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[2014 Mid-Year Test] Australia vs France (3rd Test)

I see France has made a number of changes to the starting XV. Probably a good thing as the previous two performances were somewhat underwhelming. That said one gets the feeling that has more to do with a lack of team dynamics, cohesion and direction than the ability of the individual players per se.
 
You mean to suggest you're not going to watch it? I'll be at the match with my gold beret :D

yeaaah I'll watch it...but the excitement is all out for me. If Australia punish them again, it just won't hurt. And if France come close, I won't be happy really. If they manage to win, it's pretty cool in itself but I seriously wouldn't be excited or happy or anything. With this current setup, France have completely lost all of its excitement factor, like, I don't feel represented by them anymore really because I've been behind them for so long and they just won't get any better, so it's a lost cause. There's a point where you're just stubborn and silly if you continue supporting such a side, and one can only have so much tolerance.
So yeah even if France win, it's cool but I wouldn't even feel that prestige of like, we won in Australia, because a result in itself isn't always satisfying, there's the way you win.
Our past teams all the way til PSA really had that ability to transcend as it's well talked about, and when we went all French over a team it was a thing of beauty. Here, if we win, it'll just be some grind-out win where a few of our guys play exceptionally well and make individual plays like a big break or wtvr and manage to keep the lead til the 80min mark. There's absolutely no hope with this current coaching staff and ethos. And grinding out wins and watching individual play help the team survive, I'm not interested in.
 
Yeah agreed that the way you win matters, but this will be an afternoon match, played in good conditions and with nothing on the line, so hopefully both teams will run.
 
What do you think about Aussie's scrum? I think the Kepu's perfomance was very very good in the 2 tests, at the moment, is the most important Aussie front row and maybe the most important forward IMO.

Nah, it's because the Tahs are the top Aussie conference right now and deserve more players in the team. Skelton will be very damaging early in the game, but will probably be replaced by Horwill at about the 50 min mark. Horne coming onto the bench will help too I reckon - he's a lot like McCabe, but I think he's faster and has better footwork.

It's just a joke, bud! I know, I'm following the Super Rugby Season. Tahs turned to be a tough team with "Potgieter-Douglas"; "Dennis, Hooper and Palu"; "Phipps-Foley"; "Beale-AAC" and the Superman Folau

;)
 
Yeah agreed that the way you win matters, but this will be an afternoon match, played in good conditions and with nothing on the line, so hopefully both teams will run.

indeed, that's what Yannick Nyanga affirmed during an interview. France should be out to run more this time around, as the series is won anyways and they know that defense alone doesn't win games (6-0).

And Conrad: Kepu got owned on a few scrums by Thomas Domingo in Test 1, but then Domingo got annihilated in Test 2, in particular one scrum. As for Mas, he's been on the back-pedal the whole way, like, it's BAD. I truly hope for France that this means the Wallaby scrum has improved massively and/or has benefited largely from the new rules, because if not, it means France have magically turned into one of the worst scrummaging sides in Tier 1 Rugby in about 3 weeks (during last 6N).
We'll have to see how France do in other fixtures, and how Australia do in their own next fixtures.
 
Wallabies by 7, Les Bleus by 7. Michael Hooper has the No. 7 jersey and also Fulgence Ouedraogo. Lucky 7s.
 
With the football WC in full swing & a 7 AM KO over here, this one will go under everybody's radar
 
With the football WC in full swing & a 7 AM KO over here, this one will go under everybody's radar

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A strong crowd, Aussies. Congrats Sydney!

:thumbup:
 
Forgot this kicked off so bloody early. I'm up anyway waiting for the England v All Blacks game.
 
You gotta love the Kiwi accent. Chris Pollock shouting out "Crouch, Bind, Sit."
 
Amazing first half by Woooollabies



Where are the TRF's users???

In bed I'd say. France continuing their terrible form under PSA. Can't understand how he is still in that job. France are a million miles from where they should be and they're going nowhere. Are the FFR waiting for the players to revolt again?
 
I swear Conrad, I'm not saying this to look cool and edgy, but I don't care very much. It's nice if we win, we haven't won in Aus in like 24 years or smt like that, but the only reason I'm happy when I see France win is that it means we're in a good position. And that's not what we'll be in EVEN if we actually beat the Wallabies in Australia. It'll just be another match we've forced a win over, but there's not point following the Saint-André France. Not because it hurts too much and as protection I stop caring, but because his absolute destruction of this side and complete lack of coaching has made it so uninteresting and stale and dull, that I genuinely, naturally and spontaneously just stopped caring around after Test 1 of this series.
I guess because we beat England, and then really really should've won against Ireland, we were on a "high" for France, despite not playing with any structured or scoring real constructed tries. That's how low a point we're at: we're settling for almost having beaten IRELAND....at home....

So the tipping point for me was the 50 points taken from Aus.
And I swear last weekend I watched NZ ENG with more excitement and concentration than I did the AUS FRA match. I was switching to Facebook and porn and other websites during that match. I've naturally lost interest in the xv de France.

Of course I'll watch this one, and if France play with a bit of structure and our backline feels like playing at their potential I'll be excited again. But only temporarily.

But I'm just tired of Saint-André, like, completely. It's beyond emotion or wtvr, I'm just...I've had it with him. I'm just going to patiently wait for what's next for France Rugby.

To answer your question, I don't know. I can see France squeezing in a win, and I can see the Wallabies beating us by 20.

Can feel your pain biggie, it does all seem pointless, i just don't understand whats going on, there's no sense that this management are taking a hit in the short term in order to build for the future or developing a radical style of play. It's just grim rugby with a seemingly random reshuffle of players every match. Can't understand how or why the FFR are allowing this to go on and on and on ...
 
Another try for Australia, 32-o6 - France need a change of manager to get them playing rugby again.
 

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