French Rugby 2021/2022

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Robespierre
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French Rugby 2021/2022

Post by Robespierre »

For those of you who are interested in rugby on my side of the Channel, the new Top14 season gets underway on the first weekend of September.
The top match of the opening weekend is without doubt on Sunday evening when La Rochelle will be looking to exact revenge for losing both the Champions' League and the Top14 finals to Toulouse.
Saturday evening sees a Parisian derby, and of the promoted teams, Biarritz are home to Bordeaux/Bègles and Perpignan will be in Brive, both matches on Saturday afternoon.

Here are the fixtures:

Saturday September 4th

14h00 Biarritz Olympique v Bordeaux Bègles
16h05 Brive v Perpignan
16h05 Castres v Pau
18h15 Stade Francais v Racing 92
21h05 Toulon v Montpellier

Sunday September 5th

17h45 Lyon17:00 v Clermont Auvergne
21h05 La Rochelle v Toulouse

The usual suspects will probably be in contention for the title, namely Toulouse, La Rochelle and Racing. Clermont will have a new head coach, Jono Gibbes who has moved from La Rochelle (where Ronan O'Gara is now in charge) and it'll be interesting to see how quickly Gibbes makes his mark. Traditionally, the promoted sides are among the favourites for relegation, but Perpignan and Biarritz may surprise us, but Pau will probably struggle.

To watch the Top14 in the UK you'll need to subscibe to Premier Sports, or you can do as I do and catch the matches on streaming: https://rugbystreams.me/

The new ProD2 season begins on the last weekend in August and here are the fixtures (dates and ko times are yet to be announced):

Beziers v Aurillac
Bayonne v Agen (both relegated clubs meet on the first round!)
Colomiers v Provence Rugby
Grenoble v Oyonnax
Narbonne v Mont de Marsan
Bourg-en-Bresse v Montauban
Carcassonne v Rouen Normandie
Nevers v Vannes

I'd expect Bayonne, Vannes, Colomiers and Oyonnax to be the main contenders for promotion.
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Scott1
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Re: French Rugby 2021/2022

Post by Scott1 »

Good work! Freesports still airing some free games?
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Robespierre
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Re: French Rugby 2021/2022

Post by Robespierre »

The new ProD2 season gets underway this evening with a match between the two relegated from the Top14, Bayonne v Agen. Bayonne should be among the favourites for promotion and will probably brush aside Agen with something to spare.
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kk20gb30
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Re: French Rugby 2021/2022

Post by kk20gb30 »

Mathieu Bastareaud back from injury ?

https://www.rugbypass.com/news/fit-agai ... jury-lyon/
Seemingly heading rapidly toward senility .....Not long or far to go now , in fact, getting worse daily.....
Robespierre
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Re: French Rugby 2021/2022

Post by Robespierre »

kk20gb30 wrote: Fri Aug 27, 2021 9:46 am Mathieu Bastareaud back from injury ?

https://www.rugbypass.com/news/fit-agai ... jury-lyon/
He played in the pre-season friendly for Lyon against Clermont and he sadly needs an operation on a metacarpal in his right hand, which probably means no rugby until at least early 2022.
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Robespierre
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Re: French Rugby 2021/2022

Post by Robespierre »

Top14 round 1 results:

Biarritz 27 Bordeaux 15
Brive 36 Perpignan 15
Castres 16 Pau 12
Toulon 24 Montpellier 24
S Français 21 Racing 36
Lyon 28 Clermont 19
La Rochelle 16 Toulouse 20

Brive are in 1st place after a bp win over Perpignan.
Toulouse win at la Rochelle where la Rochelle's Skelton was shown red and Toulouse took advantage and secured a very good away win.

Round 2 next weekend:

Clermont v Castres
Montpellier v Brive
Pau v Lyon
Perpignan v Biarritz
Bordeaux v S Français
Racing v La Rochelle
Toulouse v Toulon
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Robespierre
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Re: French Rugby 2021/2022

Post by Robespierre »

Agen, who last season were relegated from the Top14 to ProD2 having lost every game, are finding life equally tough in ProD2. So far this season they've played three and lost three.
How the once mighty are fallen! Among former great players for Agen are Philippe Sella, Abdelatif Bennazzi, Christian Califano, Pierre Berbizier, Jean-Jacques Crenca.
They lost a major sponsor last season ahd had to tighten their belts and they're going to have to find a way to get a few wins over the next few months or they may well find themselves relegated again.

Elsewhere, it is said that Toulouse have debts amounting to €7m, mainly due to a lack of gate takings last season and it's been suggested (probably without any foundation!) that they may have to consider selling Romain Ntamack and Antoine Dupont.
The €1m deal negotiated with Toulon for Cheslin Kolbe will have eased the financial worries, but with major sponsors like Airbus and Peugeot, and the return of sell-out home matches they should manage to pull through!
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Robespierre
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Re: French Rugby 2021/2022

Post by Robespierre »

Round 2 Top14 results:

Toulouse 41 Toulon 10
Clermont 30 Castres 34
Pau 21 Lyon 17
Montpellier 39 Brive 17
Perpignan 33 Biarritz 20
Bordeaux 37 S Français 10
Racing 23 La Rochelle 10

Toulouse scored 6 tries in their demolition of Toulon.
Clermont aren't having the best of starts to the season having lost at home to Castres.
Stade Français are pointless after two games and find themselves at the bottom with zero points.

1 Toulouse played 2/9 points
2 Racing 2/8
3 Castres 2/8
4 Montpellier 2/6
5 Pau 2/5
6 Lyon 2/5
7 Bordeaux 2/5
8 Brive 2/5
9 Perpignan 2/4
10 Biarritz 2/4
11 Toulon 2/2
12 Clermont 2/1
13 La Rochelle 2/1
14 S Français 2/0

Round 3 is next weekend:

Biarritz v Racing
Brive v Pau
Castres v Bordeaux
Lyon v Perpignan
Montpellier v Toulouse
Clermont v La Rochelle
Toulon v SF
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kk20gb30
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Re: French Rugby 2021/2022

Post by kk20gb30 »

There are Red Cards and then there are Red Cards .......

https://www.thesouthafrican.com/sport/r ... -ever-see/
Seemingly heading rapidly toward senility .....Not long or far to go now , in fact, getting worse daily.....
kpj tiger
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Re: French Rugby 2021/2022

Post by kpj tiger »

Anybody know why Facundo Isa is playing for Toulon and not Argentina? :smt017
Robespierre
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Re: French Rugby 2021/2022

Post by Robespierre »

kpj tiger wrote: Sun Sep 19, 2021 8:57 am Anybody know why Facundo Isa is playing for Toulon and not Argentina? :smt017
He sustained a knee ligament injury with the Argentina team and came back to France to recuperate. It was thought he may be absent for 7/8 months but he's made a rather rapid recovery and starts at 7 for Toulon in this evening's round 3 Top14 match at home to Stade Français.

Here's the link:

https://www.lequipe.fr/Rugby/Actualites ... ne/1278801
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Robespierre
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Re: French Rugby 2021/2022

Post by Robespierre »

kk20gb30 wrote: Sun Sep 19, 2021 7:44 am There are Red Cards and then there are Red Cards .......

https://www.thesouthafrican.com/sport/r ... -ever-see/
Appalling! I wouldn't be surprised if he cops a lengthy ban of maybe 20 games.
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kpj tiger
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Re: French Rugby 2021/2022

Post by kpj tiger »

kk20gb30 wrote: Sun Sep 19, 2021 7:44 am There are Red Cards and then there are Red Cards .......

https://www.thesouthafrican.com/sport/r ... -ever-see/
Am I the only one who isn't sure how or why this is a red, its not high and he wraps his arms, the only infraction I can see is marginally late? :smt017
Scott1
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Re: French Rugby 2021/2022

Post by Scott1 »

kpj tiger wrote: Mon Sep 20, 2021 11:30 am
kk20gb30 wrote: Sun Sep 19, 2021 7:44 am There are Red Cards and then there are Red Cards .......

https://www.thesouthafrican.com/sport/r ... -ever-see/
Am I the only one who isn't sure how or why this is a red, its not high and he wraps his arms, the only infraction I can see is marginally late? :smt017
I'm questioning it too
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RunTigerRun
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Re: French Rugby 2021/2022

Post by RunTigerRun »

Scott1 wrote: Mon Sep 20, 2021 11:44 am
kpj tiger wrote: Mon Sep 20, 2021 11:30 am
kk20gb30 wrote: Sun Sep 19, 2021 7:44 am There are Red Cards and then there are Red Cards .......

https://www.thesouthafrican.com/sport/r ... -ever-see/
Am I the only one who isn't sure how or why this is a red, its not high and he wraps his arms, the only infraction I can see is marginally late? :smt017
I'm questioning it too
I too was initially unsure. I believe it is down to reckless intent by jumping into the tackle late, and why the initial contact is with the top of the chest, there does appear to be some contact with the neck/chin (although granted the clips I’ve seen combined with my eyesight could cloud this somewhat).

So my thinking is whilst technique wasn’t the worst there has been, the reckless nature of jumping/diving into the tackle without ‘due care’ for the opposing player meant it was a red card.

All my opinion of course
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