Top 14 Day 21

[Big Ewis]

[TABLE="width: 100%"]
<tbody>[TR="class: infoboxheadlite"]
[TH="colspan: 4"]21e Journée



[/TH]
[/TR]
[TR="class: altrow"]
[TD="class: textcenter"]28/02
[/TD]
[TD="class: textcenter"]20:45[/TD]
[TD="class: textright"]Montypellier Hérault Rugby
[/TD]
[TD]Stade Franchouillard
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: textcenter"]01/03
[/TD]
[TD="class: textcenter"]14:55[/TD]
[TD="class: textright"]Union Bordeaux-Bègles[/TD]
[TD]ASM Clermont
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: altrow"]
[TD="class: textcenter"] -
[/TD]
[TD="class: textcenter"]18:30[/TD]
[TD="class: textright"]CA Brive-Corrèze[/TD]
[TD]Grenoble
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: textcenter"] -
[/TD]
[TD="class: textcenter"]18:30[/TD]
[TD="class: textright"]Racing Métro 92[/TD]
[TD]Castres Olympique
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: altrow"]
[TD="class: textcenter"] -
[/TD]
[TD="class: textcenter"]18:30[/TD]
[TD="class: textright"]Rugby Club Toulonnais[/TD]
[TD]Oyonnax
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: textcenter"] -
[/TD]
[TD="class: textcenter"]20:35[/TD]
[TD="class: textright"]Stade Toulousain[/TD]
[TD]Perpignan
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: altrow"]
[TD="class: textcenter"]02/03
[/TD]
[TD="class: textcenter"]15:00[/TD]
[TD="class: textright"]Biarritz Olympique[/TD]
[TD]Aviron Bayonnais
[/TD]
[/TR]
</tbody>[/TABLE]




A chance for MP and Toulouse, both losers last weekend (esp. MP.....) to get back up on that table with home games. Very affordable for Toulouse, likely a big score for them and bonus. Perpignan are falling apart this late season...For MP it all depends on what SF team travels there.

The way Clermont have been playing, any team they field is a competitive one. Very good results everywhere this year, two road wins already, and only once did they get spanked badly (it was in Yve-du-Manoir, Montypellier as gaston will happily confirm I'm sure).

Biarritz with their best chance to make it 2 in a row for the first time this season.

Toulon right back at 3rd in the championship. Will definitely be looking for the bonus points with Oyonnax coming to town, although the latter played a very competitive game in Paris it seems last week....impressive result.



Current standings:
[h=2]Général - Top 14[/h]

[TABLE="class: statstab, width: 100%"]
<tbody>[TR="class: infoboxheadlite"]
[TH="class: textcenter"] [/TH]
[TH] [/TH]
[TH="class: textcenter"]Pts[/TH]
[TH="class: textcenter"]J[/TH]
[TH="class: textcenter"]G[/TH]
[TH="class: textcenter"]N[/TH]
[TH="class: textcenter"]P[/TH]
[TH="class: textcenter"]p[/TH]
[TH="class: textcenter"]c[/TH]
[TH="class: textcenter"]+/-[/TH]
[/TR]
[TR="class: altrow , textcenter"]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD]gaston's Supreme Masters
[/TD]
[TD]60[/TD]
[TD]20[/TD]
[TD]12[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD]7[/TD]
[TD]543[/TD]
[TD]377[/TD]
[TD]166[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: textcenter"]
[TD]2[/TD]
[TD]Stade Franchouillard
[/TD]
[TD]56[/TD]
[TD]20[/TD]
[TD]13[/TD]
[TD]0[/TD]
[TD]7[/TD]
[TD]399[/TD]
[TD]354[/TD]
[TD]45[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: altrow , textcenter"]
[TD]3[/TD]
[TD]Rugby Club Toulonnais
[/TD]
[TD]55[/TD]
[TD]20[/TD]
[TD]11[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD]8[/TD]
[TD]463[/TD]
[TD]340[/TD]
[TD]123[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: textcenter"]
[TD]4[/TD]
[TD]Castres Olympique
[/TD]
[TD]55[/TD]
[TD]20[/TD]
[TD]11[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD]8[/TD]
[TD]434[/TD]
[TD]362[/TD]
[TD]72[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: altrow , textcenter"]
[TD]5[/TD]
[TD]Montypellier
[/TD]
[TD]53[/TD]
[TD]20[/TD]
[TD]10[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD]9[/TD]
[TD]491[/TD]
[TD]418[/TD]
[TD]73[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: textcenter"]
[TD]6[/TD]
[TD]Grenoble
[/TD]
[TD]50[/TD]
[TD]20[/TD]
[TD]11[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD]8[/TD]
[TD]374[/TD]
[TD]433[/TD]
[TD]-59[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: altrow , textcenter"]
[TD]7[/TD]
[TD]Stade Toulousain
[/TD]
[TD]50[/TD]
[TD]20[/TD]
[TD]10[/TD]
[TD]0[/TD]
[TD]10[/TD]
[TD]383[/TD]
[TD]338[/TD]
[TD]45[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: textcenter"]
[TD]8[/TD]
[TD]Racing Métro 92
[/TD]
[TD]48[/TD]
[TD]20[/TD]
[TD]10[/TD]
[TD]2[/TD]
[TD]8[/TD]
[TD]307[/TD]
[TD]341[/TD]
[TD]-34[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: altrow , textcenter"]
[TD]9[/TD]
[TD]CA Brive-Corrèze
[/TD]
[TD]46[/TD]
[TD]20[/TD]
[TD]8[/TD]
[TD]2[/TD]
[TD]10[/TD]
[TD]369[/TD]
[TD]356[/TD]
[TD]13[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: textcenter"]
[TD]10[/TD]
[TD]Union Bordeaux-Bègles
[/TD]
[TD]46[/TD]
[TD]19[/TD]
[TD]9[/TD]
[TD]0[/TD]
[TD]10[/TD]
[TD]448[/TD]
[TD]425[/TD]
[TD]23[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: altrow , textcenter"]
[TD]11[/TD]
[TD]Perpignan
[/TD]
[TD]42[/TD]
[TD]20[/TD]
[TD]8[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD]11[/TD]
[TD]381[/TD]
[TD]440[/TD]
[TD]-59[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: textcenter"]
[TD]12[/TD]
[TD]Aviron Bayonnais[/TD]
[TD]39[/TD]
[TD]20[/TD]
[TD]8[/TD]
[TD]0[/TD]
[TD]12[/TD]
[TD]296[/TD]
[TD]422[/TD]
[TD]-126[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: altrow , textcenter"]
[TD]13[/TD]
[TD]Oyonnax[/TD]
[TD]35[/TD]
[TD]18[/TD]
[TD]8[/TD]
[TD]0[/TD]
[TD]10[/TD]
[TD]300[/TD]
[TD]369[/TD]
[TD]-69[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: textcenter"]
[TD]14[/TD]
[TD]Biarritz Olympique[/TD]
[TD]21[/TD]
[TD]19[/TD]
[TD]4[/TD]
[TD]0[/TD]
[TD]15[/TD]
[TD]254[/TD]
[TD]467[/TD]
[TD]-213[/TD]
[/TR]
</tbody>[/TABLE]

 

[FrenchFan]

I can't wait for another round of Top 14. Last weekend was a vintage one with 3 great games [SF Oyo, Castres Toul, Cler vs Montp] - in Paris 8 tries were scored, what a game that was. I was suprised by the quality of the pitch in SF. The game at Castres was played on a lousy pitch, yet Toulouse ran in 4 superb tries. So much for the Top 14 being a slog btw forwards and territorial rugby. What a ridiculous caricature
I think Toulon are going to bounce back and challenge Clermont again. Toulouse badly need a win at home and they have to put away Perpignan won't be easy. Toulon will have to fight because they have some HEART at Oyo, i like their attitude. Montpellier v SF is the other one to watch. Big game. The parisians got out of jail agst Oyonnax. Montpellier are still reeling from the mauling agst Clermont. They need to bounce back. Its so tight , 6 and 7 Grenoble Toulouse are level. If you can't get excited by this competition, take up golf or knitting!

 

[Big Ewis]

no it's true, there's good play in the Top 14. I wouldn't watch it if it were all forward/territory.
Beautiful weekend of Top14 Rugby last week, no doubt. The Toulouse tries were beautiful, a couple in particular...
Castres didn't look as good honestly. Kockott was having a pretty shhitty game in particular. But boy Toulouse can struggle with that scrum !! For a side that more or less represents French Rugby, the scrum sure ain't representative.

How nice it would be if France could just play like Toulouse. Just remove PSA and put Novès. Some fine, fine Rugby could be played if we just had the right coach...................

 

[Tony Manx]

The game of the weekend will be the Basque Derby where BO with nothing to lose will look either to take Bayonne down with them or have bragging rights for ever as likely they will never meet again in the Top 14...............

The rest, dear boys, is irrelevant...........

PS Watch out....am on the way back!!

 

[gaston le gaff]

Press interview with Galthie yesterday, "we are now in money time, and apart from Clermont (that is Gaston's Supreme Masters) nothing is guarenteed there are great games in the last and forthcoming 6 weekends, and often this is where you will see a team come out above the rest".!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I think it will be more or less the Toulon, Castres, Stade Franchouillard, Montypellier, Gaston's Supreme Masters and of course one other but who???? will Stade Toulouse sneak back in or will there be surprises, if we lose on Fri night that will not happen it could be us but i doubt that very much and we will be at nearly full strengh on Fri night bar one or two injuries. Pape never likes meeting Mamuka especially in Montypellier, not much love between the pair of them, and if FTD plays like the he did against USAP, Plisson could be in for a rough night, Pelissie will certainly be starting at 9 on Fri.

 

[Big Ewis]

Press interview with Galthie yesterday, "we are now in money time, and apart from Clermont (that is Gaston's Supreme Masters) nothing is guarenteed there are great games in the last and forthcoming 6 weekends, and often this is where you will see a team come out above the rest".!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I think it will be more or less the Toulon, Castres, Stade Franchouillard, Montypellier, Gaston's Supreme Masters and of course one other but who???? will Stade Toulouse sneak back in or will there be surprises, if we lose on Fri night that will not happen it could be us but i doubt that very much and we will be at nearly full strengh on Fri night bar one or two injuries. Pape never likes meeting Mamuka especially in Montypellier, not much love between the pair of them, and if FTD plays like the he did against USAP, Plisson could be in for a rough night, Pelissie will certainly be starting at 9 on Fri.

delicious...crisp, consistent. Gorgeous work...

excellent to hear Pélissié's back !! A fantastic, fantastic talent. And typically French in style.

PS Watch out....am on the way back!!

ah, excellent, make sure you pick up the bread then...


I dunno how many of the int'ls are playing this weekend, confused about that thing atm, will wait and see then give my prognostics.

 

[ZeFrenchy]

I'm skeptical about Stade Frangipane making it to the playoffs. They have a tough calendar to go, visiting Toulon and Montpellier, and hosting Toulouse and Racing, and this weekend only they can easily drop to 6th.

The match of the weekend: Racing-Castres. If Castres win that would pretty much leave Racing out of contention for the top 4 spots, and greatly handicapped for the 6th spot, whereas a Racing win will tighten the top of the table even more.

 

[Big Ewis]

I'm skeptical about Stade Frangipane making it to the playoffs.

quite a serious offense there having two different names for SF on one same thread...but considering our lack of replies, we'll tolerate this.

And don't worry about Stade Franchouillard, no reason they'll start playing bad now.

 

[gaston le gaff]

Everybody has their own opinion on what the top 6 will be which is obviously fair, but they all have difficult last 6 games, that is why the TOP 14 is far better than other Championships as nothing is in concrete until maybe the last weekend, which brings a lot more excitement to all the games.Plus a couple of injuries a few mistakes from players that word PRESSURE that keeps popping up, and everything can be turned on its head, not going to mention Ref involvement, nobody would have put money on us beating Toulouse away from home but we did, the Magic of the TOP 14!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! "AS THEY SAY ITS NOT OVER TILL THE FAT LADY SINGS."

 

[Big Ewis]

a tad off-topic, but I just read Guscott's declarations: "France are like clowns at the circus". It's harsh and obviously exaggerated, but there certainly is some truth in this. And there certainly is a clown right now: PSA. This has never been clearer.
It's surprising enough what we managed from 2013 to 2014, that we resisted some of those matches (3 against NZ out of 4, SA...) or even won (England, crushing Italy...).
I tried to withstand it for a long, long, long period of time thinking of rational reasons...this has never been clearer than now though, the match in Cardiff was a gigantic eye-opener or rather enormous confirmation: Phillipe Saint-André, please sir, get the fukk out. Please. PLEASE !!!!!!! :cryy:

 

[gaston le gaff]

I also read Guscotts comments and what he said does not surprise me, having met the guy, he can be so far up his own arse that the light shineth not on the grey matter so dont worry what he says he has made himself look more of a clown than anyone else he ought to know better!!!!!!!!!!.
You have also to remember that if things are not good for France the Brits just love it and the knife goes in hard and fast, but i am so used to it its like water of a ducks back and funnily enough we can still win the Championship, then listen to the comments if that happens, remember all the negative comments before the 6 Nations and after the win against England !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SO PREDICTABLE!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have been telling you for ages PSA must go, not sure its going to happen probably 2 months before the WC!!!! which is about par for the FFR!!!!!!!

 

[Big Ewis]

I also read Guscotts comments and what he said does not surprise me, having met the guy, he can be so far up his own arse that the light shineth not on the grey matter so dont worry what he says he has made himself look more of a clown than anyone else he ought to know better!!!!!!!!!!.
You have also to remember that if things are not good for France the Brits just love it and the knife goes in hard and fast, but i am so used to it its like water of a ducks back and funnily enough we can still win the Championship, then listen to the comments if that happens, remember all the negative comments before the 6 Nations and after the win against England !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SO PREDICTABLE!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have been telling you for ages PSA must go, not sure its going to happen probably 2 months before the WC!!!! which is about par for the FFR!!!!!!!

man oh man that's such a hilarious bit right there !

I don't mind his comment too much though. Like I said, he's partially right. I just don't see in what quality he allows himself to make such a comment. That's like some Eskimo Inuit coming out of nowhere and comfortably criticizing England's lack of imagination in their game. Like, errrr, dude, who the fk are you again ???
But as for the content, partly true.

Yes the English gonna be English. It's cheap because it's so easy, and it's very typically boorish, but we each have our qualities and our flaws. That's part of the English flaw: instant jealousy over others' success, gigantic clichés for others (even though they'll say that about the French, which isn't entirely uncalled for...), and clinging onto whatever they can to taunt/criticize/shhit on in a very typically school yard, English kind of way. I've never found that atmosphere anywhere else in my life. There's a very typically English "na-na-na-na-na-na ! We're bettaaaaaah !!", hard to word...

Also, I reiterate: PSA, PLEAAAAAAAAAAAAASE LEAVE US ALONE !!! JUST LEAAAVE US ALO-HO-HoOoooooooone !!.....:cryy::cryy:

 

[Tony Manx]

..............Guscotts comments and what he said does not surprise me, having met the guy, he can be so far up his own arse that the light shineth not on the grey matter so dont worry what he says he has made himself look more of a clown than anyone else he ought to know better!!!!!!!!!!. You have also to remember that if things are not good for France the Brits just love it and the knife goes in hard and fast,

Two valid comments and, also having met him and endured him and Davies on BBC for far too many years, you are absolutely correct in both....Guscott plays to his audience and should have stuck with bricklaying after his career was over on the pitch!!

 

[Big Ewis]

give the ppl what they want.

 

[gaston le gaff]

Well here goes Gaston's predictions for this weekend.: first !!!!! must win for Montypellier with hopefully a bonus point!!!!!!! Stade Franchouillard are not bringing all all their Internationals resting Parisse Bonneval Plisson and Pape, but believe that when i see the team sheet tomorrow afternoon at the Stadium could be usual management hype!!!!!!!!!!.
Brive, BO, Toulon, Toulouse all home wins,difficult ones are, Racing v Castres and Bordeaux v Clermont (oups sorry Gaston's Supreme Masters) Although i'm not sure, but will go with Gaston's Supreme Masters as i would get into more trouble if i backed Bordeaux, and finally it has to be Racing as Castres are not brillianrt on the road although they did manage to screw us up in Montypellier earlier this season!!!!!!!!! Which hopefully should be Montypellier back in the top 3 by Sat evening if Gaston's magic plans work.!!!!!!!!

 

[gaston le gaff]

Starting line up for Montypellier v Stade Franchouillard Berard ; Ranger, Combezou, Ebersohn, Nagusa ; (o) Trinh-Duc (cap), (m) Paillaugue ; Gorgodze, Tulou, Bias ; Privat, Tchale-Watchou ; Mas, Geli, Nariashvili. Les remplaçants: Bianchin, Watremez, De Marco, Grant, Pelissié, Audrin, Faanunu.

Mamuka Gorgodze, Misha Nariashvili and Jimmy Nagusa return along with Jonathon Pelissie on the bench, looking for minimum 4 pts and hopefully 5pts.

 

[Big Ewis]

Well here goes Gaston's predictions for this weekend.: first !!!!! must win for Montypellier with hopefully a bonus point!!!!!!! Stade Franchouillard are not bringing all all their Internationals resting Parisse Bonneval Plisson and Pape, but believe that when i see the team sheet tomorrow afternoon at the Stadium could be usual management hype!!!!!!!!!!.
Brive, BO, Toulon, Toulouse all home wins,difficult ones are, Racing v Castres and Bordeaux v Clermont (oups sorry Gaston's Supreme Masters) Although i'm not sure, but will go with Gaston's Supreme Masters as i would get into more trouble if i backed Bordeaux, and finally it has to be Racing as Castres are not brillianrt on the road although they did manage to screw us up in Montypellier earlier this season!!!!!!!!! Which hopefully should be Montypellier back in the top 3 by Sat evening if Gaston's magic plans work.!!!!!!!!

Man, that was close...

And I've got all home wins*, MP I think will blast Stade Franchouillard by more than we think (if we think ti's goign to be super close the whole way). They've got that roller-coaster performance pattern, and FTD and co. will want to make amends for last week's disaster.
* all home wins except, I'll take the risk with ASM Clermont. Yeah, I can just call them Clermont, you know........
They've been on fantastic form and the most consistent side easily of the Top 14. They seem to never falter, if not for that one really bad game in Yves-du-Manoire, Montypellier. All close away games. I haven't followed the UBB with seething fervor this season but I see just about who they are, and I think Clermont are on a very good ascendency confidence-wise atm and will take a nice 4 points on the road.

 

[gaston le gaff]

As i said previously Stade Franchouillard media hype!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, notice the inclusion of Pape, Plisson trust no one especially a TOP 14 COACH !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Le XV de départ: Kingi ; Arias, P. Williams, Danty, Ioane ; (o) Steyn, (m) Fillol ; Nicolas, Lyons, Burban ; Mostert, Flanquart ; Slimani, Bonfils, Taulafo. Les remplaçants: Van Vuuren, Van der Merwe, Papé, Garrault, Dupuy, Plisson, Doumayrou, Attoub.

 

[Big Ewis]

niiiiiice teams on both sides, sumptuous to look at on paper. Now can they play to potential. I expect Montypellier to come out with fire, the good MP we've grown to love. But I think Stade Franchouillard will have an answer, looking at that squad, they didn't come to chill out.

Big battle up front with both French national tightheads Mas and Slimani. Good scrums on both sides, although Taulafo may be a lesser scrummager at loosehead than his vis-à-vis Nariashvili (I was going to say *token Georgian prop*).

Really nice wingers on both sides too: Ioane and Arias (one of the best try-scorers again this year) VS Nagusa (or token Fijian winger) alongside Ranger.

Finally, both teams have an interesting card to play with the subs, especially in the rhythm of the attacks with Pélissié for MP and Plisson for SF.

Hope this is as good as it looks !!!!

 

[Big Ewis]

The UBB beats Clermont. Bordeaux never ceases to impress, notably at home.
Clermont quite a different team from what we saw last week. Big credit out to the UBB for their pressure and insuring the win. Everything counts from now on til the end of the championship before the beginning of the playoffs.