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Posted 336 days ago
IN CASE you missed it what with all the misery surrounding the Home Nations narrow defeats at the weekend, France also suffered at the hands of the southern hemisphere. Their 23-20 loss to Argentina in Cordoba was Les Bleus eighth defeat in 11 matches against the Pumas, writes Gavin Mortimer.
France have the chance to level the two-Test series this Saturday…
Posted 356 days ago
AS THE Home Nations gear up for Down Under, across the Channel in France the Top 14 is coming to the boil, writes Gavin Mortimer.
The French domestic season is a bit like Simon Shaw’s career in that one wonders if it will ever end. Ten months after the 2011-12 campaign began we have four clubs left standing.
Saturday’s semi-final pits the…
Posted 363 days ago
IN FRANCE they call them ‘les barrages’, in English we’d call them ‘play-offs’; perhaps the best description is the Top 14 quarter-finals, which is in effect what unfolds on Saturday when Castres host Montpellier and Racing Metro visit Toulon, writes Gavin Mortimer.
At stake is a semi-final place the following weekend with the winner of the first tie facing Toulouse and…
Posted 412 days ago
Toulouse backs coach Jean-Baptiste Elissalde couldn’t help crowing after his side’s impressive defeat of Stade Francais last Saturday, writes Gavin Mortimer.
In front of 80,000 fans at the Stade de France, Toulouse warmed up for this weekend’s trip to Edinburgh with a clinical 22-18 victory to consolidate their position at the head of the Top 14. Afterwards Elissalde tweeted: “Regards our…
Posted 530 days ago
By Sarah Mockford, Rugby World Features Editor
HARLEQUINS’ 14-MATCH winning run had to come to an end at some point and there’s no shame in losing to Europe’s most successful professional side. The Londoners have dominated the Aviva Premiership all season but they could not get the better of the mighty Toulouse at the Stoop and failed to even collect a…
Posted 848 days ago
Florian Fritz, the Toulouse player (No 13), is due to appear before an independent Disciplinary Hearing at the ERC offices in Dublin on Thursday, 3 February, as a result of the red card he received during the Heineken Cup Pool 6 match against London Wasps at Adams Park on Sunday, 23 January, and as a result of a misconduct complaint…
Posted 858 days ago
WASPS were confirmed as favourites to qualify from Pool 6 of the Heineken Cup, and make the quarter-finals for the first time since 2007 after Toulouse faltered again, at home.
Even though Toulouse beat the Dragons 17-3 they missed a crucial bonus point, which means that Wasps can head the group by beating Glasgow on Sunday and then earning any sort…
Posted 859 days ago
Newport Gwent Dragons have named their team to take on European champions Stade Toulousain in the Heineken Cup this Saturday at the Stade Ernest Wallon.
There is a re-shuffle in the backs as Adam Hughes switches from the wing to his preferred position of outside centre, whilst Nathan Brew comes in to partner his brother Aled on the wings. Will Harries…
Posted 862 days ago
Guy Noves has seen and done almost everything possible in the Heineken Cup, but even he and his four-times champion club Toulouse are within striking distance of a new landmark after making it 10 wins in a row.
Only two teams in the 16-year history of the tournament have reached double figures in terms of successive victories – Munster with 13…
Posted 863 days ago
The race for the prestigious eight Heineken Cup quarter-final places is entering the final straight – but 11 of the 24 teams in the 2010 / 2011 tournament will still be in elite European club rugby action come April.
While the six Pool winners and two best Pool runners-up will prolong their Heineken Cup adventure into the knock-out stages, the next…
