By ChrisC
October 8 2012

Five Star                                                                                                                                              Those of you who read my stuff may recall the not altogether successful camping holiday I had in France.                                                                  A few years later we’d become a little more affluent and memories of the first sojourn had mellowed so we decided on a reprise but that this time we’d rent a villa, again on the outskirts of St. Tropez. 

My friend (the accountant) had a new job and with the arrival of his first child the exciting, but dangerous, Lotus Cortina had given way to a Rover 2000TC which was to carry us southward after a cross channel ferry ride. 

We duly thundered down the Autoroutes until, during one of my stints behind the wheel, the Rover blew up in the most spectacular fashion as the oil pump failed and with it the engine, which took umbrage at being deprived of lubrication while propelling the car at 90mph. 

Smugly confident that with our AA Five Star motor cover all would be well and that we’d soon be on our way, we waited in the dusk for a breakdown truck to appear.  After two hours our rescuer trundled into sight and the driver, while picking bits of supper out of his teeth, when shown our magical Five Star vouchers merely shrugged and indicated that he wanted a pile of Francs pushed into his grubby hand before any movement of the stricken car would take place. 

The money paid and the car loaded the four of us went toward the passenger compartment – after all Five Star cover gave us passage, let alone our being subjects of Her Britannic Majesty.  Non, non said our smelly saviour and more Francs had to be handed over before we got access to the foul cab in which we were transported to Avignon. 

Now dark we found a hotel and I, in my established role as the French speaker, sought refuge, again fruitlessly brandishing my Five Star vouchers – I think the hotel owner was a relative of the driver of the breakdown truck as they elicited the same response – more Francs changed hands. 

The following day we found the car hire office and were shocked that the staff, although much given to shrugging, accepted the Five Star Vouchers and so, packed into a tiny Renault, we set off for Marseilles to get the paperwork to repatriate the Rover.  We eventually arrived at the villa in total darkness having spent all the day negotiating French bureaucracy. 

Toward the end of the second week I spotted our resident accountant, pen in hand, scribbling on a scrap of paper while sucking his teeth and shaking his head – all signs to dread when exhibited by a member of the accountancy profession. We had, he said, barely enough cash to pay for the fuel to transport us back to Calais(this was before the days of ATMs and credit cards) and as there was, for some reason I never did understand, further payment to make to the hire car company, he’d hit on the strategy that to avoid a confrontation with the gendarmerie we should drive non-stop through the night to arrive at the port before the office opened, post the car keys through their letter box with a note to explain we’d send them the money once we were back in England, which we duly did and received a very pleasant letter thanking us for our honesty. 

 But I never returned to France for another holiday and never did see the blasted Pont at Avignon let alone anybody dancing on it. 

Tigers this weekend will though make their return to France which has provided slim pickings for them of late. Their last visit to this week’s opponents, in December 2007, ending 22-11 in favour of the hosts. It’s necessary to go back a year further, to 8^th December 2006, when Tigers were last successful on the other side of the Channel.  Their visit to Bourgoin, that Winter’s day, producing a 28 point to 13 victory. Martin Corry, Tom Varndell and Geordan Murphy all crossed the whitewash while Andy Goode contributed the rest of the day’s points with his trusty boot. 

After thumping the French side 57-3 at Welford Road the following week, Tigers went on to meet Wasps in that year’s final which, after earlier having beaten Ospreys to secure the EDF Cup and Gloucester in the final of the end of season knock out cup, was to be a famous treble for the Tigers.  Sadly for Pat Howard and his team they fell at the final hurdle and, while running on empty,  lost convincingly by 25 points to 9, being limited to just three penalties from Andy Goode. It was a painful experience as I sat at Twickenham and saw our dreams of a famous, and surely unsurpassable, season vanish. I’ve never been back to Twickenham either. 

Toulouse and Tigers find themselves similarly placed in their respective domestic competitions as they approach the first rounds of the faltering European cup. 

Tigers have been mightily stricken with injuries while the hosts, with a seemingly bottomless pit of Euros have an equally bottomless pit of high quality players. 

Guy Noves has been able to field a remarkably settled side in the first period of the French league while Richard Cockerill has been mixing and matching like fury and will be relieved that some of the injured players are starting to appear for selection. Ben Youngs, Manu Tuilagi and Ed Slater all in the squad up at Salford last Friday when Tigers handed out another defeat to the struggling Sale.  

Toulouse meanwhile squeaked home by just two points from Bordeaux Begles and had a knock on from Matanavu not been ignored by the referee, who later gave a very harsh penalty try against Bordeaux, this week’s hosts could have been going into the European cup on the back of a loss rather than a victory. 

Up front at Salford Mulipola made an awful mess of Eifon-Roberts while on the other side Tony Buckley also got a working over.  The Tigers’ front row led the charge with Castrogiovanni, and later Cole, well supported by Tom Youngs, who still had a few problems with his throwing in but is improving all the time.  I expect to see Cole get the first shift at the coal! face this week and, if Marcos Ayerza is still absent, that Mulipola will add to his claims for the #1 shirt.  Tigers’ will need to be at their very best though as I expect to see veteran Springbok Guthro Steenkamp in the loose head berth for the hosts, joining Christopher Tolofua and Samoan Census Johnston in the home side’s front row. 

Usually Tigers can deploy their second phase of front row might against either a tiring first choice or a second choice trio from their opponents.  Toulose however will be able to send the likes of the vastly experienced Springbok hooker ; Gary Botha and loose-head Jean-Baptiste Poux to the fray. 

So no seventh cavalry against a weakened enemy for Tigers this week and this could well prove a crucial factor especially as the French side have a fearsome rolling maul which produced a try for Picamole last weekend. 

With Geoff Parling rested it was Kitchener and Ed Slater who held the line at the set piece against Sale with Slater putting in a top class performance in the process so I expect to see him alongside the returning Parling next weekend to face Romain Milo-Chluski, who’s in his twelfth season with the French giants and, with his probable partner ; Yoann Maestri, the all French second row  brings grunt to the scrummageand a formidable barrier to Tigers’ gaining an advantage at either of the set pieces so with Louis Deacon reportedly nearing fitness his presence in the squad would be of tremendous value. 

Life for Tigers in the back row at the moment is difficult to say the least with injuries and retirements laying waste to this area of traditional strength for the English side.  I thought Richard Thorpe had a decent starting debut last Friday and although he’s not a forager in the Julian Salvi mould he does have a good presence in loose play but he, together with Thomas Waldrom and Jordan Crane, are really going to have their work cut out to contain the Toulouse breakaway forwards which I reckon will see Yannick Nyanga on the blind side joining the superb Thierry Dausautoir, who will be a tremendous threat at the line-out.  The #8 berth looks to be between Louis Picamoles and the up and coming Italian international Gillian Galan with all three able to play across the back row. 

For all that Toulouse conceded two tries to Bordeaux as a consequence of sloppy work at the breakdown so  they are not invulnerable so Waldrom and Crane must be up close and personal and much more attention needs to be given to defending the blindside channel where the Tigers repeatedly look under strength. 

All in all I can see the Tigers’ pack being matched by the home side and with such massive strength in depth, internationals all, it’s hard to see otherwise. 

This would make for a testing afternoon for the Tigers’ half back pairing of the newly returned Ben Youngs, who has had just the one outing last Friday, scoring a nice try in the process and, joined by his usual club and international partner ; Toby Flood, he’ll need to be at his best as he’ll be harried and hassled by the Toulouse forwards who combine strength with agility so the Tigers’ back row must provide plenty of assistance and not leave Youngs exposed.  Flood for his part will need to be razor sharp and show bomb proof kicking capabilities as any looseness will lead to grievous consequences as theToulouse backs like nothing better than to run the ball back from depth. 

Guy Noves can choose between Wallaby second string Luke Walker, who started just once in the World Cup in the match against Russia, or the uncapped at senior level, Jean-Marc Doussain, who’ve shared the #9 shirt this season. The young Frenchman is equally happy at fly-half but my guess is that All Black Luke McAlistair, who many will remember from his time at SaleSharks when he had them purring at times, will get this particular gig, 

Tony Allen put in another quite splendid defensive performance in Manchester and with Manu Tuilagi, also in his return match after injury, they would certainly have benefited from more match practice before facing the probable Toulouse centre pairing of Yannick Juazion and Florian Fritz who’ll be coming hard at the Tigers’ duo.  However if either Fritz or Jauzion do one of their disappearing acts when they seem to become gallic Vicky Pollards ; shrugging and saying  ‘’am I bovvered’’  then Allen and Tuilagi could find some fertile ground for attack and I’d like to see Flood and Allen putting though some little grubbers to test the resolve of the French throughbreds, as it was an area in which Toulouse were found wanting against Bordeaux, conceding a try as a consequence. 

Out wide Adam Thompstone and Nicky Goneva will be playing at a whole different level and have the opportunity to truly mark their arrival in the big time.  Opposite the Tigers’ wingers I expect to see the returning Vincent Clerc, who was rested against Bordeaux, paired with Goneva’s compatriot  Timoci Matanavu, with international Yoann Huget likely to be on the bench to cover wing and, the sometimes flaky, Clement Poitrenaud at full back, the class of the French outfit is underlined over and over again.  But on more than one occasion I’ve seen them put in anonymous displays and the home crowd can turn on their team in the wink of a monocoled eye if things go awry. 

Tigers will miss the presence of Geordan Murphy at full back and Niall Morris will be another looking to catch the international eye.  The speedy Irishman looks to be settling into his role at the back but will have been working on his defensive positioning as at times he looks as if there’s some interference on his radar and he has to work inordinately hard to realign himself as a consequence. 

I think that with the Tigers’ pack unlikely to dominate the all star Toulouse eight it will come down to whether or not the equally all star Toulouse back division decide to play, if they do then it could be another Bonnie Tyleresque ‘’Lost in in France’’ day for Tigers. 

Toulouse v Tigers Match Preview

Discussion started by TheLeicesterTigers.co.uk , 08/10/2012 22:10

TheLeicesterTigers.co.uk
08/10/2012 22:10

What do you think? You can have your say by posting below.
If you do not already have an account Click here to Register.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2012:10:15:20:07:03 by Tiggs.

Reply Quote Report

SK 88
08/10/2012 22:41

Pretty sure Gillian Galan is french rather than Italian, born in Montauban according to Wikipedia francais.

Other wise top report as usual Chris. I fancy us get a nudge on in the forwards but it will be a nip and tuck affair.

Reply Quote Report

jauzy19
08/10/2012 22:44

Galan is injured and he isn't italian. It's Luke Burgess, not Luke Walker. Doussain has one cap with France (the RWC final). Fickou will start at 12 ahead of Jauzion. Huget is doubtful, if he's fit he'll start. Another player doubtful is TH prop Yohan Montès. Pato Albacete could be in the squad.

Reply Quote Report

Johns
09/10/2012 08:52

Thanks Chris for another excellent preview, I just hope the team return with a bonus point.

The only time I have corporate hostility at Twickers was at that final, for some very strange reason my hosts had included a gloating smug Wasp in the party, not at at all appreciated.

Reply Quote Report

Rich W
09/10/2012 09:27

Thanks Chris - another great effort and very informative.

They do have extraordinary strength in depth don't they?

I see us struggling but if we're close to our best a losing BP is a very reasonable expectation. Not that the team will be thinking that I would hope.

...



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2012:10:09:11:03:37 by Rich W.

Reply Quote Report

Stopsy
09/10/2012 10:31

Superb preview Chris and the longer we can keep Poux off the field the better!
We need to go for them from the off, no slack kick offs or punting, focus 100% at every stage and phase.

Reply Quote Report

S4llyC
09/10/2012 11:22

Thanks as ever Chris - plenty of areas there for us to worry about, then. Can't imagine complacency will be a problem anyway....

IMHO, we need to hit the ground running and then maintain the efforts for the full 80 mins. Then we may just pull something off - let's hope so.

Reply Quote Report

Tiggs
15/10/2012 20:06

Thanks as ever Chris !!

Reply Quote Report

Goto: Forum List•Message List•Search• Log In

Sorry, only registered users may post in this forum.

We record all IP addresses on the Sportnetwork message boards which may be required by the authorities in case of defamatory or abusive comment. We seek to monitor the Message Boards at regular intervals. We do not associate Sportnetwork with any of the comments and do not take responsibility for any statements or opinions expressed on the Message Boards. If you have any cause for concern over any material posted here please let us know as soon as possible by e-mailing abuse@sportnetwork.net