Toulon vs Blues

Just getting a thread up in advance of this weekends match, latest rumour: Halfpenny to cover flyhalf?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/25641131

Can't see the Blues getting anything out of this to be honest. The Blues squad is threadbare in places as shown by an injury to Patchell and all of a sudden we are in to using someone who never plays 10 as cover.

Gethin, Matthew Rees, Brad Davies, Warburton should have provided a reasonably hard edge up front but injuries and illness have meant they have rarely played this season.

Can't see anythimng other than a bonus point win for Toulon.

We are also missing our choice centre pairing as well, not a good season for the Blues who are trying to rebuild.

Well it isn't going to be easy but anything is possible against Toulon, they are't playing their best.
Gethin is back which will strengthen the scrum; Toulon's scrum hasn't been as strong since Sheridan had to retire. They have the big brute's up front but they aren't the team they were last year. Yes i'm being very optimistic but don't shut of the Blue chances just yet.
Blues will look something like:
Gethin Jenkins
Kristian Dacey
Beoit Bouroust
Filo Paulo
Dicomidis
Pretorious
Josh Navidi
Copeland
Lloyd Williams
Gareth Davies
Alex Cuthbert
Dafydd Hewitt
Richard Smith
Harry Robinson
Leigh Halfpenny

It the Blues scan get in the Toulon Half, keep there discipline and cause penalties then Halfpenny is going to kick anything. Will they be a threat at the scrum, maybe but Gethin is more than capable than putting on pressure on Castro; there weaknesses is there loosheads but Cardiff's is there tight heads, so it's up to Borroust. The blues defense has come on heaps and bounds lately, so if the blues pack can hold their defense against the big Toulon pack then i can see it being a very close game. If they don't do any off the above then they will struggle and get thumped.

We (Glasgow) will lose vs Toulon and give them a BP but I think will sneak one over Exeter. If you could just beat Exeter then good luck in the quarter finals.

Team announced:

15. Leigh Halfpenny
14. Alex Cuthbert
13. Richard Smith
12. Gavin Evans
11. Chris Czekaj
10. Gareth Davies
9. Lloyd Williams
8. Robin Copeland
7. Josh Navidi
6. Macauley Cook
5. Filo Paulo
4. Chris Dicomidis
3. Benoit Bourrust
2. Marc Breeze
1. Gethin Jenkins

Replacements: Rhys Williams, Sam Hobbs, Scott Andrews, James Down, Ellis Jenkins, Lewis Jones, Dafydd Hewitt, Dan Fish.

Couple of things:

Good to see Geth back to bolster the pack, I don't rate Hobbs.
Harry Robinson injured? Czekaj is experienced enough either way.
Would have started Hewitt over Evans personally.
No Sam Warburton, though I'm sure his dodgy shoulder will be magically healed by the time the Six Nations squad is announced.

What a journey it's been for Chris Dicomidis.
Just over a month ago he was languishing in the Welsh prem doing his thing, captaining Ponty.
A few Bloos injuries later and he finds himself in the south of France, playing in the HEC in a crucial game against the reigning champions and lining up opposite no other than Bakkies Botha.
Can only happen in rugby surely. Hope he has a blinder.
Both teams here;
http://www.espn.co.uk/heineken-cup-2013-14/rugby/match/191695.html

I was close but when the hell did Sheridan come back, i thought he had a carear ending injury and would be out at least until the end of the season. I good team by Toulon, better than i expected but I still stick to my original post. Come on Cardiff

Good luck to Davies/Evans/Smith against Wilkinson/Giteau/Basteraud.
Only one winner there I feel.

3 missed tackles and a penalty in 19 seconds. Good start...

....and a YC in 6 minutes

Harsh yellow.

Commentator misses the point completely - he wasn't yellowed for the tackle being slightly high, he was yellowed for ripping the ball from the Toulon winger while lieing on the ground and having not released after the tackle.

Artful_Dodger wrote:Commentator misses the point completely - he wasn't yellowed for the tackle being slightly high, he was yellowed for ripping the ball from the Toulon winger while lieing on the ground and having not released after the tackle.

Dewi isn't always the sharpest tool, probably had a great night last night & I wouldn't blame him either.

Really? Thought he ripped it on the way down. My picture quality is awful though so will take ur word for it.

kingjohn7 wrote:Really? Thought he ripped it on the way down. My picture quality is awful though so will take ur word for it.

He may have ripped it on the way down, either way I think the adjudication was that he had killed the Toulon attack in the Blues 22 illegally.  Maybe the tackle being slightly high was a factor as well.

Looks like we could win the 10 minute sin bin 6 - 3. Draw at least..

Decent first 20

Problem is, the Blues struggle to score tries atm. So we only stand a chance if we make this a goal kicking competition which mean 100% concentration in defence for 80 minutes - 1 lapse and it will be very difficult to come back.

Wow 20meters forward and multiple phases and still not advantage over? Thats a bit much don't you think?

Wow 20meters forward and multiple phases and still not advantage over? Thats a bit much don't you think?

Borrrrriiinngggg game.

   

wahhey, finally.

That was one hell of a finish from a lock forward!

Paulo and Copeland playing like backs in that phase!

Wow!

Halfpenny's golden boot   

Wow, awful breakdown reffing AND the maul!

Lots of decision going against the Blues atm :/

Jenkins down

He's had a fantastic first half, hope he can recover

Doesn't look good...

Breeze having a bit of a mare, really pity Dacey is injured - he would be loving this.

Ridiculous yellow card. Decent effort from Blues so far though.

Yellow card was fair for me. He's on the ground, he plays the ball and quick ball there was an all but certain try.

It looked as if he ripped the ball out on the way down, kind of a momentum thing. There wasn't a certain try on at all, but I get it, it's a welsh team so everyone wants to stick the boot in. Cue people turning up and telling us how the ref is on Blues side. Again.

  

Oh look - its mr chip on his shoulder again.     Is any decision against any welsh team ever right\/ Is any welsh team ever fairly beaten? Is it ever possible to find fault in a welsh team without being anti welsh? Get a grip sonny.

Unsure on the YC, would have to see it again - not that it made much difference though

Ref as been fairly consistent, but his whistle happy nature at the breakdown is not helping the Blues slightly slower and less experienced forwards

Careful - you will be labelled anti welsh for those comments

Sait - yo ualso need to learn the rules. If it was an act of foul play preventing a certain try then a penalty try is given as well as a YC. If its an act that prevents a try scoring opportunity its a yellow card

Well, the ref isn't helping the Blues - but his interpretation is fair enough.

So far...

(I retain the right to slag off the ref on 80 minutes )

TJ wrote:Oh look - its mr chip on his shoulder again.      Is any decision against any welsh team ever right\/  Is any welsh team ever fairly beaten?  Is it ever possible to find fault in a welsh team without being anti welsh?  Get a grip sonny.

Any reason why this comment hasn't been removed Notch? I've given an opinion on how I viewed it and based on the reaction to the last game and get attacked. Always find these accusations pretty rich coming from Scotland fans too, given how the last load of games between our teams have gone.

Gethin out

Ouch! That is not a good time for Halfpenny to drop a ball :/

First score is crucial

Well I dont agree with that one!!!!

Yellow card from the first scrum!

Saint - can't take it don't dish it out.

Horrible start

I blame Halfpenny   

Gethin Jenkins Injured again. Will he play any part in the 6ns? Should he take any part in the 6ns? he as been a great player for Wales over the years, But surely he is too injurie prone right now.

Scrum falling apart

*sigh*

Urggg, im fed up of our scrum gifting opposition games

Toulon power seems to be inevitably taking it's toll.

Hobbs is still a laughable scrummager   

VinceWLB wrote:Hobbs is still a laughable scrummager   

Yep, losing Gethin was huge :/