Recent content by Italophile

Most of the blame attributable to his father who drove the notion of the O'Connor "brand" to create a celebrity while offering zero personal guidance. A dead cert to go off the rails and he did. Cocaine issues in France. Took him a long time to grow up. Thanks, Dad.

I think that's right. Excellent for Saints, comfortable with established and talented backs around him. Looked good for England when Borthwick basically surrounded him with his Saints' mates. Now out of his comfort zone and it shows. Understandable, he's young and still pretty inexperienced. But...

Curious how poor Ireland were.

Ireland were so poor v Italy last night though that's not to sell Italy short. They were up for it in terrible hot, humid conditions. Some promising young talent on display.

Inevitable really. But replace a super versatile 13-14-15 with an over-the-hill 10-12? As I say, inevitable.

Jalonch should always be first name on the French team sheet. He isn't always. As my mate in Paris pointed out, if Toulouse make a final, they win. Something like 11 in a row they've won. He's a Toulouse fan and would have been happy for Bordeaux to win for a change. Ugo Mola's tears at the end...

Gruelling conditions, all of Italy is a blast furnace at the moment. The AB 10 vomited on pitch after a conversion. That said, Italy were good value, ABs lacked cohesion and their scrum was under pressure. One thing Italy can produce is big young lads who can scrummage.

Cracking Top 14 final in sweltering conditions in Paris. Two very good teams knocking lumps off each other. Toulouse deserved it, BB rarely letting them play the Toulouse way. BB had no answer to Jalonch and Willis who were outstanding. Ntamack seems to have bunged his shoulder again.

For a game concentrated mainly in the S and SW, the support is remarkable. The FFR teaming up with the Vichy government during WW2 to have RL banned did everyone a favour.

He was good at what he did in his day if you liked that sort of thing. Watching him now is witnessing a time warp.

Yep. Added to which Tigers' discipline was slack all day and they got away with so much. Including Nicky Smith obviously playing the ball on the ground under the posts. Clear yellow. It beats me how Karl Dickson gets to ref big games.

They deserve a season in the sun. Fans must be dancing. Good on 'em.

Stade stay up. Ronan's LaR miss the play offs.

It would be. Years of faffing around, sacking coaches, designer jerseys, and a sense of entitlement. I remember watching them tonk a good Munster outfit at Stade Jean Bouin in 2016. A very young Sekou Macalou looked like he could be anything. Turns out, sadly, it wasn't to be. Not many French...

Predictably, BB too good for Saints in the CC final. With wingers like that and Jalibert pulling the strings ... simply the best.