Top 14 French Rugby = off season rugby fix

[CTPE]

Since the Wobs EOYT games finished I've been getting my post season rugby fix watching the French Top 14 games on the Foxtel Eurosports channel. Have to say that it's by and large good rugby with some fantastic forward clashes especially the battles between the front rowers at scrumtime and plenty of good free flowing open rugby despite the at times cold and damp conditions. Plenty of Aussies and NZers playing amongst the local teams as well.

The thing that's really impressed me is the quality of the refereeing - the men with the whistle actually seem to have a very good idea about what's happening up front with the scrums and otherwise let the games flow pretty freely. Plenty of good decisions being made at the breakdown as well.

Anyone else watching?

 

[rugbyskier]

I have caught a few games over the summer. I need to set reminders as I tend to catch the games by chance. A friend at work watches Eurosport through his cable package with TransACT (he doesn't have Foxtel) and has become quite a fan of French rugby. He has made similar comments about the refs allowing the game to flow.

 

[kronic]

There's a northern hemisphere club rugby thread.

 

[Dan54]

Yep I watch it quite a bit CTPE, and thoroughly enjoy it, mind you I a rugby tragic so I watching all the stuff up there, Heinekin Cup, Aviva and Rabo 12.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

This is the strangest sequence of events I have seen for a while

http://www.rugbydump.com/2013/02/3011/sergio-parisse-red-carded-and-banned-for-insulting-referee