Pro 2 Day 1

[Tony Manx]

Beziers v Agen
STADE DE LA MEDITERRANEE
SAMEDI 23 AOÛT 2014 18:30

Bourgouin v Albi
PIERRE RAJON STADIUM
SAMEDI 23 AOÛT 2014 18:30

Massy v Section Paloise
JULES LADOUMÈGUE STADIUM
SAMEDI 23 AOÛT 2014 18:30

Montauban v Carcassone
STADIUM SAPIAC
SAMEDI 23 AOÛT 2014 18:30

Narbonne v Mont-de-Marsan
PARC DES SPORTS ET DE L'AMITIÉ
SAMEDI 23 AOÛT 2014 18:30

Tarbes v US Dax
STADE MAURICE TRÉLUT
SAMEDI 23 AOÛT 2014 18:30

Biarritz Olympique v Stade Aurillacois
PARC DES SPORTS AQUILÉRA
DIMANCHE 24 AOÛT 2014 18:30

Perpignan v Colomiers
STADE AIMÉ GIRAL
DIMANCHE 24 AOÛT 2014 15:05

​

Here we go then... a new season and, for me at least, a different division with a host of new and some old foes to be beaten. Some good match up here but guess we will have no real idea how things will go for any of the teams until they have played a few games with the number of changes in team make up and in the actual teams in the division.

​

 

[Big Ewis]

Nicely done, Tony. Good luck to the B.O. and Perpignan in their new surroundings. You going to watch the Biarritz game for sure Tony ?

 

[Tony Manx]

Nicely done, Tony. Good luck to the B.O. and Perpignan in their new surroundings. You going to watch the Biarritz game for sure Tony ?

I should do really but feel like making my protest about the mismanagement of a once great club by not turning up and giving them my hard earned money for them to p*** away!!!!

 

[Big Ewis]

so stubborn...just pick Toulon, it's early in the year and you can actually claim legitimacy since nothing's done or accomplished yet and then you can look like a genius winner of a loyal fan who's been behind them the WHOLE YEAR when they lift the Euro Cup for the third straight year.
Trust me...loyal-tea can be drunk hot or cold. :devban:

 

[Tony Manx]

eh Tony, there's a Pro D2 thread ain't there ?! ..

Sorry.....old habits die hard......................................!!!

yeah I saw Perpignan and Biarro won their first matches in the Pro D2. Only by a point for the B.O. at home. So Tony, were you entertained, or did you really feel a big drop in level from Top 14 Rugby ?

BO played with much more enthusiasm and energy as you would expect from bit part or young players playing for their future as opposed to has beens who have had their careers (and made too much money to bother) but the standard was not much higher than the BO of last season!!!

Bear in mind that the players who have stayed to "see it through" have all taken big salary reductions on basis they will get the loss back when.............sorry if....... they qualify for promotion!!!!

 

[Tony Manx]

Results of Day 1 for the Pro 2

Tarbes 28 - 22 Dax
Narbonne 12 - 20 Mont de Marsan
Montauban 30 – 13 Carcassone
Massey 12 – 14 Section Paloise
USAP 15 – 05 Colomiers
Biarritz 16 - 15 Aurillac

As I said earlier, with all the changes in teams and their individuals, it will take a couple of weeks for things to settle down to see a pattern but the overall impression of the first day is that things are tight. Other than the Montauban match, the difference is 10 points or less.

Biarritz saw "Budda" giving an interview on how he was going to take them back into the Top 14 single handed before the match kicked off with a decent crowd of about 60% occupancy. The new BO players showed huge energy and enthusiasm ( a very welcome change after previous games) if all the same faults of poor discipline and ball control. The win came mostly from the boot but with a well taken try from the full back Davies, which resulted from a horrendous pass that went over the shoulder of the centre fooling the Aurillac defence to allow the break. BO did miss at least five kickable penalties!

Aurillac dominated possession as the BO scrum was huge but pretty poor and the line out throws were also poor. However, the BO defence prevented the opposition to have even the one threat of scoring a try.

Overall, lots of promise and one or two showed real talent (Molcard, Lucu and Soqeta) and, based on the nine or ten injuries, BO can be optimistic for the coming season.
[TABLE="width: 896"]
<tbody>[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD="colspan: 8"][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]1.[/TD]
[TD]US Montauban[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD]0[/TD]
[TD]0[/TD]
[TD]30:13[/TD]
[TD]5[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]2.[/TD]
[TD]Usap Perpignan[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD]0[/TD]
[TD]0[/TD]
[TD]22:9[/TD]
[TD]4[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]3.[/TD]
[TD]Albi[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD]0[/TD]
[TD]0[/TD]
[TD]32:23[/TD]
[TD]4[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]4.[/TD]
[TD]Stade Montois[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD]0[/TD]
[TD]0[/TD]
[TD]20:12[/TD]
[TD]4[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]5.[/TD]
[TD]Tarbes Pyrenees[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD]0[/TD]
[TD]0[/TD]
[TD]28:22[/TD]
[TD]4[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]6.[/TD]
[TD]Beziers[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD]0[/TD]
[TD]0[/TD]
[TD]31:27[/TD]
[TD]4[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]7.[/TD]
[TD]Section Paloise[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD]0[/TD]
[TD]0[/TD]
[TD]14:12[/TD]
[TD]4[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]8.[/TD]
[TD]Massy[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD]0[/TD]
[TD]0[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD]12:14[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]9.[/TD]
[TD]Agen[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD]0[/TD]
[TD]0[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD]27:31[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]10.[/TD]
[TD]US Dax[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD]0[/TD]
[TD]0[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD]22:28[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]11.[/TD]
[TD]Biarritz[/TD]
[TD]0[/TD]
[TD]0[/TD]
[TD]0[/TD]
[TD]0[/TD]
[TD]0:0[/TD]
[TD]0[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]12.[/TD]
[TD]Aurillac[/TD]
[TD]0[/TD]
[TD]0[/TD]
[TD]0[/TD]
[TD]0[/TD]
[TD]0:0[/TD]
[TD]0[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]13.[/TD]
[TD]Narbonne[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD]0[/TD]
[TD]0[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD]12:20[/TD]
[TD]0[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]14.[/TD]
[TD]Bourgoin-Jalli[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD]0[/TD]
[TD]0[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD]23:32[/TD]
[TD]0[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]15.[/TD]
[TD]Colomiers[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD]0[/TD]
[TD]0[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD]9:22[/TD]
[TD]0[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]16.[/TD]
[TD]Carcassonnaise[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD]0[/TD]
[TD]0[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD]13:30[/TD]
[TD]0[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
</tbody>[/TABLE]

 

[Big Ewis]

I see. I'd watch some, but my hands are full as I'm trying to watch each of the seven Top 14 games played weekly these days, along with the rest of Tier 1 Rugby and all...apparently some teams like Agen are pretty good...I'll have to check some out eventually though, just for knowledge's sake. I've really only read and heard about it a lot, the toughness, all that, and seen footage, but I don't actually *know* what it's like, for a fact.

 

[gaston le gaff]

Watched the B O match and although Aurillac never looked like scoring they give BO a good run for their money, and probably deserved the defensive bonus point in the end, has Serge already opened his wallet to the refs christmas fund as i thought the man in the middle was reasonably generous in his donation of penalties towards BO seeing as the festive season is still some way off!!!!!!!!!!!! Serge also needs to go back on a diet he is getting huge!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Tony Manx]

Did you hear what "Budda" had to say as was watching something else?

ps Penalty count was well in the favour of Aurillac!!!

 

[gaston le gaff]

maybe!!!!! but were not those penalties justly awarded!!!!! and no i heard bits of Serge before the game with Miss Pons but not all. the bits i heard was usual drivel nothing of any great interest, that why i stopped listening, only watched as i have met Gabby and think she is a cutey

 

[Big Ewis]

Serge also needs to go back on a diet he is getting huge!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ohhh don't worry about that too much gastonche, the Blanco monster ogre will start losing all kinds of weight and bodily fluids as his season starts with France. And that crazy hair too, can't keep too much of that if you're involved with France, just look at the current three bozos in the staff.

 

[usap dessie]

I haven't been on here in a while ....what a great surprise , a ProD2 thread . I thought I was in the wilderness for a few years !!!
Anyway good start for my boys . Tony , your obviously the man in the know , so looking forward to be kept up to speed !

 

[Tony Manx]

I haven't been on here in a while ....what a great surprise , a ProD2 thread . I thought I was in the wilderness for a few years !!!
Anyway good start for my boys . Tony , your obviously the man in the know , so looking forward to be kept up to speed !

Thanks for the compliment but am just feeling my way with a bit of gossip that comes to my ears on irregular basis!!

I am glad that I am not alone here with your also being involved, unfortunately, now with the Pro 2..............

You still coming across at start of November? Unfortunately I will have left by then after a fairly indifferent but fairly warm Summer!!

The Day 2 thread will be coming up, probably tomorrow, unlike the big boys in the Top 14 where it is either a famine (last week's fixtures) or a feast with this week's fixtures posted on Monday!!!

Have a great season except when we play each other and let us go back up together!!

 

[Big Ewis]

I am glad that I am not alone here with your also being involved, unfortunately, now with the Pro 2..............

aaaawwwwwwww, how ADORABLE Tony !...

If anybody wants highlights from Pro D2, come here on the official LNR website, here's the direct link to the videos section:

http://www.lnr.fr/videos-canal-pro-d2.html

Hey, look at 0:33, the Aurillac no.14. So thaaat's where he's been hiding this whole time, ay...Pro D2, I should've known better.

Find the other matches underneath the media player.

 

[gaston le gaff]

Good news for Tony he has found his long lost friend USAP Dessie and now not wandering lonesome in the PRO D2 i still think you should support a TOP 14 team that way we get your imput on a regular basis, if not we are going to miss you my friend.Take Castre thats a sound bet we have no one who supports Castres !!!!!!!

 

[usap dessie]

Not sure I will pick a team in the Top14 ....I'm hearing ProD2 is the new Top14 !!!!!!!!
Tony , yes I'm over in November , ended up booking into The Grand Tonic Hotel (looks ok.)

 

[Big Ewis]

Good news for Tony he has found his long lost friend USAP Dessie and now not wandering lonesome in the PRO D2 i still think you should support a TOP 14 team that way we get your imput on a regular basis, if not we are going to miss you my friend.Take Castre thats a sound bet we have no one who supports Castres !!!!!!!

I agree on both points. We want you on the Top 14 pages, after all you are as far as I know the Godfather of TRF Top14ness. When I first came on here and knew nothing (oh, fairly recently, that...) Tony was the great Lord of Top 14. He was talking about it with the confidence of a wise, proud veteran. And now he's a Pro D2 junkie, this isn't right...I know I repeat myself, but for God's sake Tony...I'm telling you, living without a spine isn't all that troubling. In fact it's quite comfortable being all flabby, just look at squid, don't they look like they're havin a blast ?
If you're really stubborn, you can still keep a little place in your lungs, or is it small intestine ? no...heart ?? bladder ? whichever - for Bloody Opeless. But Top 14 Rugby is there, and you've been through it, longer than I have actually, and you know the joy of it. Now pick one ! Like gastanio said, there's Castres, and they're not even that good (yet) this year so I don't think I'm going to pick them myself any time soon...unless they turn really good, then I might hop into my "Castres forever" fan outfit again...been a while...

 

[gaston le gaff]

Not sure I will pick a team in the Top14 ....I'm hearing ProD2 is the new Top14 !!!!!!!!
Tony , yes I'm over in November , ended up booking into The Grand Tonic Hotel (looks ok.)

Lets not get carried away with your new positions in life just remember you will always be looking up at us, well for at least a season, the hardest thing about the Pro D 2 is trying to get out of it!!!! its easy to drop into it, 14 teams fail every season to make it into the elite, we only except the 2 best teams, now are you going to be in that position come the end of the season!!!!!!!

 

[usap dessie]

Well President Riviere seems to think its going to take 2-3 years . But at 11 million euros budget , I should think they will be there or there abouts !

 

[gaston le gaff]

Well President Riviere seems to think its going to take 2-3 years . But at 11 million euros budget , I should think they will be there or there abouts !

malhereusement its not budgets that win matches, if that was true Toulouse would win every year no one would be able to touch them