In a tepid affair, dominated by both team’s defensive acumen, Racing Metro and Clermont Auvergne played out a 13-13 Top 14 draw last weekend.

Aside from both sides’ tries, the games most memorable moment was former All Black centre Benson Stanley’s thundering hit on French hooker and should be hair model, Dimitri Szarzewski.

In this exchange, that showed a wanton lack of care towards the lustrous mane of Dimitri Szarzewski  it was definitely the back who gained the ascendancy over the forward.

Youtube Credit: gorpitsen junior

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He may be called Teddy, but Racing Metro and France winger Teddy Thomas is anything but soft, as this video of him becoming the meat in a George North and Samu Manoa sandwich proves.

Extremely elusive in tight spaces, the winger’s progress down the near side was halted by the combined might of Samu Manoa and George North, who, in a pincer movement, converged on Thomas.

Fortunately, neither North or Manoa clashed heads and Thomas was unscathed, despite being hit from either side by two of the most powerful men in Northern Hemisphere Rugby.

Youtube Credit: Habi Aftabi

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Legendary New Zealand fly half Dan Carter has agreed to join fly giants Racing Metro on a lucrative three year deal-rumoured to be in excess of a million euro per year- following the completion of next year’s World Cup, it has been announced.

Carter, 32, will hope that his stint with Racing proves to be more successful than his injury plagued spell at the Basque side Perpignan during a sabbatical from the All Blacks.

“It’s going to be an awesome adventure for me and my family,” he said. “Having visited France many times, including my time with Perpignan, I know what the French culture and their rugby culture is like and it’s something I really love.

“Having said that, it’s the immediate future that is exciting me at the moment. 2015 is going to be a big year and I’m looking forward to getting into it, firstly with the Crusaders and then hopefully with the All Blacks. My body is feeling really good, I’m training really hard and getting some good conditioning in so I can hit the ground running next year”, said an excited Carter.

All Blacks coach, Steve Hansen, went on the record to thank Carter for his service to the National Team.

“On behalf of the All Blacks, I want to congratulate Dan on his decision and also on his career to date. He is still in the midst of a wonderful career, both as a provincial and Super Rugby player and an All Black, and will leave us as the greatest first five-eighth ever.

“Whilst he hasn’t finished yet in New Zealand, he has already set the benchmark for first five play, and we look forward to seeing him out on the paddock in 2015″, said the former Wales coach.

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In what could only be described as a sequence of horrific proportions for George Pisi, the Northampton centre manages not only to drop the ball with the line at his mercy, but, in the process, also pick up what looked like a hamstring injury.

To add insult to injury, his team, the Northampton Saints, would go on to cede not only the game but what could have been a crucial losing bonus point.  Their opponents, Racing Metro, however, can count their lucky stars.

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Wales international Jamie Roberts is to seek immediate talks with the upper echelons of Racing Metro’s management, amid reports that the centre and his compatriot, Dan Lydiate, could be repatriated to their native Wales.

After failing to make the desired impact at Racing Metro, the Welsh duo will reportedly see their contracts with the Parisian club bought out by the Welsh Rugby Union.

The Welsh coach, Warren Gatland, tentatively hinted that the duo may want to return to Wales, but stopped short of concretely confirming their intentions.

When pressed on any proposed move, Roberts remained coy and said he was surprised to see the link home.

“I was as baffled as anyone this morning when I got up and I had text messages from my mates,” said the sixty time capped Welsh centre.

“It was the first I’d heard of it, I hadn’t got a clue.

“I’ll raise the issue with the coaches today or tomorrow and see what’s happened there.

“I’ve read a few quotes and it’s interesting to say the least. But it happens and I haven’t got a clue. Agents deal with all that sort of stuff.”

However, Wales Online understands that the WRU(Welsh Rugby Union) made their move to repatriate Roberts and Lydiate a number of weeks ago and they were enthused by Racing’s coach, Laurent Labit, declaration that the Parisian club, home to Lydiate and Roberts’ Lions team-mate Jonathan Sexton as well as their Welsh team-mate Mike Phillips, had already made succession plans upon the event of them releasing Roberts, who’s contract expires at the end of next season.

Article Source: Wales Online

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After weeks of conjecture, it was today confirmed that Jonathan Sexton will return to his former club, Leinster, at the end of the current campaign.

After a year in France with Racing Metro, Sexton has decided the time was right for a return home and the news will surely delight both Michael O’Connor and Joe Schmidt, his coaches at Leinster and Ireland respectively, as well as the Irish Rugby Football Union who will be delighted that one of their most prized assets will be under their watch in the build up to the Rugby World Cup.

The news was broken by the Irish Independents Rugby correspondent, Ruaidhri O’Connor, and was soon followed by a statement from the Irishman’s current club, Racing Metro’s president, Jackie Lorenzetti.

Rumours were abound that Sexton was the subject of a mouth watering lucrative contract offer from Toulon, but, unusually, the French giants haven’t gotten their man.

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According to reports in this morning’s Irish Independent, Lions and Irish fly half Jonathan Sexton will return to Leinster Rugby on a four year deal from next season.

Given that Sexton has opted for a return to Leinster Blue represents a significant coup for the RDS based side, given Racing  Metro’s intent to renew his current deal and mooted interest from Toulon who were supposedly keen on offering the Irishman a €900,000 per-annum contract to replace English legend Jonny Wilkinson.

Naturally, Irish coach Joe Schmidt, who knows Sexton from their time together at Leinster and, indeed, Ireland, will be delighted at the impending return of the fly half. Sexton returning to Ireland, means he will be an IRFU employee and will be part of the Irish Player management scheme, which should see him rested and primed in advance of the 2015 World Cup.

The French Top 14 is a grueling schedule and had Sexton remained at Racing he wouldn’t be afforded the same rest and recuperation periods that Irish international players receive as part of their contracts.

Sexton signed a two year contract with the Parisians in 2013 with an option of a third year after protracted negotiations with the IRFU broke down.

Together, Schmidt and Sexton have won several trophies at both Leinster and Ireland, and both men will hope that their partnership bares even more fruit from 2015 onwards.

Article Source: Irish Independent

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It was a seriously physical and intense game, with Florian Fritz sustaining a serious blow to the head from the knee of Francois van der Merwe in the first half.

The french centre appeared to have suffered a serious gash and to be dazed by his surroundings after the incident. Fritz left the pitch for attention and received stiches in the changing rooms before quicky returning to play. This really was a moment of madness allowing Fritz to return in no state to play on.

By half time the Toulouse staff came to their senses that Fritz was not able to play on and he was subsequently substituted.

Watch the incident here:

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