Top 14 day 9

[Tony Manx]

Great personal story about Blanco and Biarritz [video]http://www.lequipe.fr/Rugby/Actualites/Blanco-tout-pour-sa-mere/506418[/video]

Wonder who organised the PR push...........himself or the FFR!!

My feelings about him are very mixed.....adored him as a player and loved the way he played the game (on and reportedly off the field!) and also hear nothing but good things about him as a man by people who are very close to him.

YET, what has he done to Biarritz Olympique but dragged it down through misplaced loyalty and poor judgement!!!

 

[FrenchFan]

I like the first part of the programme about his youth and growing up without a father and finding himself in rugby. The club became the family he didn't have. I didn't know that.

This is another PR exercise orchestrated by FFR, I agree. They owned the rugby media. Listen to the BS about les Bleus. It's just endless.

The thruth is FFR couldn't give a flying **** about les Bleus. 2015-16 are all about having their man elected as the next president and building their 600 M euros stadium.

When you hear the socialists moaning about the money in Top 14, it's really chicken feed compared with the money FFR are going to sink in that stadium. They will be in DEBT close to 300 M when the stadium is built. The system is just so screwed up.

Let's face it Blanco is being groomed as the next president this year. Nobody will challenge him. Its like the Politburo. Good luck to Laporte for even trying.

 

[Tony Manx]

One can only hope he gets the job and has to give up his day job..............why ruin a club when he can ruin a Country!!!!

 

[gaston le gaff]

But if Blanco is the new President who will be the new coach !!!!!! at the moment even Blanco would be hard set to make things worse than they already are!!!!!!!!!!!!! The only decent 10 is now with broken leg!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[FrenchFan]

Blanco will pick the next coach.

Don't worry things are going to get worse with the 30 day game limit as we advance in the season. Widening the list to 74ish players now also creates more confusion among the players and clubs and staff itself. They should be narrowing that list as we get closer to the world cup not enlarge it.

Did you hear the war of words over a mere 3-day training camp? read the comments from Azema and Laporte in Rugbyrama, and there was no training with opposition, no actual game, no doublon! The European cups are kicking off this weekend so internationals will be involved in more games. But at this stage how do coaches know which internationals should be rested and which can play?!

 

[Big Ewis]

no Top quatorze zis next week hein...and this thread is totally obsoleted and deserted now so I can just swear all I want in French as this website only censors English...putain fait chier bordel de sa race d'enculé de merde, pédé de mes deux pete les couilles putain de sa mere j'veux du Top 14 merde !!!!..

 

[gaston le gaff]

good to see they has been a relative improvement in your pros BE especially the French ones, been too quiet around here for the last two weeks. Welcome back!!!!!!

 

[Big Ewis]

haha thanks, I've missed the near-unhealthy; well actually, completely unhealthy; atmosphere of the Top 14 TRF wonderland !

The standings as of now, after 9 Days and right before the European comps weekend:




Can you believe a team as good as Racing are outside the 6 !! And opposite that, can you believe Toulouse is (as good as) 8th ?! Bordeaux with +80pts, same as league best Clermont, godDAAMMN those boys like to put points on that board..7-2 for Clermont so far, lookin guuuud.

 

[iINDOMINUSxx]

haha thanks, I've missed the near-unhealthy; well actually, completely unhealthy; atmosphere of the Top 14 TRF wonderland !

The standings as of now, after 9 Days and right before the European comps weekend:

View attachment 3340


Can you believe a team as good as Racing are outside the 6 !! And opposite that, can you believe Toulouse is (as good as) 8th ?! Bordeaux with +80pts, same as league best Clermont, godDAAMMN those boys like to put points on that board..7-2 for Clermont so far, lookin guuuud.

but ewis its only early days everything will change

 

[FrenchFan]

no Top quatorze zis next week hein...and this thread is totally obsoleted and deserted now so I can just swear all I want in French as this website only censors English...putain fait chier bordel de sa race d'enculé de merde, pédé de mes deux pete les couilles putain de sa mere j'veux du Top 14 merde !!!!..

Who said this thread is over? Hey Welcome Back Big E. What a start he he. Bienvenue mon gars on va la leur mettre gravos!!

Don't worry the Top quatorze will be back soon enough. No rest for the wearies. A little distraction from Europe's top league with some European amuse-gueule in the background. It's good opportunity for the clubs to fill their 2nd and 3rd and 4th squads and try new combinations, new players, younsters at the deep end you name it!

 

[FrenchFan]

but ewis its only early days everything will change

True this will change. I expect the big guys to pick up speed after Xmas. Toulouse is going to have to. At this stage I think even Europe is only just a distraction to them. They're going to need all hands on deck and pick things up in a major way when the league resumes.

Really impressed with UBB and the exciting running rugby they've played so far. Will be hard to keep it up all the way to the play-offs as they lack depth. Will defo travel to their next game at home. They also have the best attendance in the league so far which should help sustain them.

 

[gaston le gaff]

We have the same old problem every year, the big guns Toulon and Clermont will go for the ECC most seriously, but the rest which i do include Montpellier have far bigger fish to fry with the TOP 14, we are in goood contention for the TOP 14 which gives us a chance to try and qualify for the 1/4's of the ECC, but the depth is just not deep enough to go much further in both comps, and the club wants a Bouclier before the ECC and while we still have Galthie with us!!!! It does give us the chance to try out new combies without getting into dark places, and gives some well deserved rest to others.

 

[Big Ewis]

aloha FrenchFan !What ppl (outside France) have to understand is it's not saying little than to say a club focuses on the Top 14 only. Think, EVEN a Montypol or Toulouse may have their hands full, way full enough with 'just' the Top 14 season. It takes absolute giants and near perfect seasons for those teams to really compete on both fronts. Yeah there's Clermont and Toulon right now...Racing have started very well and may have nice things to show this year. Then there's Castres, we all know the story here. No way they're doing anything at the Euro Cup when they're -78pts in the Top 14.

French clubs don't seem like they give the slightest fk about the Challenge Cup either...they all field second, third string sides and most lose largely, even at home.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Yeah, I was pleasantly surprised Racing put forward near enough our top team against Northampton. Looks like we are taking it seriously. In the Top14 we could've easily be in 3 ATM if we could kick our goals. Between 2 and 7 there is only 4 log points. It is tight but I fully expect us to be top 6 at the end of the Top 14 season even if we put a focus on the Euro C Cup. But that is assuming we make up ground in the Top 14 between 'breaks'. I fully understand the Top 14 first mentality; I mean it is literally first in that you have to make sure you stay in the league and keep your players first. Much more difficult to do in France than in the other leagues, no question.

 

[FrenchFan]

Blanco will pick the next coach.

Don't worry things are going to get worse with the 30 day game limit as we advance in the season. Widening the list to 74ish players now also creates more confusion among the players and clubs and staff itself. They should be narrowing that list as we get closer to the world cup not enlarge it.

Did you hear the war of words over a mere 3-day training camp? read the comments from Azema and Laporte in Rugbyrama, and there was no training with opposition, no actual game, no doublon! The European cups are kicking off this weekend so internationals will be involved in more games. But at this stage how do coaches know which internationals should be rested and which can play?!

Interesting interview of Eric Blanc former Racing player and TV consultant but also co-founder of the Eden Park brand.

"on fait souvent des pas en arrière en essayant trop de joueurs ! Passer à soixante-quatorze, ça ne rime à rien !". (we often take a few steps back by trying too many players! Moving to 74 players doesn't make sense!)

Exactly what I said 1 week ago.

http://www.rugbyrama.fr/rugby/eric-...-reellement-s-exprimer_sto4445767/story.shtml

 

[gaston le gaff]

To be fair the majority of people knew this was a step backwards, where are you going to try out 74 players we did not need Blanc to tell us that, it's somewhat stating the obvious????? many people have stated their opinions and after the last session where we play no one, but injuries occur through the fault of the management how can anyone have confidence in what happens in Paris. If you look at the list and the zero capers are several how can you consider this with a WC less than a year away, this should have been done 3yrs ago. Whatever happens now and up to the WC is just going to annoy everyone but the only thing positive is that as soon as it is over PSA will be given the red card, gold watch, and thankyou, now fu** off.

Tuitavake Montpellier's centre out for 5 weeks double fracture nose and plancher orbital, (cheek bone) we are not having much luck at the moment.

 

[gaston le gaff]

the part where he mention,s that younger players do not get their chances in the TOP 14 is great, so what happens we loan YOUNGER players to the Pro D2, injuries happen eg. FTD and we ask for the loaned player back from Dax Illian Perraux and we can't have him all 3 parties have to give consent and Dax will not so what happens clubs will no longer loan players this is the NEW DEAL created by the LNR for this season another well thought monstrosity ??????? UNBELIEVABLY BRILLIANT!!!!!!!!!!! so now the younger players will turn out for the Espoirs week in week out looking perhaps for an injury to one of the pro players to get themselves into the pro squad.
they are dishing out No Belle prizes at the moment maybe a group one for the LNR???? maybe the Muppet No BELLE prize would be apt!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[FrenchFan]

of course it's stating the obvious. It's just common sense. There's just not enough games left to see that many players.

They should have whittled down the group to 30 - 35 players by now. PSA is almost acting like he is going to get another 4 year mandate and planning for the long term when he has only 10 or 12 games left.

What amazes me is how sheepish the media are about it. They are so controlled by the FFR propaganda that not many journos will actually go out and question the stupidity of what les Bleus have become.

 

[gaston le gaff]

I think the media have just got fed up with the whole issue and wiped it clean as it's all been said a thousand times flogging a dead horse comes to mind, at the moment we have ECC and Challenge maybe they will drag it up in Nov. have already got my tickets for France v Fidji on the 8th.

 

[Big Ewis]

mmouais, nothing new. No news whatsoever. In fact, I'd say the 74 player thing isn't interesting at all, like, it's neither positive nor negative as it doesn't address the main problem. There is only that problem. Tired players, long calendars, issues with players today reading the game, lacking on the technical-skill level, trying out the right players...etc...that is all well, well secondary.
The point is there's no way we (France) should've produced the 2013 season winning just a couple and scoring one lucky try in THREE tests in New Zealand, followed by the shakiest 2014 6N and the most awful tour of Australia we've ever produced. None of this is even close to acceptable given what we've got on paper. The problem is the coaching staff, simply. 74 players, 174 players, 8 players, the color of the jersey is too dark, too many foreigners in our league, not enough pizza huts around in France...I don't want to hear it.
Bottom line: you don't produce 2013 and 2014 with Parra, Picamoles, Dusautoir, Burban, Huget, Dulin, Maestri, Mas, Kayser...etc...