[url=http://www.sang-et-or.net/readarticle.php?article_id=496Previews[/url, including a bit of domestic news and some reaction to the latest goings on at FFRXIII HQ

Utterly Bizarre decision. I can only think that the FFRXIII are strapped for cash & have got Goulding on the cheap unless theres something about Rochdale we don't know about that has given him a unique insight into running a national team.

Avignon gain revenge over their neighbours, 32-12. Limoux hold off Villeneuve, 39-28, and Carcassonne beat UTC 38-28.
Pia go big, winning 58-14 against St Go, but Lézignan go bigger. 112-4 winners against Lyon. Ouch.


Tables updated shortly and review to follow.

[url=http://www.sang-et-or.net/readarticle.php?article_id=499Reviewed[/url

Fred Z in the paper today saying how he has only 19 players turning up for training and half of them are crook and he may only have 11 again for the postponed cup match against Baho. If it continues, they're going to have to start forfeiting games.

What is it with UTC?

A mid table finish is not to be scoffed at, but with SL players and SL training regimes they should be in the top 4. What's going wrong?

Leading try scorers:

22 - Hervé Marrot (Limoux)
18 - Alexis Rodriguez (Carpentras)
15 - Mathieu Mayans (Limoux)
14 - Clément Soubeyras (Carpentras)
12 - Sam Key (Limoux), Jared Taylor (Lézignan), Dean Amos (Avignon)

And points:

208 - Phil Ramage (Limoux)
174 - Nick f---ing Youngquest (Pia)
164 - Nicolas Munoz (Lézignan)
137 - Fred Banquet (Carcassonne)
123 - William Barthau (UTC)

I think part of the problem is that the team changes nearly every week with Dragons players coming & going, they have trouble getting some sort of stability & cohesion going on. They are still a very good young team. I watched them against Carcassonne & it was a tough & physical match with plenty of contact & some very good tries to add. However, they will definately have to win away at Villeneuve this week to have any real chance of making the playoffs.

Apparently half the team are on strike as they haven't been paid for the last 3 months!