French rugby 2020/2021

[Robespierre]

For those of you who are interested in rugby on my side of the Channel, I'll be posting the Top14 fixtures and results.
The new season begins this weekend:

4th September - Montpellier v Pau
Stade Français v Bordeaux (postponed due to the outbreak of Covid at SF)
5th September - La Rochelle v Toulon
Agen v Castres
Lyon v Racing
6th September - Brive v Bayonne
Clermont v Toulouse (may be postponed as there are some Covid cases among the Toulouse squad)

I don't foresee anything other than the usual suspects at the top of the table as in the past season, , ie Racing (probably the bookies' favourites), Toulouse, Clermont, Toulon, Bordeaux and maybe Lyon.
I'd like to see a renaissance of SF (with Veianu!) but it'll be an uphill struggle.
My early favourites for the drop would be Agen. Pau and Brive may struggle too.
Whatever, I'm awaiting the season with eager anticipation!

[tigerburnie]

Bon chance mon ami, are you having any fans at the games?

[Robespierre]

Bon chance mon ami, are you having any fans at the games?

Merci! I have read that there’ll be 10,000 spectators for Clermont-Toulouse, 8,000 La Rochelle-Toulon and 9,000 Brive-Bayonne. Not heard anything for the other fixtures but it seems that there will indeed be fans at the matches!

[JP14]

Telusa Veainu looks to be training with Stade, so hopefully that means they have recovered from their spout of Covid.

[Robespierre]

The first match of the new Top14 season produced a surprise. Montpellier lost at home to Pau 23-26, conceding a penalty try at the end of the game!

[voice of the crumbie]

Thank you Robespierre. I enjoy reading your reports.

[Cagey Tiger]

Thank you Robespierre. I enjoy reading your reports.

+1

[Robespierre]

Thank you Robespierre. I enjoy reading your reports.

La Rochelle, for whom ex Saracen Will Skelton made his début, won well against Toulon 29-15.

Incidentally, Mathieu Bastareaud has been picked at No 8 for Lyon in this evening's match against Racing! Kirtley Beale starts at 15 for Racing.

For me, the best match of the first weekend should be Clermont v Toulouse, and here are the players chosen for Toulouse:

Médard ; Lebel, Tauzin, Ahki, Kolbe ; (o) Ntamack, (m) Dupont ; Cros, Placines, Elstadt, Tekori, Arnold Ri.; Aldegheri, Marchand J., Baille.
Remplaçants : Mauvaka, Neti, Arnold Ro., Tolofua, Idjellidaine, Ramos, Guitoune, Faumuina.

And for Clermont: Matsushima (the exciting Japanese fullback); Betham (former Tiger), Fofana, Moala, Pourailly; Lopez, Bézy (ex Toulouse); Lee, Concoriet, Iturria; Vahaamahina, Timani; Slimani, Fourcade, Beria.
Bench: Bibi Biziwu (a former Zulu warrior?!), Pélissié, Falatea, Jedrasiak, Fischer, Veredamu.

[Robespierre]

A dramatic first round of high-scoring Top14 matches! Here are the results:

Montpellier 23 - 26 Pau

La Rochelle 29 - 15 Toulon
Agen 22 - 26 Castres
Lyon 23 - 27 Racing
Brive 42 - 23 Bayonne
Clermont 33 - 30 Toulouse
SF v Bordeaux postponed

Clermont were leading 23-5 at half time and with just over 10 minutes to go, Toulouse had clawed back to lead 30-26, despite 2 red cards!!
Clermont then scored a converted try to lead 33-30, and then in the 79th minute it appeared that Romain Ntmack had scored the decisive try but the ref disallowed it! Looking at the video replay Ntmack certainly grounded the ball but the ref was persuaded that there was a double movement. Cruel!!

[JP14]

Some good crowds in the Top14, hopefully we can be the same too!

[Robespierre]

Some results:

Second round of Top14 matches this weekend;

Friday 11th:
Racing v Montpellier (41-17)
Pau v Agen (33-23)

Saturday 12th:
Toulouse v La Rochelle (39-23)
Bayonne v Clermont
Bordeaux v Brive

Sunday 13th:
Castres v Stade Français
Toulon v Lyon

Predictions - all home wins!

[Robespierre]

Former Tiger, Noel Reid is making his début for Agen this evening. ......and gets a red card!!!

[glenn]

Sir,
Thank you for your efforts in posting top 14 updates each week. I don't commies I really don't know enough about French rugby. However with you insight and updates I learn more each week. So thank you once again for you time in this service.

Merci boucoup monsieur

[Robespierre]

Sir,
Thank you for your efforts in posting top 14 updates each week. I don't commies I really don't know enough about French rugby. However with you insight and updates I learn more each week. So thank you once again for you time in this service.

Merci boucoup monsieur

[Robespierre]

Some results:



Second round of Top14 matches this weekend;

Friday 11th:
Racing v Montpellier (41-17)
Pau v Agen (33-23)

Saturday 12th:
Toulouse v La Rochelle (39-23)
Bayonne v Clermont (21-19)
Bordeaux v Brive (25-20)

Sunday 13th:
Castres v Stade Français
Toulon v Lyon

Predictions - all home wins!