he just watching the game, or is he looking for a new club??

 

[Rugby_Cymru]

Ospreys actually had a chance to cause a big upset today, but when it came down to it, we don't know how to take the big win. We just haven't learn't how to take those chacnes yet.
And it feels like only Shane Williams knows how to finish for us

Stade are just a better team at the end of the day, but i would like to think that they didn't play well, because we didn't let them play as well as they would have liked.

 

[An Tarbh]

Paris were there for the taking alright, just a lack of composure at certain moments and credit to Paris' defence as well but that's the type of game they'll win in a couple of seasons so plenty of positives to take out of it for the Ospreys.

 

[tituslechmakus]

but i think paris remains favourit n°1 of the competition together with biarritz, ulster and munster. irish counties are f****** dangerous !!! i don't see any english club going further than 1/4...

 

[An Tarbh]

I'd still never rule out Toulouse or Leinster, any team with their backline capabilities has to be taken seriously. Wouldn't give Ulster much hope, they won't even make the quarter finals.

 

[tituslechmakus]

i don't know but it will be part of our future H cup predictions... and i never said toulouse would be to take unseriously (on the contrary to leinster ). just gona get hard for them due to their actual weak mental

 

[Rugby_Cymru]

Stade are justifiably one of the favourites and i can't say i've enjoyed a game more than watching Stade take apart Calvisano the other week. They just had so much fun, fluid passing, confidence booming, it just makes you want to get out onto the field right away and start doing that yourself.
But they've got huge opponents with Biarittz, Munster, Leinster and i wouldn't put it passed one of the English teams to sneak through (Wasps, maybe?).

 

[Rugby_Cymru]

What's this guy's name?

http://boutique.stade.fr/boutique_us/fiche...ri=0&marq=0

 

[tituslechmakus]

What's this guy's name?

http://boutique.stade.fr/boutique_us/fiche...ri=0&marq=0
[/b]

he's remy martin, internatinal french flanker and n°8.

when you call the team stade, is it stade toulousain or stade francais ? 'cause they are both stade ...

 

[Rugby_Cymru]

I get told by the guys is work with in the rugby shop that i look like Remy Martin.
Just wanted to see if that WAS him. :blink:

Sorry, i forget,
Next i will be specific.
I know the two teams as stade francais and toulouse.
What is the deal with having "stade" in front of their names?
I thought it meant "Stadium", maybe i'm wrong.
But if that's the case would it be like calling the ospreys "Ospreys Stadium"?

I'm baffled.

 

[tituslechmakus]

I get told by the guys is work with in the rugby shop that i look like Remy Martin.
Just wanted to see if that WAS him. :blink:

Sorry, i forget,
Next i will be specific.
I know the two teams as stade francais and toulouse.
What is the deal with having "stade" in front of their names?
I thought it meant "Stadium", maybe i'm wrong.
But if that's the case would it be like calling the ospreys "Ospreys Stadium"?

I'm baffled.
[/b]

stade means stadium. but its some kind of ***le given to team like FC or RC or sharks for sale or united for manchester. stade toulousain or stade francais. thats it, no explanation, just the club name.
what is the ospreys complete name ? isn't it neath swansea ospreys ? and does osprey means something ?

 

[Rugby_Cymru]

Ahh.. i get it. Well explained, cheers.

An Osprey is a bird of flight...of some sort.
Not sure why that bird was chosen for the name when the region was devised 3 years ago, but it was.
Erm...no the Ospreys are not Neath-Swansea Ospreys anymore.
This is all a very tender subject for those who support the Ospreys. Because the region is an joining of a bunch of towns and villages everyone began kicking up a fuss about the fact that it was "neath-swansea ospreys".
The WRU urged all teams to embrace regionalised rugby and so to do so Ospreys felt they had to drop "neath-swansea" aspect to accomodate the other areas.

David Moffet (ex-chief at WRU) claimed that only one region has embraced regionalisation and that's Ospreys. Cardiff don't want to know about the valleys (which they are supposed to represent).
Dragons are only JUST taking ot the fact that they are supposed to represent Gwent as a county, not just Newport - the fans really didn't like that at first.
Scarlets will always be the historic Llanelli that (Wales's most successful and popular club (although i'm not sure if that's the case anymore)).

Before the Celtic Warriors was closed down i believe they were the epitome of "regionalised rugby". Pontypriddy and Bridgend coming together and they made not too bad a side. They only got one season at being the club that they were before th WRU decided that Wales would benefit more from 4 regions instead of 5. A lot of people from bridgend/pontypridd area now HATE welsh rugby union and we have lost an unbelievable amount of support because of that.
I know a lot of people that will only go watch rugby league because of that attrocious fiasco.


Apologies for that History lesson in welsh "regionalisation". After explaining the Ospreys i got carried away with it.

 

[tituslechmakus]

Ahh.. i get it. Well explained, cheers.

An Osprey is a bird of flight...of some sort.
Not sure why that bird was chosen for the name when the region was devised 3 years ago, but it was.
Erm...no the Ospreys are not Neath-Swansea Ospreys anymore.
This is all a very tender subject for those who support the Ospreys. Because the region is an joining of a bunch of towns and villages everyone began kicking up a fuss about the fact that it was "neath-swansea ospreys".
The WRU urged all teams to embrace regionalised rugby and so to do so Ospreys felt they had to drop "neath-swansea" aspect to accomodate the other areas.

David Moffet (ex-chief at WRU) claimed that only one region has embraced regionalisation and that's Ospreys. Cardiff don't want to know about the valleys (which they are supposed to represent).
Dragons are only JUST taking ot the fact that they are supposed to represent Gwent as a county, not just Newport - the fans really didn't like that at first.
Scarlets will always be the historic Llanelli that (Wales's most successful and popular club (although i'm not sure if that's the case anymore)).

Before the Celtic Warriors was closed down i believe they were the epitome of "regionalised rugby". Pontypriddy and Bridgend coming together and they made not too bad a side. They only got one season at being the club that they were before th WRU decided that Wales would benefit more from 4 regions instead of 5. A lot of people from bridgend/pontypridd area now HATE welsh rugby union and we have lost an unbelievable amount of support because of that.
I know a lot of people that will only go watch rugby league because of that attrocious fiasco.


Apologies for that History lesson in welsh "regionalisation". After explaining the Ospreys i got carried away with it.
[/b]

nah thanks for that explanations, as i didn't get anything of that down here ... i was wondering why i couldn't see anymore pontypriddy in the h cup, as we could have them before ... now i know why !!!
its quite different in france, and i don't think this could happen (the clubs becoming a regional team) as we would then only get 2 or 3 regions in france !!! the clubs are almost all in the south west region of france. some of the teams playing in h cup, don't even sometime have 10 000 inhabs !!! quite weird but in the north, football is much more predominant ... not in the south west.

 

[An Tarbh]

But in France there's a far greater amount of money with the clubs and their big spending presidents who wouldn't allow such a system to exist as it would probably also lead to internationals being contracted by the FFR so it would be a non starter in my opinion.

 

[Rugby_Cymru]

Yeah, it's tough to see regionalisation in that manner being a viable prospect - it definately wouldn't work in France and there are still lots of people arguing in Wales saying whether or not it was a good idea (3 years later).
David Moffet (ex-chief at WRU) is now claiming that regions should go back to as they were abnd be clubs again.
Not a good idea considering things are only JUST settling in this country.
We've always been terrible in Eurrope and unless we get offered some consistency to go wtih our new found structure we're going to continue being terrible.
Although there's no excuse for the Welsh to make it 3 seasons running without passing teh group stages.