Spanish rugby

[Armchair Fan Profile]

So the best match of the season so far couldn't be streamed live because of a power cut in Valladolid and we won't be able to watch until this afternoon...

[Armchair Fan Profile]

Squad to face Occitanie as published by Revista Veintidós. Very División de Honor based, somewhat similar to the guys who went to South America in June:

Props
Fernando López (Ampo Ordizia, DH)
Jesús Moreno (Andalucía Bulls Marbella, DHB)
Jon Zabala (Anglet, Fédérale 1)
Nicolás Jurado (SilverStorm El Salvador, DH)
Alberto Blanco (VRAC Quesos Entrepinares, DH)

Hookers
Vicente del Hoyo (SilverStorm El Salvador, DH)
Pablo Miejimolle (VRAC Quesos Entrepinares, DH)

Locks and back row
Manu Mora (Aldro Independiente, DH)
Ien Ascroft-Leigh (UBU-Colina Clinic, DH)
Juan Pablo Guido (UBU-Colina Clinic, DH)
Víctor Sánchez (SilverStorm El Salvador, DH)
Michael Walker-Fitton (SilverStorm El Salvador, DH)
Nathan Paila (VRAC Quesos Entrepinares, DH)
Afa Tauli (UE Santboiana, DH)
Oier Goia (Ampo Ordizia, DH)
Pierre Barthère (Nègrepelisse, Fédérale 3)

Scrum-halves and fly-halves
Facundo Munilla (Lexus Alcobendas, DH)
Lucas Rubio (no team)
Emiliano Calle (Sale FC, National 1)

Centres
Daniel Barranco (Barça Rugbi, DH)
Richard Stewart (Lexus Alcobendas, DH)
Ivan Kitutu (Châteaurenard, Fédérale 1)

Wings and fullbacks
Nacho Contardi (Aldro Independiente, DH)
Federico Castiglioni (Aldro Independiente, DH)
Guillermo Domínguez (Lexus Alcobendas, DH)
Julen Goia (Ampo Ordizia, DH)
Jordi Jorba (Céret, Fédérale 1)
John Wessel Bell (VRAC Quesos Entrepinares, DH)

A few changes in the list published today by FER...
IN:
Joaquín Domínguez (Lexus Alcobendas, DH, prop)
Ike Irusta (Complutense Cisneros, DH, scrumhalf)
Nicolas Nieto (Aldro Independiente, DH, centre)
Ruan Snyman (UBU-Colina Clinic, DH, back row)
Yan Tabarot (Nevers, Espoirs, hooker)

OUT:
Jesús Moreno (Andalucía Bulls Marbella, DHB, prop)
Nicolás Jurado (SilverStorm El Salvador, DH, prop)
Vicente del Hoyo (SilverStorm El Salvador, DH, hooker)

[Tobar Profile]

This was brought up on Reddit and I'm sure it has been discussed here but would it be possible for a Spanish club to join the French leagues? Like let's say a club in Basque Country or Catalonia get a really wealthy benefactor/owner, could they join the French system similar to how Servette has joined? Clearly the French are open to the idea to some degree and if it is in the northern part near the border with France it would be even closer than some French clubs. Or would the FER/FFR smack down any attempt at doing something like this?

If a club in a place like San Sebastián can eventually play in the ProD2 against clubs like Biarritz, Bayonne (if relegated), Perpignan, etc. then those would make for popular matchups. Or is this just a pipe dream from someone who doesn't understand the culture?

[Armchair Fan Profile]

It would be possible but following Servette example I'm not sure it would be possible or reasonable. Playing for seven years in unknown amateur leagues? Who can afford that?

Don't think FER would oppose, Feijóo is Basque. But I don't see the financial side working.

Our only chance would be Pro 14 and the barrier is the same.

[Raven Profile]

Squad to face Occitanie as published by Revista Veintidós. Very División de Honor based, somewhat similar to the guys who went to South America in June:

Props
Fernando López (Ampo Ordizia, DH)
Jesús Moreno (Andalucía Bulls Marbella, DHB)
Jon Zabala (Anglet, Fédérale 1)
Nicolás Jurado (SilverStorm El Salvador, DH)
Alberto Blanco (VRAC Quesos Entrepinares, DH)

Hookers
Vicente del Hoyo (SilverStorm El Salvador, DH)
Pablo Miejimolle (VRAC Quesos Entrepinares, DH)

Locks and back row
Manu Mora (Aldro Independiente, DH)
Ien Ascroft-Leigh (UBU-Colina Clinic, DH)
Juan Pablo Guido (UBU-Colina Clinic, DH)
Víctor Sánchez (SilverStorm El Salvador, DH)
Michael Walker-Fitton (SilverStorm El Salvador, DH)
Nathan Paila (VRAC Quesos Entrepinares, DH)
Afa Tauli (UE Santboiana, DH)
Oier Goia (Ampo Ordizia, DH)
Pierre Barthère (Nègrepelisse, Fédérale 3)

Scrum-halves and fly-halves
Facundo Munilla (Lexus Alcobendas, DH)
Lucas Rubio (no team)
Emiliano Calle (Sale FC, National 1)

Centres
Daniel Barranco (Barça Rugbi, DH)
Richard Stewart (Lexus Alcobendas, DH)
Ivan Kitutu (Châteaurenard, Fédérale 1)

Wings and fullbacks
Nacho Contardi (Aldro Independiente, DH)
Federico Castiglioni (Aldro Independiente, DH)
Guillermo Domínguez (Lexus Alcobendas, DH)
Julen Goia (Ampo Ordizia, DH)
Jordi Jorba (Céret, Fédérale 1)
John Wessel Bell (VRAC Quesos Entrepinares, DH)

A few changes in the list published today by FER...
IN:
Joaquín Domínguez (Lexus Alcobendas, DH, prop)
Ike Irusta (Complutense Cisneros, DH, scrumhalf)
Nicolas Nieto (Aldro Independiente, DH, centre)
Ruan Snyman (UBU-Colina Clinic, DH, back row)
Yan Tabarot (Nevers, Espoirs, hooker)

OUT:
Jesús Moreno (Andalucía Bulls Marbella, DHB, prop)
Nicolás Jurado (SilverStorm El Salvador, DH, prop)
Vicente del Hoyo (SilverStorm El Salvador, DH, hooker)

With no intention to create havoc, but purely out of curiosity, are there many foreign born players in this squad? I see some English names, but I don´t seem to see any French? Argentines at first sight, maybe a couple?

[Armchair Fan Profile]

Half of them as usual. And you don't create havoc, it disturbs more and more people at home. I said it a couple of years ago. If we are unable to regularly field squads with a clear majority of homegrown players after 2023 RWC our strategy will have completely failed.

It's true some Spanish-born players are unable either because of injury (Del Hoyo, Moreno) or club commitment (Gimeno, T. Munilla) and that U20 players have a charged calendar this season to prepare Trophy but if we don't make the most out of these friendlies to give the local youngsters more gametime I don't know when the hell it's going to happen. And Santos has stated repeatedly that he's got a preference for experienced players.

This particular squad includes a number of players recently eligible by residency who have been training with the national team for the last few months. So it's their official debut but they are completely part of the team.

[Armchair Fan Profile]

Breakdown of the squad against Occitania:
- Spain 10 (Mora, Sánchez, Miejimolle, Blanco, Barranco, G.Domínguez, O.Goia, J.Goia, Zabala, Jorba)
- Argentina 7 (Contardi, Casteglioni, Guido, Munilla*, J.Domínguez, López, Calle*)
- France 5 (Nieto, Kitutu, Barthère, Tabarot, Rubio)
- South Africa 3 (Snyman, Stewart, Bell)
- England 2 (Ascroft-Leigh, Walker-Fitton)
- Australia 1 (Paila)
- NZ 1 (Tauli)

* Spent their youth at Costa del Sol, so they can be considered homegrown

[Tobar Profile]

There will always be French players given their proximity for residency and heritage. Right now they’re lower level but you could reach up to higher ProD2 and Top 14 players. So I don’t see that as being as bad as South Africa, NZ, Australia, etc. And if you can get Spanish players into French academies at a young age that’s a huge win because they’ll count for JIFF.

[Armchair Fan Profile]

Right now they aren't lower level. We just didn't want to force the release of Top 14 and Pro D2 players for almost meaningless games. I can think of easily 8-10 players missing that will be there in the next future, not simple daydreaming.

For the first time ever we're heading towards REC with the explicit goal of winning it. If you want to beat Russia and Romania away and Georgia at home you need these players. I'd be very upset if they aren't seen in next REC.

[Tobar Profile]

Just make sure they haven’t played a single B side French game 12 years ago.

Who are the players in ProD2/Top 14 outside of David Melé? Are they capped or just interested in playing?

[Armchair Fan Profile]

I was only talking about capped players like Guillaume Rouet, Charly Malié, Xerom Civil, Marco Pinto, Tomás Munilla, Alvar Gimeno, Asier Usárraga, Fabien Perrin, Gautier Gibouin, Thierry Futeu... There are rumors about a few others yet to be capped as well, but until I see them in red I prefer not to count on them.

[Tobar Profile]

Wow that’s a lot, didn’t realize it was that many. If you can make RWC 2023 then surely you’d come out and surprise a lot of people expecting a far weaker Spanish side.

Who does Alvar Gimeno play for? Only saw VRAC online.

[Armchair Fan Profile]

He signed a contract this summer with Béziers and has played four full games so far if I'm not mistaken.

[Armchair Fan Profile]

Disappointing squad from Occitanie, full of espoirs and including Joel Merkler (Spain U20, not released by Toulouse for training camps...):

[vino_93 Profile]

Unfortunately, that's a european cup weekend + Pro D2 is playing too...

[Armchair Fan Profile]

I know, but that was well known two months ago. And for two months Alain Doucet has said that 3-4 professional players from each Top 14 and Pro D2 Occitan club were going to be released. As late as this week he told media it was going to be Maxime Mermoz their captain. And on top of that they are meeting for the first time three days before the game. I feel really deceived.

I'm doing 1200 km to watch a bunch of Espoirs players including a Spaniard and two Chileans. Forgive me if I act like a spoiled brat and throw toys out of the pram.

[amz Profile]

Disappointing squad from Occitanie, full of espoirs and including Joel Merkler (Spain U20, not released by Toulouse for training camps...):

Normally this would be shameful but they don't care at all, it's just something to check regardless of the quality of match.

[Armchair Fan Profile]

Starting XV: 1. Fernando López. 2. Pablo Miejimolle. 3. Jon Zabala. 4. Manu Mora. 5. Víctor Sánchez. 6. Pierre Barthere. 7. Oier Goia. 8. Afa Tauli 9. Lucas Rubio. 10. Emiliano Calle. 11. Ignacio Contardi. 12. Richard Stewart. 13. Iván Kitutu. 14. Jordi Jorba. 15. Guillermo Domínguez.

Bench: Joaquín Domínguez, Yan Tabarot, Alberto Blanco, Michael Walker-Fitton, Juan Pablo Guido, Ike Irusta, Federico Casteglioni, Julen Goia

Stayed in Spain: Nicolas Nieto, Ruan Snyman, Ien Ascroft-Leigh, John Wesel-Bell, Nathan Paila, Daniel Barranco and Facundo Munilla

[Armchair Fan Profile]

There will be non-geoblocked live streaming apart from RTVE TV coverage:
https://www.facebook.com/serierugbywebtv/
https://www.youtube.com/user/seriexv/

15:00 CET Women and 17:00 Men

[Armchair Fan Profile]

Horrible. It rained, there was wind, but we played like shit. Like against Brazil, like against Chile, like against most of the time in REC... Lots to improve if we intend to be contenders at next REC. I'd record this on a DVD just to throw it to a bin or burn it.

Oh, yeah, the result. Win 12-17 after being dominated for the whole game.

[getienne Profile]

Match sheet : http://ferugby.habitualdata.com/Fichero ... 3.pdf?n=52

[Armchair Fan Profile]

Alvar Gimeno (just included in Midi Olympique's Pro D2 team of the week), Lucas Guillaume and Andrea Rabago are in for Hong Kong:
http://ferugby.es/cambios-en-la-concent ... -P24kbt0yw

[Armchair Fan Profile]

El Salvador and VRAC have agreed to hold a doubleheader next December 22th at Pepe Rojo with both Copa del Rey semifinals:
https://twitter.com/Chami_Rugby/status/ ... 9382042630

[Armchair Fan Profile]

Risky bet by Santos against Hong Kong. Facundo Munilla #9 and Alvar Gimeno #10, with Rubio on the bench:
http://ferugby.es/los-23-leones-que-bus ... -hong-kong

[Hinato Profile]

Le XV hongkongais face à l'Espagne
http://www.asierugby.net/le-xv-hongkong ... e-2019.php