The Bride Wore Yellow...

I'll talk about the Super 14 and English finals in a day or so. They were both good games, and I would like to think a bit before I blog about those finals.

As somebody who has spent most of his life in Minnesota and following our sports teams, I know I thing or two about disappointment. With my background, I can understand and empathize with rugby fans from the Auvergne region in France around Clermont-Ferrand-a town best known as the headquarters of Michelen Tires. In my previous posting, I talked about Clermont-Auvergne, and their role as bridesmaids in the world of French Rugby.

Yesterday, at the Stade de France, Clermont beat the holders, Perpignan, 19-6. http://www.scrum.com/francetop14/rugby/story/116428.html?ex_cid=share_scrum_stories

You have to Clermont credit. The had to do this the hard way by playing an extra playoff game and had to play a rested Toulon in Marseille, a neutral field that was right in Toulon's back yard.  The Michelen men beat Toulon to set up Saturday's drama at the Stade de France, where Clermont rode the kicking of Australian Brock James and some solid play to finally lift le Bouclier de Brennus.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTVEd88ifVA

I can only just imagine the partying by Clermont's long-suffering fans....http://dai.ly/bZyxg7

Bravo, Clermont, Bravo....

How do you say "Heineken Cup" in French?

The answer to the above question is "La Coupe d'Heineken". It's a valid question since the final on Saturday for the Holy Graal of European club rugby will be played at the Stade de France in St. Denis, outside of Paris, and the finalists are both from the Top 14: Toulouse, the 3 time champs in their 6th final will take on Biarritz, losers a couple of years ago to Munster in Cardiff. The Basques will be looking for their first ever Heineken Cup title-and only the third French club (Brive is the other) to win it.

I have to admit that I am torn as to  which French Club to support in this one. Normally I would be behind Toulouse, which is my favorite club side since  AS Beziers has now slipped to the depths of the French Federal division, after falling out the second division last year. I like the way Toulouse plays the game, and I have a great deal of respect for that former gym teacher, Guy Noves, who has been at the helm of Toulouse for the past 17 years and has provided the leadership in winning Top 14 titles as well as the 3 Heineken Cups.

That said, USA winger Taguszwa Ngwenya will seek to be the first USA Eagle to hold up the Heineken Cup since former USA Captain Dan Lyle held it aloft as an 8-man playing for Bath in the 1998 final in Bordeaux against Brive. It's tough to root against a USA Eagle if you are an American rugby fan.

Biarritz has one bit of good news in that 8 man and inspirational leader, Imanol Harinordoquyhttp://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/club/7724432/Imanol-Harinordoquy-tests-the-pain-barrier-in-search-of-Heineken-Cup-glory.html will suiting up for the Basques as his beat-up ribs have healed. In Biarritz's win against Munster in the Semifinals, Harinordoguy looked like a wounded extra in the last real of the movie Gladiator.

Toulouse is looking to win the Heineken Cup for the first time since 2005. I can only just imagine the ambiance at the Stade de France as thousands of rugby fans will make the trek from Languedoc and the Basque country of south west France.

2010 is shaping up to be quite a vintage for French rugby. France won a grand slam in the 6 Nations, the FFR is assured of having a champ in the Heineken Cup and if Toulon can beat Cardiff in the ERC final, it will mean that French rugby will have won almost everything there is to win in Europe. This is certainly something that bodes well for the French as they look forward to next year's Rugby World Cup in New Zealand...where les Bleus will be in the same group as hosts and favorites(again) New Zealand.

I think Toulouse will beat Biarritz, and I think Toulon will shake off their loss in the  French Semi-finals to Clermont-Auvergne and beat the Welsh side, who find themselves being the standard bearers of anglephone supporters in Europe.