European Club Rugby

Tim

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="mariner4life" data-cid="550416" data-time="1451865166">
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I watched a bit of Top 14 on the weekend (SF v someone i had never heard of, played on an artificial pitch?), and some other game, Toulouse i think. The quality i saw was so poor. The game plans were basic, and the skills really lacking. I was actually bored watching rugby, and that normally only happens when i am watching the Brumbies or the Stormers. 
 
For SF Genia tried hard to create stuff, but with Morne Steyn at 10, it was not a match made in heaven. 
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Pure Brock James standing deep and kicking the ball constantly in an NPC game garbage.

Crazy Horse

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="No Quarter" data-cid="550422" data-time="1451867810">
It's gonna suck not having those two in Black this year.</blockquote>
 
It'll be fine. Slade was only a bit player at best and Taylor hasn't pulled on the black jumper in a couple of years. We will hardly miss them.

Stargazer

I haven't watched any European club rugby this weekend, but I just noticed that French media are saying that Clermont have signed Isaia Toeava on a short-term contract as medical cover for injured fullback Nick Abendanon (out for 3 months). Hasn't been confirmed by Clermont yet.
 
<a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.sports-auvergne.fr/rugby/asm/2016/01/31/l-asm-a-trouve-le-joker-medical-d-abendanon_11763058.html'>http://www.sports-auvergne.fr/rugby/asm/2016/01/31/l-asm-a-trouve-le-joker-medical-d-abendanon_11763058.html</a>

Higgins

The exodus to European Rugby looks to be seriously endangering the quality of Presidents Grade rugby in NZ as many of the Kiwis playing there appear to be eligible to be playing Pressies now or in the next year or three!

Stargazer

Update: French paper Midi Olympique writes that Toeava is about to sign not only a contract as medical cover for Nick Abendanon, but also a further 2 year contract.

Stargazer

Confirmed:
 
[media]http://twitter.com/ASMOfficiel/status/694082325567524864[/media]

Catogrande

Exeter Chiefs have signed Dave Dennis from NSW Waratahs. I freely admit I know next to nothing about this guy. What are the thoughts of the Fern cognoscenti? Rob Baxter (Exeter head coach) has made some inspired and under the radar signings over the past few years so I'm quite hopeful Dennis will be the nuts.

Billy Tell

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Catogrande" data-cid="555710" data-time="1454329119">
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Exeter Chiefs have signed Dave Dennis from NSW Waratahs. I freely admit I know next to nothing about this guy. What are the thoughts of the Fern cognoscenti? Rob Baxter (Exeter head coach) has made some inspired and under the radar signings over the past few years so I'm quite hopeful Dennis will be the nuts.
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I'm thinking your Tom Croft style of loose forward. He's quite athletic and quick and can be useful in the lineout. Not especially powerful, not really a breakdown threat. A linking sort of player. If you have the balance of your loose forward trio correct, he could be a decent enough acquisition.

hydro11

Time has passed and Connacht are still top of the league. Leinster are second and have a game in hand.
 
Racing Metro are still top in France after coming back to beat Grenoble this morning.

cgrant

David Smith has been ruled ineligible for France, having played for NZ in a seven tournament in 2008. He scored a try against Clermont this week end and was called by French coach Guy Noves to join Marcoussis where Les Bleus are training for the Friday evening game against Wales.

Nepia

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="cgrant" data-cid="560034" data-time="1456129341">
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David Smith has been ruled ineligible for France, having played for NZ in a seven tournament in 2008. He scored a try against Clermont this week end and was called by French coach Guy Noves to join Marcoussis where Les Bleus are training for the Friday evening game against Wales.
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Is French rugby in that much of a hole that David Smith nearly made their national team?

Catogrande

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Nepia" data-cid="560043" data-time="1456134618">
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Is French rugby in that much of a hole that David Smith nearly made their national team?
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Guy Noves had a glittering coaching career at Toulouse for many years but has somewhat fallen away latterly. His previous record got him the gig for France. There is a school of thought that anyone could have coached THAT Toulouse side and that maybe he's not the Messiah after all. Anyway his first two match day squads for France showed A) Big changes from the previous regime and RWC squad and Then big changes again for the second game. It sort of reinforces the stereotype for mad French coaches. Perhaps Smith is just another example of this?
 
What i would say in conclusion is do not expect any logic to prevail in the near future.

cgrant

With Huget, Bonneval, O'Connor and Thomas injured, with Guitoune and Naikataci out of favour, Clerc too old, Noves had to call someone new. In the Top 14, most of the wingers are foreigners, and not the best in the world (with the notable exception of Habana, Imhoff and Mitchell).

taniwharugby

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="cgrant" data-cid="560058" data-time="1456149034">
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With Huget, Bonneval, O'Connor and Thomas injured, with Guitoune and Naikataci out of favour, Clerc too old, Noves had to call someone new. In the Top 14, most of the wingers are foreigners, and not the best in the world (with the notable exception of Habana, Imhoff and Mitchell).
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surely not!!

Catogrande

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="cgrant" data-cid="560058" data-time="1456149034">
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With Huget, Bonneval, O'Connor and Thomas injured, with Guitoune and Naikataci out of favour, Clerc too old, Noves had to call someone new. In the Top 14, most of the wingers are foreigners, and not the best in the world (with the notable exception of Habana, Imhoff and Mitchell).
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You have a point (although Clerc is still going pretty well in the T14) but I meant the whole squad was greatly changed, not suggesting it was simply a wing problem. The initial squad showed a shed load of new names, certainly enough to raise a few eyebrows and cause a few "who the fuck is he"? comments. Then more changes the following week. Sure Noves has had some injury problems but nowhere near as many as say Ireland and that hasn't led to many "who the fuck"? comments. It may be just perception but to me it just seems to re-enforce the idea of madness that often afflicts French selection.

mariner4life

I'm watching Castre v Clermont and it's pretty fucking good. Kiwi wingers everywhere. Fritz Lee is a fucking beast. 
It's plenty open with a lot of running rugby mixed in with some brutal stuff up front.

Stargazer

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote">
Kiwis in Europe: Toeava stars for Clermont By Campbell Burnes 11:38 AM Monday Feb 29, 2016 
 Isaia Toeava seems to have found a new home at French Top 14 club Clermont. The former All Blacks utility back, now 30, scored a try as Clermont hammered Oyonnax 44-16. His teammate, No 8 Fritz Lee, is showing him the ropes. 
 Oyonnax, who last month terminated the contract of Piri Weepu, now popping up at sixth tier club Saint Sulpice (in the Honneur division), fielded Roimata Hansell-Pune at No 12, lock Leon Power and prop Soane Tonga'uiha. 
 Dan Carter's Racing-Metro came unstuck, with a 13-9 reverse at home to David Smith's Castres. Carter kicked three penalty goals, while Ben Tameifuna and Chris Masoe also started. Smith may have wished he was playing for France in Cardiff, were it not for the small matter of his 2008 appearance for the New Zealand Sevens side. Someone should have told the French federation of the Steve Devine case, when the former Australian Sevens rep was granted a dispensation to change his eligibility to New Zealand at the start of the millennium. 
 Luke McAlister was at fullback and scored a try but Toulouse fell 31-29 at home to Montpellier. 
 A late try to former Waikato No 8 Rory Grice saw Grenoble to an upset 33-18 win at Stade Francais, who fielded Paul Williams at second five. 
 Colin Slade kicked a penalty for Pau, but they are far from clear of the relegation zone after a 3-15 home loss to Bordeaux-Begles. Conrad Smith started at centre for Pau, while Hugh Chalmers wore the No 7 jersey for the visitors, with Peter Saili and Luke Braid off the bench. 
 Tom Taylor, who kept Quade Cooper on the pine, scored a try as Toulon smashed Brive 44-15. George Tilsley scored a vital brace from the wing as Agen, battling hard to avoid the drop again, beat Romana Graham's La Rochelle 31-27. 
 In the Guinness PRO12, an early try to centre Bundee Aki set Connacht on the way to beating Ospreys 30-22. Starting in the Connacht pack were Tom McCartney (2), Jake Heenan (7), and George Naoupu (8). 
 Francis Saili's try was decisive as his Munster edged Treviso 16-13, for whom fullback Jayden Hayward kicked three goals. 
 Leinster's Isa Nacewa kicked three goals in a 27-10 victory at Mils Muliaina's Zebre. 
Cardiff Blues, featuring Rey Lee-Lo and Jarrad Hoeata, upset Nick Williams' Ulster 23-12, while a try to No 10 Phil Burleigh proved vital as Edinburgh saw off Scarlets 23-22, despite a try to Hadleigh Parkes. 
 Nick Crosswell's Dragons went down 18-15 to Glasgow. 
 In England's Aviva Premiership, Siale Piutau, partnered in midfield with brother Charles, scored a try as Wasps hammered Harlequins 42-10. Bay of Plenty halfback Jono Kitto also crossed the whitewash as Leicester crushed Sean Maitland's London Irish 47-20. 
 Tries to Johnny Leota and TJ Ioane helped Sale Sharks to a 36-all draw with Saracens. George Pisi scored a try as his Northampton Saints beat Bryce Heem's Worcester Warriors 38-18. 
 Exeter Chiefs, with Thomas Waldrom again at No 8, defeated Bath 26-17, while Willi Heinz, John Afoa and Jeremy Thrush started in Gloucester's 32-6 win over Newcastle. 
 In the European Nations Cup/Six Nations B, at least four New Zealanders featured in the latest round. 
 Former Otago threequarter Paula Kinikinilau played centre and former Warriors junior Steve Shennan on the wing as Romania blanked Russia 30-0, while two ex-pat New Zealand first fives did their jobs for their adopted countries. Former North Otago and Wairarapa-Bush No 10 Jeremy Te Huia appeared for Germany in their decisive 50-27 win over Portugal, while former Otago pivot Dan Snee ran the cutter for Spain in their 38-7 defeat by Georgia. 
 - NZ Herald 
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cgrant

Very brutal game between Toulouse (with Census Johnston, Edwin Maka, Paul Perez and Luke McAllister) and Montpellier.
Montpellier is coached by Jake White and fields a lot of SA players : three Du Plessis (among them Bismarck and Jan), Willemsee at lock, Liebenberg on the flank, Catrakilis at 1st 5/8, FranÃ§ois Steyn and Ebersohn in midfield. Pierre Spies was in the stands. A few Aussies complete the team (Jesse Mogg and Ben Lucas - Nick White and Ben Mowen did not play).

Bovidae

I suppose this is the best place to mention Weepu. Now playing Div 6 French club rugby thanks to Sivivatu's contacts. Sad to read about how his overseas rugby career has stalled.
 
 
<a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/all-blacks/77343644/former-all-black-piri-weepu-joins-club-in-sixth-tier-of-french-rugby'>http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/all-blacks/77343644/former-all-black-piri-weepu-joins-club-in-sixth-tier-of-french-rugby</a>

gollum

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Bovidae" data-cid="561632" data-time="1456735023">
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I suppose this is the best place to mention Weepu. Now playing Div 6 French club rugby thanks to Sivivatu's contacts. Sad to read about how his overseas rugby career has stalled.
 
 
<a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/all-blacks/77343644/former-all-black-piri-weepu-joins-club-in-sixth-tier-of-french-rugby'>http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/all-blacks/77343644/former-all-black-piri-weepu-joins-club-in-sixth-tier-of-french-rugby</a>
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What is the deal there? The bit about "try to get match fit" isn't great. In theory he should be oustanding in French rugby, its slow as fuck. How unfit is he now?

The Silver Fern

European Club Rugby