Just read Toulon are after Talupe , prepared to buy his contract off Bath and reportedly offer him£1mill a year , surely that's the end of Newports hopes of resigning the Wales no 8.

It's possible, rumour here was that they were trying to sign Kano and that Vermlen was leaving at the end of the Season ...his contract expires then

^^^^^^^^

see here

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/all ... lub-Toulon

Great to see some ambition from the Dragons TBH. If only half their proposed signings come to fruition then they'll be pushing hard in the Pro14 after years in the wilderness.

Good luck to them I say.

Yeah heard that today about Talupe, £1,000,000 not bad for someone who some don't even rate as a good 8. He must take it if he;s fit.

Dai, think he should take it if he's not fit too?

Raka demolishes ...Saracens ..incredible break ...wonderful try ...Raka made, started by Parra

Of Course, sorry to hear he's out for the whole of the 6N.

On another point, Kano is a 6, Faletau is an out and out 8.
So I wonder their motive.

Dai, don't ask silly Qs .. Racing bought Lydiate and played him left/right

I understand that the French play like this, but given that Lydiate didn't get on with it, surely other players won't too.

You miss the point?

I was mocking Racing's signing of a player that plainly wasnt up to being played that way...and in a sort of way to Dai, ref his justifiable comment about Kaino potentially being signed as an 8 to replace Vermulen

Sorry, I think I did miss your point. What I was getting at was that whether a French tean signed a foreign 6 and 7, would they still play a left and right side system?

I think on general itt's horses for courses .....the modern game tends more to less differential than the previous systems of openside and blindside but size and mobility aspects and breakdown importance has somewhat changed that. however teams still revert sometimes e.g Itoje at 6

RU is becoming increasingly like RL in many aspects.

Precise answer to your Q ...I don't think that french back row is any different to others in the general aspect.irrespective of origin of recruits.

Lydiate was a significant blunder.

My mistake I've always been led to believe there are no silly questions, I have no knowledge of French rugby, I didn't know that they were looking for an 8, the transition from a 6 to an 8 in my view is much easier than the other way round, but Faletau is a very good 8 but would his game improve in the French 14.