European Club Rugby
-
@antipodean said in NH club rugby:
Reports that Stade and Racing will merge into one club for next year.
Article in English:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/international/90394232/dan-carters-french-club-racing-92-merges-with-stade-francaisI've already read posts on twitter from players, who say they'll refuse to play for the new/merged team. Example:
http://twitter.com/MacSekou/status/841263259126767625Also objections from many fans, who say they won't support the new club and rather support another French team or no team at all.
Racing 92 players include Dan Carter, Ben Tameifuna, Chris Masoe, Casey Laulala, Anthony Tuitavake, Joe Rokocoko and, until recently Ali Williams (not sure whether he's already been sacked).
Stade Francais employs Kiwis Paul Williams & Aled De Malmanche . -
@antipodean said in NH club rugby:
Reports that Stade and Racing will merge into one club for next year.
Article in English:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/international/90394232/dan-carters-french-club-racing-92-merges-with-stade-francaisI've already read posts on twitter from players, who say they'll refuse to play for the new/merged team. Example:
http://twitter.com/MacSekou/status/841263259126767625Also objections from many fans, who say they won't support the new club and rather support another French team or no team at all.
Racing 92 players include Dan Carter, Ben Tameifuna, Chris Masoe, Casey Laulala, Anthony Tuitavake, Joe Rokocoko and, until recently Ali Williams (not sure whether he's already been sacked).
Stade Francais employs Kiwis Paul Williams & Aled De Malmanche .@Stargazer said in NH club rugby:
@antipodean said in NH club rugby:
Reports that Stade and Racing will merge into one club for next year.
Article in English:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/international/90394232/dan-carters-french-club-racing-92-merges-with-stade-francaisI've already read posts on twitter from players, who say they'll refuse to play for the new/merged team.
Makes cutting the squad down to size easier. I've had the same issue at work:
Contractor: I'm not prepared to do that.
Me: I accept your resignation. Hand in your pass. -
The players' union wasn't informed either: https://www.midi-olympique.fr/breve/28929-joueurs-atterres-provale-va-reagir
Translated with Google Translate (I can't be bothered to translate it myself):
According to our information, the union (Provale) was not aware of the transactions between Stade Francais and Racing 92. It was this morning around 10 am that the union learned from several players that meetings were held this Monday, March 13, between the presidents of the clubs concerned and their employees. A source close to the union says: "We received countless phone calls at Provale headquarters and on our mobile phones. The players are appalled, panicked. They feel betrayed or even at the end of professional life for some. It's as if you were told, "Go to account in three months, it's over." In these conditions, how can the derby of the Paris region of April 29th take place under normal conditions? And how to imagine an end of the season that is not truncated, or even ubuesque? The Provale union will react, via an official communiqué, in the afternoon. Until then, the merger between Stade Francais and the Racing 92 has not finished causing ...And a lot more reactions in this article:
http://www.lequipe.fr/Rugby/Actualites/Top-14-une-fusion-qui-fait-reagir/785199 -
What sucks is that Stade play in a new(ish) stadium that has been funded at least partially by the public. But they will use the new Arena 92 once they merge. Thus abandoning a perfectly good stadium.
This will be handy for me as arena 92 will be easy to get to, once its finished, and I only support Racing as they are the closest team.
This talk about a mostly french squad is all well and good until they slide down the table and the dick measuring contest between the owners starts again.
There were protests when they talked about merging Bayonne and Biarritz. I doubt anyone in Paris will care.
-
@Billy-Tell said in NH club rugby:
@antipodean said in NH club rugby:
Reports that Stade and Racing will merge into one club for next year.
That is bad news for nz rugby imo.
What I'm hearing is they intend to turn it into a dominant French squad - effectively a Les Bleus XV. If so, that's good news all round.
@antipodean said in NH club rugby:
@Billy-Tell said in NH club rugby:
@antipodean said in NH club rugby:
Reports that Stade and Racing will merge into one club for next year.
That is bad news for nz rugby imo.
What I'm hearing is they intend to turn it into a dominant French squad - effectively a Les Bleus XV. If so, that's good news all round.
If it involves "marquee" SH signings, it's bad news.
-
-
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11818496
Why is this even a story? It's common knowledge there is still a drinking culture in French rugby. Didn't all the players gather around at halftime during a match at Xmas and take a celebratory shot of spirits?
-
@taniwharugby Yeah Nah
-
@canefan said in NH club rugby:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11818496
Why is this even a story? It's common knowledge there is still a drinking culture in French rugby. Didn't all the players gather around at halftime during a match at Xmas and take a celebratory shot of spirits?
What a piece of garbage journalism. That video is taken in the locker rooms after they won the Fucking French title. A year ago and at the end of the season.
What he did was dumb but he has fronted up and apologised and taken his medicine. They won't be happy till they get him sobbing and begging for forgiveness on the news.
-
@canefan said in NH club rugby:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11818496
Why is this even a story? It's common knowledge there is still a drinking culture in French rugby. Didn't all the players gather around at halftime during a match at Xmas and take a celebratory shot of spirits?
What a piece of garbage journalism. That video is taken in the locker rooms after they won the Fucking French title. A year ago and at the end of the season.
What he did was dumb but he has fronted up and apologised and taken his medicine. They won't be happy till they get him sobbing and begging for forgiveness on the news.
-
@mooshld It's likely he has triggered someone and that can't be brushed aside
@Catogrande Small wonder no one is prepared to put their name to the article. Just more shit journalism from the NZ Herald.
-
@Catogrande Small wonder no one is prepared to put their name to the article. Just more shit journalism from the NZ Herald.
@antipodean I hadn't bothered to read it but now you've forced my hand. Now I don't like you.
It is a piss-poor character assassination on a bloke that has made a poor mistake. Way over the top.
-
@Stargazer stade players have been on strike all week here.
There is more to this then meets the eye u suspect this was about applying done back room pressure but to what end I don't know.
-
So I did a bit of reading around in French sites. Here is the conspiracy theory.
Stade and racing didn't want to play this weekend with key players on international duty. They decide to merge, it all kicks off​, the games both get postponed. Weekend over merger off.
The president of Toulon is buying into it tweeting that he plans to merge with pattya in Thailand if it gets his team a week off as well.
-
You can see why the French are happy for the June series to move to July and shortening the duration of the Six Nations. The Bouclier de Brennus is king.
-
Leicester Tigers have sacked Aaron Mauger as head coach and immediately replaced him with Australian coach Matt O'Connor.
@Bovidae said in NH club rugby:
Leicester Tigers have sacked Aaron Mauger as head coach and immediately replaced him with Australian coach Matt O'Connor.
And this just after he's one some silverware, the Anglo-Welsh Cup, mind you the spirit of this comp is that it's a development competition and they fielded a pretty strong line up.
OK so they beat my local side so I may be a little bitter, but...
