France tour of New Zealand

[ZeFrenchy]

This afternoon Philippe Saint-André will announce the squad of 35 that will play 3 tests against the All Blacks and one mid-week game against the Auckland Blues. A few uncapped players are expected to tour, though the squad will, in all likelihood, be a strong one. One of the novelties may be the inclusion of more foreign players, following the selection of South African Antonie Claassen during the Six Nations. There are about 50 players that are being mentioned, of which only 35 will be selected. I think that PSA will try to limit the number of players from the four semi-finalists as much as possible, to be able to train with as many players as he can from day 1.
I think the squad will look like:

Loosehead props: Thomas Domingo, Eddy Ben Arous, Vincent Debaty (Raphaël Chaume, Yannick Forestier, Sébastien Taofifenua)
Tighthead props: Nicolas Mas, Luc Ducalcon, Rabah Slimani (Daniel Kotze, Clément Ric)
Hookers: Dimitri Szarzewski, Benjamin Kayser, Jean-Charles Orioli (Mickaël Ivaldi, Guillhem Guirado)
Locks: Yoann Maestri, Romain Taofifenua, Sébastien Vahaamahina, Chistophe Samson, Alexandre Flanquart (Jocelino Suta)
Backrowers: Thierry Dusautoir, Louis Picamoles, Fulgence Ouedraogo, Antonie Claassen, Wenceslas Lauret, Yannick Nyanga, Damien Chouly (Alex Toulu, Bernard Le Roux, Benoît Guyot, Alexandre Lapandry)

Halves: Maxime Machenaud, Morgan Parra, François Trinh-Duc, Frédéric Michalak, Camille Lopez (Rémi Talès, Jean-Marc Doussain, Jonathan Wisniewski)
Centers: Wesley Fofana, Mathieu Bastareaud, Florien Fritz, Henry Chavancy (Maxim Mermoz)
Outside backs: Yoan Huget, Marc Andreu, Maxim Médard, Virimi Vakatawa, Brice Dulin (Romain Martial, Marvin O'Connor, Vincent Martin, Alexis Palisson, Noa Nakaitaci)

Foreigners mentioned here are: Kotze, Claassen, Le Roux (South Africa), Tulou (Samoa), Nakaitaci and Vakatawa (Fiji). It is not my intention to start ye old debate, but I don't think that the FFR should allow the selection of players just under the criteria of the IRB. Kotze and Tulou should not be near the squad. Nakaitaci and Vakatawa arrived as relatively young players (~18 yo) and have refused selection for Fiji. I'm torn about their case, tbh, as they seem keen to play for France, but their place is with the Fiji national team...
To explain the type of "foreign" player that I'd be happy to see wearing blue, I'll give you the example of Gerhard Vosloo, South African flanker playing for Clermont. He will not play for France, as he's already 33, but he's someone that arrived 7 years ago, and decided quite quickly that he would stay. He enrolled his kids in a French school (not an "international" one), made investments in France and made his father move from South Africa to France. In December last year he and his entire family received a French passport. He speaks perfect french as well. I consider him as French as any of my neighbors. Claassen is a similar case, though I'd liked him to obtain a french passport before playing for France.

 

[squirrel]

So would you be able to highlight some of the exciting talent for me as im not too familiar with the youg players coming through and what are there chances of beating the ABs

 

[Big Ewis]

HEY !!! That's two "n"'s on Yoann Huget !! I should know !

Szar still playing for les bleus ?!...to me he's a little bit the stubborn choice of the FFR, like, we've GOT to have him and it's not totally justified...Apparently does work in the scrum, but otherwise ??...

Very disappointed not to see our classic winger here down injured...Clerc...still capable of finishing off a play with good wing-work, not just run it straight. Oh well. We're lacking on the wings there.....

My verdict:
* as just mentioned lacking on the wings, but very strong at midfield.
* Scrum and 3rd row won't be a problem as usual, with Picamoles to carry gloriously.
* question mark: no.10 who will play, and if it's Michalak, is he "fixed" yet ? If so, we have a good chance of getting one (at least, though I'm not getting ahead of myself).

I'd imagine one blowout by NZ (around 25 pts, unfortunately possibly more), one victory and one tight match with a close NZ win - in no particular order, though many predict the first test to be a disaster/semidisaster for France coming right off the top14 final + little/no preparation + jetlag/general fatigue + possibly missing some key players from top 14 season.

NZ will want to give a good demonstration. Their last int'l test was the big loss in London, they'll want to start 2013 off with fury and an overwhelming display.

And France will be France:
we can almost completely erase the 2013 6N performance with a shock-win in test 1 or at least hold our own remarkably and then take test 2 or smt along those lines. We can be surprisingly consistent. Or we can suffer a huge loss and then actually win the next...

PSA still has a world of proving to do, and with the players he's got on paper, despite some holes, he MUST have smt to show this time around.
6N was a disaster, but the last match at home VS Scotland we woke up and scored those 2 tries in 2min...and that's the last we saw of France...we still have some fire on attack.
And with weapons like Fof, Bastareaud, Picamoles and potentially a fixed Freddie - Para, Huget continuing on their very solid showing...along with that big-ass scrum and if Dusautoir can get back to "dark destroying"...

But the gameplan is the biggest concern for me, not the players - the coach and the plan.

And interesting bits on foreigners there ZeFrenchy, and I agree with you of course. Good points.

 

[ZeFrenchy]

HEY !!! That's two "n"'s on Yoann Huget !! I should know !

Sorry about that. Maestri confused me.

I'd imagine one blowout by NZ (around 25 pts, unfortunately possibly more), one victory and one tight match with a close NZ win - in no particular order, though many predict the first test to be a disaster/semidisaster for France coming right off the top14 final + little/no preparation + jetlag/general fatigue + possibly missing some key players from top 14 season.

I'd sign for that. Sounds possible indeed.

 

[ZeFrenchy]

The list is out:

AVANTS

1. EDDY BEN AROUS – RACING METRO 92
2. VINCENT DEBATY – ASM CLERMONT AUVERGNE
3. THOMAS DOMINGO - ASM CLERMONT AUVERGNE
4. GUILHEM GUIRADO – USA PERPIGNAN ROUSSILLON
5. BENJAMIN KAYSER – ASM CLERMONT AUVERGNE
6. DIMITRI SZARZEWSKI – RACING METRO 92
7. LUC DUCALCON – RACING METRO 92
8. DANIEL KOTZE – ASM CLERMONT AUVERGNE
9. NICOLAS MAS – USA PERPIGNAN ROUSSILLON
10. ALEXANDRE FLANQUART – STADE FRANÇAIS PARIS
11. YOANN MAESTRI – STADE TOULOUSAIN
12. CHRISTOPHE SAMSON – CASTRES OLYMPIQUE
13. SEBASTIEN VAHAAMAHINA – USA PERPIGNAN ROUSSILLON
14. YANNICK NYANGA – STADE TOULOUSAIN
15. FULGENCE OUEDRAOGO – MONTPELLIER HERAULT RUGBY
16. THIERRY DUSAUTOIR – STADE TOULOUSAIN (Capt.)
17. BERNARD LE ROUX - RACING METRO 92
18. ANTONIE CLAASSEN – CASTRES OLYMPIQUE
19. LOUIS PICAMOLES – STADE TOULOUSAIN

ARRIERES

20. MAXIME MACHENAUD – RACING METRO 92
21. MORGAN PARRA – ASM CLERMONT AUVERGNE
22. FREDERIC MICHALAK – RC TOULON
23. CAMILLE LOPEZ – UNION BORDEAUX BEGLES
24. REMI TALES – CASTRES OLYMPIQUE
25. MATHIEU BASTAREAUD – RC TOULON
26. GAEL FICKOU – STADE TOULOUSAIN
27. WESLEY FOFANA – ASM CLERMONT AUVERGNE
28. FLORIAN FRITZ – STADE TOULOUSAIN
29. MAXIME MERMOZ – RC TOULON
30. MAXIME MEDARD – STADE TOULOUSAIN
31. NOA NAKAITACI – ASM CLERMONT AUVERGNE
32. ALEXIS PALISSON – RC TOULON
33. ADRIEN PLANTE – USA PERPIGNAN ROUSSILLON
34. BRICE DULIN – CASTRES OLYMPIQUE
35. YOANN HUGET – STADE TOULOUSAIN








So for PSA capping foreign players is no longer an exception. Selecting a 22 year old who has refused caps from his home nation and has just had three years of residence (like Nakaitaci) is the definition of poaching.

 

[Big Ewis]

Sorry about that. Maestri confused me.

I'd sign for that. Sounds possible indeed.

lol, wasn't actually waiting on an apology for that...it's good though, it's bonus apologizing...

SHHHHITTT !! Selection's out already ?!
mmm...if anybody wants a nice quick read:
http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,9817_8712873,00.html

K, so Mr. Dusautoir still at captain.
And ZeFrenchy, going back to the question of genuinely belonging or not, to me Noa Nakaitaci is an example I disagree with. Unless he's got some real Frenchness (born and raised there, went there at very early age and played in French clubs for a majority of his life...etc...along those lines). I'm not comfortable knowing we're basically "getting help from abroad". I'm barely sold on Tuilagi being a legit England player, so this is just...*beurk* !
Of course he's just one of 2 cases or so...it's not like we're counting on this guy the way other sides count on their foreigners (cough).

I like Lopez given a chance for the XV de France !
And ZeFrenchy can I ask you your take on Ducalcon ? He's intimidating physically, but I've not been happy with his performances each time I've seen him. And I don't want to judge to quickly: what do you think of the guy ?
And boyyy Nicolas Mas sure is pushing on that youth threshold...glad he's still got the strength to scrum for us, will be hard to replace !! Good old school little rhino-type southwest prop...

Edit: oh and happy to see Brice Dulin back. I want to sit and observe whether or not he's truly 100% FB material, or just...plays that position.

 

[Aedaphon]

No Trinh-Duc?

 

[wertas]

So Parra at 10? seriously. What Michalak is doing in the squad, I have no idea... He has >50 caps and probably is better at scrum-half than at fly-half.... As he was absolutely zero during 6N. Of course, will be a pussy in defence agains mighty All Blacks. Have to admire Parra and his tackling during RWC against beast in terms of Nonu and SBW.

 

[Big Ewis]

No Trinh-Duc?

nooooo....again, overlooked. This guy must be thinking "okay, this time with all the problems they've GOT to pick me.....oh,....oh no they didn't".
Too bad, I remember his insane try in 2009 there when we won it.

Oh and, isn't this PSA's first return since...the mythical series win in NZ from '94, with the "try from the other side of the world" ?! reved:
sorry it's....the most dramatic smiley I found in the selection there...

 

[Amobokoboko]

Should be a good series.

 

[Aedaphon]

nooooo....again, overlooked. This guy must be thinking "okay, this time with all the problems they've GOT to pick me.....oh,....oh no they didn't".
Too bad, I remember his insane try in 2009 there when we won it.

Oh and, isn't this PSA's first return since...the mythical series win in NZ from '94, with the "try from the other side of the world" ?! reved:
sorry it's....the most dramatic smiley I found in the selection there...

I don't believe they didn't pick him again <_<

France played their best rugby in the 6 Nations with a Parra-Trinh-Duc half back combination and yet PSA is willing to **** away another series backing Michalak...

 

[admartian]

I guess Michalak is your Ali Williams.

 

[Surefire]

Disappointed in the selection. I was a fan of Machenaud, but after the 6N, Doussain should get some time at SH. I don't see why Michelak gets another shot. Picking foreign based players damages the future of the french team and the respective teams of their home nations, well OK,not South Africa, but Fiji yes. There are plenty of French players with skills equal or better to LeRoux, Kotze & Nakaitaci that should have been picked.
ZeFrenchy, I did not know the background of Claassen, as you described in an earlier post, so I did not include him in the list above. However I was not impressed with his work in the 6N. He did seem to play with a lot of heart and enthusiasm.
Anyway what's done is done, time to look forward to a fun summer tour!

 

[Big Ewis]

Saint-André does point out that all these players are trained in French infrastructures, and will play with all their heart for the blue, white n red...I'd like to know whether Nakaitaci specifically is truly something of a French rugby product...as in, trained there from when he started being a pro...etc..

Anyways: I like picking Michalak again. I think it shows PSA has some huge balls, it shows a tremendous degree of risk while already being in the red and in the scapegoat scope. I do believe like PSA that Michalak needed some rest (again, coming right off the SA season, all the tests, the top14, then 6N...) and simply writing him off would be uncalled for and just unmeasured...he wasn't himself (or was his Mr.Hyde self, whichever you like) in Feb., it was an impasse.
I think it's incredibly ballsy because if Michalak fails badly, PSA takes it all on himself and becomes France's most hated personality, and this is IN New Zealand...it's not some vacation Tour to Japan or Namibia or wtvr.

So I've got to have a little smile in the corner of my face for picking him up.
I won't forget June/November's Michalak just by the blink of an eye...he's also had some really nice moments in Toulon before the injury. I must keep solidarity in his regard, can't just write em off...

I'm fairly disappointed, however, T-Duc wasn't picked up......

 

[William18]

Why is Dusautoir not considered an overseas player?

 

[Cacambo]

Why is Dusautoir not considered an overseas player?

He was born to a French parent and presumably has been a French citizen his whole life through that.

 

[LittleGuy]

Disappointed in the selection. I was a fan of Machenaud, but after the 6N, Doussain should get some time at SH. I don't see why Michelak gets another shot. Picking foreign based players damages the future of the french team and the respective teams of their home nations, well OK,not South Africa, but Fiji yes. There are plenty of French players with skills equal or better to LeRoux, Kotze & Nakaitaci that should have been picked.
ZeFrenchy, I did not know the background of Claassen, as you described in an earlier post, so I did not include him in the list above. However I was not impressed with his work in the 6N. He did seem to play with a lot of heart and enthusiasm.
Anyway what's done is done, time to look forward to a fun summer tour!

Agreed this is what makes these selections so odd, especially if LeRoux and Kotze couldn't catch on with the Boks what does this say about French rugby at the moment.

 

[erwanseb]

Le Roux:
"Depuis que je suis arrivé en 2009 (en France, ndlr), c'était mon objectif, mon rêve. Je suis vraiment très content, excité, stressé un peu. J'ai beaucoup d'émotion, j'ai un peu pleuré. Je vais tout donner. Je suis fier de ce pays, c'est un pays incroyable. L'équipe de France c'est énorme, je suis vraiment fier. J'espère jouer un ou deux test-matches. Dusautoir, c'est un très grand joueur, pour moi c'est mon idole. Je vais peut-être jouer avec lui, c'est énorme"

"Since I came in 2009, it has been my goal, my dream. I am really very happy, excited, under stress. I feel emotionnal, I cried a little. I shall give my best. I am proud, of this country (ndlr France), it is an incredible country. The french team is huge, I am so proud. I hope playing a couple of games. Dussautoir is a great player, he is my idol. I may play with him, it just amazing".

IRB rules are flawed but you have to respect the choice of the player, a few have come to France and at the end ,they started a new life there.

 

[ZeFrenchy]

So would you be able to highlight some of the exciting talent for me as im not too familiar with the youg players coming through and what are there chances of beating the ABs

From that list the player to watch is definitely Wesley Fofana, who will probably be a discovery for New Zealanders, though he already has quite the reputation in the NH. Hopefully PSA has learnt and he will play at centre, where he belongs (PSA has made him play several tests at the wing, where he's not as effective). He runs great lines and has lots of pace. He can pass when he has time, but his passing game is not really his strength (if he could add some passing after the breaks he makes, he would be the best 12 in the world).
Other players that are very well known for NH supporters but that kiwis may not know are Louis Picamoles. He toured NZ in 2009, but was not yet the player he is now. Kind of one trick pony, but he makes meters each time he gets the ball.
Camille Lopez at 10, if he plays, can be a very exciting player, though he is uncapped so we don't know what to expect from him this series.
There is heaps of excitement potential in the back three, but PSA hasn't been able to make that come out so far.
Finally, Toulouse's Gaël Fickou is one of the most hyped players in France since Maxime Médard in 2008. He'll miss the JWC because of this tour, so I hope at least he learns a lot.

And ZeFrenchy can I ask you your take on Ducalcon ? He's intimidating physically, but I've not been happy with his performances each time I've seen him. And I don't want to judge to quickly: what do you think of the guy ?

He's been very good for Racing, one of the best scrums in the top 14, and the only one with a french tighthead prop starting, so I think it was the right call for him to tour. So far he has disappointed for France, so given the void there is behind Mas, I hope he delivers this time (he's not that young anymore either). I wouldn't have called Kotze up, though. I like Stade Français's Rabah Slimani, and Clément Ric, who spent most of the season injured and is only coming back, has enormous potential (and should leave Clermont to play more). 3 is THE position we have the most scarcity, however, so it is not crazy to call up a saffer there.

Le Roux:
"Depuis que je suis arrivé en 2009 (en France, ndlr), c'était mon objectif, mon rêve. Je suis vraiment très content, excité, stressé un peu. J'ai beaucoup d'émotion, j'ai un peu pleuré. Je vais tout donner. Je suis fier de ce pays, c'est un pays incroyable. L'équipe de France c'est énorme, je suis vraiment fier. J'espère jouer un ou deux test-matches. Dusautoir, c'est un très grand joueur, pour moi c'est mon idole. Je vais peut-être jouer avec lui, c'est énorme"

"Since I came in 2009, it has been my goal, my dream. I am really very happy, excited, under stress. I feel emotionnal, I cried a little. I shall give my best. I am proud, of this country (ndlr France), it is an incredible country. The french team is huge, I am so proud. I hope playing a couple of games. Dussautoir is a great player, he is my idol. I may play with him, it just amazing".

IRB rules are flawed but you have to respect the choice of the player, a few have come to France and at the end ,they started a new life there.

Apparently he was offered a contract in South Africa last season and he rejected it to be able to play for France. I can see why he would want to stay: PSA had probably told him he was checking him out, and Paris is a nice city when you are rich and young.
I think he was called up basically because PSA thinks in "openside/blindside" terms, unlike most of the coaches in the top 14, so he'll basically be Dusautoir's replacement (PSA sees him as an openside), so he's there instead of Wenceslas Lauret, who was never any good. He's unlikely to play a test, but he'll probably play against the Blues.

 

[William18]

Fofana and Picamoles definitely have my respect after watching the 6 Nations. Fofana looks like the only French play who can really create anything and Picamoles is a work horse. I agree though, a lot of New Zealanders are probably still expecting Michalak and Dusautoir to be the stars.