Top 14 Day 3

[Tony Manx]

For what it's worth, this week I see the following

Stade try bonus pt win
Mont tbp win
Racingn tbp win
UBB and Bayonne 1-12 wins
Clermont v Toulouse as discussed, all depends on Clermont injuries and Toulouse level of seriousness of approach
And Grenoble v Toulon, ? I'm sure Grenoble will get a lbp, ...

Due to popular demand…………….

[TABLE="width: 100%"]
<tbody>[TR]
[TD="colspan: 4"]3e Journée
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]30/08
[/TD]
[TD]20:50
[/TD]
[TD]Stade Français
[/TD]
[TD]Biarritz Olympique BT Sport Live
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]31/08
[/TD]
[TD]15:00
[/TD]
[TD]ASM Clermont
[/TD]
[TD]Stade Toulousain BT Sport Live
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD] -
[/TD]
[TD]18:30
[/TD]
[TD]Union Bordeaux-Bègles
[/TD]
[TD]Castres Olympique
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD] -
[/TD]
[TD]18:30
[/TD]
[TD]Montpellier Hérault Rugby
[/TD]
[TD]CA Brive-Corrèze
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD] -
[/TD]
[TD]18:30
[/TD]
[TD]Racing Métro 92
[/TD]
[TD]Oyonnax
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD] -
[/TD]
[TD]20:30
[/TD]
[TD]Aviron Bayonnais
[/TD]
[TD]Perpignan
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD] -
[/TD]
[TD]20:35
[/TD]
[TD]Grenoble
[/TD]
[TD]Rugby Club Toulonnais BT Sport Live
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]

[/TD]
[TD]
[/TD]
[TD]
[/TD]
[TD] [/TD]
[/TR]
</tbody>[/TABLE]
I will reserve my predictions though until I see more of the team selection news as got caught last week!!

On the injury front (and besides those of Clermont) - Dubarry is out for at least 8 weeks due to a collar bone injury sustained last week against Montpellier for BO and Toulouse are searching for a medical joker at prop after Vasil Kakovin suffered a serious knee injury that will see him out for months.

 

[Big Ewis]

aaaaaaaaaaalriiiiiiiiiight.......ASM STADE TOULOUSAINGUE !!
Clermont, at home, will want to bounce right back after last week's sort of embarrassing loss...this could turn ugly for the old Stade Toulousain...should look pretty good, but Clermont's backs will likely outshine Toulouse's hard-nose style...

Stade and Biarritz could be a lot of fun too...Biarritz still have a sexy team on paper, dunno if it's coaching or just how loaded other teams were last year but I feel (as a few...) they may have under-produced a little. Hopefully they show a stronger aspect this year. But SF is strong too on paper this year...

 

[IRISH RUGBY MAN]

How has Johnny Sexton gone these first couple rounds? Haven't been able to see any of Racings matches but hope Johnny has started well

 

[Draggs]

How has Johnny Sexton gone these first couple rounds? Haven't been able to see any of Racings matches but hope Johnny has started well

Racing have been pretty ****, but he isn't the issue. Kicking was a bit of a mixed bag.
For all the money Racing have spent, they haven't much to show for it right now.

 

[gaston le gaff]

Have to agree with the above (Draggs) at the moment both Sexton and Roberts have under performed, but they are not on their own the whole team + new coaches have shown nowhere near what everyone was expecting, it is still early days but points lost are never regained and the thumping they took against Toulon will have certainly effected morale we will see!!!!but this weekend they should get the better of Oyonnax.

 

[BasqueBete]

Prod2

Lyon

Who thinks they will get house in order ths season, and actually threaten promotion?

Last season a joke. They cleared out the coaches yeah?

Also felt last season , everyone wanted to rub Lyon 's nose In the merde....

With that squad, they surely must do better, and starting off with Carcassonne, that's definitely a game Lyon should be aiming for some revenge, lost both hme n away last season...

We shall see

I quite like La Rochelle's chances this season..

 

[BasqueBete]

Ps good to read that noves has got hump about instructions on player rotation over next three games In 8 days (madness)

I really hope they take this clermont game seriously....

There's a chance there for sure....

 

[Tony Manx]

OK in order

Yoe.....Biarritz have not underperformed as too many people have said over the last few years and do not look good on paper......Traille, Harinordouquy, Barcella, Balshaw and Ngwenya and, of course, Yachvilli are probably the stand out players or "stars" but the first two seem to have regressed siince their international days where they were, as they were for Biarritz, brilliant. They are not now and they are into their 30's without the lure of international caps to motivate them. They are, in a nutshell, past it! Barcella has not been the same player since his injuries where he missed the best part of two seasons and it is doubtful that he will ever be again. Balshaw has been super but again is ageing and will be interested to see how he fits in when he comes back from surgery in May. Zee and Yach retain their ability but they are like beacons standing out from the medicrity about them........the squad has suffered from poor recruitment and I am not sure too many people have been let go rather than the good ones leaving such as Dusatoir, Cronje, Lauret etc. They are in for a very tough season and must rely on team spirit and comaraderie, discpline, organisation and determination to overcome their lack of quality and stave off relegation for another season.

Irish Rugby Man - Sexton has been awful in comparison to his days at Leinster in the two matches to date BUT as many have said, there a huge number of new players and two new coaches at Racing which will all take time to bed down....it took Toulon best part of three years and a change to Laporte to really bring out the best of their individuals and make them a team. Sexton and Lydiate and Roberts (probably) will make it in the Top 14 but they need the people around them to understand what they are doing, to play as a team and actually secure some decent and long period of ball!! His kicking has been average but then confidence is needed for that and you do not get it if you are playing catch up. Mind you, it was mixed at Lenister anyway and he has Ronan now to show him how to do it!!

Basquetebete......I can understand Noves telling the LNR to butt out when they are telling clubs to manage their players and not to allow players to play all three games in 9 days that the LNR itself scheduled. It is ridiculous and unfair on those, like Barritz, with wafer thin squads, and those, like ST, who have to play three top teams (ASM, Racing and Montpellier). They should address the matter of when games are played and whether there are too many with better scheduling than telling managers what to do as they fail to act responsibly themselves. I think they will give up on the ASM fixture as an away one against a team with the unbeaten home record of ASM and concentrate on Racing and MHR...............

Castro and Ghezal both suspended until 11th September for their fight at Toulon last Friday............

 

[gaston le gaff]

Here goes for my predictions,taking the bull by the horns, home wins for everyone, including Grenoble, i am under the influence that this will be the toughest yet TOP 14 and matches at home will have more importance than away games for many of the teams, especially the ones that could struggle later on in the season. Close games will be BOR B v Castres, Bayonne v Perpignan. Montpellier have to get the bonus point as the 5 pts puts back in contention, but nothing this season will be easy, well not until the return games when some of the smaller weaker squads start to suffer with fatigue.
Have a great rugby weekend, on Suday we are off to La Salle, grass roots rugby small pitch surrounded by trees with river running 10 mts from the touchline, MHR espoirs are playing Grenoble espoirs, with Bar, Barbie etc, so different from the TOP 14 but probably more enjoyable as i am there as a tourist and no duties to perform superb !!!!! The boss could be driving on the return journey but its less than 20kms.

 

[Big Ewis]

OK in order

Yoe.....Biarritz have not underperformed as too many people have said over the last few years and do not look good on paper......Traille, Harinordouquy, Barcella, Balshaw and Ngwenya and, of course, Yachvilli are probably the stand out players or "stars" but the first two seem to have regressed siince their international days where they were, as they were for Biarritz, brilliant. They are not now and they are into their 30's without the lure of international caps to motivate them. They are, in a nutshell, past it! Barcella has not been the same player since his injuries where he missed the best part of two seasons and it is doubtful that he will ever be again. Balshaw has been super but again is ageing and will be interested to see how he fits in when he comes back from surgery in May. Zee and Yach retain their ability but they are like beacons standing out from the medicrity about them........the squad has suffered from poor recruitment and I am not sure too many people have been let go rather than the good ones leaving such as Dusatoir, Cronje, Lauret etc. They are in for a very tough season and must rely on team spirit and comaraderie, discpline, organisation and determination to overcome their lack of quality and stave off relegation for another season.

right. Good points actually, I should've seen coming. Spoke too fast I guess...Imanol has clearly been on the decline since the injury and the 2011 RWC. Yach ain't hoping for a selection now for sure...they just look pretty on paper, though not LOADED.

gaston:
I've got to disagree for Grenoble. Toulon's getting this one, they're vexed enough from tying that first match in MP.

 

[gaston le gaff]

For Yoe 91 you are allowed to disagree but you may not be right, then again i could be just as wrong. so we will have to wait and see, but you could also give your own predictions then we will all be on a level playing field making mistakes together!!!!!

 

[BasqueBete]

If Biarritz had all their players available, then yes, a decent team and worthy of challenging for a hcup place with a great deal of luck and clever managment in the way, but the front row depth and quality is poor, and this is a key area. I think everyone would agree with me that the scrums and Lineouts In the first two matches have certainly been their Achilles heel. Heguy's throwing in atrocious, on Saturday, key Lineout with about 5 mins to go, on halfway line, and he failed to hit no2 jumper, which handed the initiative back to MHR, and had me sweating again on my bet.
Injuries to yqchvili and Waenga, would expose biarritz terribly. Sad to say, but BO need to approach this season (and probably future seasons until drastic overhaul) as if they are a firm favourite to be relegated and therefore every opportunity to pick up wins and losing bonus pts need to be grasped as if their lives depended on it, cos they do..

And dare i say it, but they might just need to approach the amlin cup like Bordeaux did last season, and not give a hoot about it..cos 32 + games is going to cause a great deal of stress on this squad..

 

[BasqueBete]

I do have to say that I'm very impressed with stade So far, and this year I believe they will have the best challenge to reach the playoffs. Winning away at perpignan (now twice in 4 months) is not an easy task, and they ran Grenoble real close.

With the return to their new stadium, the addition of morne steyn , and revenge for drubbing they received at BO at end of last season, it could very well be party time on Friday night. No home crowd and Lady Luck on BO's side this week. With a degree of player rotation in their first two games, and BO not having that luxury in the opening rounds it could get nasty for BO..

 

[Tony Manx]

If Biarritz had all their players available, then yes, a decent team and worthy of challenging for a hcup place with a great deal of luck and clever managment in the way, but the front row depth and quality is poor, and this is a key area. I think everyone would agree with me that the scrums and Lineouts In the first two matches have certainly been their Achilles heel. Heguy's throwing in atrocious, on Saturday, key Lineout with about 5 mins to go, on halfway line, and he failed to hit no2 jumper, which handed the initiative back to MHR, and had me sweating again on my bet.
Injuries to yqchvili and Waenga, would expose biarritz terribly. Sad to say, but BO need to approach this season (and probably future seasons until drastic overhaul) as if they are a firm favourite to be relegated and therefore every opportunity to pick up wins and losing bonus pts need to be grasped as if their lives depended on it, cos they do..

And dare i say it, but they might just need to approach the amlin cup like Bordeaux did last season, and not give a hoot about it..cos 32 + games is going to cause a great deal of stress on this squad..

Excellent post and agree with all of it except, perhaps, that they could challenge for the H Cup qualifiaction with this squad if they were all available! I just cannot see that!

I think only Pieterson and Ngwenya would add anything to the team that has played in the first two matches and then they would have to get the ball to make any difference! The problem with that is they cannot get the ball when they are getting beaten at the line out and the scrums and Traille and Gimenz are not all that keen to pass the ball as opposed to seeking personal glory.............

Balshaw and Imanol would fit in this level of team but they are no better than what we have playing already? I think Dubarry is going to be a loss and you are right, if we lose Yach, Waenga or Erik Lund, we will have a lot of problems...............I am not planning on going to any Amlin (or H Cup) play offs at Anoeta anytime in the next few years!!

With the return to their new stadium, the addition of morne steyn , and revenge for drubbing they received at BO at end of last season, it could very well be party time on Friday night. No home crowd and Lady Luck on BO's side this week. With a degree of player rotation in their first two games, and BO not having that luxury in the opening rounds it could get nasty for BO..

Saves me from saying the same thing!! Who are they going to "rotate" in the next three games?

 

[BasqueBete]

Ha ha, I don't blame you, and I sincerely hope they put pride away and pick the most peripheral players for the amlin this season.

Well done mentioning Eric, my mistake for missing him out, as he represents the balls of steel which is going to be much needed this season.

No delusions of grandeur, it's a 26 game dogfight, to the death,

The next three games, a v stade , a v oyonnax and h v Toulon. In 9 days...

If u were coach , which games would you throw the towel in for, and which game would u reserve the arsenal for...because they are going to have to make a decision, that xv can not play 5 games unchanged..

 

[BasqueBete]

Ps, who organised these fixtures? Rhetorical question..

Clermont play three major teams, Toulon bash up three relegation candidates...for a start, would it not have been a good weekend matchday 4&5, to get a number of derbies out of the way and cut down on travelling...

 

[Tony Manx]

The next three games, a v stade , a v oyonnax and h v Toulon. In 9 days...

If u were coach , which games would you throw the towel in for, and which game would u reserve the arsenal for...because they are going to have to make a decision, that xv can not play 5 games unchanged..

I asked you first!!..............my preference would be the Toulon game as we do not stand a chance there - unless we play their fourth team - but can Blanco permit that at home? A lot of the season ticket holders are already nervous about renewing next year so he needs to provide them with something but I suppose survival might be all he can do!

On that basis, however, I think we will throw the Stade game and try like hell to beat Oyonnax as they are direct challengers for Top 14 preservation next season!!

Ps, who organised these fixtures? Rhetorical question..

Clermont play three major teams, Toulon bash up three relegation candidates...for a start, would it not have been a good weekend matchday 4&5, to get a number of derbies out of the way and cut down on travelling...

Idiots organised the fixtures and dates! What you propose is far too bloody sensible for the LNR to think about!

 

[BasqueBete]

Ha ha, fixtures organisers, they must all smoke the same thing the world over..

Sorry, u are correct, u did ask me the question first, I missed that..

It's a tricky problem, it wouldn't be nice to be smashed in consecutive home games v Toulon, but as u say, a) it's a difficult task to avoid but b) home fans will expect ful effort...

putting in full effort away at oyonnax is the most sensible route, but the lack of turnaround time is dreadful...

Stade are going to have revenge and party head on, so they also represent a daunting task..

It's not an easy problem to solve.. Personally I would rotate as much as possible, pray for best 2 pts, and target Grenoble at home as a must 5 pts...

There's simply a huge cliff fall between BO best xv and the rest of squad..

 

[Tony Manx]

putting in full effort away at oyonnax is the most sensible route, but the lack of turnaround time is dreadful.....

They have a tough game away to Raciing so it is a level playing field in that respect......I reckon we can do 'em with our best team....they must be over confident now!!

 

[BasqueBete]

I don't see a team outside of strong play off contenders winning away at oyonnax, like Grenoble last season.

Like grenoble last season, I expect oyonnax to send weak team away to racing, and focus on their home games..

What's the score with joe petersen, has his contract / visa probs been cleared now?