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Monday, October 27, 2008


Clement Poitrenaud: Does he curl his eye-brows or something?


Results
Toulon 17-21 Castres
Stade Francais 13-26 Toulouse
Bayonne 14-9 Brive
Montpellier 12-19 Bourgoin
Clermony Auvergne 25-30 Montauban
Perpignan 17-6 Dax

You won't catch us having a go at French rugby at ScrumoftheEarth, not with the glut of tries and boutique-designed shirts that make Anglo-Welsh rugby matches look like a mother's meeting in Poole.

Too right. And following in Munster's tepid footsteps, another of European rugby’s unbeaten records vanishes...

So Stade Francais were toppled by Toulouse?


Two tries leading up to half-time from Clement Poitrenaud and Yannick Jauzion coupled with Juan Martin-Hernandez's premature exit and Lionel Beauxis’ wayward boot blew a black mist over a bumper Stade de France crowd.

I heard it was near 80,000 capacity?


Almost. Proving that apart from being gallery hunting, coffee drinking, sexual-orientated pretty folk, they do like their rugby up in the north.

Any other shocks?


Well Montauban exacted some revenge for last weekend’s Heineken Cup defeat by ending a 50-year barren spell in Clermont. It was especially sweet for Fijian flyer Vilimoni Delasau who touched down.

So what’s the gap at the top now then?


Stade remain four points clear but with Dan Carter’s imminent arrival, Perpignan look handily placed in third and six points off the top.


Matt Smith: 'He's punched me ref'

Do you ever get the feeling the EDF Energy Cup is strangely placed?

Strange as in, 'any place at all?'

Just after the rip-roaring drama of the Heineken Cup and the pulsating competitiveness of the Guinness Premiership, it's like the ugly sister...

Who no one really cares about...

Gloucester and the Welsh trio will be, now they are 80 minutes from a semi-final.

Are the Ospreys likely to hang onto their trophy?

Gavin Henson's superb solo effort looks like it's going to spark a successive semi-final Millennium Stadium trip. James Hook bombed over 17 points but it was Tommy Bowe's last ditch fourth try that looks to have illuminated the yellow-brick road to Cardiff.

Is it going to be an all-Welsh final?

Well, after watching the Blues run Leicester ragged with a astute tactical display, it's hard not to envisage Wales' premier two outfits dressing down at Twickenham of all places.

Who stood out?

The Robinson's outshone Messrs Hougaard and Flood but it was Jamie Roberts' thunderous midfield presence that caused most bumps and bruises.

So are the Scarlets going to make it a national Welsh holiday?

They've got to go to Northampton and avoid defeat or at least nick a bonus point. They had a plethora of chances to seal the bonus point against Bristol but had to settle for three including one for old Bristolian Rob Higgit who really rubbed it in.

But at least one English side will be in the last four...

It'll have to come from the West Country. Lesley Vainikolo bulldozed over twice while as international season is approaching it wouldn't be right unless Iain Balshaw was being touted as a world beater.

Steady on....

IT'S NOT ME THAT'S SAYING IT!


Dean Ryan: 'Ian Balshaw cleans my boots'


"He didn't look like a convert at all but we've got to be patient with him."
Steve Meehan is taking time getting used to Shontayne Hape's cross-dressing...

"We can't complain because we usually don't find it too easy at Newcastle." 
Ian McGeechan on communication difficulties ordering team Big Mac's...

"He took the head of the player away from the ball and it's a serious misdemeanour"
Eddie Jones has been taking jibberish lessons since his move to England

"I am generally pissed off."
Dragons boss Paul Turner wasn't a fan of the Kingsholm showers

"Balsh was harshly done by last season."
Dean Ryan confirms he's Ian Balshaw's one and only fan

"It was a great occasion but there were a lot of pre-match nerves,"
Scarlets fly-half Stephen Jones utters words not usually associated with Bristol

"Little bit of deja vu, wasn't it?"
Toby Booth clearly didn't get a pint from Dean Richards after the game...

Wednesday, October 22, 2008


Sebastien Chabal: 'Think of all the attention i'll get'

Sebastien Chabal has admitted personal reasons could see the back-row beast quit Sale for his native France at the end of the season.

Thousands of kitchen dishes let alone women's hearts have undoubtedly been broken as news filtered through of the cult hero's unfortunate circumstances on local radio stations.

His contract isn't due to run out until 2011 but in a conversation prompted by coach Philippe Saint-Andre, Chabal is seeking a solution to his constant to-ing and fro-ing  across the English channel to see his family.


Ian McGeechan: '1,2,3, Wasps!'

Wales' Grand Slam coaching trio of Warren Gatland, Shaun Edwards (defence) and Rob Howley have been appointed as Ian McGeechan's chief lieutenants for British Lions duty next summer.

The back-room staff continues the links with London Wasps who will also be joined by another former Londoner in conditioning expert Craig White.

"Lions tours are unique, as we have to meld together players from four different countries.

"There has to be a unified, common approach on the tour with coaches and players working together.

"We therefore have to create a positive environment and appoint the right personnel to help devise the right strategies to take on the Springboks at home.

"Working with coaches and personnel that I know well, and who have successful track records and experience, ensures that we will get the best out of the players and provide the greatest chance of winning the Test series."

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