European Club Rugby

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?

Stargazer

Former All Black and Crusader Corey Flynn will be moving from to Toulouse to Glasgow after this Top14 season. He has signed a two year contract with the Glasgow Warriors.
 
<a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.glasgowwarriors.org/news/16/02/29/former-all-black-flynn-join-club-next-season'>http://www.glasgowwarriors.org/news/16/02/29/former-all-black-flynn-join-club-next-season</a>

Catogrande

George Smith (who has been bloody good for Wasps this season) has been cited for striking James Hook in the head with his knee. Presumably a lengthy ban if he is found to have hit the Qrange Twat with not enough force.

Siam

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Catogrande" data-cid="563473" data-time="1457514416">
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George Smith (who has been bloody good for Wasps this season) has been cited for striking James Hook in the head with his knee. Presumably a lengthy ban if he is found to have hit the Qrange Twat with not enough force.
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Can't plead a clean sheet either as he couldn't stop Justin Marshall becoming a "commentator"
 
context: he broke Meg's ribs in one of our losing semifinals a distant memory ago in a far off dimension ;)

Stargazer

Great interview with Corey Flynn, who's hitting the nail on the head: 

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote">
Ex-AB Flynn questions motives of big-spending French clubs Last updated 11:50, March 10 2016 
 Former All Blacks hooker Corey Flynn has flicked a dart at the wealthy owners of French clubs, saying their habit of throwing big money at foreign players is detrimental to the national side and the state of rugby in the European country. 
 Flynn, who left the Crusaders to link with French club Toulouse after the 2014 Super Rugby final and recently joined Scottish club Glasgow, said the No 1 priority for many private club owners in France was to ignore local talent and access their bulging bank accounts to win titles. 
 Rather than scout players from the lower grades, he said the club owners simply looked to fast-track in established, and promising, players from other countries. 
 This has led to frustration among the French rugby community. 
 "Some of these club owners have got a lot of money - the rugby clubs are just a plaything for them," Flynn told BBC Scotland. "They're not worried about spending money. 
 "It's not a good thing for French rugby as a whole. I've been talking with a couple of the French boys; they're a little bit annoyed because they're not just targeting the big stars of New Zealand, Australia and South Africa." 
 While established All Blacks such as Dan Carter, who joined Paris-based club Racing Metro on a record-breaking deal, and Flynn have flocked to the French clubs there is also the scenario of talented youngsters being lured to the continent. 
 "They're targeting the younger ones so they can get them in at an early age, have them in the academy for three years, then they're regarded as French-qualified, not foreign players any more," Flynn added. 
 "That's a bad thing because they're not nurturing their own talent - which they have an abundance of. But until you get a centrally controlled system you're never going to get that because the private owners just want to win. 
 "They want to spend money to win competitions and they don't really care about the national team or the state of French rugby, which is a shame." 
 The French national side, widely known as Les Bleus, has struggled in recent seasons. France were smashed 62-13 by the All Blacks in the World Cup quarterfinal in Cardiff last year. 
 Unlike New Zealand Rugby, who have benefited from a central contract system which means All Blacks and Super Rugby players are contracted and funded by the national union, the French clubs operate independently. This means wealthy club owners are at liberty to pay big wages for players - but their self-interest means they will put their club before the national team. 

Flynn, 35, played 31 games for Toulouse last season - including two against his new side - starting 30, hot on the heels of a run to the 2014 Super Rugby final. 
 His move to Glasgow followed some discussions with coach Gregor Townsend who asked if he was prepared to work with younger players, too. 
 "Having been in France for two years after a fairly intense, structured outfit in the Crusaders, it turned out I wasn't ready just to cruise, show up and play rugby. I'm not ready to finish like that," Flynn said. 
 "What gives me satisfaction isn't just strapping on my boots and playing, it's being involved in decisions and the way a team runs. I still want to use my brain; I still want to engage mentally into an environment. 
 "Gregor also asked about the mentoring role, and I'm not naÃ¯ve in thinking I can play forever, so I realise that half of my appeal is the experiences I've been through and the ability to pass on those to the younger guys. 
 "You're only ever really a caretaker of a jersey - it's about when you leave, you leave the jersey in a better position, you know?" 
 Stuff 
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SammyC

Corey Flynn is a great guy

MajorRage

In other news, the sky is blue.

Bones

Racing (Carter, Masoe, Rokocoko) scrape through against Toulon (Nonu, Taylor) in the champions cup qf.

MN5

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Bones" data-cid="571413" data-time="1460308181">
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Racing (Carter, Masoe, Rokocoko) scrape through against Toulon (Nonu, Taylor) in the champions cup qf.
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How's Joe R looking these days Bones ? I remember the fern bagging him for being too bulky and slow, is this still the case ?

Bones

Doesn't look slow, but seems the only thing he knows how to do is crash it up - which he actually does bloody well. Ploughed Nonu backwards with a good run at one stage.

gollum

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Bones" data-cid="571583" data-time="1460359050">
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Doesn't look slow, but seems the only thing he knows how to do is crash it up - which he actually does bloody well. Ploughed Nonu backwards with a good run at one stage.
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He spent most of the game playing centre too. He's basically been used as a wing / centre all year. Looks very solid, but not very flashy or quick.
 
Wasps got through too after Chales Piatau scored in the corner & Jimmy Gopeth cooly slotted from the touch line. Wasps backline was Gopeth (10), S Piatau (13), C Piatau (15) Halai (14)
 
And the Aaron Mauger coached Liecester got thru. Under Mauger they have been scoring shitloads, which has made up for them conceding shitloads...

Billy Tell

Infamous Stephen Jones of the Times said the Wasps games was "one of the greatest club games ever played. Like Super Rugby with tackling".
 
The irony was ALL of Wasps points came from Kiwis (Gopperth, Piutau, Halai).
 
Tubby Thomas got 2 tries for Exeter.

Catogrande

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Billy Tell" data-cid="571639" data-time="1460393295">
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Infamous Stephen Jones of the Times said the Wasps games was "one of the greatest club games ever played. Like Super Rugby with tackling".
 
The irony was ALL of Wasps points came from Kiwis (Gopperth, Piutau, Halai).
 
Tubby Thomas got 2 tries for Exeter.
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Well, the walrus is a prick.
 
It was a great game but one of the greatest? Not so sure about that. As to the Super Rugby troll - sort of to be expected. Click-bait.
 
Gopperth played well and nailing that last kick took some nuts. Thomas the Tank has been a revelation since joining Exeter. Last season he was the premiership top try scorer and he is well on the way again this year despite not being a regular starter for the first half of the season. He is no athlete that's for sure but has a deceptive turn of pace and such rugby nous that he is always popping up in just the right place. Seems like a great bloke too.
 
Gutted to see Exeter lose like that though.

MajorRage

I actually think it's a compliment. He's basically admitting that Super Rugby is a far superior product, but perhaps the defense needs improvement.

Catogrande

Weeeel you could be right MR. I'm just going by his previous.

The Silver Fern

European Club Rugby