Setanta Sports
The time people take to read, share and interact with everything here on The Touchline is much appreciated, and with that in mind it’s time to give something back. In a first for this site, it’s competition time. The prize is a one-year subscription to the Setanta Sports pack, which gives you access to Setanta’s own channels, BT Sport and ESPN too.
The new Setanta Sports package will include two live Top 14 games every weekend, as well as the Aviva Premiership, so this is a good one for all the rugby fanatics out there. The coverage starts on Friday evening with the Top 14 opener between Montpellier and Toulon.
NB. This competition is only open to satellite customers.
So how do you enter? It’s simple: Just complete the following sentence in the comments section below and don’t forget to leave your email address so that you can be contacted if you win. Get creative with this one. The winner will be picked at midnight tomorrow.
Finish this sentence: The best thing about French rugby is…
The Touchline 
The Money!!!!!
seeing the best players making amazing offloads with avoiding some of the most massive hits in world rugby.
the fact that the ‘little’ teams can still overcome the money men in a league featuring the best players in the world – a fact proved on a quite wonderful day – 1st June 2013.
It’s future!
I no longer fear Irish players going there to play, good coaches, amazing players, paid well, released for internationals while young players continue to develop at home with the provinces. Setanta provide excellent coverage of top14 and I can’t wait to see how Montpellier under Fabian Galthie get on this season. Bring it on!
Seeing some of the worlds best payers adapt to a new rugby culture, and how different styles of rugby from all over the world blend together with the French rugby playing culture.
The awesome power of Magnus Lund – OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!
The awesome power of Magnus Lund – OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!
The awesome power of Magnus Lund – OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!
Johnny Sexton. But that’s also the worst thing about French Rugby 😦 How long till more Irish players relish the challenge (paypacket) of French Rugby?
how apparent it is from watching games that the Top 14 is prioritised over all else to most clubs. The commitment of these clubs to field their strongest players week-in / week-out is what makes it by far the most competitive domestic competition, for me.
… the perfect mixture of brilliance and brawn that leaves players (and club budgets) black and bleu each June!
that the more foreigners they allow play in their league, the weaker their international side becomes… Attractive league, underachieving national side!
the passion of the French rugby fans is something to sit back and admire. The money being added in attracts star names to the league but even that doesn’t guarantee success as we see year in year out. It’s an interesting league to watch.
of Antoine Claasen’s (and now Richie Gray’s) hair
The joie de vivre, the je nais se qoui and of course, the ooh la la…
… it managed to convert a die-hard football fan with no interest in anything else into someone who wants to watch, read and enjoy anything and everything rugby related.
… this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygnVPi4j5Jw
the quality of the tries week in week out. What rugby is all about, scoring tries! Every week during the T14 season the tries of the week highlights on rugbydump guarantee’s you 10 incredible tries…No other competition produces such high quality entertainment as consistently as the Top 14.. Vive La France
Delon Armitage!
*trollface*
The élan, the skill, the power and the glory
The way that the rugby team can inspire a whole town and community
.. the fact that although more and more marquee signings are joining the top clubs, we are still seeing an increase in young Irish players who were deemed not good enough at Irish provinces being offered a future in the game. The level of coaching and the skills set that they learn in France is arguably is as good as it is in Ireland. It’s never nice seeing young talent leaving for another country but if it means that they remain in the game and continue to improve, it is the to benefit of Irish rugby as whole, in the long run.
quite simply, the fantastic open style, attacking rugby!
le Top 14 est le championnat le plus compétitif dans le monde, l’équipe nationale soulève toujours son épingle du jeu lors de la Coupe du monde de rugby contre les gros canons (surtout Nouvelle-Zélande!) …… et peut-être quelque chose au sujet de fromage à pâte molle, vin de réserve et de belles femmes sophistiquées ..!?!?
The best thing about the french rugby is getting to see the french lose every week
… les plaquages, les mêlées, les touches, les essais et … la vraie passion des supporteurs!
The best thing about French rugby is…that its on Setanta Sports which provides excellent coverage and analysis for its fans….
Best thing about French rugby is the attacking flair that most clubs bring and the immense physicality that their forwards bring to every game.
The tribal passion of the fans, the partizan atmosphere at matches, the colour, the noise, and in certain instances the glitz and glamour. This sets the tone for the brutal physicality which is unparralled anywhere else in the rugby world. Where 30 man brawls are common place and and scrum penalties are celebrated like tries. It essentially is war for 80 minutes.
The best thing about French rugby is Sean O’Brien doesn’t play their!
The Hair….. That every game you field your best team. The fans good or bad have passion and love for rugby.
The hits, the sheer size of some of the players, the fact that if you don’t have a explosive Fijian winger in your team your going nowhere. The aura of the the Top 14, the draw of the big names, the chance to see your world fantasy team actually go out and play together.
And of course the je ne sais quoi about French rugby that makes it so damn impossible to write off any team.
The pace, the unbelievable handling and off-loading, the unpredictability of any team in broken play, the fans in the stands and the growing Irish connection. Watching and willing Sexton to greatness, aided by the best fly half Ireland has ever produced, while keeping tabs on Bernard Jackman’s Grenoble side. What isn’t there to like?!
The competition is now closed. Thanks to everyone for the entries. Winner will be announced early tomorrow.
Thanks to everyone who entered the competition. The winner, as chosen by the guys over at Setanta Sports, was Diarmuid with “The best thing about French rugby is… The awesome power of Magnus Lund – OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!”
Congrats and I hope you enjoy the coverage of the Top 14. I will try to run a few more competitions in the future, so keep your eyes peeled.