why? parce que Toulon.
because it is.
well judging by your presence on that thread nobody has attacked the keyboard better than you
That's great for you. I still don't want to watch it though.
Serious question, how much do you think those statistics are coloured by French sides not trying as hard away from home?
now that's true as well. But you imply something by saying that: I retort with another question, to you, ask yourself: why do French sides have such difficulty away from home ??
And anyways, this thread has turned too stuckup already....let's just enjoy a nice BBQ with the next repeated champs here:
View attachment 2873
hmmmm......look at Davy and all his...MEAT.
now that's true as well. But you imply something by saying that: I retort with another question, to you, ask yourself: why do French sides have such difficulty away from home ??
And anyways, this thread has turned too stuckup already....let's just enjoy a nice BBQ with the next repeated champs here:
View attachment 2873
hmmmm......look at Davy and all his...MEAT.
what I was hinting at was that by bringing up the fact that teams have issues on the road in the Top 14, we're de facto exposing how hard the league is, in that very few teams have the budget/depth to go and defy a side in its own backyard. The calendar is too dense, and the matches are too demanding. We've got tons of injuries constantly, and guys who don't even play international test Rugby, i.e. play JUST club ball are rested consistently. Not because we're cool like dat in France to our players, but again because of the infernal calendar the guys go through.
It's not that guys aren't trying, that's just not realistic reasoning and a little bit ridiculous. It's just club authorities/coaching staff understand the kind of season it is, 26 games, and must be utterly lucid and reckon a plan for their roster: teams could go into every away match thinking they'll win, in the very middle of a seething, exhausting season; but after some observation and empirical calculation, it's obvious sides must settle for "lesser" goals. Achieving a defensive bonus, or perhaps a draw in Castres or Toulouse is a great enough feat. Even Toulon don't have the depth to align a super XV to go and defy Clermont in Michelin, and have come close enough in Toulouse for e.g. this year.
Points are precious, precious, precious, and clubs wouldn't be that incredibly silly as to winning all at home and then just throwing away games casually on the road, thinking "ahhh, it's just too much work". Points can be achieved without winning a match in this kind of league.
With less games, surely teams would change their culture and would set their minds to winning more.
yes harder because you have to win more games over a longer competition
and the level of competitiveness makes the league better
thats why
your feigned interest in our league is touching
Well, you fist two sentences contradict each other. If teams can't commit their strongest sides every week due to the length of the competition that hardly makes it better. It certainly lowers the standard.
And must you go out of your way to be an arsehole at all turns?
there is no contradiction. And nobody said that the teams don't commit because of the length of the competiton, you're the one saying that.
why u keep rattling on about a league you don't watch, can't help yourself.
Must be an Irish condition. I know you guys have the gift of the gab but in your case its more like diarrhea.
And must you go out of your way to be an arsehole at all turns?
ehm not sure what I disagree with. The league is what it is.
Yes there are too many games in my view. But there is a plan to move to a Top12. It used to be a Top16. So it has moved in the right direction. They want to reduce the number of games, and shorten the competition. They are moving on.
there's also new players coming in like Lyon which offer big potential because they have the resources aka money, people to spread the game around and become a force in the league.