French rugby Updates : Le café du Rugby.

molloyjh · 14-10-2014 08:26PM

former legend wrote: »

Racing president has now come out and rubbished this, saying they just want the lads to play a bit better

Yeah, because announcing in the press that they aren't playing well enough to be kept on is exactly the way to motivate people.

vienne86 · 14-10-2014 08:34PM

former legend wrote: »

Racing president has now come out and rubbished this, saying they just want the lads to play a bit better

He's obviously not a happy bunny about the big sums he was forked out for players, but not getting spectacular results.

CatFromHue · 14-10-2014 10:05PM

former legend wrote: »

According to L'Equipe, Montpellier tried to tempt Felipe Contepomi as cover for Trinh-Duc. He refused, but forwards coach and former Pumas team-mate Mario Ledesma is giving him some time to reconsider.

Ah Ledesma, always the diplomat

CatFromHue · 14-10-2014 10:06PM

vienne86 wrote: »

He's obviously not a happy bunny about the big sums he was forked out for players, but not getting spectacular results.

Some of the players he signed wouldn't be getting spectacular results with any club. It was poor recruitment really.

vienne86 · 14-10-2014 10:30PM

CatFromHue wrote: »

Some of the players he signed wouldn't be getting spectacular results with any club. It was poor recruitment really.

I agree completely. But he doesn't understand either that it takes ages to build up a successful rugby team.

iroced · 15-10-2014 08:06AM

vienne86 wrote: »

Is it normal for these sorts of deals to be done at this time of year? Sounds strange.

Sounds strange to me too. Sounds messy too. I never know if there's a proper transfer window like in soccer. I remember that many times unofficial deals were known by everyone long before they could be publically and officially revealed (otherwise clubs would get penalised).

vienne86 wrote: »

I agree completely. But he doesn't understand either that it takes ages to build up a successful rugby team.

What's even more confusing with him is that he has THE example in front of his own eyes in Mourad Boudjelal. At first Mourad wanted to go too fast and the only thing he managed to do after bringing Toulon back to the elite was to be relegated. He learned from his recruiting, team building and managing mistakes. We can see the brilliant result today. Sometimes I feel Lorenzetti doesn't look like learning anything as the years go by... Though I thought with the recruitment of the 2 irish 10 they were definitely going in the right direction. But then some later signings (e.g. Phillips) left me speechless...

As per the low attendance, maybe a more enthusiastic rugby style would help. Labit-Travers aren't really "exciting". They got exceptional circumstances going their way (a "strange" last game vs Racing, and Clermont & Toulon "European hungover" for different reasons) when they got the Brennus with Castres. They won't get that many times. And people were criticising Berbizier... He just built the team and brought it to the top.

vienne86 · 15-10-2014 09:23AM

iroced wrote: »

Sounds strange to me too. Sounds messy too. I never know if there's a proper transfer window like in soccer. I remember that many times unofficial deals were known by everyone long before they could be publically and officially revealed (otherwise clubs would get penalised).

What's even more confusing with him is that he has THE example in front of his own eyes in Mourad Boudjelal. At first Mourad wanted to go too fast and the only thing he managed to do after bringing Toulon back to the elite was to be relegated. He learned from his recruiting, team building and managing mistakes. We can see the brilliant result today. Sometimes I feel Lorenzetti doesn't look like learning anything as the years go by... Though I thought with the recruitment of the 2 irish 10 they were definitely going in the right direction. But then some later signings (e.g. Phillips) left me speechless...

As per the low attendance, maybe a more enthusiastic rugby style would help. Labit-Travers aren't really "exciting". They got exceptional circumstances going their way (a "strange" last game vs Racing, and Clermont & Toulon "European hungover" for different reasons) when they got the Brennus with Castres. They won't get that many times. And people were criticising Berbizier... He just built the team and brought it to the top.

I think it'll take more than nicer rugby to get the numbers up. It's almost as if he thinkd that you just pay the money and get whatever you want.....great team, stadium, and fans. The only thing he can be sure of when forking out is the stadium. It could all get very messy and Sexton might be getting out in nice time.

former legend · 15-10-2014 09:31AM

vienne86 wrote: »

I think it'll take more than nicer rugby to get the numbers up. It's almost as if he thinkd that you just pay the money and get whatever you want.....great team, stadium, and fans. The only thing he can be sure of when forking out is the stadium. It could all get very messy and Sexton might be getting out in nice time.

I think they're moving in the right direction. For all their foreign signings, the actual XV that Racing put out usually has a large majority of French guys. The brand of rugby they play has improved since last season anyway, and the new stadium should be a big improvement on the soulless Colombes.

former legend · 15-10-2014 11:26AM

Apparently, 75-times capped former Wallaby captain and bone fide Leinster legend Rocky Elsom will be making his ProD2 debut for Narbonne this weekend, his first game in almost 18 months.

Winters · 15-10-2014 03:24PM

A Leinster trio of Whits, Stan and Rocky!

phog · 30-10-2014 08:30AM

Mike Prendergast exiled in Grenoble

Big Nelly · 30-10-2014 01:25PM

Former Newport Gwent Dragons Flanker Dan Lydiate will leave Top 14 side Racing Métro following the November Tests, according to the club. "We wish Dan an excellent end to the season with his new club," said Racing chairman Jacky Lorenzetti.

"I would like to thank Racing for their welcome and the 17 months I spent at the club," said Lydiate. "I would also like to thank the club officials for their understanding, and especially the way they agreed to release me from my contract."

www.epcrugby.com

sydneybound · 30-10-2014 10:01PM

I'm hoping to get to a Top14 match in January and wondered when will fixtures be confirmed for matches after November?

It's Lyon V Racing Metro so I doubt that will be Friday night or the late Saturday game even other high profile matches are on that weekend.

baker59 · 31-10-2014 01:44PM

sydneybound wrote: »

I'm hoping to get to a Top14 match in January and wondered when will fixtures be confirmed for matches after November?

It's Lyon V Racing Metro so I doubt that will be Friday night or the late Saturday game even other high profile matches are on that weekend.

Usually confirmed only a couple of weeks before.

thomond2006 · 01-11-2014 08:43PM

Oyonnax won 21-17 at Racing, huge result for them! The other relegation candidates, Brive and La Rochelle, won at home. The pressure is now on Bayonne to win at home to Clermont, it's on right now.

iroced · 01-11-2014 08:51PM

Wow :eek:. Some results this afternoon.

Toulouse are back! TBP win away to the LOU coupled with Montpellier 0 pt defeat away to La Rochelle, Racing home LBP defeat to Oyonnax (absolute huge result for them) & UBB heavy defeat away to SF. This afternoon's results really suit them perfectly. They're back in contention for a top6 spot. SF TBP win over Bordeaux is a big result too.

Castres getting nothing in Brive in an "8 points game" is a big blow for them. On the contrary Brive are out of the relegation zone with this key victory.

Castres have a very tough run to the winter break.
Toulon h, Racing h, Clermont a, Montpellier h, La Rochelle h, SF a & Toulouse h.
5 home games in 7. They almost need 5 wins...

vienne86 · 01-11-2014 10:36PM

So Bayonne beat Clermont - huge for them, up to 9th. The bottom of the table is very congested.

Sky have just announced they're showing Bordeaux v Toulouse next weekend - YES!

02-11-2014 01:08PM

Cracking game on now between Grenoble and Toulon. Only 4 minutes gone, 80 worth of excitement.

thomond2006 · 02-11-2014 01:52PM

17-14 at half-time

02-11-2014 02:14PM

I'd give that Delon dive a 7/10-- he's done better.

50m gone, 25 - 14

02-11-2014 02:15PM

What channel is this game on? Can't see it on Sky.

02-11-2014 02:16PM

Its on Eurosport and Canal+

02-11-2014 02:16PM

19543261 wrote: »

Its on Eurosport and Canal+

Thanks.

02-11-2014 02:19PM

Knock on by Toulon leads to a try. Grenoble still in there

25 - 21

02-11-2014 02:32PM

65m. 40 - 21...well that's that. Edit: uh... 40 - 28

02-11-2014 02:49PM

This is mad ted.

vienne86 · 02-11-2014 04:45PM

Sounds like that was an entertaining match. Toulon back to top of the table, surprise, surprise.

former legend · 02-11-2014 07:28PM

I see poor old Rupeni Caucaunibuca is up to his old tricks. Was due to arrive back in France yesterday and didn't show, the Agen staff haven't a clue where he is.

thomond2006 · 02-11-2014 08:20PM

The relegation battle will be very close. Any of the bottom six could go down and there is only 6 points between the top and bottom of that group.

vienne86 · 02-11-2014 08:36PM

thomond2006 wrote: »

The relegation battle will be very close. Any of the bottom six could go down and there is only 6 points between the top and bottom of that group.

Might be like last year for relegation. It went down to the last day. I was zooming down an autoroute listening to French radio which had someone at each of the games giving updates; the situation changed every fiew minutes - it was incredible stuff....could easily happen again.

French rugby Updates : Le café du Rugby.

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