Brits abroad

[francoisfou]

Round 16 in the Top14 takes place today and tomorrow:

Bayonne: 12 Manu Tuilagi, 4 Alex Moon
UBB: 18 Jonny Gray

Perpignan: 15 Ali Crossdale, 3 Kieran Brookes
Castres:

SF: 14 Joe Marchant, 10 Zack Henry
Pau: 9 Dan Robson, 10 Joe Simmonds

Racing: (Under new management!)15 Sam James, no Farrell, Arundel or Lancaster!
Vannes: 1 Mako Vunipola

Lyon
La Rochelle: 14 Jack Nowell

Montpellier: 10 Stuart Hogg, 8. Billy Vunipola (c)
Toulon: 4 Dave Ribbans (c), 20 Dan Biggar

Clermont v Toulouse is on Sunday evening. Teams not yet announced.

[Puja]

Lorenzetti spoke the other weekend, praising Farrell's attitude, popularity amongst the squad, and workrate, while also bemoaning his injury-proneness. He said that Burt worked harder than anyone he knew, but struggled to learn French and thus connect with the dressing room, and that Lorenzetti didn't like how much English was being spoken and the influence that English speakers had in the team.

Puja

[francoisfou]

Jack Willis will captain Toulouse away to Clermont on Sunday evening.

[jngf]

Jack Willis will captain Toulouse away to Clermont on Sunday evening.

Wish he was Vice captaining us

[FKAS]

Jack Willis will captain Toulouse away to Clermont on Sunday evening.

Wish he was Vice captaining us

Borthwick would pick him as well but he took the financial security and lifestyle in the South of France and you can't blame him.

[Puja]

Don't make me tap the sign: http://www.rugbyrebels.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=7159

Puja

[Danno]

Ban them. BAN THEM ALL

[Mellsblue]

Ban them. BAN THEM ALL

Unless in exceptional circumstances.

[francoisfou]

More misery for Racing who lost 25-30 at home to bottom club Vannes, evidently because they were missing most of their English players.
Racing are now 13th, only 4 points above Vannes, and are away to La Rochelle next weekend when Vannes will be home to Montpellier(Mako v brother Billy).
I’d say that the odds are short on Racing and Vannes swapping places.

[Mikey Brown]

How many players have been relegated in 2 separate leagues?

[Puja]

Ban them. BAN THEM ALL

Unless in exceptional circumstances.

We never invoke that - it's basically a blanket ban. Much better than the WMB which allows you to argue about it as much as you want, as long as you're over an arbitrary number of posts on the board before you start.

Puja

[FKAS]

More misery for Racing who lost 25-30 at home to bottom club Vannes, evidently because they were missing most of their English players.
Racing are now 13th, only 4 points above Vannes, and are away to La Rochelle next weekend when Vannes will be home to Montpellier(Mako v brother Billy).
I’d say that the odds are short on Racing and Vannes swapping places.

Really is a miserable season for Racing. Sounds like they need someone to go in and clear house to start again. Good to see Vannes are remaining competitive. Seemed a big ask for them to step up from ProD2 but they aren't adrift at the bottom.

[francoisfou]

More misery for Racing who lost 25-30 at home to bottom club Vannes, evidently because they were missing most of their English players.
Racing are now 13th, only 4 points above Vannes, and are away to La Rochelle next weekend when Vannes will be home to Montpellier(Mako v brother Billy).
I’d say that the odds are short on Racing and Vannes swapping places.

Really is a miserable season for Racing. Sounds like they need someone to go in and clear house to start again. Good to see Vannes are remaining competitive. Seemed a big ask for them to step up from ProD2 but they aren't adrift at the bottom.

They’ve not won a match in the Top14 since 2nd November so Patrice Collazo has an uphill fight to maintain their place in the top flight.
One piece of good news is that Gaël Fickou is back from injury and should be available, although he’ll probably be rushed back into the French squad for the match in Rome next Sunday.

[francoisfou]

There are some Brits (and honorary Brits) in action this weekend on this side of the Channel.

ProD2:
Provence - 6 Teimana Harrison, 22 Jimmy Gopperth
Angoulême- 14 Jonny May

Aurillac
Agen - 9 Jack Maunder, 10 Billy Searle, 5 John Madigan

Béziers
Valence-Romans - 15 George Worth

Biarritz - 14 Zach Kibirige
Brive - 7 Courtney Lawes

Top14
Vannes - 1 Mako Vunipola
Montpellier - 8 Billy Vunipola (c), 19 Sam Simmonds, 22 Stuart Hogg

Pau - 10 Joe Simmonds, 19 Joël Kpoku, 20 Dan Robson
Perpignan - 3 Kieran Brookes

La Rochelle - 14 Jack Nowell
Racing - 15 Sam James, 21 Dan Lancaster

Toulouse - 7 Jack Willis(c),
Bayonne - 5 Alex Moon, 22 Manu Tuilagi

Toulon - 5 Dave Ribbans (c), 19 Lewis Ludlum
S Français - 10 Zach Henry, 11 Joe Marchant

[Danno]

Jimmy Gopperth should be donated to science how the fuck is he still playing

[francoisfou]

Jimmy Gopperth should be donated to science how the fuck is he still playing

41 years old and is in the Provence match day squad most weekends.
He scored a try in yesterday’s remarkable 61-45 win against Angoulême.

[francoisfou]

Kieran Brookes is clearly enjoying life in Perpignan as he's signed and extension to his contract until 2027.

[FKAS]

Kieran Brookes is clearly enjoying life in Perpignan as he's signed and extension to his contract until 2027.

He's 34 now, great deal for him. Two more years in the south of France.

[francoisfou]

Jonathan Joseph's season with Biarritz is sadly over.

He's only played four matches this season (sixteen in total since he joined Biarritz in 2023) due mainly to a back injury that necessitated an operation in January.
He'll be 34 in May so one wonders if he'll be advised to retire?

[francoisfou]

Scottish international second row Ewan Johnson (4 caps) is to leave ProD2 club Oyonnax at the end of the season for a two-year contract with Bayonne in the Top14 (currently 4th).

[Puja]

Jonathan Joseph's season with Biarritz is sadly over.

He's only played four matches this season (sixteen in total since he joined Biarritz in 2023) due mainly to a back injury that necessitated an operation in January.
He'll be 34 in May so one wonders if he'll be advised to retire?

Shame for him if that is the case. Deserved a better send-off.

Puja

[Cameo]

Tom Savage started for Moana Pasifika against the Highlanders and played pretty well. As has been the story so far this season, they had a lot of the game but came up just short. Could easily have had two wins out of three rather than three loses. They have one or two home home matches this year, which will be a cool experience for him.

Jamie Adamson came off the bench for the Waratahs too in a close win against the Drua.

[jngf]

There are some Brits (and honorary Brits) in action this weekend on this side of the Channel.

ProD2:
Provence - 6 Teimana Harrison, 22 Jimmy Gopperth
Angoulême- 14 Jonny May

Aurillac
Agen - 9 Jack Maunder, 10 Billy Searle, 5 John Madigan

Béziers
Valence-Romans - 15 George Worth

Biarritz - 14 Zach Kibirige
Brive - 7 Courtney Lawes

Top14
Vannes - 1 Mako Vunipola
Montpellier - 8 Billy Vunipola (c), 19 Sam Simmonds, 22 Stuart Hogg

Pau - 10 Joe Simmonds, 19 Joël Kpoku, 20 Dan Robson
Perpignan - 3 Kieran Brookes

La Rochelle - 14 Jack Nowell
Racing - 15 Sam James, 21 Dan Lancaster

Toulouse - 7 Jack Willis(c),
Bayonne - 5 Alex Moon, 22 Manu Tuilagi

Toulon - 5 Dave Ribbans (c), 19 Lewis Ludlum
S Français - 10 Zach Henry, 11 Joe Marchant

Is Sam Simmonds playing flanker a lot more now he’s at Montpellier?

[francoisfou]

There are some Brits (and honorary Brits) in action this weekend on this side of the Channel.

ProD2:
Provence - 6 Teimana Harrison, 22 Jimmy Gopperth
Angoulême- 14 Jonny May

Aurillac
Agen - 9 Jack Maunder, 10 Billy Searle, 5 John Madigan

Béziers
Valence-Romans - 15 George Worth

Biarritz - 14 Zach Kibirige
Brive - 7 Courtney Lawes

Top14
Vannes - 1 Mako Vunipola
Montpellier - 8 Billy Vunipola (c), 19 Sam Simmonds, 22 Stuart Hogg

Pau - 10 Joe Simmonds, 19 Joël Kpoku, 20 Dan Robson
Perpignan - 3 Kieran Brookes

La Rochelle - 14 Jack Nowell
Racing - 15 Sam James, 21 Dan Lancaster

Toulouse - 7 Jack Willis(c),
Bayonne - 5 Alex Moon, 22 Manu Tuilagi

Toulon - 5 Dave Ribbans (c), 19 Lewis Ludlum
S Français - 10 Zach Henry, 11 Joe Marchant

Is Sam Simmonds playing flanker a lot more now he’s at Montpellier?

I think he's had some game time at flanker but principally as back-up to Billy V.

[Danno]

There are some Brits (and honorary Brits) in action this weekend on this side of the Channel.

ProD2:
Provence - 6 Teimana Harrison, 22 Jimmy Gopperth
Angoulême- 14 Jonny May

Aurillac
Agen - 9 Jack Maunder, 10 Billy Searle, 5 John Madigan

Béziers
Valence-Romans - 15 George Worth

Biarritz - 14 Zach Kibirige
Brive - 7 Courtney Lawes

Top14
Vannes - 1 Mako Vunipola
Montpellier - 8 Billy Vunipola (c), 19 Sam Simmonds, 22 Stuart Hogg

Pau - 10 Joe Simmonds, 19 Joël Kpoku, 20 Dan Robson
Perpignan - 3 Kieran Brookes

La Rochelle - 14 Jack Nowell
Racing - 15 Sam James, 21 Dan Lancaster

Toulouse - 7 Jack Willis(c),
Bayonne - 5 Alex Moon, 22 Manu Tuilagi

Toulon - 5 Dave Ribbans (c), 19 Lewis Ludlum
S Français - 10 Zach Henry, 11 Joe Marchant

Is Sam Simmonds playing flanker a lot more now he’s at Montpellier?

I think he's had some game time at flanker but principally as back-up to Billy V.

Binny at flanker?