ourla wrote: ↑Mon Jan 27, 2020 3:53 pm
Yeah, shame about Biarritz. Although one assumes it's of their own making?
Weren't they relagated from the Top14 a few years ago again due to financial problems?
Many feel that a merger with Bayonne (only a couple of kms down the road) would have been the sensible option and create one top flight club in the Basque region, but the die-hard supporters of each club would have nothing to do with it thinking that they'd lose their identity. That seems better, however, than ceasing to exist, doesn't it?
I have sympathies either way. Look at the regions in Wales.
Are there any examples of successful mergers of two sporting teams of that scale/stature?
ourla wrote: ↑Mon Jan 27, 2020 3:53 pm
Yeah, shame about Biarritz. Although one assumes it's of their own making?
Weren't they relagated from the Top14 a few years ago again due to financial problems?
Many feel that a merger with Bayonne (only a couple of kms down the road) would have been the sensible option and create one top flight club in the Basque region, but the die-hard supporters of each club would have nothing to do with it thinking that they'd lose their identity. That seems better, however, than ceasing to exist, doesn't it?
I have sympathies either way. Look at the regions in Wales.
Are there any examples of successful mergers of two sporting teams of that scale/stature?
The Welsh regions still exist and play in top competitions, which might not be the case had they not merged.
Surely if Biarritz fold they will just start a new club with a slightly different name and enter a division or two below?
Weren't they relagated from the Top14 a few years ago again due to financial problems?
Many feel that a merger with Bayonne (only a couple of kms down the road) would have been the sensible option and create one top flight club in the Basque region, but the die-hard supporters of each club would have nothing to do with it thinking that they'd lose their identity. That seems better, however, than ceasing to exist, doesn't it?
I have sympathies either way. Look at the regions in Wales.
Are there any examples of successful mergers of two sporting teams of that scale/stature?
The Welsh regions still exist and play in top competitions, which might not be the case had they not merged.
Surely if Biarritz fold they will just start a new club with a slightly different name and enter a division or two below?
It could be possible, I suppose, to create a new club in a lower division but I really hope a rescue deal will be found. A big club like this to go under would be a shame.
Round 15 was played at the weekend and here are the results:
Agen 24 Castres 43.
Racing 30 Toulouse 27.
Bordeaux 37 Lyon 19.
Montpellier 31 Bayonne 29.
Pau 20 Clermont 23.
Toulon 34 Brive 17.
SF 21 La Rochelle 20.
So the top of the table match was dominated by Bordeaux. There were a few close games, notably Racing’s last minute win against seriously depleted Toulouse, for whom Cheslin Kolbe played fly half! Stade Français move out if the relegation places with a one point win over La Rochelle and Agen are now in the smelly stuff after a heavy home defeat to fellow strugglers Castres.
Table:
1 Bordeaux 52.
2 Lyon. 49.
3 Racing 41.
4 Toulon 40.
5 La Rochelle 38.
6 Clermont 36.
7 Montpellier 36.
8 Toulouse 35.
9 Brive. 29.
10 Castres 28.
11 Bayonne 25.
12 S Français 24.
13 Pau 24.
14 Agen 22.
And I omitted to mention that Montpellier’s Nadolo (a future Tiger?) scored a hat-trick!!
Last edited by Robespierre on Wed Feb 19, 2020 9:33 am, edited 2 times in total.
Robespierre wrote: ↑Mon Feb 17, 2020 10:30 am
Round 15 was played at the weekend and here are the results:
Agen 24 Castres 43.
Racing 30 Toulouse 27.
Bordeaux 37 Lyon 19.
Montpellier 31 Bayonne 29.
Pau 20 Clermont 23.
Toulon 34 Brive 17.
SF 21 La Rochelle 20.
So the top of the table match was dominated by Bordeaux. There were a few close games, notably Racing’s last minute win against seriously depleted Toulouse, for whom Cheslin Kolbe played fly half! Stade Français move out if the relegation places with a one point win over La Rochelle and Agen are now in the smelly stuff after a heavy home defeat to fellow strugglers Castres.
Table:
1 Bordeaux 52.
2 Lyon. 49.
3 Racing 41.
4 Toulon 40.
5 La Rochelle 38.
6 Clermont 36.
7 Montpellier 36.
8 Toulouse 35.
9 Brive. 29.
10 Castres 28.
11 Bayonne 25.
12 S Français 24.
13 Pau 24.
14 Agen 22.
And I omitted to mention that Montpellier’s Nadolo (a future Tiger?) scored a hat-trick!!
There are some tasty looking fixtures this coming weekend:
Two matches with relegation contenders;
Bayonne v Stade Français
Castres v Pau
Brive v Agen
Clermont v Bordeaux
Lyon v Racing (2nd play 3rd)
Toulouse v Montpellier
La Rochelle v Toulon (4th play 5th)
La Rochelle 17 Toulon 12
Bayonne 28 Stade Français 17 (SF once again in the relegation zone)
Brive 16 Agen 30 (this surprise result takes Agen up to 12th)
Castres 26 Pau 11 (Pau are now bottom)
Clermont 22 Bordeaux 31 (Bordeaux cement their top spot)
Lyon 29 Racing 20
Toulouse 25 Montpellier 7 ( Good bp win for Toulouse, with Kolbe this time at full back)
Racing 49 La Rochelle 0 (a hell of a thumping for the fancied La Rochelle team!)
Agen 15 Clermont 32 (bp for Clermont and Agen still in theb relegation zone)
Bayonne 20 Toulouse 10 (Toulouse missing all their players in the French squad)
Pau 19 Montpellier 16 (precious home win for Pau lifts them out of the relegation zone)
Brive 36 Lyon 16
Bordeaux 26 Castres 24 (Castres will be tough opponents for Tigers in early April)
Toulon 19 SFrançais 18 (An injury time penalty from Toulon cruelly leaves SF bottom)
Robespierre wrote: ↑Tue Mar 03, 2020 6:49 pm
Bordeaux 26 Castres 24 (Castres will be tough opponents for Tigers in early April)
Undoubtedly so, glad it's at WR which should give us a slight advantage - especially if Castres don't 'travel' and focus more on their league position.
Thanks for all your updates Robespierre
Faithless is he that says farewell when the road darkens.
Robespierre wrote: ↑Tue Mar 03, 2020 6:49 pm
Bordeaux 26 Castres 24 (Castres will be tough opponents for Tigers in early April)
Undoubtedly so, glad it's at WR which should give us a slight advantage - especially if Castres don't 'travel' and focus more on their league position.
Robespierre wrote: ↑Tue Mar 03, 2020 6:49 pm
Bordeaux 26 Castres 24 (Castres will be tough opponents for Tigers in early April)
Undoubtedly so, glad it's at WR which should give us a slight advantage - especially if Castres don't 'travel' and focus more on their league position.
The LNR (Ligue Nationale de Rugby) has just announced that there'll be no promotion and relegation in the Top14 and ProD2.
Good news for Stade Français who must be breathing an amighty sigh of relief. However, sides like Colomiers and Perpignan (currently 1st and 2nd in ProD2) won't be very happy.
There's no word yet about when the Top14 season will start again. There must be a chance that it won't, and if that's the case, Toulouse will be fuming as they're currently 7th and will miss out on the Champions' Cup next season. They were the team that missed most players during the World Cup and the curtailed 6 Nations, and lost Top14 matches that they would normally have won.