Top 14 Day 19

[Tony Manx]

[TABLE="width: 100%"]
<tbody style="font-size: 12px; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">[TR="class: altrow, bgcolor: #EEEEEE"]
[TD="class: textcenter, align: center"]22/02[/TD]
[TD="class: textcenter, align: center"]20:50[/TD]
[TD="class: textright, align: right"]Castres Olympique[/TD]
[TD]Rugby Club Toulonnais[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: textcenter, align: center"]23/02[/TD]
[TD="class: textcenter, align: center"]15:00[/TD]
[TD="class: textright, align: right"]SU Agen[/TD]
[TD]Mont-de-Marsan[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: altrow, bgcolor: #EEEEEE"]
[TD="class: textcenter, align: center"] - [/TD]
[TD="class: textcenter, align: center"]15:00[/TD]
[TD="class: textright, align: right"]Biarritz Olympique[/TD]
[TD]Racing Métro 92[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: textcenter, align: center"] - [/TD]
[TD="class: textcenter, align: center"]15:00[/TD]
[TD="class: textright, align: right"]Grenoble[/TD]
[TD]ASM Clermont[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: altrow, bgcolor: #EEEEEE"]
[TD="class: textcenter, align: center"] - [/TD]
[TD="class: textcenter, align: center"]15:00[/TD]
[TD="class: textright, align: right"]Montpellier Hérault Rugby[/TD]
[TD]Union Bordeaux-Bègles[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: textcenter, align: center"] - [/TD]
[TD="class: textcenter, align: center"]15:00[/TD]
[TD="class: textright, align: right"]Stade Toulousain[/TD]
[TD]Aviron Bayonnais[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: altrow, bgcolor: #EEEEEE"]
[TD="class: textcenter, align: center"] - [/TD]
[TD="class: textcenter, align: center"]20:40[/TD]
[TD="class: textright, align: right"]USAP[/TD]
[TD]Stade Français[/TD]
[/TR]
</tbody>[/TABLE]


The good news is that BO have a Saturday afternoon match for me to watch, although back to 21.00 next week against Bayonne!!

I am going to go for Castres (who have to be much better than last week) as they have home advantage, Agen, ASM, Stade and USAP leaving two matches......I think the BO game against Racing could be as drab as last week and BO might struggle to win this by more than the odd point. MHL will need a few reinforcements back in the team to that which was soundly beaten at Toulon if they are to beat Bordeaux and, on the basis that they will have, I guess MHL might do it?

 

[fcbfan]

I think Biarritz is going to struggle against Racing. MHL should have no prob winning the match imo, Bordeaux is quite a weak side.
I'm hoping for a good appearance against Bayonne especially after last week's awful home defeat against Perpignan.

 

[gaston le gaff]

USAP, Castres, Montpellier, Mont de Marsan, Clermont and Toulouse for wins, BO to sneak it over Racing but only just.We at Montpellier are again 4 Internationals short + a bucket full of injuries, have called in a medical replacement for Shontayne Hape who is out for the rest of the season due to too many concussions and will have at least 3 months complete rest, the replacement is Hamish Gard, New Zealand born 27yrs 1.84 and 93kgs came out of the Cantebury Academeny and played for the Red Hurricanes in Japan this season , their season is already over. He arrives tomorrow.. other than that dont know anymore.

 

[Tony Manx]

I think Biarritz is going to struggle against Racing. MHL should have no prob winning the match imo, Bordeaux is quite a weak side..

I agree we will struggle and certainly with the team that has been selected........Magnus Lund should start with Imanol on the bench, not sure about Broster, Bosch and Baby should not even be in the squad and Gimenez should be given a chance to start with Barraque at 10. Be interesting to see if the rest has done Traille any good with his attitude and fitness?

1- Barcella, 2- Heguy, 3- Broster, 4- Dubarry, 5- Taele, 6- Gray, 7- Lakafia, 8- Harinordoquy 9- Lesgourgues 10- Peyrelongue 11- Brew 12- Bosch 13- Barraque 14- Ngwenya 15- Balshaw 16- Argagnon 17- Blaauw 18- Lund E. 19- Lund M. 20- Yachvili 21- Traille 22- Baby 23- Van Staden

I think you underate Bordeaux who are perfectly capable of stuffing one or two of the best teams on their day - Round 17 Bordeaux 41 Toulon NIL!!

This is more so when the top teams are short of their internationals and have injuries - like MHL!!

 

[Tony Manx]

Just watched the Castres Toulon game that Castres dominated for 62 minutes and should have been miles out in front but a sublime off load by Mermoz put Giteau over and game on......Castres held out to win an enjoyable match. Have to say that would fancy most teams to give Toulon a pretty fgood run for the money at home as, if they are behind, their collective heads drop and only come up again by when and if there is some inspiration. I thought they could be the team of the season but they seem to have gone off the boil as badly as Toulouse...........

Two points I would make....

Pechambourd as a ref should be in the SH.....not one penalty for taking a man out in the air (at least three times) or not rolling away (in this day and age?!!) whilst the commentators, particularly Brennan, lauded his praises for allowing the game to run.........even over amd around a prone Van Nierk who was subsequently taken off for assessment!

The other point is that Premier Sports (presumably BT?) coverage is the same as Eurosport and they would appear to have bought the rights only to stop anyone else from having them as very low budget coverage when it fits into their football, basketball and rounders US programming and no games shown at all live last week (and maybe even recorded but might be wrong)!

 

[Tony Manx]

Disgraceful selection, disgraceful use of subs and disgraceful performance compounded by what to me looks like a long ban for Yachvilli who clearly stamped three times on a Metro player three times on or around the ankle and was only given yellow for pushing after a Metro player sort retribution. Needless to say Racing won and deservedly so and I left before half time rather than sit in the cold with possibility of being snowed in with this lot.......relegation is surely what they deserve and perhaps even what they need!

 

[fcbfan]

Only watched some of Toulouse's first half, easy win as expected. (I was forced to watch football cuz of my bro, the disadvantage of having only one TV).


Re: Yachvilli
wow that's pathetic from him.


I have to do some catching up later via espnscrum.

 

[Tony Manx]

Yachvilli has now been properly cited and the hearing to be held 13th March - when he should be banned for no less than 6 weeks if there is any justice for his outrageous behaviour........and I am a supporter!!

 

[Tony Manx]

.........disgraceful performance compounded by what to me looks like a long ban for Yachvilli who clearly stamped three times on a Metro player three times on or around the ankle and was only given yellow for pushing after a Metro player sort retribution.

10 DAYS....just 10 bleedin days.......................I give up! Disgrace...........