Yop 14 Day 23

[Tony Manx]

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[TH="bgcolor: #FFFFFF, colspan: 4"][/TH]
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[TR="class: altrow, bgcolor: #EEEEEE"]
[TD="class: textcenter, align: center"]23/03[/TD]
[TD="class: textcenter, align: center"]15:00[/TD]
[TD="class: textright, align: right"]Aviron Bayonnais[/TD]
[TD]Rugby Club Toulonnais[/TD]
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[TR]
[TD="class: textcenter, align: center"] - [/TD]
[TD="class: textcenter, align: center"]17:00[/TD]
[TD="class: textright, align: right"]Racing Métro 92[/TD]
[TD]USAP[/TD]
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[TR="class: altrow, bgcolor: #EEEEEE"]
[TD="class: textcenter, align: center"] - [/TD]
[TD="class: textcenter, align: center"]18:45[/TD]
[TD="class: textright, align: right"]Union Bordeaux-Bègles[/TD]
[TD]Mont-de-Marsan[/TD]
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[TR]
[TD="class: textcenter, align: center"] - [/TD]
[TD="class: textcenter, align: center"]18:45[/TD]
[TD="class: textright, align: right"]Castres Olympique[/TD]
[TD]SU Agen[/TD]
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[TD="class: textcenter, align: center"] - [/TD]
[TD="class: textcenter, align: center"]18:45[/TD]
[TD="class: textright, align: right"]Grenoble[/TD]
[TD]Montpellier Hérault Rugby[/TD]
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[TD="class: textcenter, align: center"] - [/TD]
[TD="class: textcenter, align: center"]20:50[/TD]
[TD="class: textright, align: right"]Biarritz Olympique[/TD]
[TD]ASM Clermont[/TD]
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[TR="class: altrow, bgcolor: #EEEEEE"]
[TD="class: textcenter, align: center"]24/03[/TD]
[TD="class: textcenter, align: center"]21:00[/TD]
[TD="class: textright, align: right"]Stade Toulousain[/TD]
[TD]Stade Français[/TD]
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[gaston le gaff]

This some new title i have not heard about (YOP 14) sounds modern did not know you cared Tony!!!
Bordeaud Begles home win
Castres home win
Toulon away win
Toulouse home win
Racing Home win
Biarritz home win
fingers and toes crossed Montpellier away win but could be tough game, Gorgodze more than likely in 2nd row with Fu Fu, Tulou, Bias in back row, and of course FTD at 10 Santi is injured so will be Zoo and Paul Bosch centre the 3 A's at 11'14'15.Audrin, Artru and Amorosino but a strong team to sort out Grenoble i hope, but they will have to play well as hey have only lost to Clermont this season at home.

 

[Tony Manx]

Was getting bored with the old title....................

I can only dispute your otherwise excellent judgement on two games and they are the ones we are very interested in!!

BO have Barcella, Balshaw, Buroto, Genois, Lauret, and Magnus Lund with Thion and Haylett-Petty (both long term) injured but only Balshaw and Lauret would be really missed at the moment. I will wait to see the teams as BO will need their strongest (an not necessarily those that non involved would select) and ASM a weak team before I can see BO getting the win. But thanks for the confidence you have shown.............as for MHL, same problem and you have hit the nail on the head. Tough place to win and I will go for Grenoble...............

 

[gaston le gaff]

Since Tuesday training God (Galthie) has decided to rest Gorgodze and Beattie, a little confused as he trained as 2nd row this week and looked pretty sharp plus Mamuka only rests in the summer but i would have thought rest them both the following week against Mont de Marsan and have them available for this weeks game against Grenoble probably the more difficult of the two (nothing against M D MOFof course) but them who am i to contest Godly decisions made by God

 

[Tony Manx]

Clermont team on the 300th Match for Rougerie......conngratulations and well done

Buttin; Sivivatu, Rougerie, King, Nakaitaci; Skrela, Radosavljevic; Lapandry, Vermeulen, Bonnaire; Hines, Pierre; Ric, Cabello, Chaume.Remplaçants: Paulo, Kotze, Cudmore, Chouly, Senio, James, Byrne, Zirakashvili.

Biarritz

1- Van Staden 2- Heguy 3- Gomez Kodela 4- Lund E. 5- Marie 6- Dubarry 7- Lakafia 8- Harinordoquy (c) 9- Yachvili 10- Peyrelongue 11- Brew 12- Traille 13- Baby 14- Ngwenya 15- Barraque
16- Ruffenach 17- Synaeghel 18- Taele 19- Guyot 20- Lesgourgues 21- Couet-Lannes 22- Bosch 23- Broster

So netiher side's best team although probably only Clermont by choice!! On basis that this is not the best team that Biarritz could have played, I will have to go for a Clermont win......good to see Couet-Lannes (a full back) back in the squad even with Barraque ( a fly half or centre) at 15......several other strange choices too and we have to hope for a swimming pool like the match against Quins because cannot see BO scoring much other than from the boot!

 

[Tony Manx]

Biarritz 32 28 Clermont
Grenoble 9 16 Montpellier
Bordeaux 40 7 MdM
Castres 20 9 Agen
Racing 23 19 USAP
Bayonne 33 28 Toulon

Two upsets and both of them totally unexpected by some!!

Montpellier won at the fortress that is Grenoble where there has only been one other away win this season and this must bode really well for their Barrage chances......and Biarritz confounded the critics in a high scoring game to pip ASM (their second team it has to be said) with a very encouraging display. It was interesting, not just because of the win, but of the many little changes that Didier faugeron has made from a variety in kick offs and also their reception to different moves that are at least being tried by the backs......this could be very encouraging!! for the future but obviously too late for this year!

 

[gaston le gaff]

He of liitle faith Tony, told you they would win, only just but as they say a win is a win, and 4 valuable points probably a little too late but morale stays high.
Montpellier break the unbeaten home run of Grenoble in Lesdiguieres unbeaten since Mai 2011, excellent effort and brings the playoffs a little closer + its rights the loss against Racing, lets home the end of season could still bring that magic 4th place but a very difficult task.Massive game again by Tulou, a back line on fire and Trinh-Duc operating and orchestrating well from 10. Montpellier should have scored more points but lets not get too critical as no one has won in this stadium for nearly 2 years.

 

[ZeFrenchy]

FCG out of playof contention (almost), so now it seems the only things in stake are the sixth playoff spot and the home quarterfinals.
Also, the seventh place may give a spot to next year's Heineken cup, if Clermont, Toulon, Montpellier, Toulouse or Perpignan win the ERC or the Challenge cup.

By the way, it seems Gonzalo Quesada has signed for Stade Français. It was reported by Midol, then Racing denied it, but Midol has not reacted to the denial, so they must have solid sources.