France vs New Zealand

[Juggernaut]

The French are definitely in hot form at the moment and with their forwards playing with grunt & mongrel is awesome to watch. The Boks were shocked when they served with their own medicine.

Add that with the proverbial backline flair and we could be seeing a French win this weekend.

The ABs, while playing averagily (is that even a word??) has not really set the world on fire...

Kaino will have to start ahead of Thomson to muscle up to the French, same with Thorn & Donnelly. Also So'oialo will need to start as well.

This will be a ****le-filled match so Cowan also to start.

 

[Nickdnz]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Juggernaut @ Nov 23 2009, 05:49 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

The French are definitely in hot form at the moment and with their forwards playing with grunt & mongrel is awesome to watch. The Boks were shocked when they served with their own medicine.

Add that with the proverbial backline flair and we could be seeing a French win this weekend.

The ABs, while playing averagily (is that even a word??) has not really set the world on fire...

Kaino will have to start ahead of Thomson to muscle up to the French, same with Thorn & Donnelly. Also So'oialo will need to start as well.

This will be a ****le-filled match so Cowan also to start.[/b]

And loose the power and might that is Andy Ellis?!

 

[stormer2010]

Grugde matches all round this weekend with this fixture, Wales and Aus (Aus probably wants revenge for the loss last year) and SA facing Ireland (respective champions and no love lost during Lions tour). Can't wait.

That said, I am picking France for a close win even without both first choice n.8's. At least I hope they beat the All Blacks to give us back the no.1 ranking that they took away at least. How does one beat a team 3 times in 1 year and then drop below them in the rankings after going down to a team that they also went down too? I'm sure the maths all work out WRT the structures but surely those structures are somewhat off?

Viva, les Bleus!

 

[alexrugby]

We'll see what kinda condition Bleus and ABs are in

 

[Aout]

And an other injured player for France, Maxime MERMOZ... Now the list of injured players contains MERMOZ,FALL, HARINORDOQUY and PICAMOLES (+ all the others that were already injured before the beginning of the tests).

The good news is that Cedric HEYMANS has been called back.

 

[elgringoborracho]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Aout @ Nov 23 2009, 04:32 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

And an other injured player for France, Maxime MERMOZ... Now the list of injured players contains MERMOZ,FALL, HARINORDOQUY and PICAMOLES (+ all the others that were already injured before the beginning of the tests).

The good news is that Cedric HEYMANS has been called back.[/b]

It sucks that Mermoz is injured, but it's great to give Heymans another chance, he still has some awesomeness in him as he showed last summer.

My guess for Lievremont's first XV:

Barcella Servat Mas
Nallet Millo-Chluski
Dusautoir Bonnaire Ouedraogo
Dupuy Trinh-Duc
Clerc Jauzion David Medard
Traille

 

[Aout]

I don't think Medard will play as a winger in the starting 15 list if Heymans is back, don't you think so ? I mean, Medard has never been a first choice winger when Heymans was in the group.

What would be interesting is the fact that now Medard might take Traille's place as full-back.

 

[erwanseb]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Aout @ Nov 23 2009, 11:47 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

I don't think Medard will play as a winger in the starting 15 list if Heymans is back, don't you think so ? I mean, Medard has never been a first choice winger when Heymans was in the group.

What would be interesting is the fact that now Medard might take Traille's place as full-back.[/b]

Jauzion will be on the bench and Traille at inside center to asssist TD with kicking duty.

Medard will start at FB

 

[alexrugby]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (wjd23104 @ Nov 23 2009, 09:37 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

No doubt this is the biggest game of the autumn. I'm very nervous about this. Abs stuck in second gear and the French tippng up SA makes for an interesting game.[/b]

Well if ABs are those who can not walk whole triumph without losing a match then their time is now against France

 

[Melhor Time]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Juggernaut @ Nov 23 2009, 01:49 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

The French are definitely in hot form at the moment and with their forwards playing with grunt & mongrel is awesome to watch. The Boks were shocked when they served with their own medicine.

Add that with the proverbial backline flair and we could be seeing a French win this weekend.[/b]

I am glad you said this about the French forwards because it was done so perfectly. France selected a backrow perfectly suited to getting the better of the World Champions and it worked. Playing Harinordiquey and 7 and Picamoles at 8 is perfectly suited to playing against the style of South Africa and good against both Argentina and England also. It is, however, not ideal to play against New Zealand. Dusautoir can counter McCaw, no question about that. But France will need more speed which is why it is great to see that Fulgence Ouedraogo has recovered from his minor injury and played well for Montepllier on the weekend. He is ideally suited to play 7 with Dusautoir at 6 against New Zealand. Moreover, having Bonnaire at 8 is also close to ideal. This is a great backrow to confront New Zealand. It is ideally suited for the puposes of turnover ball and lineout play. The tackles will not be as hard and the ballcarriers will not be as strong but the overall package is a great one to take on the All Blacks at their style of play.

If, size is a problem and France are really under fire then Chabal can be used off the bench to play in the back row rather than the second. Nallet played very well vs Stade Francais on Saturday and is a sire thing to start at lock, probably with Millo-Chluski, but maybe with Pape. All are on great form.

Vs South Africa, France also targeted the 10-12-13 combination brilliantly with the youthful Mermoz and David really showing up their fanciest opponents. Interesting, therefore, that this is not going to be the combination vs New Zealand. The size of Damien Traille appears to be the preference at 12 with Medard's speed and countattacking to really target Muliaina. This is why Heymans is not in the squad. Other players also happen to be faster than the New Zealand back three. Therefore, Mermoz may well be picked at 11 but, of course, be used effecitvely as a centre as France's unpredictability looks set to continue.

This is, certainly, the match of the year. Bigger than the Lions for me. Lions don't carry World Rankings but thats not what interests me so much. It is a match to say who is currently, in November 2009, the best team in the World. South Africa were knoked over and badly beaten by France 2 weeks ago. France have also already defeasted Wales and New Zealand in 2009. These are, despite World Rankings saying otherwise, the top 4 teams in the World with Ireland, Australia and England next in line. It is also the final match they will play before their clash at the World Cup which is going to be one of the biggest matches of the tournament.


I think France will go for:

1 Barcella, 2 Servat, 3 Mas
4 Millo-Chluski, 5 Nallet
6 Dusautoir, 8 Bonnaire, 7 Ouedraogo

9 Dupuy, 10 Trinh-Duc
12 Traille, 13 Marty
11 Mermoz 15 Medard, 14 Clerc

France should win. their scrum has improved so much. Of course, I do not like to predict before seeing the teams confirmed.

 

[elgringoborracho]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Aout @ Nov 23 2009, 05:47 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

I don't think Medard will play as a winger in the starting 15 list if Heymans is back, don't you think so ? I mean, Medard has never been a first choice winger when Heymans was in the group.

What would be interesting is the fact that now Medard might take Traille's place as full-back.[/b]

I was more trying to guess what Lievremont's choice would be. Since he hadn't picked Heymans before Mermoz got injured, it would be logical from the coach not to have him start the game. We know Lievremont is not a very logical person so my guess will probably be wrong though :lol:

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Melhor Time)</div>

I think France will go for:

1 Barcella, 2 Servat, 3 Mas
4 Millo-Chluski, 5 Nallet
6 Dusautoir, 8 Bonnaire, 7 Ouedraogo

9 Dupuy, 10 Trinh-Duc
12 Traille, 13 Marty
11 Mermoz 15 Medard, 14 Clerc[/b]

Sadly, Mermoz in injured

 

[darwin_23]

I think people are reading far too much into AB's v France games in New Zealand at the start of the year. A basically full strength French team (Nallet and Harinordoquy were probably the only first-choice players unavailable) drew a series 1-1 with a hugely understrength AB's team. The AB team was missing the likes of McCaw, Carter, Conrad Smith, Sivivatu - four key players, while another key player (Andrew Hore) was injured 10 minutes into the first match and was out for the rest of the series. The AB's team playing this week will substantially different (and much stronger) - there will probably only be 7-8 survivors from the AB's team that started the first French test.

I'm expecting the AB's to step up this week, as they seem to when playing France on the end-of-year tour - in there last 3 end-of-year tour matches the AB's had big wins: 23-11, 47-3, 45-6. I think the AB's will want to end there largely disappointing season on a high, and prove that they deserve to be No. 1 in the world rankings. Not sure when the AB's team is named, but there will be some competition for places at tighthead-prop (Franks vs Tialata vs Afoa), blindside flanker (Thomson vs Kaino), number 8 (So'ioalo vs Read), and wing (Sivivatu, Guilford, Jane in contention for the two spots).

 

[Juggernaut]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (darwin_23 @ Nov 23 2009, 08:14 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

I think people are reading far too much into AB's v France games in New Zealand at the start of the year. A basically full strength French team (Nallet and Harinordoquy were probably the only first-choice players unavailable) drew a series 1-1 with a hugely understrength AB's team. The AB team was missing the likes of McCaw, Carter, Conrad Smith, Sivivatu - four key players, while another key player (Andrew Hore) was injured 10 minutes into the first match and was out for the rest of the series. The AB's team playing this week will substantially different (and much stronger) - there will probably only be 7-8 survivors from the AB's team that started the first French test.

I'm expecting the AB's to step up this week, as they seem to when playing France on the end-of-year tour - in there last 3 end-of-year tour matches the AB's had big wins: 23-11, 47-3, 45-6. I think the AB's will want to end there largely disappointing season on a high, and prove that they deserve to be No. 1 in the world rankings. Not sure when the AB's team is named, but there will be some competition for places at tighthead-prop (Franks vs Tialata vs Afoa), blindside flanker (Thomson vs Kaino), number 8 (So'ioalo vs Read), and wing (Sivivatu, Guilford, Jane in contention for the two spots).[/b]

Actually, I was basing my opinions on the past few weeks. If yu see the way France are playing at the moment, and the players they have....then underestimating them would be detrimental.
And IMO, everyone should stop using this "understrength XV" excuse. Records will show that France defeated the ABs in NZ, not France defeating an understrength ABs. A win is a win.

 

[Prestwick]

I for one have found myself waiting roughly 12 months and am still waiting for two things.

Firstly, for New Zealand to "step up a gear" and secondly for Jimmy Cowan to keep his cool.

 

[darwin_23]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Juggernaut @ Nov 24 2009, 11:51 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (darwin_23 @ Nov 23 2009, 08:14 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think people are reading far too much into AB's v France games in New Zealand at the start of the year. A basically full strength French team (Nallet and Harinordoquy were probably the only first-choice players unavailable) drew a series 1-1 with a hugely understrength AB's team. The AB team was missing the likes of McCaw, Carter, Conrad Smith, Sivivatu - four key players, while another key player (Andrew Hore) was injured 10 minutes into the first match and was out for the rest of the series. The AB's team playing this week will substantially different (and much stronger) - there will probably only be 7-8 survivors from the AB's team that started the first French test.

I'm expecting the AB's to step up this week, as they seem to when playing France on the end-of-year tour - in there last 3 end-of-year tour matches the AB's had big wins: 23-11, 47-3, 45-6. I think the AB's will want to end there largely disappointing season on a high, and prove that they deserve to be No. 1 in the world rankings. Not sure when the AB's team is named, but there will be some competition for places at tighthead-prop (Franks vs Tialata vs Afoa), blindside flanker (Thomson vs Kaino), number 8 (So'ioalo vs Read), and wing (Sivivatu, Guilford, Jane in contention for the two spots).[/b]

Actually, I was basing my opinions on the past few weeks. If yu see the way France are playing at the moment, and the players they have....then underestimating them would be detrimental.
And IMO, everyone should stop using this "understrength XV" excuse. Records will show that France defeated the ABs in NZ, not France defeating an understrength ABs. A win is a win.
[/b][/quote]

I'm sorry where was I using the "understrength XV" excuse? I simple stated that the AB team that will play this weekend will be much different to the last AB side that played France, hence not much should be read into these results as half the AB team will be different! My statements about reading too much into these games did not refer at all to your comments, but others in this thread (and much public opinion here in NZ). I agree with you 100% that France have been in great form lately, however I just have a feeling that this AB side is going to click sometime on tour - hopefully this weekend!

 

[darwin_23]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Prestwick @ Nov 24 2009, 12:12 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

I for one have found myself waiting roughly 12 months and am still waiting for two things.

Firstly, for New Zealand to "step up a gear" and secondly for Jimmy Cowan to keep his cool.[/b]

The first will happen eventually (hopefully this weekend). The second will not happen in your lifetime.

 

[bristol-iain]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (darwin_23 @ Nov 23 2009, 11:18 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Prestwick @ Nov 24 2009, 12:12 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I for one have found myself waiting roughly 12 months and am still waiting for two things.

Firstly, for New Zealand to "step up a gear" and secondly for Jimmy Cowan to keep his cool.[/b]

The first will happen eventually (hopefully this weekend). The second will not happen in your lifetime.
[/b][/quote]

Or in Cowan's lifetime after the referees, who have had Cowan go on at them for years, dispose of Cowan in a bizzare whistle related "accident"

 

[jawmalawm24]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Aout @ Nov 24 2009, 04:32 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

And an other injured player for France, Maxime MERMOZ... Now the list of injured players contains MERMOZ,FALL, HARINORDOQUY and PICAMOLES (+ all the others that were already injured before the beginning of the tests).

The good news is that Cedric HEYMANS has been called back.[/b]

I hope he does play was he the one that made that awesome try down our sideline and stepped pass Roks and Mils? If it is the one I'm thinking of it'll be massive to see him play against us again and hopefully put our players on their a#@!$ again.

 

[monkeypigeon]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (jawmalawm24 @ Nov 23 2009, 11:38 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Aout @ Nov 24 2009, 04:32 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

And an other injured player for France, Maxime MERMOZ... Now the list of injured players contains MERMOZ,FALL, HARINORDOQUY and PICAMOLES (+ all the others that were already injured before the beginning of the tests).

The good news is that Cedric HEYMANS has been called back.[/b]

I hope he does play was he the one that made that awesome try down our sideline and stepped pass Roks and Mils? If it is the one I'm thinking of it'll be massive to see him play against us again and hopefully put our players on their a#@!$ again.
[/b][/quote]

Yes....and actually, nomination for best (nearly) individual try ever right there.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZScVM8Ta-0

 

[Bernard]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (jawmalawm24 @ Nov 24 2009, 12:38 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Aout @ Nov 24 2009, 04:32 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

And an other injured player for France, Maxime MERMOZ... Now the list of injured players contains MERMOZ,FALL, HARINORDOQUY and PICAMOLES (+ all the others that were already injured before the beginning of the tests).

The good news is that Cedric HEYMANS has been called back.[/b]

I hope he does play was he the one that made that awesome try down our sideline and stepped pass Roks and Mils? If it is the one I'm thinking of it'll be massive to see him play against us again and hopefully put our players on their a#@!$ again.
[/b][/quote]

Yep that is the guy

I'm disapointed that Mermoz can't play ...Would have been good to see him again against strong opposition !

I do not remember if CLERC , who will be playing on saturday , was playing in June in NZ but he can do too some good things , tonic and fast player . JAUZION is uncertain for Saturday too so there is some chances to see a DAVID/MARTY pair of centers (maybe TRAILLE too) DUPUY/TRINH-DUC (like in NZ in June) in 9-10 , HEYMANS/CLERC/MEDARD as wingers and backward.