Tana's Mercenaries v. Les Pedales du Stade

[Thomond78]

C'est magnifique - et c'est la guerre!

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/k7bBN32ctDsHyFLudE

Brilliant scrap. Best things about it, for mine, are: at about 0:30, the guy with the scrum cap gets up, doesn't even think, runs swinging straight to the nearest scrap; at 1:00 or so, when it ends, everyone picks each other up, with a, "Well done, all, quality scrap - ah, ref, we were only having fun, sir, what's the problem...?"; and the flying punch on the SF winger at 3:30 ish is worth the ticket price on its own.

Enjoy!

 

[the gambler]

I love the Frenchies.

The number 9 had a great spell, swinging the prop to the ground, sending the winger to disneyland on the run and then looking for his next target only to run into a big bloke so he stops and tries to look innocent.

Then you look at the related videos and you see highlights from other matches and all of them involve huge all ins as well. There is one where Georgie looks very scared as a wild frenchman heads in his direction.

Great stuff Thomo. You made this monday bearable.

 

[Blue]

Pathetic. Fucking poofters in pinks swinging handbags.

French rugby is a bit of a farce most of the time. I remember going to a club match in Lyon and left at half time with most of the crowd.

 

[Scarfman]

Gee Blue, is there a double standard here? The CC is not exactly tiddlywinks either.

 

[Lee Grant]

Blue

Geez mate there's been a lot of good rugby from them in the last couple of seasons that I have been watching downloads. And they seem to be enjoying the ELVs.

The fight wasn't bad was it? As long as they just punch each other I don't mind too much.

Toulon haven't looked that great in the two games I have seen them play in for all the money they have spent. The owner seemed pretty miserable whatever was happening and the local fans were not happy campers knowing that Link McKenzie's Paris mob could get out of town still undefeated this season.

To be honest Stade don't look that great after seeing 3 of their games but this win was their best of the season. Winners are grinners and it's always a pleasure to watch JM Hernandez glide around doing his stuff.


Yesterday I watched a replay of an earlier game: Toulouse v Biarritz. Kelleher (or "Kill Ear" as the French commentators call him) had a blinder starting from right when he stole the pill from the base of Biarritz scrum from under the Yak's nose and ran about 60 metres to score - and bloody fast too. Surprised me.

There is not a lot of love between Kill Ear and the Yak so it must have been a sweet try. Oh yeah, he scored two others too. It's just as well Ellisalde didn't have his kicking boots on for the home team else the score would have been ugly instead of 20-6 IIRR.

I love the French commentators. I can't understand what they are saying but geez, what atmosphere they give to the game.


And talking of Kiwis playing well in Europe: what a cracker Nacewa had when he came on for Sexton for Leinster v. Edinburgh. The young bloke did OK but Nacewa took the game by the scruff of the neck. Young Sexton has a fine future but he'll have to serve an apprenticeship with guys like D'Arcy, BOD, Fitzgerald, Kearney, Horgan, Contepomi, Dempsey,Whitaker, and now Nacewa in hot form, in the backline.

Talking of Whits: I wish we still had him here. He's in great form.

There's been some good games from Europe this year but Cardiff Blues v Ulster wasn't one of them. The nutty, enjoyable BBC commentator, Rick O'Shea, said at half-time something like: "Thank goodness that's over with, now I can read out some of my entertaining text messages."

 

[Thomond78]

Lee - take a look at the Munster-Dragons game. Played in conditions as greasy as a Glasgow fry-up, but still, some lovely stuff. Warwick's first in particular is just gorgeous. Maaaad Dougie is on fire, and Mafi is playing some fantastic stuff at 12. And Earls is looking handy, too.

http://munsterfans.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=2776&PN=1&TPN=5 - the links are up there for the tries from last weekend's game.

 

[Lee Grant]

Have just finished watching that match and the Scarlets v Connacht game (which wasted 80 minutes of my life).

Geez it is hard to recognise this Munster team with the team of 2-3 years ago. Geez 50-6 over the hapless Dragons and tries galore. What has happened the grinding rugby of the Red Tide?

I thought this would be the year for Dennis Hurley at fullback after his fine displays at the end of the HC this year but then I see this twerp Keith Earls carving up the Dragons like so many Christmas turkeys, and Hurley on the bench. Earls has more formidable challenges in front of him when Munster plays the likes of Leinster and the Sprays but right now he is looking the part.

For Aussies: young Earls is 20 years old and similar in style to the Tahs' Lachie Turner. He will be playing for Ireland one day and with other youngsters of the likes of Leinster's Luke Fitzgerald, and also Rob Kearney, who we liked so much in the Ireland test match this winter.

If he surprised me I was flabbergasted with the complete display of Paul Warwick at outhalf for Munster. The Queenslander was a decent enough club player in Sydney when he came down here without threatening for a spot in the Waratahs squad, but the European style seems to suit him as it suits Dan Parks and Brock James, two other nose pickers in the Sydney club scene.

Warwick will be starting for Munster only when ROG is being rested, but he could be creating a bit of interest with Oz S14 coaches nevertheless.

Geez, don't the Munster crowd love Dougie Howlett? 'Offside Doug' is the complete professional and in top form. It must be grand for young players like Earls to have the experience of playing with him and being around him at training.

Those who watch Sydney club rugby may be interested to know that Rory Sidey was playing for the losing Dragons side - on the wing !!! Rory is not the fastest player and fortunately he was not marking Howlett a couple of times when Dougie took the outside break to score.

How did he go with the ball in hand? I was watching, but I don't think he got one pill in the whole game.

I was surprised to see him starting so early in his pro career but the Dragons were playing their 3rd game in 9 days; so it's prabably why he got the gig.


T78

The Ospreys v Leinster game next weekend should be a cracker. You think?

 

[Thomond78]

It should be good, but it presents me with a serious ethical dilemma - which of the two teams do I hate more? :nta:

It's a tough call, to be fair...

The little toe-flick up into his hands at the end of his second one is a beauty, isn't it?

 

[Blue]

Gee Blue, is there a double standard here? The CC is not exactly tiddlywinks either.

No. It's not. But there are rarely outright brawls like that.

There a difference between hard and the all in brawls seen in Frog.

Regardless I still think it's stupid, no matter where it happens

 

[Blue]

Blue

Geez mate there's been a lot of good rugby from them in the last couple of seasons that I have been watching downloads. And they seem to be enjoying the ELVs.

The fight wasn't bad was it? As long as they just punch each other I don't mind too much.

Toulon haven't looked that great in the two games I have seen them play in for all the money they have spent. The owner seemed pretty miserable whatever was happening and the local fans were not happy campers knowing that Link McKenzie's Paris mob could get out of town still undefeated this season.

To be honest Stade don't look that great after seeing 3 of their games but this win was their best of the season. Winners are grinners and it's always a pleasure to watch JM Hernandez glide around doing his stuff.


Yesterday I watched a replay of an earlier game: Toulouse v Biarritz. Kelleher (or "Kill Ear" as the French commentators call him) had a blinder starting from right when he stole the pill from the base of Biarritz scrum from under the Yak's nose and ran about 60 metres to score - and bloody fast too. Surprised me.

There is not a lot of love between Kill Ear and the Yak so it must have been a sweet try. Oh yeah, he scored two others too. It's just as well Ellisalde didn't have his kicking boots on for the home team else the score would have been ugly instead of 20-6 IIRR.

I love the French commentators. I can't understand what they are saying but geez, what atmosphere they give to the game.


And talking of Kiwis playing well in Europe: what a cracker Nacewa had when he came on for Sexton for Leinster v. Edinburgh. The young bloke did OK but Nacewa took the game by the scruff of the neck. Young Sexton has a fine future but he'll have to serve an apprenticeship with guys like D'Arcy, BOD, Fitzgerald, Kearney, Horgan, Contepomi, Dempsey,Whitaker, and now Nacewa in hot form, in the backline.

Talking of Whits: I wish we still had him here. He's in great form.

There's been some good games from Europe this year but Cardiff Blues v Ulster wasn't one of them. The nutty, enjoyable BBC commentator, Rick O'Shea, said at half-time something like: "Thank goodness that's over with, now I can read out some of my entertaining text messages."

Fair enough. They dish up good rugby and I've been privileged to see quite a few games in France but they regularly fall into anarchy. It's part and parcel of French rugby.

 

[PaarlBok]

Gee Blue, is there a double standard here? The CC is not exactly tiddlywinks either.

No. It's not. But there are rarely outright brawls like that.

There a difference between hard and the all in brawls seen in Frog.

Regardless I still think it's stupid, no matter where it happens

Have to stand up for my Brute broer here. He was the first one to critizing CJ and have always the one Saffer not shy to critizise silly kak. Think the extended rights to the TMO in CC have help a lot cutting out this crap. Just wish a guy like AJ Venter can learn from this and end now a couple of times in the sin because of this.

 

[Lee Grant]

The little toe-flick up into his hands at the end of his second one is a beauty, isn't it?

It looked sensational but was probably just his foot landing in the right spot at full stride.

PS Is Tipoki injured or was he just having a rest?

 

[Thomond78]

The little toe-flick up into his hands at the end of his second one is a beauty, isn't it?

It looked sensational but was probably just his foot landing in the right spot at full stride.

PS Is Tipoki injured or was he just having a rest?

The only man, apart from Mike Catt, old enough to understand your diversions? Think he's been rested.

The toe-flick is a GAA skill, btw, and he just managed to transfer it across. Pretty impressive, all the same!

 

[PaarlBok]

Thomo Jordaan that scrummy grew up in Mitchell Plain.

 

[Thomond78]

Thomo Jordaan that scrummy grew up in Mitchell Plain.

Explains a lot, then. :lmao:

After that hit, if that winger doesn't drop the ball in terror every time the opposition crowd yell, "Nnnnnaaaaaaiiiiiimanjoumase...!" at him, I'd be astonished.

 

[PaarlBok]

Thomo Jordaan that scrummy grew up in Mitchell Plain.

Explains a lot, then. :lmao:

After that hit, if that winger doesn't drop the ball in terror every time the opposition crowd yell, "Nnnnnaaaaaaiiiiiimanjoumase...!" at him, I'd be astonished.

:lmao: Thought with his time with the Brutes he'll adopted a bit of culture. Obvious the French lot brought back Plain's instincts. :nta: Cant get tougher then that lot.

 

[Thomond78]

Thomo Jordaan that scrummy grew up in Mitchell Plain.

Explains a lot, then. :lmao:

After that hit, if that winger doesn't drop the ball in terror every time the opposition crowd yell, "Nnnnnaaaaaaiiiiiimanjoumase...!" at him, I'd be astonished.

:lmao: Thought with his time with the Brutes he'll adopted a bit of culture. Obvious the French lot brought back Plain's instincts. :nta: Cant get tougher then that lot.

To adopt a classic joke - what's the difference between Blou Bulle and yoghurt?

If you leave yoghurt in the sun for 150 years, it'll develop a culture...