As if being on the receiving end of a hammering from Toulon wasn’t bad enough for Brives Nicolas Bezy, the scrum half had to suffer the indignity of being bounced twice in quick succession by Toulon’s Fijian winger, Josua Tuisova.

Tuisova’s fellow winger, David Smith, will claim much credit for his four tries in the rout of Brive, but the Fijian will look back on the game with a sense of satisfaction.

To be fair to Bezy, though, he never shirked from his responsibilities and put himself forward for more tackling work soon after being bounced the first time.

Youtube Credit: A1 Rugby

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We wer e under the impression that locks couldn’t do this.

Albeit the pass was ajudged forward, Toulon lock Romain Taofifenua provided a moment of handling excellence in Toulon’s crushing 34-11 victory over Brive this past weekend.

Usually, locks are associated with the dark arts of the game and anytime a second row pulls out a moment of handling genius-regardless of legality- it should be celebrated.

Clip Credit: Follow Rugby/Canal +

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This video should excite any Clermont fans among you.

Recently, the Clermont Ferrand based club announced the signing of Fijian born former New Zealand U20 and Sevens star, Waisake Naholo, to replace the outgoing Toulon bound winger Napolioni Nalaga.

A player of Nalaga’s calibre will be hard to replace, but, as this video proves, Naholo is certainly capable of replicating or even surpassing Nalaga’s imperious Clermont record.

Initially stepping the Reds’ Campbell Magnay, Naholo evades two more tackle attempts before diving to score the games decisive try in the corner.

Clip Credit: Le Rugbynistere-Daily Motion

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Naholo Signs Two Year Deal With Clermont

Clermont Auvergne have announced the signing of highly promising Fijian born New Zealand winger Waisake Naholo.

Naholo, who boasts a Junior World Cup Title with the Baby Blacks as well as several tournament appearances with the All Blacks Sevens’ team, will move to Clermont from the Highlanders and is tasked with replacing Julien Malzieu who has agreed to move to Montpellier.

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Just watching this made us wince.

During last weekend’s Top 14 clash between Grenoble and Montpellier, Kiwi number eight Rory Grice laid down a significant physical marker on Montpellier’s Ben Lucas.

Catching the Australian late, the ferocity of Grice’s shoulder saw a yellow card brandished, justifiably, and the injury withdrawal of Lucas.

Youtube Credit: Boucherie Ovalie

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After a miserable maiden season in the Aviva Premiership, World Cup winning scrum half Piri Weepu has agreed to leave London Welsh and join French Top 14 side Oyonnax on a two year deal.

The two year deal Weepu signed with London Welsh last summer had an exit clause which would be triggered upon relegation-and, with zero wins so far this season- a plummet to the Championship looks inevitable and the scrum half has exercised his option to leave.

Oyonnax currently sit eighth in the French Top 14 and Weepu will join the club on July 1st.

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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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There is a school of thought that Rugby has lost some of it’s ethos and soul since the game ascended to professional status.

However, Jake White, the newly instilled Montpellier coach, drinking beer from a boot after guiding his new side to a victory over European Champions Toulon is a throw-back to the alcohol soaked by gone era of amateur Rugby; the kind of story that your grandfather would tell you with a proud tear in his eye.

White, a former World Cup winning coach with South Africa, celebrated his maiden match in charge of Montpellier-cheered on by his squad -by chugging beer from a boot.

Such is the might of Toulon, any win over the aristocratic Mediterranean side should be greeted with similar scenes.

Clip Credit: http://gfycat.com/KindlyInsistentHectorsdolphin

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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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