Lee Grant
John Eales (66)
The big event was the debut in Top 14 rugby of Jonny Wilkinson for Toulon against Link McKenzie's visiting Stade dF team. He scored 17 points and it was good to see him looking fit and playing fit. He almost lived up to the sickening hype of the Pom commentator, except for a couple of missed shots at goal, a dropped bomb and a beginner's dropping of a pass when he looked up. Welcome back son.
Apart from Wilko,Toulon have signed up a host of new international players including Contepomi, who will be missed by Leinster and scrummie Mignoni, who had a top game before he had to go off. They looked a lot sharper outfit than in 2008/9 even though their best player last season, JvN, didn't play, and nor did SBW or Contepomi.
SdF looked piss poor. JMH, one of the great players in world rugby, has gone to play for the Sharks (in the Super 14, not the GP) and Beauxis, their other flyhalf option last season, had to be rested as the match was within the 8 weeks rest period that the touring French players had to have after the test against Oz. Instead they tried midfielder Liebenberg who played with the panache of a statue.
But in the 2nd half when new SdF signing Dupuy came on at scrummie and Oelschig moved out one to 10, things started to zing. Why Dupuy, poached from Leicester, was allowed to play despite being named on the bench against Oz less than 8 weeks ago, is a mystery. Maybe he didn't get on the park in Sydney. Gasnier played well at 12, though he got little ball from his flyhalf. Amnesia victim Bastareaud came on in the second half and he will remember getting booed when he came on. He is still awaiting a decision on his ban from international rugby.
The score? 22-22 which is not a bad result for Link's side. He's going to have a good team when everybody is available. They will have a good choice of backrowers this year from Leguizamon, Parisse, Taylor, Rabadan, Mauro Bergamasco and Haskell. They have 38 players in their roster and will probably need all of them since they have to play 26 rounds before thinking about finals, internationals and the HC.
****
Paris have second team now that Racing-Metro is promoted from the ProD2 division. Albi is also back after being demoted because of financial irregularities 2 years ago, but they had to win a playoff game in May (by just 2 points) to do so. Dax and Mont de Marsan are relegated. The promoted teams played each other in the first round and RMParis won away, 13-19, in a a dreary match. The visitors were fortunate that the Albi goal kicker didn't had a good day, but it was a good result for them. They played newcomers French skipper Nallet and Rasputin Chabal. Later Francois Steyn will join them.
****
Talking of financial matters: just before kick off in the Bourgoin v Clermont game the Top 14 watchdogs advised that they had frozen the licences of 14 new Bourgoin signings. Nor will the club be able to play them until they can prove that they can finance their reported €10.2m budget for the season. Despite this disruption Bourgoin went close but the class of 10 James and Rougerie was too much for them in the 2nd half when Clermont ran in 3 tries in 7 minutes. The visitors won 28-37 with 4 tries. Winger Nalaga, who has been the top try scorer in the Top 14 comp in the last two seasons scored two of them and they were both set up by Rougerie (playing outside centre!!)
****
Top 14 champions Perpignan haven't signed anybody of note. They won 28-20 against Bayonne, who were after Lote Tuqiri, but it was a close run thing.
****
In another close one Toulouse just got home against Montauban 17-16 on the bell after Puma lock Albacete scored in the corner and Elissalde kicked a clutch conversion. It wasn't all good news for Toulouse as coach Noves gambled on the fitness of flyhalf Michalak, who lasted only 20 minutes before aggravating a thigh injury. The coach blamed the FRU for ruling that his international players had to have 8 weeks rest. Sure Skrela was injured but which of tourists Heymans, Clerc, Fritz, Dusautoir and and Millo-Chlusky would he have played at 10 instead of Michalak? He also blamed the heat.
****
At the other end of the scale Brive smacked Montpelier 30-9. Brive opened their chequebooks to sign up Flutey and Noone this year and they already had Steve Thompson and Andy Goode.
****
Biarritz had a crap 2008/9 season and it looks like another one as Castres, who are no great shakes, beat them playing away. 12-24.
Apart from Wilko,Toulon have signed up a host of new international players including Contepomi, who will be missed by Leinster and scrummie Mignoni, who had a top game before he had to go off. They looked a lot sharper outfit than in 2008/9 even though their best player last season, JvN, didn't play, and nor did SBW or Contepomi.
SdF looked piss poor. JMH, one of the great players in world rugby, has gone to play for the Sharks (in the Super 14, not the GP) and Beauxis, their other flyhalf option last season, had to be rested as the match was within the 8 weeks rest period that the touring French players had to have after the test against Oz. Instead they tried midfielder Liebenberg who played with the panache of a statue.
But in the 2nd half when new SdF signing Dupuy came on at scrummie and Oelschig moved out one to 10, things started to zing. Why Dupuy, poached from Leicester, was allowed to play despite being named on the bench against Oz less than 8 weeks ago, is a mystery. Maybe he didn't get on the park in Sydney. Gasnier played well at 12, though he got little ball from his flyhalf. Amnesia victim Bastareaud came on in the second half and he will remember getting booed when he came on. He is still awaiting a decision on his ban from international rugby.
The score? 22-22 which is not a bad result for Link's side. He's going to have a good team when everybody is available. They will have a good choice of backrowers this year from Leguizamon, Parisse, Taylor, Rabadan, Mauro Bergamasco and Haskell. They have 38 players in their roster and will probably need all of them since they have to play 26 rounds before thinking about finals, internationals and the HC.
****
Paris have second team now that Racing-Metro is promoted from the ProD2 division. Albi is also back after being demoted because of financial irregularities 2 years ago, but they had to win a playoff game in May (by just 2 points) to do so. Dax and Mont de Marsan are relegated. The promoted teams played each other in the first round and RMParis won away, 13-19, in a a dreary match. The visitors were fortunate that the Albi goal kicker didn't had a good day, but it was a good result for them. They played newcomers French skipper Nallet and Rasputin Chabal. Later Francois Steyn will join them.
****
Talking of financial matters: just before kick off in the Bourgoin v Clermont game the Top 14 watchdogs advised that they had frozen the licences of 14 new Bourgoin signings. Nor will the club be able to play them until they can prove that they can finance their reported €10.2m budget for the season. Despite this disruption Bourgoin went close but the class of 10 James and Rougerie was too much for them in the 2nd half when Clermont ran in 3 tries in 7 minutes. The visitors won 28-37 with 4 tries. Winger Nalaga, who has been the top try scorer in the Top 14 comp in the last two seasons scored two of them and they were both set up by Rougerie (playing outside centre!!)
****
Top 14 champions Perpignan haven't signed anybody of note. They won 28-20 against Bayonne, who were after Lote Tuqiri, but it was a close run thing.
****
In another close one Toulouse just got home against Montauban 17-16 on the bell after Puma lock Albacete scored in the corner and Elissalde kicked a clutch conversion. It wasn't all good news for Toulouse as coach Noves gambled on the fitness of flyhalf Michalak, who lasted only 20 minutes before aggravating a thigh injury. The coach blamed the FRU for ruling that his international players had to have 8 weeks rest. Sure Skrela was injured but which of tourists Heymans, Clerc, Fritz, Dusautoir and and Millo-Chlusky would he have played at 10 instead of Michalak? He also blamed the heat.
****
At the other end of the scale Brive smacked Montpelier 30-9. Brive opened their chequebooks to sign up Flutey and Noone this year and they already had Steve Thompson and Andy Goode.
****
Biarritz had a crap 2008/9 season and it looks like another one as Castres, who are no great shakes, beat them playing away. 12-24.
