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France vs Scotland - 12/08/23

The probable french squad :
15. Ramos, 14.Penaud, 13. Fickou, 12. Danty, 11. Villiere, 10. Ntamack, 9. Dupont, 7. Ollivon, 8. Alldritt, 6. Boudehent, 5. Flament, 4. Woki, 3. Aldegheri, 2. Marchand, 1. Baille.

Subs :
16. Bourgarit, 17. Gros, 18. Atonio, 19. Chalureau, 20. Cretin ou Tanga, 21. Lucu, 22. Gailleton, 23. Bielle-Biarrey.
 
Scotland are going to get demolished. France won't want to give anyone a sense that they're vulnerable at home before the RWC. This is marker territory.
 
I always hate a 6:2 split.
Unless injury enforced, it always says to me "we expect to lose the forwards battle, and thus the game, so let's try to minimise that loss"

Very rarely does it send me the message "we expect to win the forwards battle, and thus the game, so let's try to exploit that strength"
 
Which Tyler said:
I always hate a 6:2 split.
Unless injury enforced, it always says to me "we expect to lose the forwards battle, and thus the game, so let's try to minimise that loss"

Very rarely does it send me the message "we expect to win the forwards battle, and thus the game, so let's try to exploit that strength"
Click to expand...

I think there's a number of criticisms against a 6:2 split but I don't believe this is a fair one.

If you look at the teams that use them the most they're usually the teams that are considered to have an advantage in the pack and are trying to go all in on it. Certainly I don't think SA or France are ever expecting to lose the forwards battle.
 
I've seen it plenty - at club level and international, from the team expecting to get shamed.
eg. Scotland this weekend and Bath for most of the last 12 months. Even England do it when our pack is underperforming and trying to counter an opponent's strength.

I agree that South Africa and France don't expect to lose the forwards battle*. I disagree that only South Africa and France go with 6:2 splits.

ETA*: I absolutely should remove the "always" though, that I get that message.
 
Last edited:
Predicting a warm up match is a fool's errand, so I will have a shot at it. :p

Put D'Arcy in that squad and I do not have a team in the world beating Scotland by more than 20 home or away. Not even by more than 14 if they actually performed.

Townsend gave Finn the keys to the car back at the 6N after Townsend's November nonsense (presumably an ultimatum if he wanted a contract extension) and they have not looked back since as Finn suits all the Scottish backs more than the game management style Townsend wanted to impose.

This will be a carbon copy of last week but with play at a higher level and with less X-factor for Scotland without D'Arcy meaning they will fall short.

1st half - France by 23
Full time - France by 8
 
6 changes for Scotland, don't have a problem with Graham being rested he has nothing to prove in this game. Would have liked to see Horne maybe get the starting nod at 9, although the Price/Russell combo has some good history behind it, White is a big loss he has been very good recently.

France should be a very different beast this week, Scotland cannot afford to let them run up a lead like we did in the 6N and also last week. Everyone now has had some minutes under their belt, no excuses for not getting upto speed from the beginning. Attack has to be the better weopon against France, they are too good for a defence only victory.
 

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