Big Ewis
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- Oct 10, 2011
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wait wait wait, a little bit of confusion on this thread, let's set the record straight.
FOREIGNERS:
yes, they are a problem because they are far too many. That means they take the place of our youngsters, and it hinders the development of that local young talent and they clog up and congest the Top 14 landscape.
Yes they raise the bar of the Top 14 in general, and our local guys are now used to playing against big Georgian props, massive Saffa forwards, Fijian wingers and ex-All-Black/Wallaby stars.
Yes there is a 55% quota in favor of French players in each team, but there isn't a quota of active players starting/or on bench. Toulon or Racing certainly don't have 55% actually playing those big matches in the playoffs, or even regular season. So that JIFF (i.e. club trained players, french) quota stat is BS through that scope.
BUT: is the France team playing like shiit because of...too many foreigners ?? That's perfectly ridiculous, and has literally zero relevance. France are as deep as ever, sure we could have an extra TH maybe or an extra no.8, but we're deep as ever. One of the Top 3 deepest nations in the world.
If anything, we can thank the Top 14 for that many foreigners because France are as deep as ever and benefit from playing in a high-level environment with Hosea Gears and Matt Giteaus and Wilkos and Steffon Armitages and co.
CALENDAR:
simple question: if it's clearly not the foreigners who are to blame, then what is it ? Calendar ? Alright, fine. Our guys are indeed burnt out, we've seen it with the many many many injuries, the constant remarks from players (though not whining) throughout the season, the inconsistency in performances on the pitch, Nicolas Mas not even playing at all in Test 3 in Aus because of "state of general fatigue"...
BUT: England as shown on this thread: http://www.therugbyforum.com/threads/33530-England-vs-France-players-who-plays-more
turns out their guys play more minutes than our guys. While this stat is to be weighed in judiciously, and we should all understand they aren't categorically telling, they are nonetheless there. More minutes at club level for lots of those guys.
Preparation ? We got as many days before the last 6N as everybody else for the first time ever. You seen improvement ? We got on the plane to Wallaby-land right after our local French final, but so did the English to NZ after their Prem final. Look at what England did, and then what we did.
TALENT:
well then, if it ain't the foreigners or calendar, maybe it's just the players ? France is no good because they are that bad...while I'll concede we really could work at school level/early development on skill, we're definitely not less skilled than England or Wales, these guys don't throw insane no-look passes and what not. And France are just coming off fresh of a 2010 Grand Slam, and 2011 final where we more than held it together against NZ in their own backyard. Now we've replaced that generation with the likes of Domingo, Fickou, Fofana, Huget, Picamoles, Dulin, Bastareaud and co. who aren't exactly scrubs and are in fact better individually than the previous generation.
Our guys evolve in the most fearsome Top 14 league we've seen yet.
And I get back to the skill aspect: again, even if we do lack on the skill-set, all European teams do. And South Africa aren't exactly a model skill-wise, but their forwards are humongous, their backs have blazing speed and their Rugby is simple and straight-to-the-point enough they can be consistent. England showed EXTREMELY little skill in NZ, but they guys played their ball and, guess what, came close a couple of times.
TOO EASY TO BLAME IT ON THE COACH:
bear with me. If it clearly isn't the foreigners at all (we've got all the players we need and much much more at each position), it ain't all the calendar (look at England, they're doing well), and it ain't a considerable lack of talent, then you're left with only one possible cause:
the coaching.
A good coach can take a shiitty team and make them average/acceptable. A good coach can take a good team and make them Top 5. Just look at the turnaround Ireland have benefited from since Schmidt took over, and they're the same exact team on paper.
But if you look at how all those players do in the Top 14, and then you see how they do when playing in Bleus, you'd think they were clinically depressed when they got together, or literally the Bleus jersey had some kind of a magical power-canceling spell it casts on whomever dares wear it.
PSA isn't made to be a coach: he neither instills a real confidence in gameplan and Rugby strategy, nor even in the charisma/spirit boosting/taking command department. And his backs coach, Lagisquet, is an absolute disaster. Have you seen our backline in the past few years ?? At all ???
Conclusion:
if France play with no gameplan, are utter shiit on attack, have no confidence or consistency, seem like they have no plan B or anything they can lean onto, constantly look lost as if in outer space trying to reach for anything, anything they can get...that's none of the first 3 aforementioned reasons. That's simply the coaching staff.
FOREIGNERS:
yes, they are a problem because they are far too many. That means they take the place of our youngsters, and it hinders the development of that local young talent and they clog up and congest the Top 14 landscape.
Yes they raise the bar of the Top 14 in general, and our local guys are now used to playing against big Georgian props, massive Saffa forwards, Fijian wingers and ex-All-Black/Wallaby stars.
Yes there is a 55% quota in favor of French players in each team, but there isn't a quota of active players starting/or on bench. Toulon or Racing certainly don't have 55% actually playing those big matches in the playoffs, or even regular season. So that JIFF (i.e. club trained players, french) quota stat is BS through that scope.
BUT: is the France team playing like shiit because of...too many foreigners ?? That's perfectly ridiculous, and has literally zero relevance. France are as deep as ever, sure we could have an extra TH maybe or an extra no.8, but we're deep as ever. One of the Top 3 deepest nations in the world.
If anything, we can thank the Top 14 for that many foreigners because France are as deep as ever and benefit from playing in a high-level environment with Hosea Gears and Matt Giteaus and Wilkos and Steffon Armitages and co.
CALENDAR:
simple question: if it's clearly not the foreigners who are to blame, then what is it ? Calendar ? Alright, fine. Our guys are indeed burnt out, we've seen it with the many many many injuries, the constant remarks from players (though not whining) throughout the season, the inconsistency in performances on the pitch, Nicolas Mas not even playing at all in Test 3 in Aus because of "state of general fatigue"...
BUT: England as shown on this thread: http://www.therugbyforum.com/threads/33530-England-vs-France-players-who-plays-more
turns out their guys play more minutes than our guys. While this stat is to be weighed in judiciously, and we should all understand they aren't categorically telling, they are nonetheless there. More minutes at club level for lots of those guys.
Preparation ? We got as many days before the last 6N as everybody else for the first time ever. You seen improvement ? We got on the plane to Wallaby-land right after our local French final, but so did the English to NZ after their Prem final. Look at what England did, and then what we did.
TALENT:
well then, if it ain't the foreigners or calendar, maybe it's just the players ? France is no good because they are that bad...while I'll concede we really could work at school level/early development on skill, we're definitely not less skilled than England or Wales, these guys don't throw insane no-look passes and what not. And France are just coming off fresh of a 2010 Grand Slam, and 2011 final where we more than held it together against NZ in their own backyard. Now we've replaced that generation with the likes of Domingo, Fickou, Fofana, Huget, Picamoles, Dulin, Bastareaud and co. who aren't exactly scrubs and are in fact better individually than the previous generation.
Our guys evolve in the most fearsome Top 14 league we've seen yet.
And I get back to the skill aspect: again, even if we do lack on the skill-set, all European teams do. And South Africa aren't exactly a model skill-wise, but their forwards are humongous, their backs have blazing speed and their Rugby is simple and straight-to-the-point enough they can be consistent. England showed EXTREMELY little skill in NZ, but they guys played their ball and, guess what, came close a couple of times.
TOO EASY TO BLAME IT ON THE COACH:
bear with me. If it clearly isn't the foreigners at all (we've got all the players we need and much much more at each position), it ain't all the calendar (look at England, they're doing well), and it ain't a considerable lack of talent, then you're left with only one possible cause:
the coaching.
A good coach can take a shiitty team and make them average/acceptable. A good coach can take a good team and make them Top 5. Just look at the turnaround Ireland have benefited from since Schmidt took over, and they're the same exact team on paper.
But if you look at how all those players do in the Top 14, and then you see how they do when playing in Bleus, you'd think they were clinically depressed when they got together, or literally the Bleus jersey had some kind of a magical power-canceling spell it casts on whomever dares wear it.
PSA isn't made to be a coach: he neither instills a real confidence in gameplan and Rugby strategy, nor even in the charisma/spirit boosting/taking command department. And his backs coach, Lagisquet, is an absolute disaster. Have you seen our backline in the past few years ?? At all ???
Conclusion:
if France play with no gameplan, are utter shiit on attack, have no confidence or consistency, seem like they have no plan B or anything they can lean onto, constantly look lost as if in outer space trying to reach for anything, anything they can get...that's none of the first 3 aforementioned reasons. That's simply the coaching staff.
