Rugby - Advantage!

[finbar]

Originally posted by Tamerlin
I would add that the cash flow of the French clubs is lower than the cash flow of the British clubs who have known a dramatic inflation in the past few years. Players are now crossing the channel from both sides because the salaries are more or less even (though I believe that french salaries are still lower, at least a bit lower)...

See my question re Perpignan above.

Come on Dermott keep trying and train yourself to aim as best as you can!

He doesn't need any encouragement from you!

AND COULD SOMEONE TELL ME WHY I AM NOT RECEIVING E-MAILS TO WARN ME OF A REPLY IN THIS B***** F****** THREAD!

Try resetting your preferences. I don't use that service anyway. I check the thread a couple of times a day and night as a matter of course.

[finbar]

Reds 28 -d- Highlanders 23



Okay, so now the Highlanders have bombed out. So now the Waratahs, if they can beat the Chiefs, will take fourth spot. And if the Waratahs can't beat the Chiefs, the Bulls will take fourth spot if they can beat the Sharks with a bonus point!

[Tamerlin]

Originally posted by finbar
How then can Perpignan afford Dan Luger and Dan Herbert and Scott Robertson in one single purchase? When they would already be paying Manny Edmonds a lot more than peanuts? Or is Perpignan a one-off?

I don't think the USAP is a one-off, there are approximately 5 clubs in France which have the financial clout to attract international players:


- Stade Français
- Sporting Union Agenais
- Biarritz Olympique
- Union Sportive des Arlequins de Perpignan
- ... and of course the Stade Toulousain

If we look at the current players of the USAP we can note there are almost no top international players to the exception of Manny Edmonds and that this club has a very stable team since a few seasons. This means the USAP has saved money when other clubs (like the ASM and before Brive) are wasting their assets to "buy" costly players every season only to change another half of the team the next one.

By the way, the Midi Olympique has compared the current top clubs in France and pointed at the fact the four clubs that would probably be qualified for the semi-finals are those with the most stable roster season after season. This is in accordance with what I am claiming since Brive started the escalation a few years ago and paid the hard price when the team was relegated to our second division. You can't expect any coherent play from a team which is turned upside down season after season (and the executives of the ASM are yet to understand it).

About relegation/promotion in France, I think our system is far more clear. The two last clubs after the Play-Down are relegated, the two first of the Pro D2 are promoted (though I am not sure if the second club being promoted is not the winner of the Pro D2 final or the finalist if the winner has already been promoted because it ended first of the qualification phase). The only thing that would prevent a club from being promoted or relegated would be an inadequate financial situation which is judged by an "independant" organization named the DNACG (Direction Nationale d'Aide au Contrôle de Gestion) who is examining the budget of all the clubs.

Example: Mont-de-Marsan and Béziers are currently the last clubs of the play-down. Colomiers is currently in turmoil and is experiencing some difficulties to reach the financial balance that would allow the club to stay in the Top 16. Should Colomiers be unable to set the situation upright again, the reality of which will be evaluated by the DNACG, the club would be relegated while Béziers (ranked ninth in the play-down) would be saved.

[Tamerlin]

Stade Toulousain 34 - Biarritz Olympique 20

The Stade Toulousain is qualified for the semi-finals of the French Championship and sure to finish at the first place of its play-off's pool as it has won by more than 7 points.





EDIT: corrected a typo and the number of points the game has been won by more...

[Caligastia]

Originally posted by finbar
Reds 28 -d- Highlanders 23



Okay, so now the Highlanders have bombed out. So now the Waratahs, if they can beat the Chiefs, will take fourth spot.

Actually, it looks like the Brumbies are in fourth spot after all. Because of their bonus point for finishing within 7 points they tied with the 'tahs, but came out ahead on points differential.. So it will be Blues v Brumbies and Crusaders v Hurricanes next weekend.

[finbar]

Originally posted by Caligastia
Actually, it looks like the Brumbies are in fourth spot after all. Because of their bonus point for finishing within 7 points they tied with the 'tahs, but came out ahead on points differential.. So it will be Blues v Brumbies and Crusaders v Hurricanes next weekend.

Waratahs 25 -d- Chiefs 14

Yes, the Brumbies hung onto fourth spot only because the Waratahs, while beating the Chiefs, couldn't score the four tries to earn a bonus point. They scored three tries. A win and a bonus point would have taken them past the Brumbies.

And the Waratahs' effort was a typical piece of self destruction. They had ample opportunities to score the four tries - they probably should have scored six - but blew their chances with haphazard, mindless attacks; bad options; some dreadful passing; and, ultimately, sheer panic.

One example of their stupidity - with two tries on the board and two more to score, they were playing with advantage about 25 metres out with the penalty to be awarded to them if advantage wasn't gained. For some reason known only to him, prop Matt Dunning kicked a drop goal! Beaut. Three points when tries rather than points were what they needed.

To be fair to the Chiefs, they defended well, tying up countless Waratah attacks, but the Waratahs, as they've done so many times this season, simply self-destructed.

So the Brumbies become our only reps in the final series and they're lucky to be there. They will be without Steve Larkham - he has a fracture in his elbow which will see him miss all the of the mid-season Tests - so I don't fancy their chances against the Blues, in Auckland, particularly if Carlos Spencer is on song.

My only hope is that the Brumbies will do the Wallabies a favour and try Matt Giteau at #10.

[finbar]

Originally posted by Tamerlin
Stade Toulousain 34 - Biarritz Olympique 20

The Stade Toulousain is qualified for the semi-finals of the French Championship and sure to finish at the first place of its play-off's pool as it has win by more than 5 points.

[finbar]

Originally posted by Tamerlin
If we look at the current players of the USAP we can note there are almost no top international players to the exception of Manny Edmonds and that this club has a very stable team since a few seasons. This means the USAP has saved money when other clubs (like the ASM and before Brive) are wasting their assets to "buy" costly players every season only to change another half of the team the next one.

Fair enough, but they must have stashed away a huge amount of money. Luger, Herbert and Robertson would not be cheap.

You can't expect any coherent play from a team which is turned upside down season after season (and the executives of the ASM are yet to understand it).

Yes, it's common sense, you'd think. It's amazing how often short-term fixes are confused with forward planning.

The only thing that would prevent a club from being promoted or relegated would be an inadequate financial situation which is judged by an "independant" organization named the DNACG (Direction Nationale d'Aide au Contrôle de Gestion) who is examining the budget of all the clubs.

Again,

You have a sensible system. The difference with the English system, as Havak pointed out, is that those who sit in judgement are far from independent. Their system reeks of conflict of interest. It's beyond me why someone hasn't challenged that situation in the courts. The reason, presumably, is that the challenger would be ostracised.

[finbar]

I'll post this one quietly -

Gloucester 31 -d- Leicester 13

And dance a celebratory jig very quietly -

[Tamerlin]

Originally posted by finbar
Fair enough, but they must have stashed away a huge amount of money. Luger, Herbert and Robertson would not be cheap.

I suppose that the good results of the USAP this year have also helped to attract new sponsors and have thus allowed "to put some butter in the spinach" as we say in France ("mettre du beurre dans les épinards")...

You have a sensible system. The difference with the English system, as Havak pointed out, is that those who sit in judgement are far from independent. Their system reeks of conflict of interest. It's beyond me why someone hasn't challenged that situation in the courts. The reason, presumably, is that the challenger would be ostracised.

The french system is not without its own conflicts of interests though they are elsewhere, there is a fierce opposition between the FFR (Fédération Française de Ruby), in charge of the national policy and the French XV, and the LNR (League Nationale de Rugby) in charge of the professional Rugby (Top 16 and Pro D2). Inside the LNR, there is also a deep conflict between the "small clubs" and the big ones (though some of them are supporting the claims of the smaller ones) who would prefer a more restricted elite.

[Havak]

Just a quick weekend drop in again.

yes we were beaten by a better side on the day. I still detest them though.

Our forwards must want to kill our backs quite honestly as we dominated possession but don;t seem to know what to do with the ball anymore. McMullen looped a wild pass that got intercepted and flattered the Glaws too much.

It's not all gloom - the club won the U-21 title destroying Glaws U-21 41-10. Straws Finbar Straws.

The club is now trying to charge us for the Wildcard home game - there's a move to boycott as it should clearly be free to season ticket holders.

Latest Player rumours - Ramiro Pez signed from Rotherham. Merhtens joining us after RWC (this rumour from the Glaws fanzine).

A little divine help might be good too. I can;t remember the last time we finished sixth - fourth is as low as it's been since I took a season ticket. It's not good enough for such a huge club.

[finbar]

Originally posted by Tamerlin
"to put some butter in the spinach" as we say in France ("mettre du beurre dans les épinards")...

What a wonderful expression. Sounds almost, but not quite, the equivalent of our "to put the icing on the cake". So many culinary metaphors! I'm getting hungry.

The french system is not without its own conflicts of interests though they are elsewhere, there is a fierce opposition between the FFR (Fédération Française de Ruby), in charge of the national policy and the French XV, and the LNR (League Nationale de Rugby) in charge of the professional Rugby (Top 16 and Pro D2). Inside the LNR, there is also a deep conflict between the "small clubs" and the big ones (though some of them are supporting the claims of the smaller ones) who would prefer a more restricted elite.

Yes, human nature being what it is, there are always going to be jealousies and power struggles. And also, when participants are in any way involved in the administration of their comp, conflicts of interest.

It happens here with Australian Rules Football. The game is effectively administered by the clubs themselves, but the admin hierarchy is employed and, um, "independent". Thus when the admin hierarchy, seeking to expand the game nationwide, particularly into rugby strongholds, creates special allowances for these expansion clubs - player draft and salary cap concessions - the existing clubs are dragged to agreement kicking and screaming. Of course they fear that the expansion clubs will succeed at their expense. Which is what is currently happening. The expansion clubs now hold six out of the top eight positions on the premiership ladder. Moral: the good of the game is paramount until your own little patch is threatened.

[finbar]

Originally posted by Havak
Just a quick weekend drop in again.

Haven't your sister and her family got a home of their own?

yes we were beaten by a better side on the day. I still detest them though.

You're entitled. But you've probably got some catching up to do - they've no doubt detested the Tigers a lot longer.

Our forwards must want to kill our backs quite honestly as we dominated possession but don;t seem to know what to do with the ball anymore. McMullen looped a wild pass that got intercepted and flattered the Glaws too much.

Oh well, the scapegoat has choofed off to Saracens. Problem solved.

It's not all gloom - the club won the U-21 title destroying Glaws U-21 41-10. Straws Finbar Straws.

Mmmmm. More straws there than the entire stock of the country's milk bars.

The club is now trying to charge us for the Wildcard home game - there's a move to boycott as it should clearly be free to season ticket holders.

I think it's time someone took this admin aside and had a word in their shell-likes. From this distance, I can't decide whether they're arrogant or stupid or so accustomed to success that they've forgotten the harsh realities of life. Or, indeed, all three. With the onfield performances, et al, they're well on the way to a PhD in Alienating The Most Important People In The Equation.

Merhtens joining us after RWC (this rumour from the Glaws fanzine).

I've read of rumours of him heading to the NH. No clubs mentioned, though. The move, itself, sounds feasible.

A little divine help might be good too. I can;t remember the last time we finished sixth - fourth is as low as it's been since I took a season ticket. It's not good enough for such a huge club.

Look upon it as character building. Yes, I hear you say, there are many more palatable ways of building character - a term at Gordonston, a stint in the SAS - but look on the bright side: at least, this way, you don't have to leave home.

[Tamerlin]

If he is married perhaps does he want to leave home...

[finbar]

Originally posted by Tamerlin
If he is married perhaps does he want to leave home...

He married money.