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Top 14 Day 16

Big Ewis

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Toulon
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The more it goes in the season during this "return phase" (2nd half of the season) the more clubs just want points. As many as they can get, even if it's just the one for a day. In light of this it can be expected some games will become very one-sided and will feature the home-side putting on a display over their visitors (Estado Francese, Bordeaux, Clermont, Toulouse), while other games will be slower, grind-out efforts (Bayonne vs Lyon, Oyonnax vs Montpellier); first batch looking for lots of tries and 5 whole points, the latter a valuable defensive bonus or more.
The one match of any true entertainment value for the neutral on paper is Toulon hosting the Racingmen in Mayol next Saturday.

- Lobbe still isn't 100% and could return "this week, or the next, or the next" in his words. Toulon have yet to really convince anyone at all since their return from their latest Champs Cup game against the Tigers, wherein they left a few chances slip too. Their return to the Top 14 since has included a horrible first half and very mediocre home game vs Lyon, a pounding in Paris and last week's impotent effort in Montypolska, despite a bonus point.
 
The one match of any true entertainment value for the neutral on paper is Toulon hosting the Racingmen in Mayol next Saturday.

- Lobbe still isn't 100% and could return "this week, or the next, or the next" in his words. Toulon have yet to really convince anyone at all since their return from their latest Champs Cup game against the Tigers, wherein they left a few chances slip too. Their return to the Top 14 since has included a horrible first half and very mediocre home game vs Lyon, a pounding in Paris and last week's impotent effort in Montypolska, despite a bonus point.

And may that continue! Not that Racing have covered themselves in glory in the same period, mind you. Not at all... But I do feel we have been unsettled through injuries since about after the 1/4 mark. Hope we regain top form soon and no better time than against the current ***e holders!

15h45 CAT is a troublesome time for me though. I mean, who sits in front of a TV at that time of day particularly on a Cape Town summer's day?!
 
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CASTRES OLYMPIQUE

Le XV de départ : Dumora ; Martial, Cabannes, Lamerat, Grosso ; (o) Kirkpatrick, (m) Dupont ; Babillot, Whetton, Faasalele ; Capo Ortega (cap), Gray ; Fa'anunu, Mach, Lazar.

Remplaçants : Bonello, Taumoepeau, Samson, Bornman, Caballero, Tales, Combezou, Herrera

going in Jean-Bouin, Paris to face

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Super, super solid Parisian team there. Wow. They're looking near 100%.

Oh and, screw you stormer...
 
Cant do the fancy BE presentation stuff but here is Sats line uo against Oyonnax and Jake Whites first away game Galthie suspension continues and gives all a time of reflection P45 maybe in the pigeon carrier !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Effectif:
1. Misha NARIASHVILI - 2. Charles GELI - 3. Nicolas MAS - 4. Tom DONNELLY - 5. Thibaut PRIVAT - 6. Fulgence OUEDRAOGO (Capitaine) - 7. Alexandre BIAS - 8. Alex TULOU - 9. Jonathan PELISSIE - 10. Ben LUCAS - 11. Rene RANGER - 12. Wynand OLIVIER - 13. Anthony TUITAVAKE - 14. Timoci NAGUSA - 15. Pierre BERARD Les


remplaçants:
16. Mickaël IVALDI - 17. Na'ama LELEIMALEFAGA - 18. Robins TCHALE-WATCHOU - 19. Ben MOWEN - 20. Benoît PAILLAUGUE - 21. Robert EBERSOHN - 22. Benoît SICART - 23. Pat CILLIERS - See more at: http://www.montpellier-rugby.com/news/la-composition-pour-oyonnax-mhr-0#sthash.IjTsvVuH.dpuf
 
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^ I see that post was edited. I bet it was to add more exclamation marks after a moment of indecision looking at the post.

You might be interested @gaston le gaff in having a look at the team that's going to beat your precious Montypeloton for the weekend...

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The rest:

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Finally, the big clash for the weekend:

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VS

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Hayman back in the starting lineup and Menini back from injury, finally. Was dearly needed. First choice front row, two star SH second rowers, the best third row available (considering Gorgodzilla on the bench).
Matt Giteau finally, finaaaahaaaahaaaally (aaaaaarghhhhh blblllbllll) back but as center with Mermoz, that's going to play-make like hell between these two at midfield. Juan Martin Hernandez at 10 with his first start under rouge et noir colors with first choice SBT at 9.

For Racing Sexton is decidedly nowhere to be found at all for his club this year. He's injured always until an international tour comes up and then he's best-10-in-the-world fit again. Interesting "coincidence". Not nearly the best squad for Racing, but decent enough. Not good enough to go get a win in Mayol, though.
 
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Ewis is that Maurie Faasavalu no19 for Montellier? If so guy used to be a beast when playing for england in league.
 
Stade Francais #3 lucky to not be in the Bin
 
Several Castres players did not even try to tackle the try scorer...
 
The ref did not punish SF #3 for that shoulder charge but now he sends a Castres player to the bin for nothing.
 
Ewis is that Maurie Faasavalu no19 for Montellier? If so guy used to be a beast when playing for england in league.

for Montpellier ?? Not sure who you're referring to.

Forgot to post the Toulouse lineup

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I think it was a legit try but it won't matter in the end anyway. This is a massacre and it's not over yet. The Castres scrum was bad from the start but after the replacements in the front row it's a complete embarassment. Pathetic tackling as well.
 
These referees are ridiculous :D

worst by far of the season for a match, no doubt. Castres should be heading home with 65 points up their rears. Paris still the only undefeated team at home this season, and they're looking mighty good. Last year they crashed in the second half of the season missing the playoffs at the end, they don't look like they're doing that this time but we'll see. Castres looked like the team bottom of the table again tonight, very surprising. Yet another young French talent at scrumhalf has revealed himself tonight though in place of Rory Kockott. That Antoine Dupont kid looks really, really good already and he just turned 18 lol.

Rabah Slimani on top form. Surely the French staff isn't insane enough not to start him in the next 6N.
And Plisson is maturing surprisingly fast, I wouldn't have guessed. In part, his strike over the ball from the tee looks the way I like them: even on angles, he manages a perfectly straight trajectory right into the middle of the (pink :rolleyes: ) posts, as opposed to a lifting ball curving in. Impressive kicks these past few months. He seems to be correcting his mistakes too and looks much more assertive ball in hand and with his decision making where before he had a tendency to stall and botch a play. His pass is looking more and more 'perfect', superb spin and quickness, just the right accuracy to find his backs. His kicking is improving too, and he'll only get much better, this is just the beginning surely seeing how fast he's progressing and how hungry and enterprising he is. He settles for nothing, always takes on more responsibility. That in-match inconsistency is a lurking concern though, and I'll be watching closely as always for that to permanently leave his game.

After the World Cup, I wonder who our 10 should be now...Plisson will be that much better, Lopez isn't looking to regress and Trinh-Duc will return and if he plays and has a good 6N and/or RWC he'll surely stay in the group. An aging Talès will finally go away eventually...and an improving Pierre Bernard...
 
Slimani was awesome tonight, along with Parisse. But I was really impressed with Jonathan Danty, a new Bastareaud perhaps? I noticed Danty during the SF match against the Bucharest Wolves back in October, he was probably the best SF player in that match.

The young Castres scrum half did well for his first match, he had the balls to try a few spectacular moves. He was totally overpowered in defense though but he will learn. As for the worst, I thought the Castres fullback was shocking (apart from his accurate kicking) and Herrera as well.
 
Slimani was awesome tonight, along with Parisse. But I was really impressed with Jonathan Danty, a new Bastareaud perhaps? I noticed Danty during the SF match against the Bucharest Wolves back in October, he was probably the best SF player in that match.

The young Castres scrum half did well for his first match, he had the balls to try a few spectacular moves. He was totally overpowered in defense though but he will learn. As for the worst, I thought the Castres fullback was shocking (apart from his accurate kicking) and Herrera as well.

I don't even mention Sergio Parisse anymore. I think he might be the greatest no.8 of all-time. Kieran Read ? Pff, doesn't even speak French...

Jo Danty has been for the past year and a half the new semi-attraction in France in terms of midfielders. With the hatching of so many young stars lately like Lamerat or more recently Dumoulin all scoring some caps with France, Danty is this young fellow who's bid his time and still doesn't get the promotion he unanimously deserves. He was often called "Baby Bastareaud" early, but then people realized he had a serious pass and was too well-rounded already to be called that anymore, as the tag implies he's just a crashball midfielder. He's a real 12. The ball *will* circulate with him, and he's a very interesting host for ball-carrying and a fantastic platform to play off of for any backline. He adapts to situations and often reads intelligently and makes the right choice. And for such a stocky specimen, he can use his boot too, especially judicious grubber kicks for a wing. He's also very gathered and seems a calm psychological profile, a kid who puts his head down quietly and learns, very good signs. He's just turned 22, and as many fans here, there's no doubt on my mind he'll play for France soon enough, and not just the odd 2 caps for an injured regular.

Herrera I've been saying all along. Don't buy into the hype because he can be dominant with the Pumas. He's a very average young tighthead prop. As for the C.O. fullback Dumora, Geoffrey Palis went down last week, long term injury. He's played I think 95% of the Castres games under 15 this year with Dulin sent to Racing.
 
Brilliant tribute to Charlie Hebdo by Toulon....

Both teams wearing tee shirts We are Charlie entrance onto the pitch, this will happen in all TOP 14 games this weekend

1 minutes silence for the Gendarme murdered by the Terrorists
1 minutes APPLAUSE for Charlie Hebdo, President Boujhellal said a mins silence not appropriate for Charlie Hebdo
MARSEILLAISE SUNG BY ALL 15.000 PRESENT
Pilou Pilou with a difference,
any scores by any players the announcer called them all by their first names Charlie!!!!
Well played Toulon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

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