[RWC2019][Pool C] Round 1 - France vs. Argentina (21/09/2019)

[TRF_heineken]

Venue: Ajinomoto Stadium
Time: 09:15 CAT (SA, GMT+2)​

 

[Reiser99]

Another big game to start. Both teams potentially playing for a quarter final place here.

 

[Every Time Ref]

Another big game to start. Both teams potentially playing for a quarter final place here.

Yeah slightly overlooked next to the "Big Matches" in other pools, but in many ways this is THE crucial tie of the first round, because it's the only pool with three teams gunning for two spots (outside of upset scenarios.)

I want Argentina to win because they're my second team and I've always had a soft spot for them.

I also want Argentina to win because as an England fan, whoever loses this will he left in a situation where they HAVE to beat England ... I see Argentina responding dangerously to that do or die scenario, I see France as more likely to tail off following a defeat. (I look forward to this post being my epitaph when France beat us into third place...)

 

[Leinster Fan]

This is the biggest game of the round for me, either team loses this and they're already not far off a disaster tournament.

Ireland v Scotland and especially NZ v SA will probably be better games but they're more important from a psychological point of view than actual effects on the tournament (although Ireland losing would send the media into disaster territory).

 

[Rinkadink]

Game of the first round IMO, it's massive.

No idea who's going to take it or even what kind of game it's going to be. Really looking forward to this one.

 

[Every Time Ref]

"You never know which France is going to turn up"

Lol jk

France will start strongest, bosh their way to an early lead whilst also blowing quite a lot of chances through bad decisions. Argentina will finish stronger.

Final winner is anyone's guess for me

 

[petite]

have no idea how this is gonna go! hope we can do it. we desperately need this cos we have little chances to beat England atm

 

[Kapa O Pango]

This will either be a try fest or full 80 mins of non stop scrummaging.

 

[rugga658]

Best game of the Group stages as it has the most on the line

Essentially Win or You're Going home in Week 1

Can't see with either team beating England at this point

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Best game of the Group stages as it has the most on the line

Essentially Win or You're Going home in Week 1

Can't see with either team beating England at this point

Only now realizing this. Pool of death indeed.

 

[justanargie]

Yes, playoff match this one, like playing a round of 16 the first game of the WC.

Honestly don't know what to expect regarding the development of the game itself, maybe we have a conservative close contest the first half, with the team making the less mistakes taking the lead. The kicking should be very important in that case. I'm quite confident that we can make it.

 

[Gena_ZA]

Got this feeling France will be dominant, like only them can be at a World Cup

 

[Rinkadink]

Best game of the Group stages as it has the most on the line

Essentially Win or You're Going home in Week 1

Can't see with either team beating England at this point

Both are capable of beating England, the question is will they? England should take both matches but it's far from a given and I wouldn't be surprised to see an upset or two.

 

[rugga658]

Los Pumas training Formation Yesterday ( via Paul Tait )

1 Tetaz 2 Creevy 3 Figallo

4 Petti 5 Lavanini

6 Matera 7 Kremer 8 Ortega Desio

9 Cubelli 10 Sánchez

12 de la Fuente 13 Orlando

11 Moyano 14 Moroni

15 Boffelli


16 Montoya 17 Vivas 18 Medrano 19 Alemanno 20 Lezana

21 Ezcurra 22 Urdapilleta 23 Carreras

 

[mosfeldt]

Both are capable of beating England, the question is will they? England should take both matches but it's far from a given and I wouldn't be surprised to see an upset or two.

If England play the way they have against us and NZ last year, neither teams will come close. Unfortunately I think Argentina will win this, France haven't turned up in many, many years. I don't think a few weeks extra pep is going to change that but I dearly hope I'm wrong.

 

[Every Time Ref]

If England play the way they have against us and NZ last year, neither teams will come close. Unfortunately I think Argentina will win this, France haven't turned up in many, many years. I don't think a few weeks extra pep is going to change that but I dearly hope I'm wrong.

Yeah but England are also capable of playing like absolute shite (see 2nd half Vs Scotland). We always have the rugby equivalent of a batting collapse in us. Either side at their best is good enough to make that happen

 

[Scotty]

Is vakatawa an OC now? And with raka on the wing it could prove very strong in attack. And Penaud has been decent in the times ive seen him, the french really could put up a good fight and get the win here.

 

[Cruz_del_Sur]

We're gonna destroy them. Every single one of them. They will have to pick up the pieces of french players from the ground with a spatula after we're done with them.


Sometimes you have to face life with the optimism of an arsenal fan.

 

[Not Eddie Jones]

Yeah but England are also capable of playing like absolute shite (see 2nd half Vs Scotland). We always have the rugby equivalent of a batting collapse in us. Either side at their best is good enough to make that happen

I'm still not sure how much that 2nd half vs Scotland really counts for. After Ireland's capitulation to Wales earlier in the day, England entered that game knowing they could finish no higher than 2nd nor lower than 2nd in the 6 Nations table, regardless of the outcome. They then cruised to 31-0 up. They seemed to then switch off, thinking job done, tournament over, we finished second, let's go home. And promptly gave up 6 tries. Would England have collapsed in the 2nd half if it had been a match that actually mattered, with the ***le on the line, say? Obviously it's impossible to tell, but I'm not sure how much we can read into a match that for England was a meaningless dead rubber.

 

[rugga658]

Is vakatawa an OC now? And with raka on the wing it could prove very strong in attack. And Penaud has been decent in the times ive seen him, the french really could put up a good fight and get the win here.

AFAIK Vakatawa has been play #13 for Racing 92 since start of Last season

Been excellent Part of a deadly backline w/ Imhoff Russell Thomas Zebo

French are stacked with #13: Fickou Guitone Vakatawa Penaud

French Outside backs are excellent though Ramos is flaky &
Raka has put on weight & lost some of his dynamism and explosiveness