RWC Semi Final: France - Wales (15-08-2011, 21:00)

[TRF_Ezequiel]

Eden Park, Auckland (15-10-2011, 21:00)

​

Referee: Alain Rolland (IRE)
Touch Judge: Jonathan Kaplan (RSA)
Touch Judge: Wayne Barnes (ENG)
TV match official: Giulio De Santis (ITA)


[TABLE="class: grid"]
[TR][TD] France [/TD][TD] [/TD][TD] Wales [/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD] Maxime Médard [/TD][TD] 15 [/TD][TD] Leigh Halfpenny [/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD] Vincent Clerc [/TD][TD] 14 [/TD][TD] George North [/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD] Aurélien Rougerie [/TD][TD] 13 [/TD][TD] Jonathan Davies [/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD] Maxime Mermoz [/TD][TD] 12 [/TD][TD] Jamie Roberts [/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD] Alexis Palisson [/TD][TD] 11 [/TD][TD] Shane Williams [/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD] Morgan Parra [/TD][TD] 10 [/TD][TD] James Hook [/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD] Dimitri Yachvili [/TD][TD] 9 [/TD][TD] Mike Phillips [/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD] Imanol Harinordoquy [/TD][TD] 8 [/TD][TD] Toby Faletau [/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD] Julien Bonnaire [/TD][TD] 7 [/TD][TD] Sam Warburton (c) [/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD] Thierry Dussautoir (c) [/TD][TD] 6 [/TD][TD] Dan Lydiate [/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD] Lionel Nallet [/TD][TD] 5 [/TD][TD] Alun Wyn Jones [/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD] Pascal Pape [/TD][TD] 4 [/TD][TD] Luke Charteris [/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD] Nicholas Mas [/TD][TD] 3 [/TD][TD] Adam Jones [/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD] William Servat [/TD][TD] 2 [/TD][TD] Huw Bennett [/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD] Jean-Baptiste Poux [/TD][TD] 1 [/TD][TD] Gethin Jenkins [/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD] [/TD][TD] [/TD][TD] [/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD] Dimitri Szarzewski [/TD][TD] 16 [/TD][TD] Lloyd Burns [/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD] Fabien Barcella [/TD][TD] 17 [/TD][TD] Paul James [/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD] Julien Pierre [/TD][TD] 18 [/TD][TD] Bradley Davies [/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD] Louis Picamoles [/TD][TD] 19 [/TD][TD] Ryan Jones [/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD] Francois Trinh-Duc [/TD][TD] 20 [/TD][TD] Lloyd Williams [/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD] David Marty [/TD][TD] 21 [/TD][TD] Stephen Jones [/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD] Cédric Heymans [/TD][TD] 22 [/TD][TD] Scott Williams [/TD][/TR]
[/TABLE]

 

[beerholder]

I see a lot of tries in this one

 

[Saintjay]

Not if Wales defend like today

I will start the ball rolling I am going to go for Wales. Not just because France beat my team England. I think Wales really think they are going to get to the final.

I want to know what happend at the boot camp for two weeks in Poland, they went in as an average team and came out as rugby playing machines.

With the rugby Wales have played providing they get this game right they deserve to be there. Some thing would not sit right for me with a team having lost twice make it to the final.

 

[no-1-rugby-fan]

Wales to win this one, if they can maintain any where near the performance levels so far of the World Cup.The match is Wales to give away in my opinion.

 

[TrueSlawter]

If Wales play the same way they did against Ireland we should win this to be fair.. either way im just hoping Walkabout will be fecking open to go watch it live xD

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Going for Wales too - Think they've got it in them to make the final if not go all the way

Looking forward to tomorrow now to see who's likely to make the final on the other side

 

[Me 1]

Are we not getting ahead of our selves Wales! Let's celebrate our win over Ireland for now

 

[Taylo2]

Wales should turn France over.....and for once I hope they do. If I hear Allez Les Blues once more I think I might scream lol.

This young Wales team will go from strength to strength, a new golden generation might just be on the horizon.


Damn that was painful!

 

[dullonien]

Another one that thinks Wales will win this one. However, you can never know with the French. They have the players and the ability to put together 20-30mins of almost unstoppable rugby when they really put their minds to it, as teams have found out in the past. Still, with a strong pack, a massive defense and the ability to score tries, Wales should take this game. I expect it to be a little like the '08 grand slam game, where Wales shut France down and grab a couple of tries to put them through to the final.

Another game I simply can't wait for, hopefully another cracker.

It doesn't look like Wales have picked up any really serious injuries against Ireland. Roberts has a suspected broken nose, but I can't see that stopping him playing tbh. Charteris picked up a shoulder injury, but it didn't look too bad, as he was on the field celebrating at the final whistle with the rest of the boys. I'm expecting a fully fit squad once more, which would be awesome news.

 

[micko85]

Really fancied France to beat England but I reckon Wales will be too much much, Wales outplayed a decent Ireland side they look like they cud even give the mighty All blacks a game.

 

[dullonien]

they look like they cud even give the mighty All blacks a game.

Don't say that. All I can think about now is what if we won the world cup by defeating NZ in the final... Not just winning the WC, but ending a ~55 year loosing streak against NZ. Oh bloody hell, now look what you've done!

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Dullonien needs a change of underwear

 

[Macsen]

France pose absolutely no threat to Wales. The boys could play in sackcloths and they'd still stomp all over France!!! - Chris Robertsattue

Seriously however, Wales should win... which probably means France will win. I just hope France have had their big game this world cup, and will capitulate next weekend. Like Ireland they have a good record against Wales, but like against Ireland when Wales have been at their best (as in 2008 and 2005) we've found a way to win.

I do have a feeling it's just a contest to see who can get walloped by the All Blacks in the final, though.

 

[MichaelBoard]

Really would've preferred to play England rather than France as, no disrespect intended, England's one dimensional and boring style of play would've have played into our hands as it was proven to be their downfall in this tournament. France are unpredictable, the welsh camp will find it harder to analyse them in the week leading up to the game. I just hope that the bad French side turn up today rather than the "throw everything at them" side that beat England today. Honourable mention to England today as despite their shocking first half performance they looked far more assured in the second half and for a while I thought they could pull off the win against the odds, though silly errors meant it wasn't to be.

As for the match next week, as I've said I'm worried about what France will turn up but assuming Wales turn up and perform at the same level and standard that they have done all tournament then we should get the W, however I do see it being closer than the game with the Irish today.

 

[j-dawg]

I hope Wales go the all the way and win the damn thing. Northern Hemisphere rugby needs a good boost.

 

[alexman]

We beat Welsh by 30 points in the last Six Nations, but Wales really impress me today. Can not wait to see this game !
@Taylo2 : sorry, good game
My French team would be;
1 Barcella 9 Yachvili
2 Servat 10 Parra
3 Mas 11 Palisson
4 Nallet 12 Mermoz
5 Pape (or Pierre) 13 Rougerie
6 Dusautoir 14 Clerc
7 Bonnaire 15 Medard
8 Harinordoquy

 

[GreenMask]

I hope Wales go the all the way and win the damn thing. Northern Hemisphere rugby needs a good boost.

I hope France do that.... For the Northern Hemisphere rugby of course

 

[Macsen]

We beat Welsh by 30 points in the last Six Nations

Well 19 points to be accurate. But then England beat you in the Six Nations, as today showed it doesn't really count.

 

[Amobokoboko]

Should be an awesome game. Both teams showed some good stuff today.

 

[cardassian]

Backing Wales in this one, would like to see them in the final.
Should be an open fast game with both team liking to spread the ball out wide.
Who said that running rugby doesn't win knock-out games?