2014 6 Nations: Wales vs France (Round 3)

[SelimNiai]

does no one at all want to talk about this match ?? :cryy: :cryy:

(ok here's an attempt): so ya Welsh cowards too chicken to even confront this little thread right here, huh ?! You can feel the end of an era, and you know you're going to lose this to some mediocre French side and entirely lose site of the tournament and that so called "three-peat", huh ?! HUH ?!! First side to ever win 3 consecu.....BUUUUULLLLLLLL SHHHHHHHIT !!!!!!!

Not talking about this match ain't gonna make it not happen...ya freakin ostriches. Come on, man up already ! France are coming to town, will beat up your already beaten up forwards, give you a good shove in the scrum, contain your backs and score a few nice ones...albeit off counterball, probably...
just face it, ok...tskkk....

Has anyone told you that youre a loony?

Ive never been called an ostrich before

 

[dullonien]

With Jon Davies definitely out, as well as Beck, the sensible choice would be for Owen Williams to slot in at 13. He and Roberts must have trained a lot together when they were both at the Blues, so there should be some understanding there. The less obvious choice would be North at 13, but that raises the question of who to play on the wing. Liam Williams would be the likely candidate, and tbh he's done quite well on the wing for Wales in the past. I'm still struggling to get past his cheap shot at the death against Ireland though....

I think Gats will go for North at centre myself, as evidenced by North switching against Ireland instead of Hook coming on at centre.

There are a few other positions which should be debated imo (whether or not Gatland will think the same is another matter):

Loosehead prop - Jenkins struggled against Ireland, but has had another 50min for the Blues since. Whether this is enough I don't know. Jenkins needs to be close to full fitness to get the nod over James.
Hooker - this will be debatable, but I'd seriously consider starting Ken Owens. Hibbard has been great recently, but our lineout was a shambles with him throwing in. Owens seemed to improve matters, and the lineout is the main role of a hooker.
Tighthead - I still think Adam Jones is struggling. If he isn't dominating scrum time, then I struggle to see what he adds to the side. Samson Lee should be given an opportunity as he's been by far the best scrummaging tighthead in Wales this season. I thought Rhodri Jones struggled in the scrum when he came on v Ireland.
Lock - Coombs was good ball in hand against Ireland, but imo his work in the tight was lacking, and he's not a prominent lineout jumper. Whilst Charteris looked a little rusty against Italy, I'd still start him v France for his lineout prowess and work rate in the tight.
Backrow - Tips should start. Who partners him at 6, I'd go for Warbs personally. Lydiate gave away far too many penalties v Ireland, and looks off the pace. Warbs wasn't great either, but he looked sharper for the Blues, and I think he offers more than Lydiate.
Scrum half - Webb is really pushing for the spot imo. I know some won't agree, but for me he would really help our offensive game by offering a huge threat around the fringes, freeing up a little space in midfield. I know he's got his flaws (huge flaws when he has an off day), but at the moment his strengths are far outweighing those.
Outside half - Biggar should start. He won't, but he should.

 

[Big Ewis]

About 11 players from France will discover Six Nations action on Saturday from the group of 30, so more than a third. Talès has expressed how excited he is about going to Millennium Stadium, it's like a dream for some of these newly capped players (Talès is 29 yo but newly in the French team).

 

[Big Ewis]

Wales to "front up":
http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,3820_9172332,00.html

France's frontline will likely be this:
1 Domingo
2 Szar
3 Mas
4 Papé
5 Maestri
6 Nyanga
7 Lauret
8 Picamoles

 

[dullonien]

So Bastareaud fit to start against Wales:

FRANCE (v Wales): Brice Dulin; Yoann Huget, Mathieu Bastereaud, Wesley Fofana, Hugo Bonneval; Jules Plisson, Jean-Marc Doussain; Thomas Domingo, Dimitri Szarzewski, Nicolas Mas, Pascal Pape (capt), Yoann Maestri, Yannick Nyanga, Wenceslas Lauret, Louis Picamoles.
Replacements: Brice Mach, Yannick Forestier, Vincent Debaty, Sebastien Vahaamahina, Damien Chouly, Maxime Machenaud, Remi Tales, Gael Fickou

Happy to see the one dimensional Bastareaud start myself, Roberts will deal with him in defence. I'd be much more concerned if Fofana and Fickou were partnering in midfield.

 

[Big Ewis]

^ Welsh backs (Roberts in particular) are too big for a guy like Fickou to start. He'll bring some of his athleticism in the second act, but Basta playing is great news. He'll tire the defense and make the tackles on the other end. Fickou is just still too young to start such a match away from home. We need some meat at midfield Friday night.

Yes here's the French team (in order):
Le XV de départ : Dulin ; Huget, Bastareaud, Fofana, Bonneval ; (o) Plisson, (m) Doussain ; Lauret, Picamoles, Nyanga ; Papé (cap.), Maestri ; Mas, Szarzewski, Domingo.
Les remplaçants : Forestier, Mach, Debaty, Vahaamahina, Chouly, Machenaud, Tales, Fickou

Most probably the best team we could assemble atm given what's available. Would've liked Diarra or Lapandry off the bench at loosie, not sure Chouly brings a whole lot but PSA sure seems to appreciate him a lot...
Bonneval with his second cap, 27 yo hooker Brice Mach (Castres) with his first.

 

[dullonien]

Wales team:

Wales: Leigh Halfpenny (Cardiff Blues), Alex Cuthbert (Cardiff Blues), George North (Northampton Saints), Jamie Roberts (Racing Metro), Liam Williams (Scarlets); Rhys Priestland (Scarlets), Rhys Webb (Ospreys); Gethin Jenkins (Cardiff Blues), Richard Hibbard (Ospreys), Adam Jones (Ospreys), Luke Charteris (Perpignan), Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys), Dan Lydiate (Racing Metro), Sam Warburton (CAPT – Cardiff Blues), Taulupe Faletau (Newport Gwent Dragons).


Replacements: Ken Owens (Scarlets), Paul James (Bath Rugby), Rhodri Jones (Scarlets), Jake Ball (Scarlets), Justin Tipuric (Ospreys), Mike Phillips (Racing Metro), Dan Biggar (Ospreys), James Hook (Perpignan).

So North in the centre, Webb starting, and no changes in the backrow.

I really thought Tipuric would start ahead of either Warburton or Lydiate, disappointed he isn't. Phillips dropped for the first time under Gatland, just hope Webb doesn't have one of his blunder days.

 

[Big Ewis]

that's a lot of MASS on that Welsh team, or to sound more attractive and seductive to this forum, that's a lot of power for sure there.
It will be a huge challenge for France to contain all that mas...err power both up front and in the backs. We'll see how an ultra light-weight duo of Nyanga-Lauret deals with the likes of Lydiate-Warburton at the flank in those rucks.

Funny, last time we played Fofana was out of position, this time it'll be North out of position...we did well defending those huge Welsh backs that day, except on that breach at the end of course....
we'll have to really take everything we can from the boot, and complete every strong movement on attack and get back on defense like crazies and contest as best we can. We don't want Wales overflowing with confidence after a big North try in the first 10 min at home...

Attacking will be our best defense, yep that old saying...if we only defend like last year's fixture, eventually Wales will make that one break at one point in the 80' just out of sheer size and strength and WEIGHT which we don't have at all, especially in the backs. So we've got to seize those opportunities on attack.

 

[Draggs]

Possibly amongst the worst Welsh sides I've seen selected in this tournament. Hook must consider retiring from international rugby if he can't get in now. Webb... Jesus wept. Liability Williams on the wing, how long before he puts in a late off the ball high shot? Is he marking Huget? Good god, the French need to rile him up and then sit back.

 

[Big Ewis]

Possibly amongst the worst Welsh sides I've seen selected in this tournament. Hook must consider retiring from international rugby if he can't get in now. Webb... Jesus wept. Liability Williams on the wing, how long before he puts in a late off the ball high shot? Is he marking Huget? Good god, the French need to rile him up and then sit back.

still, the whole main crew is right there...and it's in MS. Domingo has called that stadium the "one that left the biggest impression on him", as he's one of the rare Frenchmen to have played in 2010 there (our last win in Cardiff).

The two best national anthems amongst Rugby nations, Welsh one being the nicest of the two.

This match will say so much about both teams, each one its own lessons or confirmations respectively. But I'm not buying the whole we've got the momentum advantage bs. They're wounded and know they've got the lineout or defending the mauls to sort, and they're at home. They're almost at full strength, we most certainly aren't, and they've lost ONE game, it's not nearly the end of the world or a streak of any sort that has taken all their vitality and confidence away. Wales are still very much the favorites here.

 

[Kevin Robarts]

Just throwing this out there, Wales are gonna win.

 

[Mrs. Peter Quinn]

Just throwing this out there, Wales are gonna win.

I think you're right - providing Lydiate literally gets off his arse and rolls away from the tackle area a bit quicker! I expected Tipuric and Warburton to play together because of Lydiates penalty count.

 

[Big Ewis]

please continue with the 'Wales wins' predictions. As I've said before, there's a strange cosmic chain reaction the more France are expected to lose a game the better for them. Keep em comin boys, knock yerselves oot !

However: still no voice from the actual Welsh people, only a couple of neutrals so far...c'mon guys....C'MONNNNN !!! Wales by ?

 

[Mumbles119]

As another neutral (sort of, have slight France bias). I agree Ewis, that Wales are favourites.

Not only with home advantage, but with public feedback from Gatland focussed in the forwards (has been generally and individually targeted) needing to front up should create a big response from the Welsh pack.

As a french rugby fan, I also worry about this third game after two wins in a row, being seen as the 'one we can afford to lose' mentality. But I hope to proven wrong, and France develop further again from their England and Italy games, by showing longer and more consistent periods of attacking pressure.

 

[j'nuh]

2-3 years ago, England were serving up some poor 23s whilst Wales were putting out pretty much as good as they had. Nowadays, it feels a little like the opposite.

 

[Big Ewis]

As another neutral (sort of, have slight France bias). I agree Ewis, that Wales are favourites.

Not only with home advantage, but with public feedback from Gatland focussed in the forwards (has been generally and individually targeted) needing to front up should create a big response from the Welsh pack.

As a french rugby fan, I also worry about this third game after two wins in a row, being seen as the 'one we can afford to lose' mentality. But I hope to proven wrong, and France develop further again from their England and Italy games, by showing longer and more consistent periods of attacking pressure.

I wanted to let you know btw; to be serious for once; it takes great courage and integrity for you to admit liking France (the side), let alone downright calling yourself a "french rugby fan". Unless this is all some perfidious plan, a ruse, you conniving Englishman !!!!...

I'm less worried about the intangibles in this game as I am the actual 'tangibles', the Rugby on the pitch. It's bland to repeat, but Wales' size in the third row and in the backs...definitely a big concern for France....basically, Gatland-ball is a big concern for France.
France seem confident enough at this point, but not exceedingly. A lot of youngsters, many new faces to the 6N. We're definitely still looking for our absolute and final identity, and besides all the criticism we can address Saint-André with, the ridiculous amounts of injuries we've had has made it impossible for us to build on continuity and solidify chemistry as we could.
I mean we're intentionally keeping a now perfectly healthy Parra out just because we can't just throw Doussain out, out of nowhere; he's started twice for us, he should stay, to cement some form of regularity. Same with the whole Plisson/Talès/FTD situation: Talès on the bench, not in the 10 jersey.

So about the attacking: France can't, like other nations, just play the forwards and then use the backs to finish plays off. We're going to attempt some attacking throughout the entire 80', but it's this strange situation where it's the opposite of what I just described that happens.
Wait gtg, might finish this later.

 

[Big Ewis]

Shane Williams: "Most of the games I will remember when I'm old and grey in my nursing home will involve the French"
http://www.espnscrum.com/six-nations-2014/rugby/story/215419.html

 

[Maverick1987]

Wales aren't favourites for this .

I've got France down to win by 2 scores purely because the front rows are so lop sided . Adam jones doesn't have the aura he had as recently as the summer last year . Gethin Jenkins is quite simply over the hill and unless Hibbard can get his line out sorted gats really needs to look at someone else .
AWJ has been ok
Lydiate gives away 3-5 penalties a game and Warburton is playing very poorly at the moment
Faletau is the only member of the wales pack at the moment that deserves his place 100%

 

[Big Ewis]

(inspired from a French article): let's have a look at some of the main matchups:

- front row: a bunch of caps for the starters on both sides. Domingo+Szar+Mas for a total of 175 caps VS Jenkins+Hibbard+Jones for a total of 221 caps.

- Picamoles vs Faletau at no.8: two bulldozers. Picamoles more massive, bigger but Faletau quite the tackle breaker himself with his Tongan style.

- Fofana/Basta vs Roberts/North: a pivotal point for the game. The Welsh midfield will have to make sure they tackle hard on Basta each time and look out for a constant threat in Fofana, while on the French side we can't miss a single tackle coz then it's almost certainly a try at the other end, so huge pressure for us on defense.

- Dulin vs Halfpenny: HP hasn't been on top form recently so this is a perfect rebound opportunity. Doesn't nearly offer as much in-game as Dulin who's got that low center of gravity and has beaten the most defenders I believe in the 6N so far. Both are excellent under the high ball, haven't seen Dulin falter in those duties a single time, very dexterous.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

The centre battle is really interesting for this one, size vs size and a world class player for each, although North is world class as a winger. It'll be interesting to see if Wales attempt to introduce something to catch Basteraud, or a black John Hayes who can move as Ronan O'Gara dubbed him on RTÉ, out. I think Wales have the advantage in this one, their players are used to beating France but if France are to win I think it'll be a bit of Wesley Fofana magic to do it.