Biarritz hope it is 3rd time lucky

Posted on May 14, 2012 in Amlin Challenge Cup, Biarritz

Biarritz Olympique – the 2006 and 2010 Heineken Cup finalists – hope it is third time lucky in their pursuit of a European title when they clash with Toulon in the Amlin Challenge Cup final at the Twickenham Stoop on Friday night (8.00pm).

Serge Blanco, Biarritz Olympique’s most famous player and now the club’s president, is desperate for the club to book a place in the Heineken Cup for a 13th successive season.

However, despite a 16-5 home victory over Stade Français Paris in the 26thand final round of the Top 14 clinching a ninth place finish, it means the only avenue left open to them is as Amlin Challenge Cup champions, the same route taken by Harlequins a year ago.

“I want to be in the Heineken Cup because we have been playing in that competition for the last 12 years,” said Blanco, France’s flamboyant former full back who won 93 caps for his country.

“We want to be there because it is a tradition for Biarritz, because we enjoy that competition and because we must play the best teams and the best teams are in the Heineken Cup.

“I believe that having kept the club in the Top 14 plus a Heineken Cup ticket for next season we would have shown our supporters that this season was just a hiccup and the squad have reacted superbly.

“We are never happy just to be in a final because you still need to win it but it has been a relief to play this competition because we could play the Heineken Cup next year by winning at the Stoop.

“We will go to London to win this final – we cannot do otherwise.”

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Lawrence Dallaglio’s Amlin semi-final preview

Posted on Apr 26, 2012 in Amlin Challenge Cup

“History shows that home advantage in semi-finals is massive and I can’t look beyond a Toulon and Biarritz Olympique double in the Amlin Challenge Cup. It might be a different scenario in the Heineken Cup. Anything could happen in Dublin and Bordeaux.

“But I certainly expect to see Jonny Wilkinson and Iain Balshaw heading back to Twickenham, albeit to The Stoop, for the Amlin Challenge Cup final on Friday, 18 May following this weekend’s matches.

“Toulon absolutely destroyed Harlequins in the quarter-finals at Stade Felix Mayol and haven’t been beaten at home since September, so it’s going to make it a hugely difficult task for Stade Francais Paris on Friday night.

“Michael Cheika’s side are also still smarting from last season’s defeat to Harlequins in the final, while Toulon were beaten by Cardiff Blues in the 2010 decider, so both clubs have a point to prove in this tournament.

“Both have the quality to go all the way, but I just can’t see Stade succeeding at a ground where so many have already failed this season. What a game it promises to be, though.

“The head-to-heads between Joe van Niekerk and Sergio Parisse, Jonny Wilkinson and Felipe Contepomi, and Steffon Armitage and George Smith will be key, and if Toulon reach the final, it will give Armitage the chance to push his claims for a return to the England fold.

“Stuart Lancaster’s squad is pretty stable at the moment, but a few more big performances could earn him a recall. He was excellent in the quarter-final and his power over the ball at the breakdown is proving to be very useful to Toulon.

“I saw Biarritz beat London Wasps in the quarter-finals. It was close on the scoreboard in the end, and we had a pulsating finish, but in truth, Dimitri Yachvili’s side were well worth the victory.

“Both games between Biarritz and Brive in the Top 14 have gone with home advantage and I’d expect Biarritz to make it through to their third European final. Two defeats in Heineken Cup finals will have hurt them and the Amlin Challenge Cup not only provides them with the chance of picking up some European silverware, but also offers them an entry into next season’s Heineken Cup.

“Brive showed in their Pool they can be incredibly resilient, as their away win at Sale Sharks proved, but if they don’t match Biarritz up front they will find themselves chasing the likes of Imanol Harinordoquy, Iain Balshaw and Taku Ngwenya. That won’t be much fun.

“So, my prediction is a Toulon v Biarritz final in the Amlin Challenge Cup – a game that would grace the last stage of any tournament in the northern hemisphere – but I’m not so sure about the Heineken Cup. Leinster can certainly win in Bordeaux, and keep alive their hopes of making it back-to-back titles, and I think Edinburgh can go to Dublin and get another great result.

“Their quarter-final triumph over Toulouse was the result of the season and they have become the big story of the tournament. Ulster will obviously have more fans at the Aviva Stadium and have a hard edge to their side with their strong South African influence.

“But I can see Edinburgh’s game plan causing Ulster a few problems. We went to Dublin to face Munster back in 2004 for a Heineken Cup semi-final and the first thing we had to try to do was silence the crowd. We did that and eventually won the game, and the title. That will be Edinburgh’s first task – to put the crowd on the back foot as well as Ulster.

“At Stade Chaban-Delmas the next day it’s hard not to go with Leinster given the fact they have gone 13 games unbeaten in the Heineken Cup and are the reigning champions. This is their third semi-final in a row and that experience is bound to count for something on the day.

“Clermont are newcomers to this stage, but confounded me with their performance against Saracens. I didn’t think they would be able to travel to Vicarage Road and match the English champions physically, but they did that and more.

“To beat Leinster they will have to impose themselves up front and no doubt Nathan Hines will be leading the way against his old teammates. If Leinster get good possession, they showed in their quarter-final destruction of Cardiff Blues how dangerous they can be.

“Brian O’Driscoll is back playing well and at full fitness and they have a great attacking weapon in Rob Kearney. They can also rely on the boot of Jonny Sexton to get them out of trouble.

“It all adds up to a memorable weekend of European rugby action with two massive finals to follow in Twickenham next month.”

England Sevens star Caprice signs for Biarritz

Posted on Jun 23, 2011 in Latest Rugby News

England Sevens star Dan Caprice has been snapped up by French giants Biarritz.

The Kent-based wing has signed a two-year deal to play in the Top 14 and Heineken Cup after impressing in the HSBC Sevens World Series last season.

Caprice, 21, had spells with Saracens and Blackheath before becoming part of the first intake of full-time England Sevens players last summer.

Caprice said: “I’m pretty excited about the move and really looking forward to it. It was a hard decision to make but I’d always wanted to play in France.

“They’re one of the top teams in Europe and you only have to look at the players there to see that the chance to train day-in, day-out with them is great. The coaching staff are brilliant and I was blown away by the place when I went over there."

Biarritz, who are grouped with Ospreys, Benetton Treviso and Caprice’s former club Saracens in next season’s Heineken Cup, have also signed Fiji sevens captain Seremaia Burotu this summer.

“It’s great that they’re looking at young players and sevens players in particular," he said. "Jack Isaac, their backs coach, has a sevens background and they see sevens player as good enough as players and athletes to fit in with the exciting rugby they want to play."

A product of the Medway and Maidstone clubs, Caprice made his England Sevens debut at Hong Kong in 2009 and appeared in 16 tournaments.

His personal highlights are the 2010 Dubai victory he helped secure with key tries against Fiji and Australia, appearing in the Commonwealth Game in Delhi and his first international outing.

“My England Sevens debut came out of the blue when I was on loan with Blackheath," he said. "I went out to Hong Kong at short notice and scored a hat-trick against China in my first game which was really surreal.

“Winning Dubai last season was fantastic and when you reflect, having to beat Fiji, Australia, New Zealand and Samoa one after the other to win the title, it was a brilliant achievement."

England Sevens head coach Ben Ryan said: “Dan is a great example of a sevens player going on to be noticed by a top European team.

“We wish him every success with the next stage of his career and he’s developed really well during the time he’s spent with England Sevens. In a short space of time with us he’s gone from being an academy player to a world class sevens player.”

Connacht sign Henry Fa’afili

Posted on Jun 17, 2011 in Latest Rugby News

Connacht Rugby have completed the signing of rugby league legend Henry Fa’afili.

Samoan born Fa’afili scored more than 400 points in 7 years of rugby league playing with the New Zealand Warriors and Warrington Wolves. In 2007, while playing for the Wolves, he was the Super League’s top try scorer with 22 trys in 29 games. His blistering pace and ferocious ball carrying ability, coupled with some slick offloading have made Fa’afili a fans favourite and supporters at The Sportsground are sure to be treated to some outstanding displays from the powerful centre next season.

Fa’afili changed codes to play rugby union for Biarritz in 2007 alongside French legends Damien Traille, Dmitri Yachvili and Italian centre Andrea Masi and following a successful season in the South of France joined Aviva Premiership Rugby side Leeds Carnegie

The 5’11, 104kg centre has played for Samoa and New Zealand in rugby league, scoring a hat-trick against Great Britain in 2002 and has represented Manu Samoa in rugby union in the Pacific 6 Nations competition. He will join Eric Elwood’s squad when they return to preseason training next week.

Speaking about the move Henry said:

“I’m really looking forward to joining Connacht in what is a very exciting time for both myself and the club. I’ve always wanted to experience the Magners League (RaboDirect PRO12) and with Connacht in the Heineken Cup next year it’s a great opportunity for me. I spoke to Mike Forshaw (Connacht’s Defence Coach) who I know from my rugby league days and he explained what Connacht were about and the great work that is going on there so I’m very excited about the move. Galway is a great city and myself and my fiancée are really looking forward to living there.”

Head Coach Eric Elwood was equally as happy with signing Henry:

“Henry is a quality player with a proven track record with both Biarritz and Leeds and we will use Henry’s experience and power to compliment the youth and raw talent of our backs. He is a dynamic ball carrier with exceptional skill, strength and pace and we look forward to working with him, along with our other new signings, in the coming weeks.”

Aironi’s weekend sensation

Posted on Dec 13, 2010 in Rugby News

AIRONI RUGBY IN THE EURO SPOTLIGHT

It is the halfway stage in the chase for Heineken Cup knock-out stage qualification – and Aironi Rugby’s sensational debut tournament victory over last season’s finalists Biarritz Olympique leaves just two clubs able to boast three from three with three to play.

The Italian franchise stunned the 2006 and 2010 finalists 28-27 at Stadio Luigi Zaffanella and with Leicester Tigers going down at Perpignan just defending champions Toulouse and Northampton Saints remain as 100 per cent teams as the 24 sides prepare for the return fixtures in Round 4.

“It was a huge win for us on two fronts,” said Marco Bortolami, Aironi’s former Italian international lock and Azzurri captain. “It was the first win of the season for the club and now we can look forward with real confidence.

“Secondly, we proved ourselves against last season’s Heineken Cup finalists and that is huge for us.

“We proved that we have quality and that we can play and it brings the self belief back into the team. Now we can start to believe we can compete against anyone – it is a whole new start for us.

“However, Friday night in Biarritz is going to be very tough for us. Our win will have put them on alert and when French teams are at home they play with so much more intensity so we are expecting that we must go and produce a repeat performance.

“Because now that we have that all important first win it is largely about momentum, we must put in a performance worthy of this weekend but we are under no illusion to how tough it is going to be.”

Aironi, beaten by Ulster Rugby and Bath Rugby in their first ventures into the elite of European club rugby, are coached by former Wales flanker Rowland Phillips – and Bortolami believes the Welshman must take a large slice of credit for their success.

“In just a few weeks Rowland has really turned things around here,” he said.

“His personality, his coaching technique and the way he approaches things come across very well and we all really respect him.

“I come from playing in England with the British mentality to training and playing and now Rowland is bringing this to the club and all the players are right behind it.

“It is really benefiting the younger players who are making huge strides forward under him. He is extremely professional and he is putting us on the right foot for the journey we have ahead.

“I think you can see from our recent performances – especially this last weekend – just what he was brought to the team.”

While Aironi were recording that historic first Heineken Cup win, Toulouse and Northampton Saints maintained their winning ways, 28-16 at Glasgow Warriors and 23-15 at home to Cardiff Blues respectively.

They are the only three from three teams but another 12 sides have two wins to their credit in what is developing into a titanic tussle for quarter-final qualification.