European Club Rugby
-
@crucial said in NH club rugby:
Just watched some T14 highlights and a slightly chubby Toeava showed some very nice skills at 13 for Clermont.
He had a pretty nice stat line for the game - 2 tries, 4 try assists, 7 linebreaks, 6 defenders beaten, 78m and 2 offloads. That would be a gazillion points in fantasy.
He use to come in a little bigger to start the Super Rugby season and would slim down as the season went along. It never seemed to affect his explosiveness though.
-
@dice imagine a Toeava and Ngatai midfield!
-
Clermont are using Toeava as a utility back, who can slot in at 10, 12, 13 and 15. He started in Clermont as injury cover for fullback Nick Abendanon, then got a contract for several years, got injured for a while and since he returned from injury, he's been really good for them. Not sure whether he'll get more starts in the midfield now that Rougerie has retired as they have signed George Moala and also have guys like Lamerat, Penaud and Betham, and obviously their number one midfielder, Wesley Fofana (who re-signed with the club until 2023, last week). Moala started training with them this week. I think they're still waiting for Tim Nanai-Williams ... In the absence of Morgan Parra, Fritz Lee is captaining the team (despite former captain Damian Chouly being available).
Interestingly, Ngatai played his first Top 14 game for Lyon last weekend and formed a midfield duo with Rudi Wulf.
-
Note to self - mustn’t mention Barnes or Bod on Silver Fern ever again.
-
@taniwharugby would only be trumped by the Ardie and Messam midfield.
-
@stargazer said in NH club rugby:
Clermont are using Toeava as a utility back, who can slot in at 10, 12, 13 and 15. He started in Clermont as injury cover for fullback Nick Abendanon, then got a contract for several years, got injured for a while and since he returned from injury, he's been really good for them. Not sure whether he'll get more starts in the midfield now that Rougerie has retired as they have signed George Moala and also have guys like Lamerat, Penaud and Betham, and obviously their number one midfielder, Wesley Fofana (who re-signed with the club until 2023, last week). Moala started training with them this week. I think they're still waiting for Tim Nanai-Williams ... In the absence of Morgan Parra, Fritz Lee is captaining the team (despite former captain Damian Chouly being available).
Interestingly, Ngatai played his first Top 14 game for Lyon last weekend and formed a midfield duo with Rudi Wulf.
It was Toeava's midfield vision and distribution that was most impressive. They'd be dumb not to keep him there. Although he may not see much ball if Moala plays inside him.
Who was the 12 in that game? He made Basteraud look slim. -
@stargazer I was always a fan of Rudi Wulf!
-
@crucial said in NH club rugby:
@stargazer said in NH club rugby:
Clermont are using Toeava as a utility back, who can slot in at 10, 12, 13 and 15. He started in Clermont as injury cover for fullback Nick Abendanon, then got a contract for several years, got injured for a while and since he returned from injury, he's been really good for them. Not sure whether he'll get more starts in the midfield now that Rougerie has retired as they have signed George Moala and also have guys like Lamerat, Penaud and Betham, and obviously their number one midfielder, Wesley Fofana (who re-signed with the club until 2023, last week). Moala started training with them this week. I think they're still waiting for Tim Nanai-Williams ... In the absence of Morgan Parra, Fritz Lee is captaining the team (despite former captain Damian Chouly being available).
Interestingly, Ngatai played his first Top 14 game for Lyon last weekend and formed a midfield duo with Rudi Wulf.
It was Toeava's midfield vision and distribution that was most impressive. They'd be dumb not to keep him there. Although he may not see much ball if Moala plays inside him.
Who was the 12 in that game? He made Basteraud look slim.The way French coaches make their team selections is influenced heavily by excessive rotation and - at times - complete unpredictability. Fofana is their first choice midfielder. Who'll join him in the midfield for the big games is still a big question to me.
The 12 in the game against Agen was Apisai Naqalevu, a 29 year old Fijian they've picked up from Bordeaux, and who played for Dax in the Pro D2 before that. According to Clermont's website he weighs in at 104kg (1.84m).
-
@rocky-rockbottom said in NH club rugby:
great pic in that Barnes article
"High five, Ali!"
"Yeah, go fuck yourself fluffybunny."How on earth did he look 50 almost 11 years ago and then hasn't aged at all.
-
@stargazer said in NH club rugby:
Clermont are using Toeava as a utility back, who can slot in at 10, 12, 13 and 15. He started in Clermont as injury cover for fullback Nick Abendanon, then got a contract for several years, got injured for a while and since he returned from injury, he's been really good for them. Not sure whether he'll get more starts in the midfield now that Rougerie has retired as they have signed George Moala and also have guys like Lamerat, Penaud and Betham, and obviously their number one midfielder, Wesley Fofana (who re-signed with the club until 2023, last week). Moala started training with them this week. I think they're still waiting for Tim Nanai-Williams ... In the absence of Morgan Parra, Fritz Lee is captaining the team (despite former captain Damian Chouly being available).
Interestingly, Ngatai played his first Top 14 game for Lyon last weekend and formed a midfield duo with Rudi Wulf.
How'd Charlie go?
-
@pakman said in NH club rugby:
@stargazer said in NH club rugby:
Clermont are using Toeava as a utility back, who can slot in at 10, 12, 13 and 15. He started in Clermont as injury cover for fullback Nick Abendanon, then got a contract for several years, got injured for a while and since he returned from injury, he's been really good for them. Not sure whether he'll get more starts in the midfield now that Rougerie has retired as they have signed George Moala and also have guys like Lamerat, Penaud and Betham, and obviously their number one midfielder, Wesley Fofana (who re-signed with the club until 2023, last week). Moala started training with them this week. I think they're still waiting for Tim Nanai-Williams ... In the absence of Morgan Parra, Fritz Lee is captaining the team (despite former captain Damian Chouly being available).
Interestingly, Ngatai played his first Top 14 game for Lyon last weekend and formed a midfield duo with Rudi Wulf.
How'd Charlie go?
Doesn't matter if he took the field does it? His reputation as a great is what matters.
-
@stargazer said in NH club rugby:
The 12 in the game against Agen was Apisai Naqalevu, a 29 year old Fijian they've picked up from Bordeaux, and who played for Dax in the Pro D2 before that. According to Clermont's website he weighs in at 104kg (1.84m).
No way is that guy 104kg unless the settings on my TV were out and he was stretched sideways. Maybe he is short?
Watch at about 3.20
-
-
@crucial said in NH club rugby:
@pakman said in NH club rugby:
@stargazer said in NH club rugby:
Clermont are using Toeava as a utility back, who can slot in at 10, 12, 13 and 15. He started in Clermont as injury cover for fullback Nick Abendanon, then got a contract for several years, got injured for a while and since he returned from injury, he's been really good for them. Not sure whether he'll get more starts in the midfield now that Rougerie has retired as they have signed George Moala and also have guys like Lamerat, Penaud and Betham, and obviously their number one midfielder, Wesley Fofana (who re-signed with the club until 2023, last week). Moala started training with them this week. I think they're still waiting for Tim Nanai-Williams ... In the absence of Morgan Parra, Fritz Lee is captaining the team (despite former captain Damian Chouly being available).
Interestingly, Ngatai played his first Top 14 game for Lyon last weekend and formed a midfield duo with Rudi Wulf.
How'd Charlie go?
Doesn't matter if he took the field does it? His reputation as a great is what matters.
Hence his status as an AB legend!
-
@stargazer said in NH club rugby:
@crucial Depends on what you consider short. He's 184cm according to most online profiles. Looking at that footage, he doesn't look bigger than Bastareaud to me, but definitely a stocky bloke.
I have to concede that he has slimmed down a bit between the show I watched and that youtube clip
Even Ice looked very stocky when I watched last night. Maybe there was something odd with the picture transfer. -
Pat Lam's newly promoted Bristol (with Luatua as captain) has beaten Todd Blackadder's Bath 17-10 in the first round of the English premiership. Plenty of Kiwis and the immortal George Smith playing.
Bristol: 15 Luke Daniels, 14 Luke Morahan, 13 Will Hurrell, 12 Tusi Pisi, 11 Alapati Leiua, 10 Ian Madigan, 9 Nic Stirzaker, 8 Jordan Crane, 7 George Smith, 6 Steven Luatua (c), 5 Chris Vui, 4 Ed Holmes, 3 John Afoa, 2 Harry Thacker, 1 Yann Thomas
Replacements: 16 Shaun Malton, 17 Jake Woolmore, 18 Jake Armstrong, 19 Joe Latta, 20 Jack Lam, 21 Andy Uren, 22 Callum Sheedy, 23 Ryan EdwardsBath: 15 Tom Homer, 14 Semesa Rokoduguni, 13 Jackson Willison, 12 Jamie Roberts, 11 Joe Cokanasiga, 10 Rhys Priestland, 9 Chris Cook, 8 Taulupe Faletau, 7 Sam Underhill, 6 Zach Mercer, 5 Matt Garvey (c), 4 Dave Attwood, 3 Henry Thomas, 2 Jack Walker, 1 Nathan Catt
Replacements: 16 Tom Dunn, 17 Will Vaughan, 18 Anthony Perenise, 19 Elliott Stooke, 20 Francois Louw, 21 Max Green, 22 Freddie Burns, 23 Aled Brew -
Joe Schmidt”s old team, Leinster Rugby, had it all to,do to come from 15 poimts behind to beat Cardiff at the death 33-32. Michael Bent and Jamison Gibson Park were playing for the men in blue with the replacement scrumhalf dotting down for their third try. Jason Harries and Ray Lee Leo dotted down for Cardiff alongside Nick Williams and Willis Halaholo.
-
-
@majorrage Not a great surprise for O’Connor. Tigers missed out on the play offs last season. First time for 14 years or something. Lost the last game of the season woefully when the win would have done it. A truly awful performance against Exeter on Saturday was just the last straw. Apparently he has “lost the dressing room “ too.
Stuff
