French rugby Updates : Le café du Rugby.

El Vino

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121435355#Comment_121435355

Thanks for this, looks like they were found this weekend away to Toulon

phog

Joey to France?

https://twitter.com/Jamesonrugby/status/1736800741644447901?t=mKmpP61q3_tbWdOhxzbEqA&s=19

Lord Palmerston

Disappointed by the Toulouse selection for this game v La Rochelle, but par for the course for French teams away from home I guess.

Aldritt back on the bench for LAR, and they look pretty strong.

Joshua Brennan playing 7 for Toulouse was definitely eyebrow raising for me when I saw the sides named.

ironingbored

Toulouse seconds looking good so far.

Interested Observer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121551649#Comment_121551649

I'm not watching closely enough to know if it's right or wrong but they seem to be getting whistled off the park. La Rochelle maul in attack and defence is causing them a lot of trouble.

sydthebeat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121551744#Comment_121551744

Lar big enough to go through the middle.

They're allowed to change their bind once they come through the middle

phog

Fantastic try there for LAR

phog

Great score (intercept) just before halftime for LAR

ironingbored

Game over.

Really disappointing selection from Toulouse. Could have been a fantastic contest. Damage limitation now for Stade T.

phog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121551851#Comment_121551851

Game over now anyway, 29-3 on 52 mins

phog

Possible red card here

phog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121551991#Comment_121551991

There could well be two red cards

A-Train

Stone wall red card, and yeah a yellow card nothing more

Lord Palmerston

Think that’s three red cards for LAR this season so far.

phog

4 pens in a row within a few metres of the try line and no card.

Lord Palmerston

Paul Boudehent has been absolutely superb tonight for LAR.

A-Train

Very disappointing Toulouse performance, LAR well on top and well worth their win.

phog

BP win for them, badly needed.

nc6000

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121552048#Comment_121552048

Is it any surprise when you see how their coach behaves himself?

aloooof

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121552387#Comment_121552387

Open to correction, but as far as I'm aware, LAR have consistently had one of the better disciplinary records in France the last few seasons.

phog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121551808#Comment_121551808

This is it (animated)

The final pass was a flip as the ball didn't bounce kindly,

https://twitter.com/ek_rugby/status/1741360791150813408?t=5sIM_lYWyGkSB79vWG7H7A&s=19

Buer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121552992#Comment_121552992

Not sure about that. They've definitely had red cards every season. Skelton, Botia and Wardi have all been red carded in the last couple of years off the top of my head. They really play on the edge and with physicality which brings a risk. Danty had three yellow cards last season alone.

They could still have one of the better records though given how things can be in the T14 though!

This season is another level. Three reds so far this year and all stonewall reds. But they've also had a glut of yellows. Could well have been a red for Sclavi against the Stormers too.

The red last night was grim. Toulouse player was on the ground, head exposed and Lavault absolutely smashed him. He should get at least 4 weeks.

Danty has his hearing this week. Already missed yesterday automatically but will probably get another 1-2 weeks. Deliberately stamped on a guy who was holding him so there's mitigation but can't do that.

Buer

On the game last night, it was a weird one. Entirely second string selection for Toulouse so they knew any decent result was unlikely.

They actually did well for the opening 30mins. La Rochelle were absolutely dominating them physically but were fairly poor in attack. Penalty count was 7-2 after 20 mins including Brennan having gone to the bin but scoreline was still only 7-3 after 35mins thanks to an early penalty try.

Toulouse got narrow off a scrum on halfway (was fairly impressed at how the back up Toulouse pack coped fairly well with the LAR scrum) and LAR scored a breakaway try following an incredible kick through from Leyds after 38mins. Then Bollengier (still U20 and looks an incredible talent) scored an interception under the posts after 42mins when Toulouse looked to play out of their half with the clock in the red, bizarrely.

4th try was quick thinking from a penalty by TKB who tapped and slung it wide whilst Toulouse were asleep and Leyds got over in the corner. That was in the 49th minute and the game just died a death after that.

Toulouse with an injury time consolation. They'll take it and move on. Final penalty count was 19-7 in LAR's favour including three yellow cards for Toulouse.

LAR in a little bother at lock and centre. Lavault is gone. They gamed the system a bit with Skelton, I reckon. He copped an arm to the head (yellow for Toulouse) and was down immediately, dazed and needed attention. His second row partner was red carded at the same time. He wasn't removed for a HIA but subbed him 2 mins later tactically. Doesn't have to go into RTTP now and they've a big couple of weeks ahead. First time this season Skelton was subbed off.

Julien Favre went off early with a head knock. Danty suspended currently. That means they may have to move Botia back to centre to partner Seuteni.

nc6000

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121552992#Comment_121552992

Their discipline has gone to pot in the last few weeks, I think they have had three reds and four yellows in their last six games.

Buer

Danty gets 2 weeks in addition to 1 already served. Slightly fortunate but probably in line with what we've seen before when there was mitigation.

Buer

The T14 clubs and the FFR have apparently come to an agreement on player availability for the national side which reads as somewhat mad on the surface.

Overall squad size will be reduced. 6 players will then need to be released back to clubs by Wednesday if there's a T14 match taking place that coming weekend. These players will need to be replaced by other players not originally involved in the squad to allow the national team maintain a full squad for training/preparation.

For the 6 call ups, Bordeaux, Racing, Toulouse and LAR will be exempt as they already provide a significant number of players to the national team. The called up players are to be somewhat rotated too to ensure the same guys aren't being pilfered every time.

sydthebeat

That's pretty nuts. So the teams with players not good enough to be named in the match squad (plus a couple of stand bys I'd imagine) are released back to their clubs and the clubs nominate their shite tackle bag holders to train with the national match day squad in the run up to a test game.?

Buer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121569543#Comment_121569543

Essentially. Although it doesn't really clarify the standard of player that they'll call up. It could be a wider squad guy or it could be someone that they see as a development player.

I'd imagine the exemption for 4 of the teams will create some ill feeling amongst the likes of Lyon, Castres etc.

pickarooney

Pretty sure more Lyon players will be called up than Racingmen

Lord Palmerston

It highlights that even in a place like France, where rugby seems to be in relatively rude health by comparison globally, there is still simmering tensions in the background between clubs and national sides over player availability.

This seems to be the clubs looking to take back some control, after largely playing ball ahead of the home RWC last year.