International Sides First XVs

[tituslechmakus]

My French XV, taking into account current injury issues:

1) Menini
2) Kayser
3) Slimani
4) Maestri
5) Flanquart
6) Dusautoir
7) Le Roux
8) Picamoles
9) Parra
10) Lopez
11) Thomas
12) Fickou
13) Fofana
14) Huget
15) Dulin

16) Domingo
17) Szarzewski
18) Atonio
19) Vahaamahina
20) Nyanga
21) Camara
22) Plisson
23) Bastareaud

Come on ... Bastagros is better than Fickou ! And having Fofana n12 and Basta n13 seems to me a much better option ! But being toulousai, you cannot be fair on this one

Having seen Scott Speding in the AI, we can wonder if he wouldn't be better than Dulin ?

 

[Big Ewis]

well yes obviously Fickou-Fofana would clog the ball dead, shut completely. Two crossers who don't pass much when in bleu. Like, at ALL...would rather have Basta in that case who tackles like no one on Earth, plays rucks like an openside, and picks 3 guys on his back each time breaking the line on every ball.

Spedding passes more than Dulin, but Dulin is just magical under the high ball, in pressure moments, and his low center of gravity (and elusive runs) isn't matched by too many fullbacks in the world right now. Spedding does have the huge boot on Dulin, but Dulin's kicking has improved heaps over the years.

 

[canadafan]

I can see why you would want Dala on the bench but leaving out Moonlight from your roster? I like Dala and have a lot of respect for Gilmour but Moonlight is better than both, though Gilmour is probably close right now. If Gilmour did get the start then Moonlight should be the Back Row reserve over Dala every time.

Did you forget a sentence bud haha. Not quite sure how you went from Flankers right to the Locks but I assume it's about me wanting Sinclair to start there since the other non-Cudmore Locks in contention are all fairly unimpressive right now. I like Phelan more than Hotson or Buekeboom but he is turning 29 next month and I'm not sure how much more he can really improve. Hotson isn't going to get any better than he is right now and should be a reserve instead of a starter. Buekeboom probably impresses me the least of the three right now but he still has a couple more years to catch up as he only turned 25 a couple months back. I think Cam Pierce(23) and Evan Olmstead(23/24) are the future at Lock after the RWC. Both are young and real talented, though Olmstead needs to bulk up.

If Underwood was healthy and on form then it's a no-brainer to have him start. Unfortunately it's looking like Harry Jones is coming to England instead and I've made it no secret how I feel about Jones playing XVs. I would gladly approve of Braid moving to 12(where he's best suited) even if it bumps Mackenzie to the bench. I'd keep Hearn over Trainor though. Trainor may be younger but I find Hearn to still be better/more versatile while also being one of the best boots Canada has.

Moonlight's play this past November really soured me and to me, he is either a 'starter or not in the line up type.' I think we would get more impact from the bench with Dala then him. Our lock (lack of them) stock is directly affecting the back row as Sinclair has to move. Olmstead, if he makes it to the NSMT, is a 6. He is simply not tall enough to play internationally at lock. Pierce is the big unknown, not sure why he can't get any game time at his club in France. Beukeboom is still very young, for a lock, so the jury is still out on him. I have noticed that his work rate did improve a lot this November, but the scrum did suffer when he was on.

As for the backs. Trainor has an x factor that Hearn doesn't, but can be very inconsistent.

 

[CarferFragen]

I chose an experienced team, considering that the first match will play against the All Blacks:

01 - AYERZA MARCOS
02 - CREEVY AGUSTÃN
03 - FIGALLO JUAN
04 - GALARZA MARIANO
05 - LAVANINI TOMÃS
06 - MATERA PABLO
07 - FERNÃNDEZ LOBBE JUAN MARTÃN
08 - LEGUIZAMÃ"N JUAN MANUEL
09 - CUBELLI TOMÃS
10 - SÃNCHEZ NICOLÃS
11 - AGULLA HORACIO
12 - HERNÃNDEZ JUAN MARTÃN
13 - BOSCH MARCELO
14 - IMHOFF JUAN
15 - TUCULET JOAQUÃN


16 - CORTESE MATÃAS
17 - NOGUERA PAZ LUCAS
18 - HERRERA RAMIRO
19 - ALEMANNO MATÃAS
20 - SENATORE LEONARDO
21 - LANDAJO MARTÃN
22 - GONZÃLEZ IGLESIAS SANTIAGO
23 - GONZÃLEZ AMOROSINO LUCAS

 

[Chistera]

Come on ... Bastagros is better than Fickou ! And having Fofana n12 and Basta n13 seems to me a much better option ! But being toulousai, you cannot be fair on this one

Having seen Scott Speding in the AI, we can wonder if he wouldn't be better than Dulin ?

Fickou may be swapped with Mermoz or Dumoulin depending on their form, but I really like Basta coming off the bench at the start of the second half, always makes an immediate impact, hurting the opponent's defense and galvanizing his teammates with brutal hits and strong tackles.

I'd still like to see more of Fickou, he's the future at center for France but hasn't been given much of a chance since his winning try at the Stade de France against the English.

I do prefer Dulin to Spedding, may it be only aesthetically , but as Big Ewis says he really can produce some magic, and I can't resist to combination of Thomas, Dulin and Huget: a creative and speedy back three and a constant offensive threat in my opinion (even though improvements could be made individually of the defensive end...).