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Thomas Ramos, who left the World Cup last week due to an ankle injury, could line up in the Top 14 this weekend
French rugby is the gift that keeps on giving, with the next controversy never too far around the corner.
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There’s always been a fierce rivalry between the club sides and national team, but things will take a new twist this weekend with Thomas Ramos set to play for Stade Toulousian against Castres Olympique on Saturday.
Ramos, who was the top points scorer in the Top 14 last season, was sent home from the Rugby World Cup in Japan last week after injuring his ankle in France’s surprisingly challenging match with the USA on October 2nd.
France head coach Jacques Brunel at the time said Ramos’ injury would keep him out of action for at least 10 days, which made it too much of a risk to carry the fullback in the squad.
“It’s a handicap for us,” Brunel said in Kumamoto last week. “We hope that in the next match nothing will happen. We will try to get [the replacements] to come as soon as possible.”
A 10-day injury would have presumably prevented Ramos from playing in France’s final two pool games against Tonga (October 6th) and England (October 12th).
Ironically, France’s final match with England has since been called off due to the approaching typhoon. Ramos would have also been an unlikely inclusion in France’s game with Tonga due to the short turn-around after the USA match. It’s entirely possible Ramos would have missed zero games that he was originally scheduled to play due to the injury, even if he’d remained with the squad.
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Had the competition progressed as expected, carrying Ramos for 10 days without him being fit for selection would hardly be considered an unusual move anyway.
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New Zealand brought Brodie Retallick to the World Cup despite him only recovering from a shoulder injury in time for the All Blacks‘ third game of their campaign.
England have also persisted with Johnny May and Mako Vunipola, despite the pair missing a major chunk of the competition through injuries. It’s been a similar situation for Ireland with midfielder Robbie Henshaw, who will make his first appearance of the tournament in Saturday’s game with Samoa.
Admittedly, all three of the above players are guaranteed starters in their teams’ top sides and will play crucial roles in the knockout stages of the World Cup.
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Regardless, Brunel made the decision to send Ramos back to France, and once a player has been replaced in a World Cup squad they are not able to return for any later matches in the competition.
Ramos has evidently since recovered from his ankle injury and will likely make his first appearance in this season’s Top 14 over the weekend.
“We have the administrative authorisation to play Thomas Ramos against Castres,” Stade Toulousian club president Didier Lacroix has said in advance of Toulous’s upcoming fixture.
“We will make a decision at the last minute with the medical staff who have been in touch with Les Bleus to discuss the matter.”
Great news for @FijiRugby as well as rugby fans everywhere!https://t.co/EcOPibkle4
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 11, 2019
Toulouse’s match with Castres will take place fewer than 12 hours after France were scheduled to play England – 10 days after Ramos suffered the initial injury.
Toulouse, France’s historically most successful club and the 2017-18 Top 14 champions, are currently sitting on 13th on this year’s ladder – one spot away from automatic relegation.
Eight players from France’s initial 31-man squad are signed with Stade Toulousain for the current season.
France’s final pool game with England may have been called off, but it wasn’t the first of Les Bleus’ matches which was threatened by adverse weather conditions:
Comments on RugbyPass
Lots of discussion points, Ben, but two glaring follies IMO: 1. Blackadder at 6. Has done nothing so far this season to justify his selection. Did you see him going backwards in contact at the weekend? Simply has not got the physical presence at 6: we need a Scott Barrett or a Finau (or wildcard Ah Kuoi), beasts who are big enough to play lock, like Frizzell. If Barret played at 6, Paddy could be joined at lock by Vai’i or one of the young giants we need to promote, like Darry or Lord (if he ever gets on the field). Blackadder best left to join the queue for 7. 2. Not even a mention for Christie? Ratima gets caught at crucial times at the back of the ruck when he hesitates on the pass. The only way he starts would be if Christie and TJ are injured.
1 Go to commentsWhat a dagg in more ways than one
5 Go to commentsRegroup come back next year but sack some of the coaching team and don't be like the ABs last minute sacking. If Crusaders don't do well ABs don't do well.
5 Go to commentsProctor Definitely inform again this year had a hell of a season last year and this year is looking even better. Still mixed feelings about Ioane tho.
4 Go to commentsDagg is still trying to get enough headlines to make himself relevant enough to get a job. The Crusaders went back to square one at all levels. Shelve this season and nail the next one.
5 Go to commentsHe was in such great form. Sad for him but only a short term injury and it will be great to see him back for the finals.
1 Go to commentsAfter their 5/0 start, I had the Crusaders to finish Top 4 only…they lost the plot in Perth but will reload and back themselves vs 4th placed Rebels…
5 Go to commentsBoth nations missed a great opportunity to book a game that would have had a lot of interest from around the world. I understand these games can’t be organised in 5 minutes but they should have found a way to make it happen. I don’t think Wales are ducking anyone but it’s a bad look haha.
3 Go to commentsIt will be fascinating to see the effect that Jo Yapp has. If they can compete with Canada and give BFs a run for their money that will be progress
1 Go to commentsFollowing his dream and putting in the work. Go well young fella!
3 Go to commentsPerhaps filling Twickenham is one of Mitchell’s KPIs. I doubt whether both September matches will be at Twickenham on consecutive weekends. I would take the BF one to a large provincial stadium so as not to give them the advantage and experience of playing at Twickenham before a large crowd prior to the RWC.
3 Go to commentsvery unfortunate for Kitshoff, but big opportunity potentially for Nché to prove he is genuinely the best loosehead in the world, rather than just a specialist finisher. Presuming that if Kitshoff is out, it will also give Steenekamp a chance to come into the 23? Or are others likely to be ahead of him?
1 Go to commentsA long held question in popular culture asks if art imitates life or does the latter influence the former? Over this 6 nations I can ask the same question of the media influencing the thoughts of its audience or vice versa. Nobody wants to see cricket scores in rugby, as a spectacle it is not sustainable. With so many articles about England’s procession and lack of competition it feeds the epicaricacy of many looking for an opportunity to pounce. England are not the first team to dominate nor does it happen only in rugby, think Federer, Nadal, Red Bull or Mercedes, Manchester Utd, Australia in tests and World Cups. Instead of celebrating the achievements why find reasons to falsify it pointing towards larger playing pool, professional for a longer period or mitigate with the lack of growth in other nations. Can we not enjoy it while it is here and know that it won’t last for ever, others coveting what England have will soon take the crown, ask the aforementioned?
6 Go to commentsShame he won’t turn out for the Netherlands now they’re improving. U20s are Euro champs and in the U20 Trophy this year. The senior sides gets better every year too.
3 Go to commentsWill rugbypass tv be showing these games?
1 Go to commentsWell where do you start, the fact that England have a professional domestic league and Ireland’s is fully amatuer, that they have fully seperated professional squads at Fifteens and Sevens (7’s thinly disguised as GB), and Ireland have fully pro Sevens squad who loan some players back to the Semi-Professional Fifteens squad (moved from amateur for only a year or so) for a few games at 6N & RWC’s. The Women’s games is a shambles, and is at risk of killing itself by pushing for professionalism when the market isn’t really there to support it outside one or two countnries..
6 Go to commentsWayne Smith's input didn't have as much impact on the last final as Davison's red card for Thompson. England were 14 points up and flying when that happened.
6 Go to commentsBilly's been playing consistently well for 2 - 3 seasons now and deserves a look in at the top level. Ioane and ALB are still first choice but there needs to be injury cover and succession. His partnership with Jordie gives him first dibs you'd think. Go the Hurricanes.
4 Go to commentsIt’s not up to Wales to support Georgian Rugby. That’s up to International Rugby and Georgia. I sympathise with Georgia’s decent attempt to create this fixture. But for Wales the proposed match up is just a potential stick to beat them with and a potential big psychological blow that young Welsh team doesn’t need. (I’m Irish BTW.)
3 Go to commentsCale certainly looks great in space, but as you say, he has struggled in contact. At 23 years old, turning 24 this year, he should be close to full physical maturity and yet there exists a considerable gap in the power and physicality required for international rugby. Weight doesn’t automatically equate to power and physicality either. Can he go from a player who’s being physically dominated in Super rugby to physically dominating in international rugby in 1 or 2 years? That’s a big ask but he may end up being a late bloomer.
38 Go to comments