Le Taupe XIV et la mégalomanie d'un secretaire d'état ripoux

[Torquemada 1420]

Your criticism is very selective Torque. You are ready to give Macalou several chances despite his being consistently under par with France, but you bury Couilloud after average games in Australia.


Let's note that Thomas is missing from that selection... again...

Penaud asked to tour Japan and not to be rested apparently.

How many consecutive caps (proper chances) has Macalou been given? And how many of those as starter? Couilloud has more caps (yes, not much more but in a bunch) and was given a consecutive run as starter and made a total hash of it.

There are no shortages at SH. There is the world player of the year and Le Garrec is going to end up pushing him hard because he offers a top level kicking option. Lucu can do a passable job if needed...... which he is not.

There is a severe problem at backrow where most rugby matches now are won or lost (other than a kicker.... hence Jaminet). Aldritt is a one man show. Other than tackling, nothing else in on offer either side of him: turnovers, link man, lineouts. TF Ollivon might be getting back to form (although he was anonymous against LOU in Europe and in the last T14 game against Racing). Macalou remains the best athlete in France.

Thomas is gone simply because Villiere and Penaud are better options. Villiere is the best defending wing in the world (you know: the Villiere you reckoned wasn't an intl ). Penaud has some positional issues defending (see Baabaas game) but is miles better than Thomas. Thomas is a massive threat in attack, theoretically, but since France has repeatedly failed to get enough quality balls to the backs recently (down to backrow and Ntamack), he would simply be an expensive luxury.

[La soule]

NTamack can kick if asked. Ramos should be ahead of Jaminet and can also kick.

Plenty of BR options available to France. It is one of the strength of the team and it played a crucial role in the good run over the last year. Macalou is an athlete who spends his time on the wing and offers less than Jelonch, even taking into account the later has been below par lately. He does not have the mental to play international rugby.

[Torquemada 1420]

NTamack can kick if asked. Ramos should be ahead of Jaminet and can also kick.

Plenty of BR options available to France. It is one of the strength of the team and it played a crucial role in the good run over the last year. Macalou is an athlete who spends his time on the wing and offers less than Jelonch, even taking into account the later has been below par lately. He does not have the mental to play international rugby.

Ntamack has no distance and is not reliable enough to be an intl kicker. That's why he doesn't do it at club level. And that makes it worse because he does not then get routine exposure to kicking under the pressure of a game environment. Ramos is too flaky to be an intl for me and is unreliable with the boot in his own way: he has long stretches of 100% and then will miss a heap........ and I would not want that risk in a RWC final. I'm not convinced by Jaminet either but he's the lesser of evils at present and the only choice in absentia of a good enough kicker in another position. It will be interesting to see what happens to Ramos when Jaminet arrives: my bet is he'll be warming pine or maybe moved to 12.

I disagree. Other than the high tackle count (necessary due to lack of slowing & turnovers by the backrow and poor exit kicking from FH resulting in oppos coming straight back on attack for long periods),the backrow (Aldritt excepted) did not do what is expected in a modern game. It was covered by the exceptional work elsewhere: Marchand, Dupont, Villiere, Fickou, Danty. Ironic about Macalou wing loitering because he does that under instruction and at least is dangerous there. Jelonch has been lurking away from the breakdown but has no speed to be a threat in open play (unlike Ollivon, Le Roux, Woki, Macalou, Tanga etc). It may be Macaou hasn't the mental strength for intl but we won't know unless he'd given a decent run to find out. I'll keep repeating this: no side in Europe conceded more turnovers at the breakdown than Toulouse (and I'll bet they are near the top in T14 too) and yet 2/3rds of the Fre backrow is Toulouse.......... and the other 1/3rd is Aldritt and we know he is not the weak link.

[TheFrog]

Macalou, 6 caps, 3 starts.
Couilloud 8 caps, 4 starts.




Where did I say Villiere is not international material?

Is Macalou a good scavenger?

[La soule]

No, Macalou is not a scavenger. He is mostly flash and tends to look very good against weaker opposition.

To come back to Ntamack, he could kick if given the responsibility which he has not, both for club and country. When he had to do so, he was adequate.
I reckon Ramos will be ahead of Jaminet in the picking order at ST because he is a lesser player. Ramos versatility and the lack of cover at FH means that Jaminet will get game time.

I expect all the players to contest rucks, based on game situation and where the ball is on the pitch. Why only the BR should contest the rucks in modern rugby is beyond me. Jelonch is not in form but he is one of many options available to France and will not be an automatic starter if not in form.

[Torquemada 1420]

Macalou, 6 caps, 3 starts.
Couilloud 8 caps, 4 starts.




Where did I say Villiere is not international material?

Is Macalou a good scavenger?

So those numbers confirm what I posted. Couilloud got starts in all the Aus games, right?

You raised questions over Villiere at least once.

He's a better scavenger (turnovers) than Jelonch or Cros. Cros is a tackling machine but offers little else. At the moment, Jelonch offers nothing at all: he's an empty shirt. Toulouse backrow was outplayed by CO's FFS and their backrow has nobody in it (and I acknowledge that Cros was missing in that game).

[Torquemada 1420]

To come back to Ntamack, he could kick if given the responsibility which he has not, both for club and country. When he had to do so, he was adequate.
I reckon Ramos will be ahead of Jaminet in the picking order at ST because he is a lesser player. Ramos versatility and the lack of cover at FH means that Jaminet will get game time.

Jesus. Adequate is not even remotely good enough for intl level where games between the best sides are often settled by less than a score. Only a f**kwitted coach would intentionally go into an important game without his best kicker. It will be the first name on the team sheet. Ntamack is effectively a <65% kicker. His nos scrape over 70% only because when he does kick, it's from close in i.e. sides can infringe with impunity towards half way because he has no range.

How many points did Ramos leave on the park v CO? IIRC, Udrapilleta was 100% in a game decided by 6 points. I doubt ST has signed Jaminet to have him on the bench behind Ramos and Galthie & co would have made that clear before Mola made the choice. Lack of cover at FH makes no sense if you mean when Ntamack is with France because one has to assume Jaminet will be doing the same?

[Torquemada 1420]

As an aside, neither Ntamack nor Jalibert has covered himself in glory the last few weeks in regards behaviour.

https://www.rugbypass.com/news/romain-n ... nch-rugby/

And talking of bad behaviour amongst rugby personalities

[La soule]

To come back to Ntamack, he could kick if given the responsibility which he has not, both for club and country. When he had to do so, he was adequate.
I reckon Ramos will be ahead of Jaminet in the picking order at ST because he is a lesser player. Ramos versatility and the lack of cover at FH means that Jaminet will get game time.

Jesus. Adequate is not even remotely good enough for intl level where games between the best sides are often settled by less than a score. Only a f**kwitted coach would intentionally go into an important game without his best kicker. It will be the first name on the team sheet. Ntamack is effectively a <65% kicker. His nos scrape over 70% only because when he does kick, it's from close in i.e. sides can infringe with impunity towards half way because he has no range.

How many points did Ramos leave on the park v CO? IIRC, Udrapilleta was 100% in a game decided by 6 points. I doubt ST has signed Jaminet to have him on the bench behind Ramos and Galthie & co would have made that clear before Mola made the choice. Lack of cover at FH makes no sense if you mean when Ntamack is with France because one has to assume Jaminet will be doing the same?

France v England 2020 is an example of what Ntamack can do with the boot when given the responsibility. You are making up figures to suit your argument.

FB is easier to fill for ST than FH. Galthié does not decide for ST. He never will.

[Torquemada 1420]

To come back to Ntamack, he could kick if given the responsibility which he has not, both for club and country. When he had to do so, he was adequate.
I reckon Ramos will be ahead of Jaminet in the picking order at ST because he is a lesser player. Ramos versatility and the lack of cover at FH means that Jaminet will get game time.

Jesus. Adequate is not even remotely good enough for intl level where games between the best sides are often settled by less than a score. Only a f**kwitted coach would intentionally go into an important game without his best kicker. It will be the first name on the team sheet. Ntamack is effectively a <65% kicker. His nos scrape over 70% only because when he does kick, it's from close in i.e. sides can infringe with impunity towards half way because he has no range.

How many points did Ramos leave on the park v CO? IIRC, Udrapilleta was 100% in a game decided by 6 points. I doubt ST has signed Jaminet to have him on the bench behind Ramos and Galthie & co would have made that clear before Mola made the choice. Lack of cover at FH makes no sense if you mean when Ntamack is with France because one has to assume Jaminet will be doing the same?

France v England 2020 is an example of what Ntamack can do with the boot when given the responsibility. You are making up figures to suit your argument.

FB is easier to fill for ST than FH. Galthié does not decide for ST. He never will.

I've given you what is real date i.e. long term. Your rebuttal is to come up with a statistical significance of 1 game? Maybe Kruis should become French since he has a 100% conversion rate at intl level.

Can do is not the same as will do. All rugby players can be brilliant. Even Poitrefaux had flashes of brilliance. Kicker is like goal keeper in football: any mistake is significantly and disproportionality worse than other players' failings.

I'll make this easy: do you and Frog agree or not that an 80% (min) dead ball kicker (and one with acceptable range) is a must at international level? This is not hard. It's either "yes" or "no".

[La soule]

Can you please link the data regarding kicking ratio for both NTamack and Ramos ? I cannot find it.

[TheFrog]

You ideally want a player with 85% accuracy and a big boot. Galthie hopes he has the right man with Jaminet.

Now, there are a number of players who deliver this type of performance but they never make it to the French team. I think of Germain for example.

A team is a team. It is not just one player. You need to balance things out to produce an overall strong unit.

And that is what Galthie seems to be doing well.

[Torquemada 1420]

You ideally want a player with 85% accuracy and a big boot. Galthie hopes he has the right man with Jaminet.

Now, there are a number of players who deliver this type of performance but they never make it to the French team. I think of Germain for example.

A team is a team. It is not just one player. You need to balance things out to produce an overall strong unit.

And that is what Galthie seems to be doing well.

Yes. Agree entirely on point 1. A minimum of 80% accuracy coupled with good distance is a must. Does not need to be able to kick from own half and even those player with that range, I doubt convert more than 50%: which I think is a bad tactic to try because from that ratio, you are better kicking to the corner.

FWIW, I think Germain was always worth a shot. He was a decent defender, good under a high ball and, obviously a good kicker. He had no pace and didn't play for a big name team.

Yes, you are right on the last point but the ability to convert pens is so essential in the modern game, that it almost overrides all other considerations and that is exactly why Galthie has Jaminet in the side.

[Torquemada 1420]

Can you please link the data regarding kicking ratio for both NTamack and Ramos ? I cannot find it.

I didn't have Ramos's data. I had Ntamack's a couple of years back but that computer got trashed and I lost all my stats archives I had compiled over years on Fre rugby.

I think they came from statbunker but that site no longer exists for rugby.

{EDIT} I should say the stats were for Ntamack's kicking. Obviously what his rate would be if he had to take longer kicks is pure speculation but I think it's pretty reasonable to say if he's only 70% at short distances, he isn't going to be much better than 65% as he ranges outwards.

[La soule]

OK, so we don't know then.

Ntamack is unlikely to be more trusted with kicks moving forward since Jaminet is moving to ST. I would have preferred for the French team that he moved to another club but here you. Barassi is a good pick though.

Game against Japan will be on TF1.

[Torquemada 1420]

OK, so we don't know then.

Ntamack is unlikely to be more trusted with kicks moving forward since Jaminet is moving to ST. I would have preferred for the French team that he moved to another club but here you. Barassi is a good pick though.

Game against Japan will be on TF1.

We do know what his actual kicking % is (at least up to 2 years ago and I doubt it has improved). It's public knowledge and out there somewhere.

Yeah. I agree with your last sentence and quite what ST's recruitment policy is meant to be when there are clear weaknesses elsewhere is baffling to me. I actually think Mola is a decent coach who has done very well to unpick the mess left by Noves' later years megalomania.

[TheFrog]

OK, so we don't know then.

Ntamack is unlikely to be more trusted with kicks moving forward since Jaminet is moving to ST. I would have preferred for the French team that he moved to another club but here you. Barassi is a good pick though.

Game against Japan will be on TF1.

We do know what his actual kicking % is (at least up to 2 years ago and I doubt it has improved). It's public knowledge and out there somewhere.

Yeah. I agree with your last sentence and quite what ST's recruitment policy is meant to be when there are clear weaknesses elsewhere is baffling to me. I actually think Mola is a decent coach who has done very well to unpick the mess left by Noves' later years megalomania.

Jaminet, Ramos, Capuzzo.... way to waste talent...

[TheFrog]

And in the meantime Clermont couldn't afford Carbonnel or Hastoy, and had to settle for Belleau and Plisson

Clermont is just spent as a force in rugby....

[TheFrog]

This is the team, including Espoirs:

Pilier
France Rabah SLIMANI, 32 ans
France Etienne FALGOUX, 29 ans
Moldavie Cristian OJOVAN, 25 ans
France Giorgi BERIA, 22 ans
France Daniel BIBI BIZIWU, 20 ans

France Djalil AGUENI(2), 20 ans
France Edgard MAMFOUMBY(2), 20 ans
France Valentin SIMUTOGA, 19 ans
France Adrien RUSSO(2), 19 ans
France Thomas DUCHÊNE(2), 17 ans
France Ateli TUISAMOA, 17 ans
France Jean-Yves LIUFAU, 17 ans

Talonneur
France Adrien PÉLISSIÉ, 31 ans
France Yohan BEHEREGARAY, 26 ans
France Etienne FOURCADE, 25 ans

France Benjamin BOUDOU, 20 ans
France Jean-Maxence JULES-ROSETTE(2), 18 ans

2ème ligne
France Sébastien VAHAAMAHINA, 30 ans
Argentine Tomás LAVANINI, 29 ans
France Paul JEDRASIAK, 29 ans
France Thibault LANEN, 24 ans
Nouvelle-Zélande Edward ANNANDALE, 21 ans

France Samuel M'FOUDI, 20 ans
Australie Miles AMATOSERO, 20 ans
Espagne Asier PÉREZ(2)(5), 18 ans

3ème ligne
Samoa Fritz LEE, 33 ans
France Alexandre LAPANDRY, 33 ans
Fidji Peceli YATO, 29 ans
France Arthur ITURRIA, 28 ans
France Loïc GODENER, 26 ans
France Judicaël CANCORIET, 26 ans
France Alexandre FISCHER, 24 ans
Afrique du sud Jaco VAN TONDER, 24 ans

France Lucas DESSAIGNE, 23 ans
France Killian TIXERONT, 20 ans
Espagne Ignacio PIÑEIRO(2)(5), 19 ans
France Hugo SARRASIN(2), 19 ans
France Cyriac GUILLY(2), 19 ans
Afrique du sud Danté BURGER(2)(5), 18 ans
France Yoni TUATAANE, 18 ans

Mêlée
France Sébastien BÉZY, 30 ans
France Kévin VIALLARD, 21 ans
France Baptiste JAUNEAU, 18 ans

Ouverture
France Jules PLISSON, 30 ans
France Anthony BELLEAU, 26 ans
France Gabin MICHET(2), 21 ans

France Théo GIRAL(2), 19 ans
France Lionel MEERMANS(2), 18 ans

Centre
France Wesley FOFANA, 34 ans
Fidji Apisai NAQALEVU, 32 ans
Tonga George MOALA, 31 ans
France Jean-Pascal BARRAQUE, 31 ans
France Julien HÉRITEAU, 27 ans
Nouvelle-Zélande Irae SIMONE, 26 ans

France Yérim FALL, 19 ans
France Léon DARRICARRÈRE(2), 18 ans

Ailier
France Marvin O'CONNOR, 31 ans
Fidji Alivereti RAKA, 27 ans
France Damian PENAUD, 25 ans
Argentine Bautista DELGUY, 25 ans
Espagne Samuel EZEALA, 22 ans

France Thomas ROZIÈRE(2), 22 ans
France Enzo BARTIN(2), 20 ans
Zimbabwe TJ MAGURANYANGA(5), 19 ans
Fidji Viliame TUTUVILI

Arrière
Australie Alex NEWSOME, 27 ans
France Cheikh TIBERGHIEN, 22 ans

Italie François Carlo MEY, 19 ans
France Amona ARTAUD(2), 18 ans

[Torquemada 1420]

And in the meantime Clermont couldn't afford Carbonnel or Hastoy, and had to settle for Belleau and Plisson

Clermont is just spent as a force in rugby....

The Carbonel leaving RCT issue is a debacle to start with.

Tragic for Clermont. Plisson should be paying any club to have him. Belleau is the new Plisson. A talented player who took one set back and then folded mentally.

SH looks equally as bad

[La soule]

Belleau could turn out to be a pleasant surprise. Whatever they are paying for Lavanini, it is too much. His ratio cost per minutes spent on the field must be on of the highest around.

It looks like a young squad, rebuilding. It will take a bit of time.

[Torquemada 1420]

Belleau could turn out to be a pleasant surprise. Whatever they are paying for Lavanini, it is too much. His ratio cost per minutes spent on the field must be on of the highest around.

It looks like a young squad, rebuilding. It will take a bit of time.

Vaahaa and Lavanini both starting has to be near dead cert one will spend 10 mins in the bin per match

Also, it's a measure of how many careers have been wasted that both Jedrasiak and Iturria are now looking old.

[laurent]

Altrad, “ if we win the piece of wood” what a piece of shit this guy, he talks about respect, he has none. Respect to his players for sure, I’m not surprised that nobody likes him ( beside Laporte of course)

À l’époque, le MHR était une institution sans l’être. Aujourd’hui, si on rapporte le bout de bois samedi à Montpellier, on sera une vraie institution. Le club n’a pas gagné de titre, voilà... On a été des challengers et chaque fois, on a trébuché. Si on gagne, le regard sur nous va changer. On sera plus respectés. Le milieu du Top 14 n’est pas spécialement beau. Ça critique, si vous gagnez quelque chose, si vous êtes un propriétaire riche, on vous dénigre.

Q: why the final is a Friday?

Lorenzetti a du l'organiser

[sturginho]

Nice!

[sturginho]

Nightmare start for castres

[Tichtheid]

The third was the best one yet

[sturginho]

What a try! This is a massacre!

[Tichtheid]

The best thing you can say about Castres so far is that they have a rather fetching shade of blue in their shirts.

[Tichtheid]

Mercer is playing really well.

[sturginho]

Mercer is playing really well.

I love how the French pronounce his name

[Tichtheid]

Mercer is playing really well.

I love how the French pronounce his name

I have the English commentary, Johnnie Beattie is the ex-player pundit, he should have been the best player in the world but it all came too easily to him and he never really tried.

[sturginho]

Mercer is playing really well.

I love how the French pronounce his name

I have the English commentary, Johnnie Beattie is the ex-player pundit, he should have been the best player in the world but it all came too easily to him and he never really tried.

My Italian dish gets a few french channels

[sturginho]

Montpellier weather the storm

[Tichtheid]

ouch, the bounce of the rugby ball prevented that being the killer move from Montpellier

[sturginho]

They've left it a bit late

[sturginho]

What a year for Garbisi

[Tichtheid]

Congratulation MH, deserved win tonight

[TheFrog]

Mercer is playing really well.

I love how the French pronounce his name

I have the English commentary, Johnnie Beattie is the ex-player pundit, he should have been the best player in the world but it all came too easily to him and he never really tried.

I listen to the French rugby podcast, and he comes across as really nice, grounded and smart.

[TheFrog]

Castres are really a poor team...

I will only take away from this game Vincent's work on Bouthier's try and Mercer's early contribution.

The rest was gash...

[Torquemada 1420]

Castres are really a poor team...

I will only take away from this game Vincent's work on Bouthier's try and Mercer's early contribution.

The rest was gash...

What a factually incorrect, bitter statement that is. How can they be a poor "team" when with limited resources they topped T14 this season?

Anyway, TF I missed that last night.