actually if you take sides like Munster, Leinster (which is basically Ireland), Toulon, Clermont, and not this year but just some time ago Toulouse (which have a majority of French internationals in their XV including the likes of Picamoles, Dusautoir, Nyanga, Doussain, Huget, Fritz, Fickou) when those sides play their best they're easily at test level. Last year France B crushed the Blues, and that France side wasn't even really good during the game. This year, the Crusaders were missing all their int'ls, and what can I tell you, maybe they're not that great if they lost to England B. So yes, top Heineken Cup sides are of a considerable caliber and FrenchFan's comment is easily sustainable.
Next, France was fielding their best team this morning in Australia ? :lol: in bold, our first choice picks:
15 Brice Dulin,
14 Yoann Huget,
13 Mathieu Bastareaud,
12 Wesley Fofana,
11 Hugo Bonneval, about 5 wingers should be here in stead of this FULLBACK
10 Remi Tales, FTD makes this guy look like a cucumber
9 Maxime Machenaud, PARRA
8 Damien Chouly, PICAMOLES
7 Fulgence Ouedraogo, BURBAN or others
6 Thierry Dusautoir (capt), debatable, still not 100%
5 Yoann Maestri,
4 Alexandre Flanquart,
3 Rabah Slimani,
2 Guilhem Guirado, our third choice
1 Alexandre Menini
And the bench was no better.
But it's interesting that ppl would even mention the concept of "France's full strength team" as it is of the utmost irrelevance. You could add a few All-Blacks in there with a few Springboks if you wanted, it wouldn't change the fact there's no gameplan, no structure, therefor no confidence, therefor everything to be created by the players, therefor no moving forward, no consistency, no constructive approach, no development within matches.
France are basically a Barbarian/World XV side without the traditional explosiveness/try-scoring style those two sides are forced to show.
So it's funny to hear full strength or not full strength because that shows how outsiders are worlds away from seeing the problem or even attempting to.
Finally, about the Top 14 and club priority and all that:
the Top 14 has become such an enormous industry that contains all the local French talent (and it is prolific), tons of int'l foreigners, good/great coaching, no less than 14 (mostly) competitive teams and a potload of CASH. Players spend their entire season playing for their clubs, with the 6N and tours with country now mundane non-realities, and with the growth of the league, so are players more involved.
Clubs have taken over, and the int'l scene for France seems forgotten lore and just a forced attendance every once in a while during the calendar. This coincides with the fact that Saint-André and staff are absolutely miserable at their job and instill nothing constructive, professional or positive to the troops, which are in turn confused and without any sort of certainty whatsoever during matches. They're entirely LOST, directionless because headless. The players in every match need to take initiative upon themselves individually to look for the magical play, and it works sometimes but not always.
Talent certainly isn't lacking in France, if you'd pay just a little attention. And yeah so many foreigners are a problem, but not all a problem and certainly not responsible for France's woes. THERE IS NO REASON FOR THESE PLAYERS TO PLAY SUCH TERRIBLE RUGBY BUT THE COACHING.
you're good. You're really, really good.
