Montpellier v Toulon

Anyone watching this? Great atmosphere in the ground before hand, spectacular minutes applause for Eric Bechu.

Montpellier playing good rugby at the minute, scored a beautiful try.

The game is ridiculously physical, two huge packs.

Nagusa just knocked on a ball in the try zone from a Trinh Duc cross field kick.

Montpellier marched Toulon about 30yards from a maul after the lineout.

Montpellier have one try in the bag and look ready for a second.

7-3.

5m scrum to Montpellier on the Toulon line.

this looks like its going to be a great game.

Penalty to Montpellier.

They go for the kick.

Montpellier manage to wheel the scrum and get the put in. Then win the penalty and decide to go to for the posts.

10-3 Montpellier.

And it's over. 10-3.

Another kickable penalty to Montpellier.

13-3.

Montpellier cruising for best runners-up spot.

Wilkinson goes off.

I don't think Wilkinson is that big a blow, Toulon might actually try and play the ball through hands and they have a great backline for running rugby.

Montpellier looking really up for it, Toulon caught totally flat footed. Great pace to the game so far.

Another penalty to Montpellier.

16-3.

Any cries of "fix" yet?

Marshes wrote:Montpellier looking really up for it, Toulon caught totally flat footed. Great pace to the game so far.

Agreed, the emotional atmosphere in the stadium seems to be helping Montpellier which is good because it often goes the other way.

Pot Hale wrote:Another penalty to Montpellier.

16-3.

Any cries of "fix" yet?

I don't think you could say that looking at the match, especially as Toulon would want to get a bonus point to help with their seeding in any fix.

The strength in French rugby is unreal.

Montpellier manage to steal the ball in a maul from a lineout after Toulon turn down three points and go to the corner. Montpellier manage to steal the next lineout as well and now have an attacking lineout 5 metres from the line.

Is Beattie playing at 8 positionally but with 7 on his back?

Some Benny Hill music would have be appropriate then

Toulon do very well to defend the maul,and then from the resulting counter attack, D Armitage kicks through and a brawl erupts. The crowd are not happy.

TJ wrote:Is Beattie playing at 8 positionally but with 7 on his back?

Probably just in the scrum. When in the loose he'll be doing 7's job

Yellow card for Delon Armitage - yet another in his career.

Not a red then?

Armitage yellow carded, and then starts mouthing off at the assistant ref.

Commentator annoying me with his eulogising about Wilkinson.

Morgannwg wrote:Not a red then?

Think the difference being in the recommendation of the AR that he was dropped on his back as opposed to shoulders, neck or head. Rolland did enquire, and was wondering if the red was appropriate.

bsando wrote:

TJ wrote:Is Beattie playing at 8 positionally but with 7 on his back?

Probably just in the scrum. When in the loose he'll be doing 7's job

ain't he normally an 8???

valjester wrote:I don't think Wilkinson is that big a blow, Toulon might actually try and play the ball through hands and they have a great backline for running rugby.

I think that's a bit unfair given that Wilkinson has played every game and the only side who have scored more tries than Toulon in this competition is Quins, Clermont being the next highest with 4 less than Toulon.

mbernz wrote:

valjester wrote:I don't think Wilkinson is that big a blow, Toulon might actually try and play the ball through hands and they have a great backline for running rugby.

I think that's a bit unfair given that Wilkinson has played every game and the only side who have scored more tries than Toulon in this competition is Quins, Clermont being the next highest with 4 less than Toulon.

In fairness some of that can be put down to how poor Sale and Cardiff have been.

S armitage is playing excellently defensively, keeping Toulon in the game.

TJ wrote:

bsando wrote:

TJ wrote:Is Beattie playing at 8 positionally but with 7 on his back?

Probably just in the scrum. When in the loose he'll be doing 7's job

ain't he normally an 8???

Yeah but I think Montpellier 7 had a late injury so they switched beattie to 7 in his place

Ta.

valjester wrote:

mbernz wrote:

valjester wrote:I don't think Wilkinson is that big a blow, Toulon might actually try and play the ball through hands and they have a great backline for running rugby.

I think that's a bit unfair given that Wilkinson has played every game and the only side who have scored more tries than Toulon in this competition is Quins, Clermont being the next highest with 4 less than Toulon.

In fairness some of that can be put down to how poor Sale and Cardiff have been.

The bottom sides in most groups haven't been much better. The main point is though that Toulon have played the ball through the hands quite a bit, with 14 of their 23 tries coming through the backs.

mbernz wrote:

valjester wrote:

mbernz wrote:

valjester wrote:I don't think Wilkinson is that big a blow, Toulon might actually try and play the ball through hands and they have a great backline for running rugby.

I think that's a bit unfair given that Wilkinson has played every game and the only side who have scored more tries than Toulon in this competition is Quins, Clermont being the next highest with 4 less than Toulon.

In fairness some of that can be put down to how poor Sale and Cardiff have been.

The bottom sides in most groups haven't been much better. The main point is though that Toulon have played the ball through the hands quite a bit, with 14 of their 23 tries coming through the backs.

They have though, no other group has two teams who are so abysmally off the pace. I've never said that Toulon don't play through the hands with Wilkinson in the side but his first instinct is always to kick the leather off the ball, its not something new, and its one of the most frustrating things about watching Toulon, I'm not really blaming Wilkinson though as it does seem to be a tactical decision at times.

i would be a amazed if a side with two armitages as first choice wins the Heiniken Cup no matter how much money they spend.

Come on Toulon!!!!

Toulon's inability to cross the tryline in this match is extraordinary. Rank poor decision-making when they're on the cusp.

JONNY WILKINSON?!?!?!

Was nthat a headbutt assist for Wilko?

Dat, dat, daddle da da, dat dat da da

People are seriously over rating this Toulon team. They are shocking.

And they manage to turn a try-scoring opportunity into a farcical turnaround for Montpellier. They dot down their third.

Conversion coming up. Amd it's over. Fantastic kick from the sideline against the wind.

23-3. Toulon are stuffed.

dublin_dave wrote:i would be a amazed if a side with two armitages as first choice wins the Heiniken Cup no matter how much money they spend.

Come on Toulon!!!!

Steffon has been outstanding in his time in France.


Things not looking good for the Irish sides, great for Montpellier though.

Any bets on Montpelier getting the bonus point?

What is this Toulon pack doing, they are acting the goats!!!!

They look like theyve lost their heads, Wilko goes dead from the restart.

LeinsterFan4life wrote:People are seriously over rating this Toulon team. They are shocking.

They are outstanding at home, it is shocking how poor they are away from home considering the talent in their squad.

I think Montpellier can still top the group if they get a bonus point win.

They are not interested today.

Notch wrote:They are not interested today.

They should be, Montpellier could ruin their chances of a home quarter.

Gorgodze is a hell of a player, even out of position.

valjester wrote:

LeinsterFan4life wrote:People are seriously over rating this Toulon team. They are shocking.

They are outstanding at home, it is shocking how poor they are away from home considering the talent in their squad.

I think Montpellier can still top the group if they get a bonus point win.

I think they need three or four more tries for that outcome.

Also love how well Nagusa has done for himself in France, fan favourite during his time at Ravenhill.

have to admit, The ref is being harsh on Toulon. Clearly Montpellier went off there feet there.

topping the group would be some achievement for montpellier. they are rampant and a serious team at home.

so looking like munster v leinster for 8th place unless their is an absolute high scoring blow out in welford road. Advantage Munster

Come on Leinster this evening and the Racing Development 15 tomorrow

Wilkinson is a very tough player but looked like a ragdoll in Gorgodzes hands there