French rugby Updates : Le café du Rugby.

Great game from Montpellier tonight. We were in control during the whole game. Lyon had almost no opportunity to believe in something else than the defeat. We couldn't grab the WBP in the end but 3 days only after our intense battle against Clermont, an away victory 30-10 is much welcomed and very encouraging for the future. We were solid in the scrum again, efficient in our kicking (Moyano had a great game), unfortunately we made some mistakes in our attacking phases (hence our inability to get the WBP) but overall a very goog game.
I know it was "only" the promotted Lyon but well in the beginning of the season we lost at home to Begles-Bordeaux, the other promotted team.

Only bad news of the evening are Julien Thomas and Benjamin Thiery getting injured. Didn't look too bad for Thomas but it's a month for Thiery.

Now, let's recover well and focus on the big game in Biarritz. A victory would re-open the chase towards European positions and TOP 14 final phases.

Going to the game at Stade de France tomorrow, hoping for a great game. Contepomi vs Hernandez should be fascinating

Great victory for Montpellier last Sunday. WBP in Biarritz ... despite their "traditionnal Blanco-esque refereeing" :P. We controlled the whole game (even when Biarritz was ahead). We played well. Dominated the scrum. Proposed some nice attacking phases. Paillaugue is improving fast. He now offers great competition to Julien Thomas at scrumhalf position. Biarritz only responded with a counter attack try (very very nice try by the way) and the strenght of their line-out (with their Norwegian lad I forgot the name of & Harinordoquy). Amorosino & Trinh-Duc were top class and both scored a great try.

I was quite worried 10 days ago with this marathon week {Clermont (H) - Lyon (A) - Biarritz (A)}. 3 victories and 13 points after not only I'm relieved but I think we can start to be ambitious again .

It's really incredible how much the Leinster game changed our season so far. It could really be a major turning point !


Only bad point again is the "injury list". Ouedraogo is now sidelined for 3 weeks with a rib injury. We can thank the FFR for making us play 3 times in a week with each time one day recovery less than our opponent. I hope they'll never ever talk about protecting the so-called physical integrity of the players because they've just really showed that they don't give a sh*t .


Also Perpignan lost (again — 7 defeats in a row !!! —) in Lyon. They are now just a couple of points on top of the relegation zone and it looks like they'll fight for their survival in the elite league this season...

4PP wrote: »

its rugby lads, but not as ye know it................Yeah I know, whats the story?? etc etc
You just can't apply Irish logic to French rugby. Some rivers run deep.

Honestly, I'm over here 20 years but I don't know where to start...........

Affelou is just bad news, but the problems in the club predate him........

I know there are many of you just screaming at the keyboard " well if its broke, lets fix it"

French rugby does not work that way.

Yeah, I hear ye, whats that ****e? doesn't work that way?? my arse etc etc

Well thats the way it does work,
Thomond 2006 has some expérience of méditerranéen rugby, Algerian, Tunisian, or Morroccan down Toulon way. But not of home grown french rugby.

As of now the president of the league is threatning to feck off, leaving the league in the hands of a few fly by nights...........I'll stop there.

Whinge about the IRFU all you want but at the least they put the national XV first

I'm French. I'm following rugby for ~20 years. I'm not sure I understand what you mean and what you're talking about .

You can't take examples of bad management and/or huge investment in French rugby as a general rule.
SF had their years of glory recently but they were unable to renew the early 00ies winning team and messed up with their coaches. Tehy slowly but surely went down. Racing & Toulon wanted to grow super fast. It almost worked. But now they both understood (well I think) that building a team around a mid-term project is the key to success. Bayonne failed for the same reasons in the end (even though they don't have the same financial power). Perpignan fcuked up because of internal dysfunctioning. The president is probably heavily responsible for their current situation. They really really badly managed their title 2 and half years ago.
Clermont, Castres, Montpellier are good examples of the way to succeed. Give time to time. Build a good formation centre. Build a project around a certain consistent way of playing etc... Naturally Toulouse is the ultimate everlasting example.


Of course, it's impossible to compare with Ireland. Your provincial system by definition demand a different functioning. In the end that helps the Irish players to play together in the country. With that system you built up 2 european giants (Leinster & Munster). Ulster seems to become more and more competitive too recently. It's also good for your national team.
Imagine a provincial system in France. What about the SW French team ? (you'd have to mix up Clermont, Toulouse, Castres, Biarritz, Perpignan, Montpellier, Brives, Bayonne, Begles-Bordeaux, half the Pro D2 teams etc...). Basically, 1 or 2 players aside, it'll be the French team .

I still don't quite understand what you mean by "Whinge about the IRFU all you want but at the least they put the national XV first". Do you mean it's not the case in France?


Then, of course there are problems in French rugby. Especially at the top. The recent buzz made by Mourad Boudjelal stigmatises that. But he didn't use the right method. Rugby has evolved like no other sports in France in the last 15-20 years adapting itself to professionalism. Yes there are more and more money into it now. But to me it still has its values. Its respect. I feel sometimes people are idealising the way amateur rugby used to be. At least in France. I can tell you it was nowhere near perfect or ideal.

Podge_irl wrote: »

Is the T14 two up two down still? Two from Biarritz, Bayonne, Perpignan, Lyon and Brive to go down then. The first three would be a big loss to French rugby right? Biarritz going down would be crazy.

Yes it is. At the moment the 2 Basque clubs are at the bottom. Getting them 2 relegated would be a major upset in French Rugby. USAP is going very bad too at the moment. The worst thing is that they don't really seem to realise in which situation they are... They need to try and do something or they're heading down to Pro D2 for sure. What a waste it would be : 2 Top 14 final (including 1 title) and a H Cup 1/2f in the last 3 years...

pickarooney wrote: »

They're on their third chairman in two years as well I think, after Alain Afflelou left at the end of last year.

In the end, he didn't leave. That was a political/tactical pressure to get more control and power at the club. He is now president.