Top 14 final - Toulon vs Castres - jonny's last game.

HT 12-10

Cracking try from Max Evans.
No prizes for guessing where all of Toulons points have come from!


What will we do without jonny?  

Come on Castres, let's have some Scots winning a trophy today.

Looks like this is the official match thread. Well done Scrumpy.

Yes, the Squashed Goblin took his try well, despite the harrumphing from Mr Armitage in the BT studio. I can PM anyone a link to this game.

1st half was quite dynamic and entertaining. 2nd half a bit disapointing with loads of errors so far.

Sa majeste Jonny scored another tough penalty.

15-10

Kockott misses his 3rd penalty in a row... Looks like mission imposible for Castres...

Would be nice to see Johnny bow out on a high. Such a great player and ambassador for the game who has had sod all luck with injuries. Deserves some more silverware.

So it's going to be boring territorial kicking back for the rest of this game by Toulon.

GC any chance of a link?

Armitage is a monster on the floor. Are England really going to just ignore him?

EWT Spoons wrote:GC any chance of a link?

PMd you young man.

George Carlin wrote:

EWT Spoons wrote:GC any chance of a link?

PMd you young man.

Top man. Alas my service provider won't let me access that site. Ah well

Didn't see the first half, but this game seems rather poor.

allez les anglais. jw's last game. delon kicking long to close it out...

Great kick from delon

now that was a team celebration at the final whistle.

whichever whiners complain toulon are a bunch of mercenaries does not understand truly understand the game of rugby, just provincialism.

they actually just played our national anthem for Johnny, they really do love him

There was talk of Toulon retiring the No10 shirt in Wilkos honour.

i love johnny too

once one has kids, people's appeal as role-models becomes very important. and there is no better role-model for kids in sport than johnny. end of. maybe not the best 10 ever. but without question the greatest professional in world rugby.

Congratulations Mourad Boudjellal


 

Lots of emotion for JW last game. That's probably the only thing worth remembering after such dire 2nd half. Even the commentators were struggling to remain enthusiastic. Toulon usual recipe worked once more... Good defense, bit of physicality, couple of turnovers and of course flawless kicking.

on ne peut que jouer les regles...

pardon...les lois

basteraud...needs to work on his eye contact with the interviewer

Steffon Armitage french is so good, I couldnt tell he hasnt lived here forever. That's probably why Lancaster doesnt trust him ;-)

whocares wrote:Steffon Armitage french is so good, I couldnt tell he hasnt lived here forever. That's probably why Lancaster doesnt trust him ;-)

Nah, selecting him would be short term again but long term pain

steffon and delon both player u16 rugby for france...

johnny loos a bit shell-shocked.

i honestly cant imagine the loss he must be feeling given his 120% obsessive practicing mentality!

quinsforever wrote:steffon and delon both player u16 rugby for france...

johnny loos a bit shell-shocked.

i honestly cant imagine the loss he must be feeling given his 120% obsessive practicing mentality!

have you been drinking? lol

nathan wrote:

whocares wrote:Steffon Armitage french is so good, I couldnt tell he hasnt lived here forever. That's probably why Lancaster doesnt trust him ;-)

Nah, selecting him would be short term again but long term pain

rubbish. european player of the year and top14 player of the year (trust me its imminent) allow an exception. but thats how good someone needs to be to get the exception made. hardly seems likely to encourage players to leave our sunny shores thinking they can still wear the rose.

nathan wrote:

quinsforever wrote:steffon and delon both player u16 rugby for france...

johnny loos a bit shell-shocked.

i honestly cant imagine the loss he must be feeling given his 120% obsessive practicing mentality!

have you been drinking? lol

obviously.

but why in particular related to my post?

i was talking about him obviously wondering what happens next for him. he has spent 20 years focused on PLAYING rugby. so what next? can imagine the transition is not straightforwards and that looked like the expression on his face as he picked up the gigantic trophy.

Silly trophy!

Scrumpy wrote:Silly trophy!

Agree, should be bigger.

quinsforever wrote:

nathan wrote:

quinsforever wrote:steffon and delon both player u16 rugby for france...

johnny loos a bit shell-shocked.

i honestly cant imagine the loss he must be feeling given his 120% obsessive practicing mentality!

have you been drinking? lol

obviously.

but why in particular related to my post?

i was talking about him obviously wondering what happens next for him. he has spent 20 years focused on PLAYING rugby. so what next? can imagine the transition is not straightforwards and that looked like the expression on his face as he picked up the gigantic trophy.

chill out man! i couldn't work out the typo.

no worries nathan. my thumbs and iphones were never meant to be together...

Firstly well done Toulon on getting the double, very tough thing to do. But...As usual the Top14 playoffs were a huge let down. Negative tactics, boring, dull rugby.

In contrast the rabo playoffs were very exciting with both fast and expansive rugby played. I haven't seen the AP games but today's final sounded like a classic.
Maybe the money in the Top14 is affecting how the teams are playing? the teams seem terrified of losing.

George Carlin wrote:So it's going to be boring territorial kicking back for the rest of this game by Toulon.

Thats French rugby in a nut-shell. Possibly the most boring league on the Planet. 8 x  Munsters, 4 x Saffacens and 2 x Tigers.  Rich though.

Saw Wilko in Cardiff last week. Had a shoite  game by his standards, but still sealed the deal.

Man's a legend. Like Drico. 

Our  Game just lost two of its brightest ever lights today.

They both shone and grew trough adversity. Two hard, multi-talented, intelligent,  phookers, who never lost their inner-class on the way. 

An extremely rare breed sportzfanz.

Would have been poetic if Toulon played Leinster in the Heineken Cup final, eh mates?  All-time great v. all-time great in their final Euro match.  All hindsight, now of course, but as I was watching the Toulon match that's the thought that popped in.  Extremely happy Jonny goes out as a winner of all to be won for him and his team this season.

Gibson wrote:Saw Wilko in Cardiff last week. Had a shoite  game by his standards.

Really!  

Wilko is one of the greats - the model professional, and an example for all young backs to aspire to.

But... Now that he's retired, it's time for a lot of journalists, pundits and commentators to stand up and wipe the dirt from their knees.