The UAFC

Rooster wrote:

Dave wrote:Will vdm be available?

Wouldn't play him against those animals as a first game back from injury

Might need him for those animals the week after.

Dave wrote:

Rooster wrote:

Dave wrote:Will vdm be available?

Wouldn't play him against those animals as a first game back from injury

Might need him for those animals the week after.

Only if they get their visas sorted

Dave wrote:Quinns are an AIL side (not the Belfast one).

Correct! The Belfast one belong in the junior league

Dave wrote:

Rooster wrote:

Dave wrote:Will vdm be available?

Wouldn't play him against those animals as a first game back from injury

Might need him for those animals the week after.

Expect him to turn out for the A team, probably from the bench.

Anyone going to the Bunker this weekend? Somewhere to get out of the scorching sun I believe - http://bunkerlarochelle9.wixsite.com/le ... larochelle

Hard to envisage anything good coming out of this weekend.

BaggyTrousers wrote:Hard to envisage anything good coming out of this weekend.

Kiss gets another L

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Any agreed meet-up pub for the weekend?

Hopefully the flights to and from France will be smooth enough.

Flew back in yesterday from Alicante, it was interesting to put it mildly.....


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Have you any recommendations for a good meeting place. We will be there from Thursday afternoon so could maybe have a look around and report back.

jrno1 wrote:Have you any recommendations for a good meeting place. We will be there from Thursday afternoon so could maybe have a look around and report back.

The General Humbert on Rue St Nicolas is a possibility. Opens at 6pm (Thu, Fri, Sun) 2pm on Sat.

The late opening on the Sunday makes it unavailable for pre-match Sunday.

Thornleys piece in the times on la rochelle.

As Les Kiss readily accepted, they will have to produce their best performance of the season to overcome La Rochelle’s heady mix of power up front and pace and footwork throughout their back line.

 The team from the lovely port city in the Bay of Biscay are a breath of fresh air, in every sense. They are not a big-city club backed by a multi-millionaire owner, rather a well-run club who have the longest serving president of any club in the Top 14, Vincent Merling, a former backrow with the club, like his son, and who has presided over the club for over 20 years.

 They have about 800 partners or sponsors, and about the same again in patrons, who between them all contribute about €9 million per annum. Their merchandising, which generated €500,000 three seasons ago, reached over €2 million last season.

Bonus points

 Promoted from the ProD2 in 2014, they reached their first French Championship semi-finals last season after they topped the Top 14 over 26 games, finishing a full seven points clear of Clermont, and while unbeaten at home, also won seven of 13 on the road. Even in their six defeats, La Rochelle picked up bonus points in all but one of them. Nothing about their form this season suggests they were a one-season wonder.

Under a well-travelled former prop Patrice Collazo and the ex-Toulouse and France utility back Xavier Garbajosa, they play about the most ambitious brand of rugby in the French Championship.

This season, they have, on average, made the most carries per game (133), most metres (536), most clean breaks (12), most offloads (22), most passes (168) and least kicks from hand (12).

They can be hot and cold, commit the most turnovers, but will have a go from anywhere, as they showed with that length-of-the-field try against Quins on Saturday which the outstanding centre Geoffrey Doumayrou finished.

 It’s doubtful any other French side (and a good few English ones as well) would have gambled on the well-travelled Ryan Lambother than La Rochelle. They don’t pay top dollar for stellar signings, preferring players such as number eight Victor Vito, last season’s Player of the Season in the Top 14 and fellow All Black Jason Eaton.

Capturing the winger gum occasional outhalf, Jérémy Sinzelle, from Toulouse is another case in point, while Tawera Kerr-Barlow and Rene Ranger arrive in December. That there is an increasing colony of ex-All Blacks is probably in part because the club is recommended by a celebrated former player, one Steve Hansen.

 Las Rochelle have over 10,000 season ticket holders and the three-year upgrade of the Stade Marcel-Deflandre, with an entirely enclosed 16,000 capacity, new rugby academy and shops, was completed in September.

The ground opens around five hours before kick-off, and the gates stay open just as long afterwards. Next Sunday’s visit of Ulster will be their 25th sell-out in a row.

 In 20 home games since the start of last season, they have lost once, to Gloucester in the Challenge Cup semi-finals. With Leinster due to face an in-form Glasgow side effectively already playing for their lives, it’s clear that while the opening round was an encouraging one for the Irish teams, they all face even tougher examinations in round two.



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Ground opens 5 hours before KO........interesting!


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25th straight sell out at home, that’s impressive.


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My brother has a house a couple of hours drive north and drove down on spec one time. Asked if he could buy a ticket but was told there are never tickets available on the day. Asked if he could go in to take a gleek & said there was a lovely lunch to be had. When he was about to go, they had found a spare ticket for him.

Think that's the gist of it, don;t think he posts here but you'd never know, he's been known to play his cards close to the chest.

Anyway, from his experience he is fond of the place. Must say I did think they had a sugar daddy but I'm sure the IT has thoroughly researched, unlike some Nordie media outlets.

Well if the Stadium opens on sunday between 4 & 5 hours before the game I reckon we (2 of us) will just aim to be out at the ground by 1pm , with bottle of vino in hand in case the bars aint open at that time. Will try and call in General Humberts on Saturday night at some stage.
Look out for two of us cycling about the town on Saturday, flegs a fluttering.