French Top 14 2014/2015
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- VGE
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French Top 14 2014/2015
Next week is the first round
VENDREDI 15 AOÛT 2014
Bayonne Toulon
SAMEDI 16 AOÛT 2014
Clermont Grenoble
Brive La Rochelle
Castres Stade Français
Union Bordeaux-Bègles Lyon OU
Toulouse Oyonnax
Montpellier Racing-Métro 92
Toulon seems stronger than ever. What else? See you in 2016.
I can imagine that final ranking:
1/Toulon
2/Montpellier
3/ASM
4/Toulouse
5/Racing
6/Castres
Oh, sorry, that was the 2014 ranking.
So:
1/ASM (I don't believe it but I want to believe)
2/Toulon
3/Racing
4/Toulouse
5/Montpellier
6/Bordeaux
7/Castres
8/Lyon
9/Stade Français
10/Brive
11/Oyonnax
12/Bayonne (only if they beat Toulon next Friday)
13/Grenoble (even if they beat ASM next Saturday)
14/La Rochelle
Just can't wait Munster/ASM
Au revoir.
VENDREDI 15 AOÛT 2014
Bayonne Toulon
SAMEDI 16 AOÛT 2014
Clermont Grenoble
Brive La Rochelle
Castres Stade Français
Union Bordeaux-Bègles Lyon OU
Toulouse Oyonnax
Montpellier Racing-Métro 92
Toulon seems stronger than ever. What else? See you in 2016.
I can imagine that final ranking:
1/Toulon
2/Montpellier
3/ASM
4/Toulouse
5/Racing
6/Castres
Oh, sorry, that was the 2014 ranking.
So:
1/ASM (I don't believe it but I want to believe)
2/Toulon
3/Racing
4/Toulouse
5/Montpellier
6/Bordeaux
7/Castres
8/Lyon
9/Stade Français
10/Brive
11/Oyonnax
12/Bayonne (only if they beat Toulon next Friday)
13/Grenoble (even if they beat ASM next Saturday)
14/La Rochelle
Just can't wait Munster/ASM
Au revoir.
(...) je souhaite que la Providence veille sur la France, pour son bonheur, pour son bien et pour sa grandeur. Au revoir !
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9PjBgWO ... ata_player
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9PjBgWO ... ata_player
- Tricky Dicky
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Re: French Top 14 2014/2015
The Top 14 is monotonous, dreary cr@p for the most part. Slow, arm-wrestle rugby played on sub-standard surfaces with a minimum of phase-play. Bar Toulon, none of the French teams will do well in Europe next season in my opinion. Clermont and Toulouse look to be in decline, and Castres and Montpellier, while good teams, will prioritise the Top 14 and probably won't be able to prosper on two fronts. I pity the players. Fulgence Ouedraogo only got a two-week break ffs! Pro 12 standard can be poor sometimes, but at least most of the teams, especially the Irish ones, up their game considerably for European competition
I won't be watching much, but in its present guise the Top 14 is great for the Irish national team. Long may this dross continue
I won't be watching much, but in its present guise the Top 14 is great for the Irish national team. Long may this dross continue
He who fights, and runs away... ...can run away another day
- VGE
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Re: French Top 14 2014/2015
I think (and I'm afraid) that you're absolutely right.Tricky Dicky wrote:The Top 14 is monotonous, dreary cr@p for the most part. Slow, arm-wrestle rugby played on sub-standard surfaces with a minimum of phase-play. Bar Toulon, none of the French teams will do well in Europe next season in my opinion. Clermont and Toulouse look to be in decline, and Castres and Montpellier, while good teams, will prioritise the Top 14 and probably won't be able to prosper on two fronts. I pity the players. Fulgence Ouedraogo only got a two-week break ffs! Pro 12 standard can be poor sometimes, but at least most of the teams, especially the Irish ones, up their game considerably for European competition
I won't be watching much, but in its present guise the Top 14 is great for the Irish national team. Long may this dross continue
But I want to believe lol
Au revoir.
(...) je souhaite que la Providence veille sur la France, pour son bonheur, pour son bien et pour sa grandeur. Au revoir !
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9PjBgWO ... ata_player
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9PjBgWO ... ata_player
Re: French Top 14 2014/2015
While the T14 has a lot of arm wrestling in their games, as a leauge, it was the most absorbing, closely fought and interesting league in Europe by an absolute mile. The regular season went down to the wire. The writing was on the wall elsewhere miles in advance.Tricky Dicky wrote:The Top 14 is monotonous, dreary cr@p for the most part.
- Tricky Dicky
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Re: French Top 14 2014/2015
It's very true that the mid-table positions are hotly contested, but apart from watching Clermont score loads of tries against minnows, I don't see any exciting actual play. It may be tense to see who's going to win a match, but there's too much emphasis on scrum, and not enough ball-in-hand attackingceemec wrote:While the T14 has a lot of arm wrestling in their games, as a leauge, it was the most absorbing, closely fought and interesting league in Europe by an absolute mile. The regular season went down to the wire. The writing was on the wall elsewhere miles in advance.Tricky Dicky wrote:The Top 14 is monotonous, dreary cr@p for the most part.
He who fights, and runs away... ...can run away another day
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Re: French Top 14 2014/2015
You might like league.Tricky Dicky wrote:It's very true that the mid-table positions are hotly contested, but apart from watching Clermont score loads of tries against minnows, I don't see any exciting actual play. It may be tense to see who's going to win a match, but there's too much emphasis on scrum, and not enough ball-in-hand attackingceemec wrote:While the T14 has a lot of arm wrestling in their games, as a leauge, it was the most absorbing, closely fought and interesting league in Europe by an absolute mile. The regular season went down to the wire. The writing was on the wall elsewhere miles in advance.Tricky Dicky wrote:The Top 14 is monotonous, dreary cr@p for the most part.
"It was Mrs O'Leary's cow"
Daniel Sullivan
Daniel Sullivan
- Tricky Dicky
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Re: French Top 14 2014/2015
You might like league.[/quote]
I don't especially like league, actually. Too few line-outs and too monotonous. I don't really have a feel for the tactics anyway. I'd only watch highlights if the likes of Tom Briscoe score great solo tries. I like good technically sound rugby union, of the sort coached by Joe Schmidt. Don't get me wrong, it's great to have a strong scrum, and I'm a big fan of the maul, when it's done well. I just don't like it when a team's only tactic seems to be to try to win penalties from scrums, instead of giving the ball to the backline. Too many Joe Tekoris, and not enough Olivier Magnes dominating the French game for me
I don't especially like league, actually. Too few line-outs and too monotonous. I don't really have a feel for the tactics anyway. I'd only watch highlights if the likes of Tom Briscoe score great solo tries. I like good technically sound rugby union, of the sort coached by Joe Schmidt. Don't get me wrong, it's great to have a strong scrum, and I'm a big fan of the maul, when it's done well. I just don't like it when a team's only tactic seems to be to try to win penalties from scrums, instead of giving the ball to the backline. Too many Joe Tekoris, and not enough Olivier Magnes dominating the French game for me
He who fights, and runs away... ...can run away another day
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- Devin Toner
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Re: French Top 14 2014/2015
That still doesn't change the fact that the actual rugby is not very good.ceemec wrote:While the T14 has a lot of arm wrestling in their games, as a leauge, it was the most absorbing, closely fought and interesting league in Europe by an absolute mile. The regular season went down to the wire. The writing was on the wall elsewhere miles in advance.Tricky Dicky wrote:The Top 14 is monotonous, dreary cr@p for the most part.
I have Bumbleflex
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- Rhys Ruddock
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Re: French Top 14 2014/2015
To be fair, Bordeaux are a pretty decent side to watch. They tend to play a lot of running, off loading rugby. Sadly, they may be in the minority.
The sport that unites Catholic, Protestant and dissenter has had its day of days. Pity anybody who can't enjoy it. Some day.
Gerry Thornley 23/3/09. 'Nuff said.
Gerry Thornley 23/3/09. 'Nuff said.
- VGE
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Re: French Top 14 2014/2015
That's why I hope them to qualify.Cianostays wrote:To be fair, Bordeaux are a pretty decent side to watch. They tend to play a lot of running, off loading rugby. Sadly, they may be in the minority.
Au revoir.
(...) je souhaite que la Providence veille sur la France, pour son bonheur, pour son bien et pour sa grandeur. Au revoir !
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9PjBgWO ... ata_player
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9PjBgWO ... ata_player
Re: French Top 14 2014/2015
Talebula will certainly be worth keeping an eye on.VGE wrote:That's why I hope them to qualify.Cianostays wrote:To be fair, Bordeaux are a pretty decent side to watch. They tend to play a lot of running, off loading rugby. Sadly, they may be in the minority.
Au revoir.
- VGE
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Re: French Top 14 2014/2015
Crisis? What crisis? I live 450 kms to Clermont and work often more further, but I'm a season ticket holder again! The boy is back in town.
Au revoir.
Au revoir.
(...) je souhaite que la Providence veille sur la France, pour son bonheur, pour son bien et pour sa grandeur. Au revoir !
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9PjBgWO ... ata_player
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9PjBgWO ... ata_player
Re: French Top 14 2014/2015
Clermont, Bordeaux, Montpellier and promoted La Rochelle are all side that are very pretty to watch.Cianostays wrote:To be fair, Bordeaux are a pretty decent side to watch. They tend to play a lot of running, off loading rugby. Sadly, they may be in the minority.
Toulouse and Toulon gameplans are too poor. Stade Français is also pretty to watch but I don't like some of their players (in terms of mentality - Parisse, Fillol, Pape, Arias).
All the others are only concentrated on destroy the gameplan of the opponent.
"Worst Olympic Game Ever"
- VGE
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Re: French Top 14 2014/2015
Bayonne 15 Toulon 29
It will be a looooooong long year.
Au revoir.
It will be a looooooong long year.
Au revoir.
(...) je souhaite que la Providence veille sur la France, pour son bonheur, pour son bien et pour sa grandeur. Au revoir !
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9PjBgWO ... ata_player
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9PjBgWO ... ata_player
- Toulon fan
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Re: French Top 14 2014/2015
Aww...VGE wrote:Crisis? What crisis? I live 450 kms to Clermont and work often more further, but I'm a season ticket holder again! The boy is back in town.
Au revoir.
You got to beliebe!VGE wrote:Bayonne 15 Toulon 29
It will be a looooooong long year.
Au revoir.
I'm french. Please correct my english mistakes !
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- Rhys Ruddock
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Re: French Top 14 2014/2015
Ah that's low. Funny. Very, very funny but low
The sport that unites Catholic, Protestant and dissenter has had its day of days. Pity anybody who can't enjoy it. Some day.
Gerry Thornley 23/3/09. 'Nuff said.
Gerry Thornley 23/3/09. 'Nuff said.
Re: French Top 14 2014/2015
Why is there a photo of James O'connor there? Did he get off the bench last night?
- Toulon fan
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Re: French Top 14 2014/2015
By now the puppet's just here to sing a song or two under the shower. Training sessions based on "baby, baby, baaaabbbbyyyyy uuuhhh uuuuuuhhh babyyyyy". His throat will be ready for Bakkies Botha return.johng wrote:Why is there a photo of James O'connor there? Did he get off the bench last night?
I'm french. Please correct my english mistakes !
- simonokeeffe
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Re: French Top 14 2014/2015
Toulon fan wrote:By now the puppet's just here to sing a song or two under the shower. Training sessions based on "baby, baby, baaaabbbbyyyyy uuuhhh uuuuuuhhh babyyyyy". His throat will be ready for Bakkies Botha return.johng wrote:Why is there a photo of James O'connor there? Did he get off the bench last night?
Retired from babbling. Can be found on twittter @okeeffesimon
Re: French Top 14 2014/2015
What the actual fcuk!!!
Clermont v Grenoble game - wonder how Jackman will feel about that finish. You can't win the title if you're so afraid of missing out on the losing bonus point that you're not prepared to go for the win. That could have been a HUGE result for Grenoble and a fantastic way to kick start a season.
I'm off for the shopping now sad and disappointed by Top 14 rugby - ah well, what's new!
Clermont v Grenoble game - wonder how Jackman will feel about that finish. You can't win the title if you're so afraid of missing out on the losing bonus point that you're not prepared to go for the win. That could have been a HUGE result for Grenoble and a fantastic way to kick start a season.
I'm off for the shopping now sad and disappointed by Top 14 rugby - ah well, what's new!
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