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What will Lyon do with Bastareaud?: 'He has the potential to become a very good No8'

By Online Editors
(Photo by Stuart Walmsley/Getty Images)

It was the move that had the world of rugby talking outside last year’s World Cup – would the switch by Mathieu Bastareaud, the proven Test level midfielder with France, to No8 be a success? Ignored by Jacques Brunel for World Cup duty in Japan, he filled in his time before moving to Rugby United New York by temporarily moving into the Lyon back row. 

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Now back in the French Top 14 on a two-year deal after his one-season flirtation with Major League Rugby ended prematurely due to the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, speculation has already started as to whether Bastareaud will slot back into the midfield or give his No8 experiment another try. 

He initially began playing for New York in their midfield but had switched into the pack with great effect by the time the league was cancelled. Now the question is will Lyon boss Pierre Mignoni persist with Bastareaud as a forward? 

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Speaking to Midi Olympique about one of France rugby’s most recognisable figures, Mignoni said: “I know there is a debate over his position. Many people, most of whom do not train, question his positioning and his level of fitness.

“Mathieu has not always been exemplary during his career, but when he was with us, yes. He also had a lot of courage in accepting to change positions.

“It’s a great idea, not from me, but from Patrice Collazo who wanted to test him in this position with Toulon. Mathieu has the potential to become a very good No8 and he showed it in the last month he was a player with Lyon. 

“If opinions on Mathieu are divided, I don’t care. I do what the player and I want to do. It’s up to him to show that he is able to return to a certain level, to this new position.

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“As a player, I would never have dared to do it! I assure you,” continued the former scrum-half. “That’s why it’s so courageous what Mathieu did. Now we have to get to the end of things and we’re going to go together.”

It was April 1 when RugbyPass revealed Bastareaud would be returning to Lyon after his short stint in New York. The American club’s owner James Kennedy had nothing but high praise for the Frenchman.

“There are two parts to Mathieu. First of all, as a human being, he was bang on, one of the best I have ever come across. Legitimately, he couldn’t do enough. 

“But playing, he came in overweight. Basically, he had been on the Baa-Baas for three weeks and was working his way back into form, moving into back row. He was getting better every week. 

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“He was having a hell of a more effect on practice, his leadership was starting to come to the top and he was getting things simplified and cleaned up. His game against San Diego, our last game, was his best game. He was the best player on the field. He didn’t get man of the match but the stats spoke for themselves. He was definitely starting to find form.”

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Adrian 1 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

Thanks Nick The loss of players to OS, injury and retirement is certainly not helping the Crusaders. Ditto the coach. IMO Penny is there to hold the fort and cop the flak until new players and a new coach come through,…and that's understood and accepted by Penny and the Crusaders hierarchy. I think though that what is happening with the Crusaders is an indicator of what is happening with the other NZ SRP teams…..and the other SRP teams for that matter. Not enough money. The money has come via the SR competition and it’s not there anymore. It's in France, Japan and England. Unless or until something is done to make SR more SELLABLE to the NZ/Australia Rugby market AND the world rugby market the $s to keep both the very best players and the next rung down won't be there. They will play away from NZ more and more. I think though that NZ will continue to produce the players and the coaches of sufficient strength for NZ to have the capacity to stay at the top. Whether they do stay at the top as an international team will depend upon whether the money flowing to SRP is somehow restored, or NZ teams play in the Japan comp, or NZ opts to pick from anywhere. As a follower of many sports I’d have to say that the organisation and promotion of Super Rugby has been for the last 20 years closest to the worst I’ve ever seen. This hasn't necessarily been caused by NZ, but it’s happened. Perhaps it can be fixed, perhaps not. The Crusaders are I think a symptom of this, not the cause

9 Go to comments
T
Trevor 4 hours ago
Will forgotten Wallabies fit the Joe Schmidt model?

Thanks Brett.. At last a positive article on the potential of Wallaby candidates, great to read. Schmidt’s record as an international rugby coach speaks for itself, I’m somewhat confident he will turn the Wallaby’s fortunes around …. on the field. It will be up to others to steady the ship off the paddock. But is there a flaw in my optimism? We have known all along that Australia has the players to be very competitive with their international rivals. We know that because everyone keeps telling us. So why the poor results? A question that requires a definitive answer before the turn around can occur. Joe Schmidt signed on for 2 years, time to encompass the Lions tour of 2025. By all accounts he puts family first and that’s fair enough, but I would wager that his 2 year contract will be extended if the next 18 months or so shows the statement “Australia has the players” proves to be correct. The new coach does not have a lot of time to meld together an outfit that will be competitive in the Rugby Championship - it will be interesting to see what happens. It will be interesting to see what happens with Giteau law, the new Wallaby coach has already verbalised that he would to prefer to select from those who play their rugby in Australia. His first test in charge is in July just over 3 months away .. not a long time. I for one wish him well .. heaven knows Australia needs some positive vibes.

21 Go to comments
B
Bull Shark 8 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

Of the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.

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