European Club Rugby
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<p>DC starting for Racing outside the glacial service of Pikey Mikey</p>
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<p>I'm quite keen to see how our world cup hero stacks up. I wouldn't complain if he just phoned it in but he's a bit classier than that. Reckon he might have to duck and weave off the ball a bit though</p>
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<p>He's got Casey Laulala, Roks and Masoe to help him out too</p>
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<p>I guess Racing is my new favourite french club - previously it was "I couldn't give 2 fucks" </p> -
<p>Thomas Waldrom was man of the match in the Exeter Chiefs' bonus point win over Clermont (31-14), having scored two tries. Last week, he scored a hat-trick. Makes me wonder, again, why he was not in the English RWC squad. He was a top try scorer last year, too.</p>
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<p>One of the two Clermont tries was scored by Hosea Gear.</p> -
<p>So I watched 4 games of European rugby in the weekend</p>
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<p>Ulster - Toulouse</p>
<p>Racing 92 - Northampton</p>
<p>Munster - Leicester</p>
<p>Toulon - Leinster</p>
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<p>Kiwis involved: Williams (Ulster), Flynn, McAlister (Toulouse), Tameifuna, Masoe, Carter, Laulala, Rococoko (Racing), Paterson (NH), Saili (Munster), Fitzgerald, O'Connor (Leicester), Nonu, Taylor (Toulon), Boss, Nacewa (Leinster)</p>
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<p>Fat Nick Williams went OK for Ulster, got a try. McAlister was awful for Toulouse at 10. Carter went OK, but Rococoko was the best Kiwi there, Nonu was well managed by Leinster.</p> -
<p>38-0, son! Kiss has reminded them that it's not just down to Pienaar and Jackson to pass. Marshall was spraying the ball about like . . . well not Super Rugby, but the closest we'll get.</p>
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<p>The prospect of Piutau with front-foot ball arouses me.</p> -
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<p>Conrad leaves his old buddy grasping at thin air</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Billy Tell" data-cid="550404" data-time="1451850610">
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<p>Conrad leaves his old buddy grasping at thin air</p>
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<p>That's a bit rough on Ma'a TBF he did have have two men to mark.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Billy Tell" data-cid="550404" data-time="1451850610">
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<p>Conrad leaves his old buddy grasping at thin air</p>
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<p>Great stuff from Snakey. He's an excellent signing for Pau. Not Nonu's fault alone. He was left marking two men and was in the right place for the interception if Conrad had passed. More guilty are Matt Stevens (23) who was marking Conrad Smith on the open side and failed to track his run and Mamuka Gorgodze (6) who was stuck in a offside position.</p>
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<p>Toulon won the game with Tom Taylor at fullback. Colin Slade was at 10.</p> -
<p>I watched a bit of Top 14 on the weekend (SF v someone i had never heard of, played on an artificial pitch?), and some other game, Toulouse i think. The quality i saw was so poor. The game plans were basic, and the skills really lacking. I was actually bored watching rugby, and that normally only happens when i am watching the Brumbies or the Stormers. </p>
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<p>For SF Genia tried hard to create stuff, but with Morne Steyn at 10, it was not a match made in heaven. </p> -
<p>I watched most of Toulon vs Toulouse last weekend and had much the same reaction as you all - very dour stuff.</p>
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<p>I was very impressed with Nonu. He was unspectacular but it must be very hard for these guys heading into their 12th consecutive month of rugby after the biggest mental/physical challenge of their careers and to still be playing at a relatively high level.</p>
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<p>James O'Connor appears to be a big deal over there while being the same player he was in Super Rugby - occasional attacking flair (I wouldn't go so far as to say "brilliance") mixed in with poor decision making and limited physicality. Tom Taylor impressed.</p> -
It's gonna suck not having those two in Black this year.
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<p>I watched a bit of Top 14 on the weekend (SF v someone i had never heard of, played on an artificial pitch?), and some other game, Toulouse i think. The quality i saw was so poor. The game plans were basic, and the skills really lacking. I was actually bored watching rugby, and that normally only happens when i am watching the Brumbies or the Stormers. </p>
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<p>For SF Genia tried hard to create stuff, but with Morne Steyn at 10, it was not a match made in heaven. </p>
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<p>Pure Brock James standing deep and kicking the ball constantly in an NPC game garbage.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="No Quarter" data-cid="550422" data-time="1451867810"><p>
It's gonna suck not having those two in Black this year.</p></blockquote>
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It'll be fine. Slade was only a bit player at best and Taylor hasn't pulled on the black jumper in a couple of years. We will hardly miss them. -
<p>I haven't watched any European club rugby this weekend, but I just noticed that French media are saying that Clermont have signed Isaia Toeava on a short-term contract as medical cover for injured fullback Nick Abendanon (out for 3 months). Hasn't been confirmed by Clermont yet.</p>
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<p><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.sports-auvergne.fr/rugby/asm/2016/01/31/l-asm-a-trouve-le-joker-medical-d-abendanon_11763058.html'>http://www.sports-auvergne.fr/rugby/asm/2016/01/31/l-asm-a-trouve-le-joker-medical-d-abendanon_11763058.html</a></p> -
<p>Confirmed:</p>
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<p>[media]http://twitter.com/ASMOfficiel/status/694082325567524864[/media]</p> -
Exeter Chiefs have signed Dave Dennis from NSW Waratahs. I freely admit I know next to nothing about this guy. What are the thoughts of the Fern cognoscenti? Rob Baxter (Exeter head coach) has made some inspired and under the radar signings over the past few years so I'm quite hopeful Dennis will be the nuts.
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<p>Exeter Chiefs have signed Dave Dennis from NSW Waratahs. I freely admit I know next to nothing about this guy. What are the thoughts of the Fern cognoscenti? Rob Baxter (Exeter head coach) has made some inspired and under the radar signings over the past few years so I'm quite hopeful Dennis will be the nuts.</p>
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<p>I'm thinking your Tom Croft style of loose forward. He's quite athletic and quick and can be useful in the lineout. Not especially powerful, not really a breakdown threat. A linking sort of player. If you have the balance of your loose forward trio correct, he could be a decent enough acquisition.</p> -
<p>David Smith has been ruled ineligible for France, having played for NZ in a seven tournament in 2008. He scored a try against Clermont this week end and was called by French coach Guy Noves to join Marcoussis where Les Bleus are training for the Friday evening game against Wales.</p>
