Top 14 2021-22

Tigerandahalf

Not sure if there is a thread on this already.

Premier Sports are the broadcasters in Ireland and it is on Now TV.

However, I see tonight's game involving Clermont is only on Freesports, which seems to be a pay channel in Ireland now (on Virgin and Sky I think). Freesports is no longer on Freesat.

Is there any other way to watch it?

Really like the games on Sunday evenings. It is on at a nice time around 8pm.

Thanks

Lost Ormond

There is a general french discussion thread but no harm having a season thread..

the uk/irish rights are with premier sports/freesports i think so no other way to watch in ireland

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2055883024/french-rugby-updates-le-cafe-du-rugby/p201

Red Silurian

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058211525/top-14-2021-22

Freesports is available through the other channels function still and the freesports player app can be downloaded from Google play and works in Ireland although you do need to register (for free)

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=premierplayer.premiersports.com.freesports

Can an iphone user confirm or deny the same?

icdg

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058211525/top-14-2021-22

It is not on the Freesat EPG but you should still be able to manually tune it in - 11426 V 29500 8/9 . There’s also an app.

Tigerandahalf

Thanks for the replies.

I tried the app on google store but it won't play anything.

I had C4HD set up on non freesat mode but now can't seem to set up any other channels. Does anyone know the channel number...the first is C4 which is 5001 I think.

Thanks

Red Silurian

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117972219#Comment_117972219

11426 V 29500 8/9 

It's only available in HD

Tigerandahalf

JJ started for Clermont at 10 against Stade Francais on Sunday evening. He kicked some good early penalties but missed a penalty and a conversion at a time when Clermont were getting back into it.

Lopez came on and he shifted out to 12.

Olding seems to be playing at 12 for Brive who are going fairly well for their level narrowly losing to Toulon. I think Quinn Roux might have been in the squad. Coughlan, the ex Munster 8 is their defence coach now.

There are a few other Irish around the teams too between players and coaches.

Tolouse are the runaway leaders at the moment.

Decent coverage on Premier Sports but no co-commentator. The commentator is bilingual and so lets you in on a lot of the interviews and ref talk, etc.

vienne86

I'm delighted to have Top14 rugby back on TV here - delighted to sign up for the offer of 10 Euro/month with Sky for Premier Sports and BT.

I watched Toulon v Brive - lucky scrape of a win for Toulon, but the crowd showed their displeasure with the narrow win - never liked the Toulon crowd.

I was rooting for Clermont in their match v Stade, but they were awful. I was shocked how badly Clermont were playing, but hopefully they are just bedding in new things with Gibbs.

Yes, just the one commentator, but he's quite knowledgeable.

Tigerandahalf

I think the Sunday night game has a co-commentator, Johnny ?

You really do get a sense of the pressure of relegation in the Top14. Coaches being given a couple of games publically to turn things around.

I was reading an article the other day on James Coughlan and when he made the move some old colleague said 'You don't buy a house, just rent one!'.

https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/rugby/arid-40700432.html

pickarooney

You'll have to buy all the furniture though

vienne86

Is Top14 on TV? I thought it was on Premier Sports but it doesn't seem to be.

pickarooney

It's at 8.15 Irish time I think

icdg

They aren’t showing it live. Booted off by Premier Sports new contract to show the UEFA Nations League which is being prioritised, along with NASCAR on FreeSports. Right now it doesn’t look like they’re going to cover the QFs either, presumably for the same reason.

Theres recorded coverage of Racing v Toulon and Lyon v La Rochelle on Premier 2 after midnight.

vienne86

I think the knockouts are on TV5.....with French commentary, so it's just tonight's matches I was really asking about. I used to listen to a radio commentary of day 26.....can't remember the station though, so I'll just have to follow the scoring online.

icdg

Yes the knockouts are on TV5MONDE, with French commentary as you say and at least last year there was a slight delay with some games.

icdg

Racing v Toulon is on TV5MONDE now for anyone missing Premier’s (lack of) coverage, free to stream with the app, French commentary.

Clegg

Oof. Surely this is a textbook example of obstruction? The Toulouse player definitely stopped the tackler from reaching Dupont.

https://twitter.com/brettruganalyst/status/1533536796356890626?t=F0pbS_RFcP1cGi1eaTl-RA&s=09

vienne86

Squeaky bum time for La Rochelle. 19-5 down against Lyon. Half time.

IHateNewShoes

They made some start to the second half! Up 24-19 now. Anywhere to watch?

vienne86

Got the French commentary on Sud Radio.....very exciting last day, as always. La Rochelle won 26-29 at Lyon.....two trips to the video ref in the last few minutes with Lyon camped on the La Rochelle line, but they survived. Finished 5th in the table and will now play Toulouse away. Bordeaux lost to Perpignan, so lost out on one of the top two spots in the table....they now play Racing at home. Castres top the table, Montpellier are second.

Digifriendly

Why could there not have been coverage on Freesports as it has shown Top 14 this season?

icdg

Because they were showing Nascar and to be fair if they’d dropped that there’d have been complaints from its fans.

icdg

Unfortunately seems coverage of this evenings Top14 QF (Bordeaux v Racing) on TV5MONDE has been preempted for French general election coverage.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119193601#Comment_119193601

Watchable elsewhere with a bit of searching 😉. HT and 10 - 8 to Racing. Dour enough game with some flashes of flair by Jalabert and a good try from Spring.

FT and Bordeaux have murdered Flash 92. Final score was 29 - 16. Jalabert was electric, pure magic.

In fairness to Racing their injuury list was massive, while UBB's was tiny.

icdg

The game was apparently shown after 10pm, and I understand with TV5’s mission the election would always come first, but it was a pity that Premier Sports have treated key stages of the competition so badly. Should be normal service resumed next weekend with the football internationals coming to an end in midweek.

Top 14 Fixtures: Friday at 20.00 Castres V Toulouse (Premier Sports 1)

Saturday at 20.00 Montpellier V UBB (Premier Sports 2)

Saturday will be a busy day for rugby fans:

08.00 Super Rugby Playoff Blues V Crues.

15.00 Sarries V Tigers

18.30 Stormers V Bulls

Dubinusa

ROG was found out?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119217299#Comment_119217299

Maybe not as foregone as you predicted! FT: Castres 24 - 18 Toulouse

RichieRich_89

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119195915#Comment_119195915

Because Racing lost?

Good analysis.

Dubinusa

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119218427#Comment_119218427

Negative 89. La Rochelle were beaten! Obviously, Ronan has been found out!

OldRio

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119218427#Comment_119218427

Straight over your head.

OldRio

Two 56 metre kicks by the Georgian Gela Aprasidze for Montpellier in the second half to win it.

I only caught the second half and to be honest it was poor fayre. But I don't think Montpellier will care what I think.

Reminder: Final is this evening at 19.55, live on Premier Sports 1.  (For as long as I can remember, it used to be on a Saturday evening, I have no idea why it changed.)

It's a hard one to call, but given Altrad's millions, it would be nice to see little Castres winning it!

Former Former Former

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119242529#Comment_119242529

Worth remembering that Castres are heavily financed by a large pharma & cosmetics company.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119243148#Comment_119243148

The level of financial support has dropped since considerably since M. Fabre died some years ago.

pickarooney

Montpellier, unlike Castres, have never won the Brennus, right?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119245584#Comment_119245584

Such a shame that the game was to all intents and purposes over after 15 minutes. But at least we saw a couple of decent tries in those 15 minutes!

For me the most interesting thing was the length of time it took Macron to be introduced to the teams and officials by both Club Presidents. He made a decent effort to chat with each of them - even the subs - and seemed to know a bit about quite a few of them.

I'm a bit sorry for Castres but pleased for Guirado who has been a great player.

iroced

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119242529#Comment_119242529

Ongoing works on the RER (regional train) from Paris to Stade de France. Planned for this last week-end and was impossible to postpone so LNR put the final on the Friday evening.

Careful about Castres polished communication. They like overdoing this position of the little "Gaulois village" while it's a 50k people town with a centenarian rugby tradition and history.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119243168#Comment_119243168

Not that much actually. I think for this season Montpellier had a 28M budget while Castres were on 23M. So it's not David vs Goliath ;).

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119245601#Comment_119245601

Exactly. That said, MHR (formerly MRC & MHRC) was born in 1986, so a very young club.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119245666#Comment_119245666

Yes and no. Rugby is the only top level professional sport in Castres while Montpellier shares rugby, football, handball, volley-ball, water-polo and athletics at top national (and european for handball) level.

---

About the game, 3rd time lucky for Montpellier ^^. We started very strong and buried the game in 15-20 min with a great 3rd try. Second half was less interesting, we tried to control the game and showed some great defending. Let's see if this long-awaited title will change the club status...

Perfect way to end his carreer for Fulgence Ouedraogo who stayed devoted to the club for his whole career, and for Guillem Guirado. Perfect way to leave the club for Benoit Paillaugue. And I'm very happy for Philippe Saint André who was blacklisted in France after his failure with Les Bleus. Himself and Guirado showed that it was really unfair to scapegoat both of them after Les Bleus dreadful period. There were many other explanations for our dark years that I went through countless times in here back then ^^. And I'm glad to see that most of them have been implemented in French rugby and it kinda works ^^. Wasn't rocket science though ^^.

I forgot about Fulgence - I'm delighted for him too! And for the whole MHR gang, for me their two games against 'Quins were the best of the season!

https://img.rasset.ie/001bf723-800.jpg