I love how the French pronounce his name
Le Taupe XIV et la mégalomanie d'un secretaire d'état ripoux
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 channelsTichtheid wrote: Fri Jun 24, 2022 7:36 pm
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.Tichtheid wrote: Fri Jun 24, 2022 7:36 pm
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.
- Torquemada 1420
- Posts: 11945
- Joined: Thu Jul 02, 2020 8:22 am
- Location: Hut 8
What a factually incorrect, bitter statement that is. How can they be a poor "team" when with limited resources they topped T14 this season?TheFrog wrote: Fri Jun 24, 2022 9:12 pm 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...
Anyway, TF I missed that last night.
It just reflects what a farce and a borefest our Top 14 has become.Torquemada 1420 wrote: Sat Jun 25, 2022 6:17 amWhat a factually incorrect, bitter statement that is. How can they be a poor "team" when with limited resources they topped T14 this season?TheFrog wrote: Fri Jun 24, 2022 9:12 pm 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...
Anyway, TF I missed that last night.
Kudos to Castres for making games tight and winning narrowly all season but tonight, all I saw were indvidualities failing to serve the collective and a team playing like headless chickens.
I prefer what Bordeaux, with just a slightly higher budget has to offer, even if they failed in the semis.

Watching this game and thinking of old glories like Uruguayan icons Capo-Ortega and the young scrum-half on Castres' side, or of Garbisi, the Georgians etc... I really think French professional rugby helps in the development of rugby. What is needed now though is that we stop poaching at international level.
- Torquemada 1420
- Posts: 11945
- Joined: Thu Jul 02, 2020 8:22 am
- Location: Hut 8
Yes. I agree with nearly all of that, but your point has nothing to do with preference but fact. And the fact was they were the best team over the course of the season. As a Clermont supporter, you of all people should appreciate the ability of a team to bottle it when it matters in a final, thus making a mockery of what preceded that.TheFrog wrote: Sat Jun 25, 2022 1:06 pm It just reflects what a farce and a borefest our Top 14 has become.
Kudos to Castres for making games tight and winning narrowly all season but tonight, all I saw were indvidualities failing to serve the collective and a team playing like headless chickens.
I prefer what Bordeaux, with just a slightly higher budget has to offer, even if they failed in the semis.
Last edited by Torquemada 1420 on Sat Jun 25, 2022 1:57 pm, edited 1 time in total.
- Torquemada 1420
- Posts: 11945
- Joined: Thu Jul 02, 2020 8:22 am
- Location: Hut 8
And we expected different?!La soule wrote: Sat Jun 25, 2022 10:37 am It was a shit show for a final. The wrong teams got there in the end unfortunately.
At least there were some tries.
Garbisi just signed a new contract, I posted it earlierTheFrog wrote: Sat Jun 25, 2022 10:09 pm I read that Montpellier have recruited Coly, Torque. You'll get an opportunity to see his worth. Coly-Carbonel, could be an exciting first XV.
Is Garbisi staying? Will he and Carbonel fight it out?
Competition will be hot for the 10 Jerseysturginho wrote: Sat Jun 25, 2022 10:48 pmGarbisi just signed a new contract, I posted it earlierTheFrog wrote: Sat Jun 25, 2022 10:09 pm I read that Montpellier have recruited Coly, Torque. You'll get an opportunity to see his worth. Coly-Carbonel, could be an exciting first XV.
Is Garbisi staying? Will he and Carbonel fight it out?
- Torquemada 1420
- Posts: 11945
- Joined: Thu Jul 02, 2020 8:22 am
- Location: Hut 8
Thanks for the heads up. Odd to sign Carbonel when they have Garbisi. I assume Pollard (finally) is going? Maybe Piglet thinks Garbisi will spend much time away with Italy and that Carbonel won't get a Fra call up with Ntamack and Jalibert?TheFrog wrote: Sat Jun 25, 2022 10:09 pm I read that Montpellier have recruited Coly, Torque. You'll get an opportunity to see his worth. Coly-Carbonel, could be an exciting first XV.
Is Garbisi staying? Will he and Carbonel fight it out?
So Woki to Racing then?
A concern when egos are put before the team.
Woki wanted to play lock, Urios wouldn't have it. Plus the clash before the play-off. It will be interesting to see how Urios turns this around. It is his make or break on the path of being recognized as a great coach. Either he manages to turn the Bordeaux team around and he becomes the winner. Or the poison continues to spread and the team falls apart and he will be remembered as a man who is great to coach teams like Castres with little ego in the squad but not good with stars filled squad.
As for Racing, they continue with their tactical approach of putting together a dynamic light weight pack, which didn't work so far and is unlikely to work again next year. Teams like La Rochelle who combine raw power and dynamism will tear them apart in the play off.
A concern when egos are put before the team.
Woki wanted to play lock, Urios wouldn't have it. Plus the clash before the play-off. It will be interesting to see how Urios turns this around. It is his make or break on the path of being recognized as a great coach. Either he manages to turn the Bordeaux team around and he becomes the winner. Or the poison continues to spread and the team falls apart and he will be remembered as a man who is great to coach teams like Castres with little ego in the squad but not good with stars filled squad.
As for Racing, they continue with their tactical approach of putting together a dynamic light weight pack, which didn't work so far and is unlikely to work again next year. Teams like La Rochelle who combine raw power and dynamism will tear them apart in the play off.
- Torquemada 1420
- Posts: 11945
- Joined: Thu Jul 02, 2020 8:22 am
- Location: Hut 8
No. It's not AFAIK. Even the France game wasn't on usual channel(s).Slick wrote: Sat Jul 02, 2022 5:12 pm Any Frenchies know if the Scotland game is being shown on French TV tonight? My NOW pass is blocked over here
Cheers, is that a free to air
All the money you made will never buy back your soul
Unfortunately it is a pay channel.
Got it!
All the money you made will never buy back your soul
- Torquemada 1420
- Posts: 11945
- Joined: Thu Jul 02, 2020 8:22 am
- Location: Hut 8
No!
- Marylandolorian
- Posts: 1328
- Joined: Thu Jul 02, 2020 2:47 pm
- Location: Amerikanuak
Come on, don’t spread false rumors, the main reason Woki left is because he wanted to be with his girlfriend who lives in Paris and to be close to his family.TheFrog wrote: Sat Jul 02, 2022 4:47 pm So Woki to Racing then?
A concern when egos are put before the team.
Woki wanted to play lock, Urios wouldn't have it. Plus the clash before the play-off. It will be interesting to see how Urios turns this around. It is his make or break on the path of being recognized as a great coach. Either he manages to turn the Bordeaux team around and he becomes the winner. Or the poison continues to spread and the team falls apart and he will be remembered as a man who is great to coach teams like Castres with little ego in the squad but not good with stars filled squad.
As for Racing, they continue with their tactical approach of putting together a dynamic light weight pack, which didn't work so far and is unlikely to work again next year. Teams like La Rochelle who combine raw power and dynamism will tear them apart in the play off.
Tension with teammates and staffs started as he was going to Paris every weeks to see her, he already made his decision when Urios criticized him after the lost at Perpignan
The one who left because he didn’t get alone at all with Urios is Thierry Paiva ( and maybe Ben Lam)
- Torquemada 1420
- Posts: 11945
- Joined: Thu Jul 02, 2020 8:22 am
- Location: Hut 8
Yeah. Motivation was clearly to get back to Paris although his subsequent behaviour was poor. I expect Jalibert will wind his neck in too.Marylandolorian wrote: Thu Jul 07, 2022 1:07 pm Come on, don’t spread false rumors, the main reason Woki left is because he wanted to be with his girlfriend who lives in Paris and to be close to his family.
Tension with teammates and staffs started as he was going to Paris every weeks to see her, he already made his decision when Urios criticized him after the lost at Perpignan
The one who left because he didn’t get alone at all with Urios is Thierry Paiva ( and maybe Ben Lam)
- Marylandolorian
- Posts: 1328
- Joined: Thu Jul 02, 2020 2:47 pm
- Location: Amerikanuak
Yep, after the 6N his attitude with the group was different, you could feel something changed during his interviews with TV7 or rugby-scapulaire .Torquemada 1420 wrote: Thu Jul 07, 2022 3:01 pmYeah. Motivation was clearly to get back to Paris although his subsequent behaviour was poor. I expect Jalibert will wind his neck in too.Marylandolorian wrote: Thu Jul 07, 2022 1:07 pm Come on, don’t spread false rumors, the main reason Woki left is because he wanted to be with his girlfriend who lives in Paris and to be close to his family.
Tension with teammates and staffs started as he was going to Paris every weeks to see her, he already made his decision when Urios criticized him after the lost at Perpignan
The one who left because he didn’t get alone at all with Urios is Thierry Paiva ( and maybe Ben Lam)
No problem with Mat Jalibert, in September he signed for 3 more years (€€€)
Heard an interview of Garbisi on Le French Rugby Podcast and hat off to the guy, he is some smart kid. Almost perfect English, smart, dedicated. He has a bright future

- Torquemada 1420
- Posts: 11945
- Joined: Thu Jul 02, 2020 8:22 am
- Location: Hut 8
I wish!
I was at a dinner with Zinzan (and his missus Aly) many years ago. Really nice guy to talk with. It was around the time just before he had that strange accident with the taxi in Spain. [/Globus]