Bordeaux mayor puts boot into Teague
The exciting surge of Bordeaux-Begles since the sacking of English team boss Rory Teague hit the buffers with a 37-10 defeat at Montpellier. And as if life wasn’t bad enough for Teague after his brutal dismissal in November, the city’s mayor-elect chose the moment to put the boot in.
Even before he was invested with the tricolour sash, Nicolas Florian, a Bordeaux fan, imputed a decline in attendances partly to Teague’s style.
He said: “During the time of Rory Teague, I found it boring at the stadium and, if I was bored, others must have felt the same.”
Then Florian congratulated club president Laurent Marti for having the courage to fire Teague when he saw “things were not working out”.
Not much encouragement, either, for former England forward Joe Worsley, who won four consecutive matches as Teague’s official stand-in to relaunch the side.
Instead Castres boss Christophe Urios, in charge next season, was praised as an ideal appointment.
Mayors celebrate marriages in France, though, in the case of Worsley, a divorce seems more likely despite his overall success in the job.
Montpellier averted a major crisis after four defeats in a row had left manager Vern Cotter looking vulnerable, himself.
Five tries from South African hooker Bismarck du Plessis, his compatriots Francois Steyn, centre, and full-back Henry Immelman with a couple from wingers Gabriel Ngabdebe and Nemani Nadolo crushed Bordeaux.
Bordeaux, who host Stade Francais – five away wins already – next time out, will need an urgent inquest if they are not to disappoint once again their depleted, if still large, support.
Their next away game is at Racing, who won a resurgent 50-14 victory over La Rochelle, thus halving the ten-point lead the latter had over them.
Racing felt sure they would have AllBlack legend Dan Carter back from a Japanese sojourn to face Bordeaux and ready to inspire the rest of their season.
Especially in their search for Champions Cup glory with a home quarter-final against Toulouse.
But they made the shock revelation after the match that Carter, an intended replacement for retired South African Pat Lambie, had failed a medical and would no longer be able to play in France.
When it comes to Top 14 action Racing are already well served at flyhalf by Scottish international Finn Russell. Russell, who missed his country’s Six Nations tie in Paris with concussion, had to be passed by a doctor a few days before this clear demonstration of an outstanding rugby brain.
He scored one try, himself, made another with a measured kick into the hands of Argentine winger Juan Imhoff and conducted affairs like a maestro.With electrifying support from winger Teddy Thomas who scored three of Racing’s eight tries.
Thomas started just his sixth game of the season after missing two months with thigh injuries that ruled him of of the Six Nations.
He had been in despair, but scoring two of five first-half tries and another around the hour puts him in line for a World Cup recall.
After all, he has already scored ten tries in 16 games for a country short of such match-winning talent.
The massacre was announced with an early try from two-cap All-Black lock Dominic Bird and wrapped up at the close with another from centre Henry Chavancy.
A thrill, too, for Racing No.8 Jordan Joseph, the 18-year-old prodigy who scored his second try in just three starts in the presence of his boyhood idol, famed La Rochelle counterpart Victor Vito.
Two tries from La Rochelle centre Jeremy Sinzelle either side of the break were no more than a footnote.
Toulouse, who visit Stade Francais today in a renewal of what was once considered the classico of French rugby, have the assurance of knowing they will still head the Top 14 whatever the result. That is because secondplaced Clermont, despite a 52-17 win
“Dan Carter, an intended replacement for retired South African Pat Lambie, has failed a medical and will no longer be able to play in France”
over Grenoble, remain one point behind.
Clermont, the only team with Lyon to retain an unbeaten home record, were never in danger of losing it. George Moala, their new Tongan AllBlack, scored two of their seven tries from centre and the others came regularly from lock Paul Jadrasiak, Aussie winger Peter Betham, flanker Alexandre Lapandry and winger Remy Grosso. Plus a penalty try.
Grenoble, who trailed third-bottom Agen by five points, are still equally adrift after the latter’s 27- 17 loss at Pau.
Pau scored only three second-half points and were under pressure late on to stop Agen securing a bonus point. Tries from Aussie No.8 Ben Mowen, Kiwi centre Benson Stanley and wing Vincent Pinto, 19, who scored on his debut, proved sufficient in the end.
Castres triumphed on the road at Lyon 23-15 in the late game last night with tries from Taylor Paris and Kevin Firmin.