Top 14 Day 24

[Tony Manx]

[TABLE="width: 100%"]
<tbody>[TR="class: infoboxheadlite, bgcolor: #E9EAEA"]
[TH="bgcolor: #FFFFFF, colspan: 4"]24e Journée[/TH]
[/TR]
[TR="class: altrow, bgcolor: #EEEEEE"]
[TD="class: textcenter, align: center"]11/04[/TD]
[TD="class: textcenter, align: center"]20:45[/TD]
[TD="class: textright, align: right"]ASM Clermont[/TD]
[TD]Castres Olympique[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: textcenter, align: center"]12/04[/TD]
[TD="class: textcenter, align: center"]15:00[/TD]
[TD="class: textright, align: right"]Union Bordeaux-Bègles[/TD]
[TD]Rugby Club Toulonnais[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: altrow, bgcolor: #EEEEEE"]
[TD="class: textcenter, align: center"] -[/TD]
[TD="class: textcenter, align: center"]18:30[/TD]
[TD="class: textright, align: right"]Aviron Bayonnais[/TD]
[TD]Stade Fontett[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: textcenter, align: center"] -[/TD]
[TD="class: textcenter, align: center"]18:30[/TD]
[TD="class: textright, align: right"]Grenoble[/TD]
[TD]Montypellier Hérault Rugby[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: altrow, bgcolor: #EEEEEE"]
[TD="class: textcenter, align: center"] -[/TD]
[TD="class: textcenter, align: center"]18:30[/TD]
[TD="class: textright, align: right"]Perpignan[/TD]
[TD]Oyonnax[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: textcenter, align: center"] -[/TD]
[TD="class: textcenter, align: center"]18:30[/TD]
[TD="class: textright, align: right"]Racing Métro 92[/TD]
[TD]Bloody Out and down[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: altrow, bgcolor: #EEEEEE"]
[TD="class: textcenter, align: center"] -[/TD]
[TD="class: textcenter, align: center"]20:35[/TD]
[TD="class: textright, align: right"]Stade Toulousain[/TD]
[TD]CA Brive-Corrèze[/TD]
[/TR]
</tbody>[/TABLE]

Just three games to go and what is left...well the top six is now between just the top eight clubs but I will stick with the six teams at the top now being there come the play offs.

The last drop place is between three teams and it will all become much clearer after two of them (USAP and Oyonnax) play against each other this week end and I am going for Oyonnax whilst "the Gods" are sticking with USAP no doubt.

Wins for ASM, (although I think that this could be a tricky one for them after their performance against Tigers) RCT (that all French team that hammers the Irish), SF (more in hope than true expectation), MHR (who else), Oyonnax, Racing (well everyone else seems to have walked all over the Bloody Opeless this season) and ST (they have to come good sometime before Noves is pensioned off!!).........

 

[Big Ewis]

Noves may be obsolete, it's true...Toulouse have been incredibly stagnant and stale for a long time now...
I have a feeling Clermont might win this weekend....

mmmm some tricky games to call this weekend. I can see all home wins but Toulon, Stade Fontett (lol), MP and Oyonnax.

I'm gonna go with all home wins but SF.

 

[gaston le gaff]

so is that just all home wins or all home wins!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! excluding SF of course i will get back to you on that, after i call in my translator!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[gaston le gaff]

Went to training yesterday and great to see Fulgence again running round the park obviously no physical contact yet but great to see he is on the mend after the shoulder op now 5/6 months
This weekend!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Things will be decided!!!!!!!!!
Who goes down maybe !!!!!!
Who qualifies TOP 6 maybe !!!!
But not all of them !!!!!!!!!!!!!
Only some of them!!!!!!!!!!!!!
But could be clearer !!!!!!!!!!!
Gaston and company have an excellent weekend in Grenoble!!!!!!!!!!
Maybe a win and 4 pts !!!!!!!
Maybe a win and 5 points!!!
Already huge match to start the weekend off, will Castres become victim No. 76.......
Maybe's, Couldbe's, excitement, despair, jubilation, desperation, happy, sad, tears of joy, just tears!!!
8 Teams 8 points difference, only in the TOP 14,do you get this competitive and all those foreigners just waiting to explode, Rugby World Cup every weekend!!!!!!!!!!
WOW the World must be envious.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
and 2 teams qualified for the H Cup semis!!!!!!!
if this is not joy what is.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Money can't buy you everything but IT HELPS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Tony Manx]

Went to training yesterday and great to see Fulgence again running round the park obviously no physical contact yet but great to see he is on the mend after the shoulder op now 5/6 months
This weekend!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Things will be decided!!!!!!!!!
Who goes down maybe !!!!!!
Who qualifies TOP 6 maybe !!!!
But not all of them !!!!!!!!!!!!!
Only some of them!!!!!!!!!!!!!
But could be clearer !!!!!!!!!!!
Gaston and company have an excellent weekend in Grenoble!!!!!!!!!!
Maybe a win and 4 pts !!!!!!!
Maybe a win and 5 points!!!
Already huge match to start the weekend off, will Castres become victim No. 76.......
Maybe's, Couldbe's, excitement, despair, jubilation, desperation, happy, sad, tears of joy, just tears!!!
8 Teams 8 points difference, only in the TOP 14,do you get this competitive and all those foreigners just waiting to explode, Rugby World Cup every weekend!!!!!!!!!!
WOW the World must be envious.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
and 2 teams qualified for the H Cup semis!!!!!!!
if this is not joy what is.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Money can't buy you everything but IT HELPS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Always got to give it you for enthusiasm and the exclamation marks..............of course!

 

[gaston le gaff]

I know you have all been waiting with baited breath for Gastons predictions here they are.........
Bayonne, Bordeaux, Clermont,Usap, Racing, and Toulouse all home wins.
Hopefully because i and many friends will be present at Grenoble to support TOP of the Table MONTYPELLIER, i think we should just about squeeze an away win. and if we drink enough during the weekend a possible attacking bonus point but that could be stretching it a wee bit!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
There will definitely be a few headaches whatever happens!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Big Ewis]

Went to training yesterday and great to see Fulgence again running round the park obviously no physical contact yet but great to see he is on the mend after the shoulder op now 5/6 months
This weekend!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Things will be decided!!!!!!!!!
Who goes down maybe !!!!!!
Who qualifies TOP 6 maybe !!!!
But not all of them !!!!!!!!!!!!!
Only some of them!!!!!!!!!!!!!
But could be clearer !!!!!!!!!!!
Gaston and company have an excellent weekend in Grenoble!!!!!!!!!!
Maybe a win and 4 pts !!!!!!!
Maybe a win and 5 points!!!
Already huge match to start the weekend off, will Castres become victim No. 76.......
Maybe's, Couldbe's, excitement, despair, jubilation, desperation, happy, sad, tears of joy, just tears!!!
8 Teams 8 points difference, only in the TOP 14,do you get this competitive and all those foreigners just waiting to explode, Rugby World Cup every weekend!!!!!!!!!!
WOW the World must be envious.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
and 2 teams qualified for the H Cup semis!!!!!!!
if this is not joy what is.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Money can't buy you everything but IT HELPS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

over-exuberance. Not a bad thing to have in life !
Yeah so Toulouse better make amends...still can't believe that result at Munster. It's not even shameful, it's just...it shouldn't happen. Period. Nothing to discuss.

 

[Big Ewis]

I know you have all been waiting with baited breath for Gastons predictions here they are.........
Bayonne, Bordeaux, Clermont,Usap, Racing, and Toulouse all home wins.
Hopefully because i and many friends will be present at Grenoble to support TOP of the Table MONTYPELLIER, i think we should just about squeeze an away win. and if we drink enough during the weekend a possible attacking bonus point but that could be stretching it a wee bit!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
There will definitely be a few headaches whatever happens!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

and yes, of course, how could we not be eager to read the now inevitable gaston's prediction's (C).

 

[Big Ewis]

Sivivatu still out. No Rougerie this time.
An all-French first row, with Domingo resting and Zirak on the bench. Hopefully Clément Ric can take advantage of that starting role and show us what he can do.

 

[gaston le gaff]

Even without their best players its still very impressive and can't see Castres coming close they will be marked as just NO. 76 in the history books.

 

[Big Ewis]

Even without their best players its still very impressive and can't see Castres coming close they will be marked as just NO. 76 in the history books.

that's right. They're capable of putting 40 past the reigning French champs. That back-line, 9-15 with Buttin off the bench, has what it takes to wound any team mortally.
An almost all-french pack (Bardy is listed as Portuguese but really he's French), if not for the big Canadian there at 4.

 

[Big Ewis]

very nice team, but no Dulin or Marcial. And no way it wins on Clermont soil...
But Grosso is my "chouchou" on the wing, and I've been following him since he came in from Lyon. I think he'll be a great winger with a few shots at the xv de France for sure.

 

[gaston le gaff]

Well at last the team to take hopefully 4 pts of Grenoble this weekend............

Le XV de départ: Berard ; Nagusa, Tuitavaka, Ebersohn, Ranger ; (o) Trinh-Duc, (m) Pélissié ; Gorgodze, Tulou, Bias ; Privat, De Marco ; Mas, Geli, Nariashvili. Remplaçants: Bianchin, Watremez, Hamilton, Grant, Paillaugue, Timani, Dupont, Lobo.

2 ex grenoblois Pelissie at 9 and Lucas Dupont on the bench, good scrum!!! and probably the best half back partnership in the TOP 14 at this moment !!!!!!!!!!!!!! + we will be there could be a very tough weekend !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Big Ewis]

This team can definitely win in Bayonne. Although they seemed to have misspelled Stade Fontett there....very strange, I mean it's the offici....ah, probably just a typo. But still.

 

[Tony Manx]

I agree BE....have they not been following our thread.......................Parisiennes.......a***holes!!

 

[Big Ewis]

I agree BE....have they not been following our thread.......................Parisiennes.......a***holes!!

yeaaah seriously fk em !

Apart from that though, happy to see a predominantly French team every once in a while in the Top 14

 

[gaston le gaff]

Castres become victim No. 76, not a great game Castres domminated in the 1st half and had the lead, Clermont made a million errors and played badly but got their act together in the 2nd half and got themselves 2 tries finally winning 23-11. if we win tonight we will still be top !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Tony Manx]

Glad did not get to see it then by the sounds of it......!!

 

[Big Ewis]

Castres become victim No. 76, not a great game Castres domminated in the 1st half and had the lead, Clermont made a million errors and played badly but got their act together in the 2nd half and got themselves 2 tries finally winning 23-11. if we win tonight we will still be top !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I actually totally forgot they were playing on Friday <_<
Happy to see Castres gave Clermont a hard fight, but happy also the streak is still going. A 12 point victory, not bad...

Won't be able to watch Toulouse tonight unfortunately, I have real life to attend to. Will definitely try to catch Toulon in a couple of hrs though.

And yes, huge game for MP this weekend. Big stakes.

 

[Tony Manx]

With Bayonne and USAP both winning and Oyonnax and Grenoble losing, relegation has not been decided (other than the Bloody Opeless who got trashed again) for those four teams with only four points between them with two to play......High scoring match saw Grenoble taken down at home by the unstoppable Montypellier (by 6 points out of a total of 66) to leave MHR on top again, and no doubt making the weekend a fine one for the Gaston on his gastronomic tour of rugby grounds!!! Toulon managed a defeat away at UBB (as did Munster at home to Glasgow) so no doubt both H Cup semi finalists were resting key players?

[TABLE="width: 100%"]
<tbody>[TR="class: infoboxheadlite, bgcolor: #E9EAEA"]
[TH="bgcolor: #FFFFFF, colspan: 4"]24e Journée[/TH]
[/TR]
[TR="class: altrow, bgcolor: #EEEEEE"]
[TD="class: textcenter, align: center"]12/04/2014[/TD]
[TD="class: textright, align: right"]Stade Toulousain[/TD]
[TD="class: textcenter, align: center"]16 - 9[/TD]
[TD="class: textleft"]CA Brive-Corrèze[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: textcenter, align: center"]-[/TD]
[TD="class: textright, align: right"]Aviron Bayonnais[/TD]
[TD="class: textcenter, align: center"]24 - 19[/TD]
[TD="class: textleft"]Stade Français[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: altrow, bgcolor: #EEEEEE"]
[TD="class: textcenter, align: center"]-[/TD]
[TD="class: textright, align: right"]Grenoble[/TD]
[TD="class: textcenter, align: center"]30 - 36[/TD]
[TD="class: textleft"]Montpellier Hérault Rugby[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: textcenter, align: center"]-[/TD]
[TD="class: textright, align: right"]Perpignan[/TD]
[TD="class: textcenter, align: center"]22 - 12[/TD]
[TD="class: textleft"]Oyonnax[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: altrow, bgcolor: #EEEEEE"]
[TD="class: textcenter, align: center"]-[/TD]
[TD="class: textright, align: right"]Racing Métro 92[/TD]
[TD="class: textcenter, align: center"]37 - 7[/TD]
[TD="class: textleft"]Biarritz Olympique[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: textcenter, align: center"]-[/TD]
[TD="class: textright, align: right"]Union Bordeaux-Bègles[/TD]
[TD="class: textcenter, align: center"]20 - 22[/TD]
[TD="class: textleft"]Rugby Club Toulonnais[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: altrow, bgcolor: #EEEEEE"]
[TD="class: textcenter, align: center"]11/04/2014[/TD]
[TD="class: textright, align: right"]ASM Clermont[/TD]
[TD="class: textcenter, align: center"]23 - 11[/TD]
[TD="class: textleft"]Castres Olympique[/TD]
[/TR]
</tbody>[/TABLE]