French rugby 2023/24

[GB72]

Also, out of interest, with Townsend deciding the target the Prem for not releasing players in fallow weeks (answer to that is simple, get the SRU to stump up some cash and I am sure a deal can be quickly made) do the French clubs insist on their non french 6 nations players coming back on fallow weeks.

[Rugbygramps]

Also, out of interest, with Townsend deciding the target the Prem for not releasing players in fallow weeks (answer to that is simple, get the SRU to stump up some cask and I am sure a deal can be quickly made) do the French clubs insist on their non french 6 nations players coming back on fallow weeks.

What will be in the cask. A nice single malt definitely, Iron Bru I’m not so sure

[Robespierre]

What’s the French reaction to the Italian game Robes

We can’t understand how a team who were one of the favourites for the World Cup can fall off a cliff like that.

[Rugbygramps]

What’s the French reaction to the Italian game Robes

We can’t understand how a team who were one of the favourites for the World Cup can fall off a cliff like that.

Du Pont factor maybe

[Robespierre]

What’s the French reaction to the Italian game Robes

We can’t understand how a team who were one of the favourites for the World Cup can fall off a cliff like that.

Du Pont factor maybe

Yes, and Romain Ntamack too.

[Robespierre]

Matthieu Jalibert will play no more part in the 6Nations, which could be a blessing in disguise. Who will replace him?

I'd go with Racing's Antoine Gibert and select clubmate Nolan Le Garrec at scrum half. Maxim Lucu has been a disappointment at scrum half. His club form with Bordeaux/Bègles has been very good, but has not taken it with him at test level.
Jonathan Danty will also miss the trip to Cardiff, so we'll maybe see BB's Nicolas Depoortère or Emile Gailleton of Pau, both of whom were recently in the U20 world cup winning squad.

[Robespierre]

Top14 round 17 results:

La Rochelle 42 Clermont 3
Toulouse 33 Castres 6
Bayonne 40 Lyon 10
Oyonnax 35 Montpellier 39
Stade Français 25 Pau 12
Toulon 44 Perpignan 22
Bordeaux/Bègles 21 Racing 5

1 SF 55
2 Toulouse 55
3 B/B 45
4 Castres 44
5 Toulon 41
6 Racing 40
7 La Rochelle 40
8 Pau 40
9 Bayonne 38
10 Clermont 36
11 Lyon 33
12 Montpellier 33 (For the first time in ages, Montpellier climb out of the relegation zone)
13 Perpignan 31 (.. and Perpignan fall back)
14 Oyonnax 23

[Robespierre]

Top14 round 18 results:

Racing 20 Toulon 6
La Rochelle 23 Stade Français 3
Clermont 15 Oyonnax 15
Lyon 34 Castres 19
Montpellier 10 Bordeaux/Bègles 3
Pau 42 Bayonne 40
Perpignan 27 Toulouse 17

1 SF 55
2 Toulouse 55
3 La Rochelle 45
4 B/B 45
5 Castres 44
6 Racing 44
7 Pau 44
8 Toulon 41
9 Bayonne 39
10 Clermont 38
11 Lyon 38
12 Montpellier 37
13 Perpignan 35
14 Oyonnax 25

Round 19 will be on the weekend of 23/24 March

Toulon v Montpellier
Clermont v Pau
Castres v Racing
Oyonnax v Perpignan ( must win match for Oyonnax to close the gap with 13th placed Perpignan)
SF v Lyon
Bayonne v La Rochelle
B/B v Toulouse

[Old Hob]

Matthieu Jalibert will play no more part in the 6Nations, which could be a blessing in disguise. Who will replace him?

I'd go with Racing's Antoine Gibert and select clubmate Nolan Le Garrec at scrum half. Maxim Lucu has been a disappointment at scrum half. His club form with Bordeaux/Bègles has been very good, but has not taken it with him at test level.
Jonathan Danty will also miss the trip to Cardiff, so we'll maybe see BB's Nicolas Depoortère or Emile Gailleton of Pau, both of whom were recently in the U20 world cup winning squad.

Good call on Le Garrec and Lucu although if Le G's insane, reverse no look pass had been intercepted perhaps the praise would not have been so high.

[Robespierre]

Matthieu Jalibert will play no more part in the 6Nations, which could be a blessing in disguise. Who will replace him?

I'd go with Racing's Antoine Gibert and select clubmate Nolan Le Garrec at scrum half. Maxim Lucu has been a disappointment at scrum half. His club form with Bordeaux/Bègles has been very good, but has not taken it with him at test level.
Jonathan Danty will also miss the trip to Cardiff, so we'll maybe see BB's Nicolas Depoortère or Emile Gailleton of Pau, both of whom were recently in the U20 world cup winning squad.

Good call on Le Garrec and Lucu although if Le G's insane, reverse no look pass had been intercepted perhaps the praise would not have been so high.

Yes, that was an extraordinarily high-risk pass!!

[voice of the crumbie]

Robes your call on le Garrec was inspired.

[Not a jock]

I guess that the Welsh players didn’t anticipate THAT pass so made the chances of an interception less likely than for a normal floated pass?

[Robespierre]

There’s some good news in Toulouse. Antoine Dupont is temporarily back from his 7s adventure and is available for this weekend’s match away to Bordeaux /Bègles. Even better is the return to fitness of Romain Ntamack, 7 months after his injury in the World Cup warm-up game against Scotland, and I’ve just read that he could be available for selection for the home fixture to Pau a week on Sunday.

[Robespierre]

Top14 round 19 results:

Bordeaux/Bègles 31 Toulouse 28 (B/B led 24-7 at half time and then Toulouse struck back to lead 28-24 until B/B "scored" a try by the corner flag but the video showed their player's foot brushing the touchline. The ref and touch judge allowed the try with no intervention from the TMO, who must've been a B/B supporter!))
Toulon 54 Montpellier 7 (a crushing defeat sees Montpellier back in the relegation zone)
Clermont 31 Pau 28
Castres 21 Racing 23
Oyonnax 14 Perpignan 15 (Oyonnax are now 12 points from safety and will surely be relegated to Pro D2)
Stade Français 22 Lyon 13
Bayonne 13 La Rochelle 12

1 SF 59
2 Toulouse 56
3 B/B 49
4 Racing 48
5 Toulon 46
6 La Rochelle 46
7 Castres 45
8 Pau 43
10 Clermont 42
11 Perpignan 39
12 Lyon 38
13 Montpellier 37
14 Oyonnax 26

Next weekend's fixtures March 30th/31st:

Montpellier v SF
La Rochelle v Oyonnax
Lyon v B/B
Perpignan v Castres
Racing v Clermont
Toulouse v Pau
Bayonne v Toulon

[ourla]

Have Bayonne been expelled from the League