Thanks sanjunien - I'm only a part timer on here.....
A bit overly rugby leagued to be honest having watched seven games over the weekend (the magique plus the NRL and the Leeds v Wigan). I've also got a slightly singed bonce from sitting on the open side terracing at the Moulins for several hours.
Overall impressions are that it was a good occasion, around 2500-3000 there each day with a good few over from each of the more far flung clubs. I even saw someone with a Montpellier RL flag which must be a first.
The first game was pretty awful with SO Avignon looking someway off the pace and Villeneuve not looking good enough to exploit it. Still ran away with the score at the end. I didn't see Aaron Wood playing for SOA.
The ASC v FCL game was a bit of a cracker. Luc Mendes has set his stall out to promote an attractive, open, dare I say French style of play and they gave Lezignan the run around for the first half with a splendid offloading game. The second half saw the wind pick up in the favour of the home team and they played a grinding style of rugby (again......) to out muscle Carcassonne. Mendes was pretty annoyed that the Carca boys had lost the game plan after citrons and got sucked into a grinding up the middle game which they were bound to lose. Leuluai looked a bit scary with some charging runs and was resplendent the following day in a Manchester City t shirt. Marvellous.
Next day, after a bit too much hooligan soup at Chez Felix for the ESL game saw the three game marathon. UTC against Carpentras was a good scrap with the result in doubt until right at the end. The bigger Tamghart was a stand out for RCC who could have won it at the end if Lee Patterson had been able to convert from the sideline. The young half back for UTC looked lively again (the lad who's been playing for the Roosters in the past few weeks), Big Carlos played well with the ballon perdu count at nil, Seb Martins gave his typically indolent performance. Could be anything that lad if only he had a bit of mongrel. Montpellier next up against St Go/TO. Montpellier I feared for a bit, but Dunneman has got them very, very well drilled in both attack and defence. They are not the biggest physically and lost a bit in the collision and in one on one situations, but stuck to the task for the full 80. Only some interception passes and full length tries saw their undoing. Good turnout from their fans as well. A brief cameo appearance right at the end from one of the great French centres of recent years Dulac (he now seems world class at having a pet lip).
Final game was a good un with Pia too strong down the middle of the pitch for a brave Limoux side who stuck manfully to their task. They were just unable to match the size of the Pia forwards with big Artie Shead giving the Grizzlies a torrid time. The young full back for Pia was about eight stone wet through but a fantastic stepping game.
So that was it. The Refs society seem to have got together and done a bit of a Cummings (technical term that one). Very, very picky at the play the ball. The usually excellent Drizza blew for 23 penalties in the ASC/FCL game. Grandjean looked unwell and for an ex player remarkably unsympathetic to the vagaries of the game. As my mate put it, they need to remember that refereeing is an art not a science. Well put. Only one completely over the top challenge in the whole weekend which saw one of the SOA boys go for a ten minute sit down.
Really hope they repeat this (as rumours have it they will) later in the season. Goulding and his entourage were there for the whole of the weekend before heading off to Albi for training camp. I wish them luck.
