France - Six Nations 2012

[TRF_Olyy]

Just seen this squad posted up on Facebook, think it's correct (from someone who was at the press conference):

1ère ligne : Vincent Debaty (Clermont), Fabien Barcella (Biarritz), Luc Ducalcon (Castres) Jean-Baptiste Poux (Toulouse), William Servat (Toulouse), Dimitri Szarzewski (Stade Français), , Nicolas Mas (Perpignan),

2ème ligne : Pascal Papé (Stade Français), Yoann Maestri (Toulouse), Romain Millo-Chluski (Toulouse), Julien Pierre (Clermont)

3ème ligne : Julien Bonnaire (Clermont), Yannick Nyanga (Toulouse), Thierry Dusautoir (Toulouse/Cap), Fulgence Ouedraogo (Montpellier), Louis Picamoles (Toulouse), Imanol Harinordoquy (Biarritz)

1/2 de mêlée : Morgan Parra (Clermont), Dimitri Yachvili (Biarritz)

1/2 d'ouverture : François Trinh-Duc (Montpellier), Lionel Beauxis (Toulouse)

3/4 centres : Maxime Mermoz (Perpignan), Aurélien Rougerie (Clermont), Yann David (Toulouse), Wesley Fofana (Clermont)

Ailiers - Arrières : Maxime Médard (Toulouse), Vincent Clerc (Toulouse), Alexis Palisson (Toulon), Julien Malzieu (Clermont), Clément Poitrenaud (Toulouse)​

 

[RAWWeyman]

I want to see Poitrenaud at 12. I think he's a better centre than he is full-back, as unlikely and (stupid) as it may be I'd still like to see him start.

 

[Gavin]

Just looking at the players from the backrow to the backline gives me a tingle in the loins.

 

[TRF_Cymro]

Good squad. PSA has picked players on merit. Think Fritz, Dupuy and Big Bas are unlucky to miss out.

 

[SpanishBob]

I miss Fritz.
Happy to see Malzieu back; he is one of my favourite wings.

 

[Jockstap]

They could churn out two teams and still win the Six Nations handily enough, now that they have a proper coach.

 

[oldscumbagonian]

Only two new faces - Maestri and Fofana. Surprised PSA hasn't brought in a couple of other new guys. I suppose his problem is that he'd have to leave out real quality and that may not go down too well. Also, unlike some other countries, a good few of the 2011 squad will still be around in 2015. But France will be the team to beat.

 

[groga]

I am also a tad surprised we haven't seen as many new faces.

However I can understand Saint-Andre wanting to get some wins on the board and support. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phillipe_Saint-Andre

France has some great centers going around at the moment and personally would like to see Fofana over Mermoz.

I think are wings are going to be a weakness in the future with a few of them getting on and am personally not overly impressed with Alexis Palisson (seems a real meh player with no standout abilities) also think Médard is a tad overrated.

 

[j'nuh]

So what is the first-choice French backrow now?

 

[groga]

All the locks are getting on wont be surprised to see Yoann Maestri get a fair bit of game time.

 

[psychic duck]

1ère ligne : Vincent Debaty (Clermont), Fabien Barcella (Biarritz), Luc Ducalcon (Castres) Jean-Baptiste Poux (Toulouse), William Servat (Toulouse), Dimitri Szarzewski (Stade Français), , Nicolas Mas (Perpignan)​

There are better options than Vincent Debaty, but seeing as he is unlikely to play it doesn't really matter, Barcella isn't the same player as before his serious injury so Poux should start, unfortunately the best prop Thomas Domingo isn't available

I would go with:

1. Jean-Baptiste Poux (Toulouse)
2. William Servat (Toulouse)
3. Nicolas Mas (Perpignan)

16. Dimitri Szarzewski (Stade Français)
17. Luc Ducalcon (Castres)

2ème ligne : Pascal Papé (Stade Français), Yoann Maestri (Toulouse), Romain Millo-Chluski (Toulouse), Julien Pierre (Clermont)

Lionel Nallet is unlucky to miss out, and has probably only missed out due to his age of 34, he was probably one of France's best forwards in the World Cup and I would have picked him but can understand the Saint-André thinks he's too old, Julien Pierre is lucky to be in the squad he hasn't stood out whilst in the blue jersey and isn't first choice at Clermont who pick Cudmore and Hines, Mickaël de Marco has been on better form than Pierre also, Maestri should feature throughout the tournament

4. Pascal Papé (Stade Français)
5. Yoann Maestri (Toulouse)

18. Romain Millo-Chluski (Toulouse)
​

3ème ligne : Julien Bonnaire (Clermont), Yannick Nyanga (Toulouse), Thierry Dusautoir (Toulouse/Cap), Fulgence Ouedraogo (Montpellier), Louis Picamoles (Toulouse), Imanol Harinordoquy (Biarritz)

No team in the 6 Nations has as much depth in the back row as France, all these players are quality, very hard to choose between Bonnaire, Nyanga (who was criminally constantly overlooked during Lièvremont's time) and Ouedraogo all of whom have been very good this season and wouldn't mind any of them but I don't think Bonnaire deserves to be dropped so I would go with him, number 8 is a hard decision as well as Harinordoquy was very good during the World Cup but Picamoles is the man on form, I would go with Harinordoquy at first but with Picamoles breathing down his neck and ready to replace him should he not be at his best
6. Julien Bonnaire (Clermont)
7. Thierry Dusautoir (Toulouse)
8. Imanol Harinordoquy (Biarritz)

19. Louis Picamoles (Toulouse)

1/2 de mêlée : Morgan Parra (Clermont), Dimitri Yachvili (Biarritz)

Julien Dupuy is the 9 on form in the Top 14 and is unlucky to be left out, Yachvili and Parra are both similar and don't really mind which one is selected

9. Morgan Parra (Clermont)

20. Dimitri Yachvili (Biarritz)

1/2 d'ouverture : François Trinh-Duc (Montpellier), Lionel Beauxis (Toulouse)

​

With Lionel "Boot"xis you know what you're getting, a million drop goal attempts, rarely spread the ball out to the wingers, and a player obsessed with his boot, his drop goals come off now and again and everybody says how good he is ignoring the fact that he often wastes attacking ball with them, he has come off for two matches in the Top 14 and even in those Toulouse haven't been scoring as many tries, but he was pants before that this season, and has been a big part of Stade Français decline over the past couple of seasons who have been better since he left, of course he has a big boot and is a good goal kicker with a long range, but if you pick don't expect running rugby, he could be useful as a closer off the bench however

François Trinh-Duc must start, it was plain stupid of Lièvremont to leave him out of the France team for the knockout stages

10. François Trinh-Duc (Montpellier)

21. Lionel Beauxis (Toulouse)

3/4 centres : Maxime Mermoz (Perpignan), Aurélien Rougerie (Clermont), Yann David (Toulouse), Wesley Fofana (Clermont)

another strong area for France, but I think they have made an error in omitting Florian Fritz, admittedly he's never looked as good at international level compared to club, but Yann David is basically a poor man's Fritz, Mermoz is on poor form for Perpignan, Poitrenaud was the form centre in the Top 14 before he got injured and has been underused there in a blue jersey but due to just coming back from injury I would put him on the bench right now and I would go with little Fofana ahead of him in an all Clermont centre combination

12. Wesley Fofana (Clermont)
13. Aurélien Rougerie (Clermont)
​

Ailiers - Arrières : Maxime Médard (Toulouse), Vincent Clerc (Toulouse), Alexis Palisson (Toulon), Julien Malzieu (Clermont), Clément Poitrenaud (Toulouse)

Malzieu is another player who was criminally underused by Lièvremont, he should combine with Clerc to make a little and large wing combination, Médard can be a gaffe prone full back as the Italy match in the last Six Nations showed and is safer on the wing, but then the alternative Poitrenaud is also known for a few gaffes between brilliance

11. Julien Malzieu (Clermont)
14. Vincent Clerc (Toulouse)
15. Maxime Médard (Toulouse)

22. Clément Poitrenaud (Toulouse)

 

[Mr.cyclopede]

No big surprise on this list.
How can people complain about it telling there are not new faces enough ? We've been spending the last 4 years experiencing a bunch of players with Lievremont, hard to do more.

For these ones:
Nallet: Has reached is top form and performance during the WC, I don't want to bury him but I find him very tired from last autumn. PSA said the list was closed, so I might see him coming back for a big challenge match or if he need a "motivator".
Malzieu: Glad to see him back, always thought he didn't have enough time to integrate his game mainly with the Toulouse wingers/full back when paired.
Beauxis: The new Skrela, nothing to hope in animation, certainly less sensitive to pressure than him but less performant in defense and perforation.
Poitrenaud: Glad to see him too, great potential as center but find him much more safe as fullback than he used to be (especially brilliant thought on high ball catching)

 

[ZeFrenchy]

I' go with:
Front row: 1. Barcella 2. Servat 3. Mas 16. Calendar boy 17. Poux

Nos 2, 3 and 16 seem evident. Barcella has been playing well, but I don't think he has played a full match in years. Poux is reliable, but I see him as a safe option in th bench. I'm not sure whether you take a no 23 in the 6N, but that would be Ducalcon I guess, though he's terrible.

2nd row: Papé and Millo Chlusky and Maestri on the bench. Probably Maestri will earn the starting spor later on, but I'd start him off the bench to see.

Backrow... tough one. Harinordoquy has been injured, and when he played he was really off form. Hasn't really played well at all after the WC and has only been on the news thanks to his dad. I'd go with Dusautoir, Nyanga and Picamoles, with Bonnaire on the bench, or swap Bonnaire and Picamoles (Bonnaire plays mostly 8 for ASM)

9: Parra and Yach, in 9 and 20.

10: Trinh-Duc deffinitely, I agree with Psychic Duck re: Beauxis. He can close a game, or come in when it's a very tight game that needs more territory game, but TD should be the option.

Centres and outside backs: whatever, all good here

 

[jordiev]

would much rather of seen Bastareaud and fritz than rogurie and david
also would of like to have seen Wisniewski as the back up flyhalf but thats jsut personal preferance

 

[j'nuh]

Reuters has it that Chluski is injured and won't be going to the 6N, Nallet replaces him.
http://uk.reuters.com/article/2012/01/09/rugby-nations-france-millo-idUKB32318120120109

 

[Melhor Time]

I´m pretty happy with those who have been picked. Nallet has replaced Millo-Chuski. Should be Nallet´s final time playing for his country as he´s 35. France have good secondrowers to sue around the pack but not tall timber in the air. Seeing that there has not been much of a clean out it looks like P S-A is going to gradually change players with the liked of Bonnaire, Servat, etc likely to play for the nest couple of seasons before being replaced in time for England 2015. Great to see Fofana picked. Poitrenaud back is a mystery to me though.

So not much to change for now. I´d go for

1 Fabien Barcella (Biarritz)
2 William Servat (Toulouse)
3 Nicolas Mas (Perpignan)
4 Pascal Papé (SF Paris)
5 Julien Pierre (Clermont)
6 Thierry Dusautoir (Toulouse)
7 Julien Bonnaire (Clermont)
8 Imanol Harinordoquy (Biarritz)
9 Morgan Parra (Clermont)
10 François Trinh-Duc (Montpellier)
11 Alexis Palisson (Toulon)
12 Maxime Mermoz (Perpignan)
13 Yann David (Toulouse)
14 Vincent Clerc (Toulouse)
15 Maxime Médard (Toulouse)​

 

[Rugby09]

Hard to see any weaknesses in the squad picked, some great players in there and the majority being Clermont and Toulouse players is not surprising.

Although Beauxis is in good form I probably would have preferred to see Wisniewski picked as second choice flyhalf as I feel Beauxis looks to put boot to ball a bit too much.

Im suprised Dupuy hasnt been picked but the Yachvili and Parra are great scrum halves as well and there is no space for a 3rd.

Im not sure I can think of many other players who could strengthen this squad or were unlucky to miss out? Bastareaud, Fritz, Dupuy (as mentioned)? Any one else?

 

[jordiev]

could of not taken a backp fly half and taken dupuy
i wouldnt say theres anyone else missing bar the three/four mentioned but i still think that those three/four players could be a big factor

 

[Melhor Time]

Hard to see any weaknesses in the squad picked, some great players in there and the majority being Clermont and Toulouse players is not surprising.

Although Beauxis is in good form I probably would have preferred to see Wisniewski picked as second choice flyhalf as I feel Beauxis looks to put boot to ball a bit too much.

Im suprised Dupuy hasnt been picked but the Yachvili and Parra are great scrum halves as well and there is no space for a 3rd.

Im not sure I can think of many other players who could strengthen this squad or were unlucky to miss out? Bastareaud, Fritz, Dupuy (as mentioned)? Any one else?

You are spot on about Beauxis. Toulouse are winning through goals not tries. Beauxis is unable to get the backs moving. But since the team is winning he gets credit and is back for France after a long time out.

Wisniewski has had a poor season for Racing Métro. Unreliable goalkicking and unable to spark the backs. While I am not his greatest fan and would not pick him on reputation I certainly would not pick him on form right now. As painful as it is to say I think he´s a younger version of David Skrela.

 

[Rugby09]

You are spot on about Beauxis. Toulouse are winning through goals not tries. Beauxis is unable to get the backs moving. But since the team is winning he gets credit and is back for France after a long time out.

Wisniewski has had a poor season for Racing Métro. Unreliable goalkicking and unable to spark the backs. While I am not his greatest fan and would not pick him on reputation I certainly would not pick him on form right now. As painful as it is to say I think he´s a younger version of David Skrela.

Yea it does seem that McAlister has to play for Toulouse to start scoring a lot of tries.

Who would have been your second choice fly half?