France Top 14 2024-25 Season

Hazel Sapling wrote:Saw some of the Racing game. Farrell at 10 and Lancaster at 12 was interesting to watch.

Lancaster overplayed his hand a few times with a couple of wayward kicks straight into touch. Looks like he is trying to become a new Farrell-type player.  

England captain Owen Farrell scored five points as Racing 92 beat Clermont 33-20 in the French Top 14 on Saturday. Racing’s maiden victory of the season marked their first game since South Africa captain Siya Kolisi announced his departure after just one season of his three-year deal.

The hosts crossed for three tries in six minutes during the second half from Owen Farrell’s compatriot Henry Arundell, France centre Gael Fickou and scrum-half Nolann Le Garrec, Antoine Dupont’s understudy with Les Bleus.

Farrell, 32, missed three shots and goal and was shown a yellow card just before the break.

“I thought he was generally good, but a little less good kicking at the posts,” Racing 92 assistant coach Frederic Michalak told reporters.

“The yellow card was a bit severe.

“Maybe the referee just wanted to show a yellow card to an English player!” Michalak jokingly added in reference to the cross-Channel rivalry.

A much-changed Clermont, coached by the colourful Christophe Urios, followed last weekend’s win at Pau by defeat despite leading by four points with 20 minutes to play.

The game was moved across the French capital to a fourth-tier football ground in the suburb of Creteil as flyhalf Farrell made his home debut after his summer move from Saracens.

Racing’s usual La Defense Arena home is being re-adapted for rugby after it was used as a swimming venue at the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The sides went into the break 13-13 apiece as Farrell was sin-binned for offside in the build-up to Clermont flyhalf Anthony Belleau’s try.

Andy Farrell, dad of Owen was in the stands.

The 49 year-old will take charge of the British and Irish Lions for next year’s tour of Australia and can select his son even if he is ineligible for England as he plays his club rugby abroad.

Racing’s three crucial tries came just after the hour mark, the highlight being Fickou’s effort, set-up by 32-year-old flyhalf Farrell.

formerly known as Sam wrote:

Hazel Sapling wrote:Saw some of the Racing game. Farrell at 10 and Lancaster at 12 was interesting to watch.

Lancaster overplayed his hand a few times with a couple of wayward kicks straight into touch. Looks like he is trying to become a new Farrell-type player.  

Does he look like he's there because his dad's the coach?

Le XV de départ de Toulouse : 15. Ramos ; 14. Capuozzo, 13. Barassi, 12. Ahki, 11. Kinghorn; 10. R. Ntamack, 9. Graou ; 7. Banos, 8. Roumat, 6. Cros ; 5. Meafou, 4. Flament; 3. Aldegheri, 2. Marchand (cap.), 1. Ainu’u.

Les remplaçants : 16. Mauvaka, 17. Neti, 18. Brennan, 19. Arnold, 20. Jelonch, 21. Saito, 22. Delibes, 23. Merkler.

Le XV de départ de Bordeaux-Bègles : 15. Bielle-Biarrey ; 14. Retière, 13. Moefana, 12. Janse Van Rensburg, 11. Uberti ; 10. Jalibert, 9. Lucu : 7. Samu, 8. Tatafu, 6. Vergnes-Taillefer ; 5. Gray, 4. Bochaton ; 3. Falatea, 2. Latterrade, 1. Boniface.

Les remplaçants : 16. Lamothe, 17. Perchaud, 18. Cazeaux, 19. Diaby, 20. Matiu, 21. Garcia, 22. Reybier, 23. Sadie.

Rugby Fan wrote:...Incidentally, Toulouse are playing Bordeaux-Bègles tonight, which could be a tasty confrontation.

Rugby Fan wrote:Stade Francais have sacked their coach.

king_carlos wrote:Did you watch it out of interest RF?

The Dan Lancaster situation looks farcical on the surface. A few fans I know who watch the Top 14 think it's laughable. Outside of one penalty from halfway about the most positive thing they can say for Lancaster Jnr is that, "He's made some OK tackles and caught the ball". He's presumably being picked as a playmaker at 12 but his passing and kicking game are reportedly worse than the likes of Fickou, Sam James and Max Spring. Whilst he's slightly for a 10 so he can't be offering anything carrying himself.

To have Tuisova pushed back out the wing is nuts alone. He was brilliant at 12 for Fiji in the RWC. It suits him so much better in attack and defence in the modern game. To do that, then be starting Lancaster ahead of players such as James or Spring just seems insanity. The kid did nowt at Tigers, couldn't get another Prem deal, dropped down to the Championship with Ealing, couldn't make himself first choice at 10 or 12 there. Now his dad's picked him for 6 games from 6, whilst starting 3 of them, in the highest quality domestic league in rugby. They could be picking 10.Farrell 12.Tuisova 13.Fickou for f**k sake!

I'm honestly surprised that some of the more mainstream pundits or journalists haven't commented on it. Be that in print or the podcast circuit. It looks about as blatant a bit of nepotism as you could get.