Do you think Uini Atonio is quick enough to play test rugby? He's got great hands and great scrummaging ability but does he not carry a bit too much weight to play test? I'd see him more as an impact player.
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[2014 EOYT] France
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gaston le gaff
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tend to agree with that he is good for 40 mins in the TOP 14 so increase the pace to International level and he will last no longer than 25mins which is not enough.
it's just another case of PSA doing lots of different things to look like he is moving forward, if you compare him to the Social Securitie or the Goverment he is perfect, just a shame its neither and France's rugby has to suffer because of his idiocies.
it's just another case of PSA doing lots of different things to look like he is moving forward, if you compare him to the Social Securitie or the Goverment he is perfect, just a shame its neither and France's rugby has to suffer because of his idiocies.
Big Ewis
Hall of Fame
don't forget Tilous-Bordes. Haven't seen much of Kockott or Castres this year but TB is right up there with the very best of em in European Rugby. And he may not have loads of caps with France and hasn't seen test Rugby since 2008-09, but he's very experienced and anybody who's been playing for Toulon the past 2-3 years are theoretically ready for test level Rugby.
(quick review of the 8 selected Toulonais)
- Menini is amongst the best scrummagers we have in France on the left side: Arretz Iguiniz and Domingo are the other two.
- Chiocci is a fat fk but Toulon have made him into a relevant starter. And you don't start for Toulon if you're average, esp. not late in the playoffs.
- Bruni has put on some good muscle mass and raw weight and is no longer the light jumper/runner. He tackles, gets into the rucks...very good young flanker with a twist.
- Basta is becoming one of the best players in the world, let alone center. Coming to maturity, he does everything - even the passing is looking crisp and pro these days.
- Mermoz is back in selection, good reward for his past 1.5 seasons. Quality center.
- Guirado one of the only pluses in Australia last summer, consistent, pro, clean. Triple champs RC Toulon didn't get him for his baby look and headband.
- Romain Tao is playing inspired ball again. No longer a promising but out of shape giant. When he hits top form, look the FK OUT.
- TB has been the unsung hero in the command center tower of Toulon on the pitch. Everybody's praised ex-Wallaby Giteau and RWC winner legend Wilko, but there was that bearded Iberian-looking guy insuring good passages of play from the rucks and scrums to the back line action. Super consistent, almost never at fault, pro, clean, quick and accurate...in the image of Toulon, quoi.
About 'Weeni': I'm not so sure he's that prone to fatigue. Yes he had weight issues when coming from the Islands to France, but everybody said he wouldn't cut it from D2 to Top 14 and he more than did. Then now everybody's saying he can't hold up at test level and I've a gut feeling he'll do better than expected. He's trimmed down a lot since coming to France some years ago, and he's still very young right, he's still 23.
I think of it this way: forget Slimani as they've left him out for whatever fkng reason (probably can only pick 2 TH's and they wanted to try out Weeni). But Mas isn't going to offer a ton in the loose anymore, and in fact won't be as much an asset in the tight either for that matter. Weeni may be a rookie, but he's hungry as fk and has held up well in the Top 14 for the past 10 Days (games). Even if he tires, he can start for France and be a big weapon in both loose and tight, and offers an extra dimension Mas can't.
I'm looking forward to see how the French lineup. Pick a half decent squad. I am looking forward to Chiocci bowling players on his little runs.
goodNumber10
International
France vs Australia will be very interesting, might even go to the game...
No such thing unless if it keeps you near bedridden IMH(SA)O. Impact is sometimes more valuable than longevity if you look at a guy like Alberts who while available for 50 is only really at his best for 20 but in that 20 you should score twice at a minimum.
Big Ewis
Hall of Fame
yes okay sure sure all that's nice but let's talk serious here a little bit who do you reckon has more sex appeal between the two mammoths ?
And wtf is that a new official expression now on TRF, "in my honest South African opinion" ?! HUH ?!!
And yes I agree, no such thing as "too much weight" in Rugby. Obviously the guy needs to be a pro athlete and fit with real endurance and keep some mobility, but Atonio's 1m96 140kg, could've been 2m05 160kg as long as he offers the just now mentioned requirements in theory - good to go.
What surprises me is his quality scrummaging. There was a time when if you went by clichés a huge tall fat enormous dude like that would get destroyed by the rhino-type looseheads. Not the case anymore, new laws I reckon help that. He's a real youngster too for a pilar (24yo). Impressive and surprising at scrumtime. Now, he's no world beater, but solid.
IJAPIIOTS,BE
In any case, yes, the new laws taking away the hit means the smaller guys who had more 'stability' after the hit have lost that advantage and now just pure power is the name of the game if you can keep your back straight and the guys beside and behind you aren't worth ****. It's good France has moved on. I just wish SA could do the same; Mtawarira and JdP have been on the decline before the law changes. We have better but they are either (or some combination of) young, injured, overseas or playing for the smaller unions in SA so the coaches tend to overlook them.
ITO sex appeal.. difficult to say. I think Weenie has the smouldering eyes going in that pick but Alberts looks less chubby. Either way, I am thankful I won't come across them in that way.
In any case, yes, the new laws taking away the hit means the smaller guys who had more 'stability' after the hit have lost that advantage and now just pure power is the name of the game if you can keep your back straight and the guys beside and behind you aren't worth ****. It's good France has moved on. I just wish SA could do the same; Mtawarira and JdP have been on the decline before the law changes. We have better but they are either (or some combination of) young, injured, overseas or playing for the smaller unions in SA so the coaches tend to overlook them.
ITO sex appeal.. difficult to say. I think Weenie has the smouldering eyes going in that pick but Alberts looks less chubby. Either way, I am thankful I won't come across them in that way.
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Pick a half decent squad? they don't know how to do that. More like pick up the pieces :lol:
Big Ewis
Hall of Fame
you guys see that: the staff is thinking of reintegrating Harinordoquy or Rougerie (for the next RWC).
Now, I've two things to say: first of all, if they're good enough, why the heck not, right ? Bringing up things like age or injury and what not are only relevant factors to explain a player's relatively bad form. But if a guy, take Sireli Bobo 38yo and leaves dudes for DEAD on the wing, can still play Rugby with the best of em, sure. And Imanol was only not picked since the RWC because he got that huge injury and then drowned in the B.O. pi$s, but now he's back to a top level, and no, no...not just the lineouts, open your eyes a bit people !
Rougerie is a success when he's at center, or even when they've put him back on the wing at thirty fuccking four years old. And he plays for Clermont, a top 5 European team.
But now, the sad thing is this: calling up on old timers is also a *symptom*. Out of all the youngsters who should've come through this entire time, from 2011 to the coming 2015, that RWC cycle, France is now looking at guys who are 35 years old who hit their primes about 7-8 years ago ? This goes hand in hand for the staff with the other symptoms of picking an enormous group of a hundred players (the 74), and picking absolute foreigners. Forget Kockott, look at Tulou, VdMerwe, David Smith, Blair Connor.
They're lost. Oh, so lost. They wouldn't know where to pick because they can't admit the obvious truth: they're blatantly and horrifically incompetent at what they do and in stead of getting the best (or even the AVERAGE) out of their present players, they're ready to compromise the entire French Rugby system.
Now, I've two things to say: first of all, if they're good enough, why the heck not, right ? Bringing up things like age or injury and what not are only relevant factors to explain a player's relatively bad form. But if a guy, take Sireli Bobo 38yo and leaves dudes for DEAD on the wing, can still play Rugby with the best of em, sure. And Imanol was only not picked since the RWC because he got that huge injury and then drowned in the B.O. pi$s, but now he's back to a top level, and no, no...not just the lineouts, open your eyes a bit people !
Rougerie is a success when he's at center, or even when they've put him back on the wing at thirty fuccking four years old. And he plays for Clermont, a top 5 European team.
But now, the sad thing is this: calling up on old timers is also a *symptom*. Out of all the youngsters who should've come through this entire time, from 2011 to the coming 2015, that RWC cycle, France is now looking at guys who are 35 years old who hit their primes about 7-8 years ago ? This goes hand in hand for the staff with the other symptoms of picking an enormous group of a hundred players (the 74), and picking absolute foreigners. Forget Kockott, look at Tulou, VdMerwe, David Smith, Blair Connor.
They're lost. Oh, so lost. They wouldn't know where to pick because they can't admit the obvious truth: they're blatantly and horrifically incompetent at what they do and in stead of getting the best (or even the AVERAGE) out of their present players, they're ready to compromise the entire French Rugby system.
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My opinion is that if they are good enough they are good enough. Look at South Africa bringing Matfield back at like 38, played like he was 25 and they beat New Zealand. Too me if you wouldn't care if they were 20 why care if they are 32, Fofana and Rougerie are possibly the best centre pairing in Europe over the last 3 hears, apart from BOD and his wife.
Big Ewis
Hall of Fame
that's good man, and you're right, but as I cover that in the first part of my comment previous to yours, so do I lift the problems behind that choice from France. It is a symptom of our current coaching staff, amongst others. I don't get that BOD reference though
Jbobo
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gaston le gaff
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of course this is a joke !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I HOPE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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BOD and D'Arcythat's good man, and you're right, but as I cover that in the first part of my comment previous to yours, so do I lift the problems behind that choice from France. It is a symptom of our current coaching staff, amongst others. I don't get that BOD reference though
French TommyGun
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Yeah I was reading on 365rugby.fr PSA saying "la porte n'est pas fermée sur Harinordoquy" and if there was any injuries they would call him up. But now that Chouly is injured they've called on Classen??! I'd pick Harinordoquy over Classen every day of the week!
Big Ewis
Hall of Fame
haha, right !
I agree, although Claassen is no joke. But Harinordoquy has just simply found his level again, which not many flankers (EVER, anywhere) can surpass. Obviously he's old and not quite like before, but his mobility, accuracy, athleticism and activity around the park have been fantastic for Toulouse. Offloads, lineout catches, physical in the rucks, good runner, pretty strong carrier...and with all his experience ? I'd take him too over Claassen even if he's 100 years old.
FULLBACK ISSUES
So Dulin out of the Novembers, and just today Médard injured too.....they're actually talking about integrating and calling up Scott Spedding, who just for the record is a South African, i.e. not French...with Bonneval fkd for the year and Buttin just not playing enough for his club, the staff I'm sure are going to do smt stupid. I'd go for Brive's Gaetan Germain most probably or Buttin, we'll see...
Vahaamahina in for the suspended Romain Taofi.
Big Ewis
Hall of Fame
aaaaand...sure enough France just pick the South African. Fuccking pathetic. Pathetic...that's just int'l Rugby for you I guess, "don't hate the player hate the game"...boy do I wish they could make the laws fuccking normal ?? Just normal ??...
So we'll be playing a total foreigner wearing the bleu jersey this November...Kockott is one thing, but he's an even worse case.
So we'll be playing a total foreigner wearing the bleu jersey this November...Kockott is one thing, but he's an even worse case.
Big Ewis
Hall of Fame
final list of 30 players for the Tour
is Sofiane Guitoune injured again ?
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