France

Chancer says...

Beauxis and Dupuy are old team mates (SF?) so I expect them to work well together, this also gives Piglet a chance to rotate his players maybe if things aren't working from the bench. Maybe the England rush defence will upset France but will England score lucky tries?? Why are you not starting Bill Servat??

Posted 07:22 08th March 2012

pierredelot1 says...

Phew NH Saints are you having a laugh or what. Cole can hold his own in that company but is unlikely to dominate, Hartley on the other hand will be OK until William comes trotting on the park at which point he'll probably start giving penalties away. Hadn't thought of it but at Murrayfield the Scots were out warming up when I got in the stadium at 30 to go, no sign of the French at that time so what little they did they must have got out of the way early, sluggish to say the least. The lack of Medard isn't too serious, yes poitrenaud makes the odd mistake, but if you watch him as regulalrly as I do you eventually have to eat humble pie and admit that in attack he can be devastating not as quick as Medard but a better judge of a pass. No doubt England will be looking for their back three to show something, haven't seen it yet. Ashton doesn't seem to follow the ball as he did when first on the scene so is not making any opportunities and Foden hasn't once shown this season that he can really take it on and be an International attacking force. Time to show us what they're made of . Spend some time watching Dussautoir, he's learnt to study whats going on and only puts the tackle in when he needs to commit. Would rather see Picamole than Bonnaire as he would make the English back row work like hell. Bring on the weekend.

Posted 20:33 07th March 2012

chinstan says...

@NHSaints Or.... the French, who are due a good performance spurred on by Hari (who hates the English more than any man alive and always raises his game for us) gel and expose the inexperience in our team and rip us to shreads!

Personally think it will be a very tight game like against Wales. We have little to loose as we're not expected to win and France know that if they loose they could go from RWC runners up to 4th in the 6Nations!

Posted 16:48 07th March 2012

mlbp says...

@pierredelot1: man, you really expressed what I wanted to say with my past post. We agree in our analysis of the French result last week.

I was at Stade de France last Sunday and I could see that the French warm up was really light, not as hard as the Irish training run. Maybe that is why they started so slowly against Ireland. The Irish looked really fired up before the match. I hope this time the French start on all cylinders and give us a match to enjoy. England defend really well and if France can't find any cracks in the English defence they will start making mistakes. Rougerie and Szarzewski need to improve.

Barritt will give the French a tough time with his tackling., so the French forwards will have to put the English backs on their back foot before starting to attach with their own backs. I imagine Tuilagi and Strettle looking for the interception as Bowe did last Sunday.

Posted 13:16 07th March 2012

mlbp says...

Dupuy and Beauxis at last! I hope Beauxis doesn't get the order to thump kick after kick during the game. He knows how to make the team go forward with his tactical decisions and he passes well. He has what Trinh-Duc lacks. Dupuy can pass faster, so France can attack better.

Posted 11:57 07th March 2012

pierredelot1 says...

Hardly suprising, after two games the French to date have failed to get into top gear with any kind of rhythm in the first twenty. Beauxis in the short time he has been at Toulouse has got back to his more open style, but retained his kicking ability both from hand and tee,whilst Trinh Duc hasn't been the attacking force we'd like him to be. Dupuy is a different kind of player to Parra and will give them the hurry up. He's still persisting with Szarzewski though and the guy looks like a permanent liability, great at club level but just can't do it at the top. I would have started Servat to get them going and brought on Szarzewsi in the 2nd half if I really had to, but France need to find another two and quick. Also Rougerie is lucky to retain his place at 13, Ok he's done reasonably well, but last week the obvious failings of inability to read the game during fast action moments was there for all to see. Lucky to give away only one interception. He's a big boy though and they are fashionable at the moment, but the future no, Mermoz is a much better footballer but has that wonderful French trait of playing out of his skin one day and like a ***** the next (As if he didn't care) A bit laissez faire for me. Mr Rollland refereeing again with France at home, mais pourquois, not my choice for any French game but then I can't stand the bloke anyway, never have and never will.

Posted 10:57 07th March 2012

bruno74 says...

Watch out England Monsieur Rolland is the Ref !

Posted 10:33 07th March 2012