2014 Six Nations: France vs Italy (Round 2)

[Mumbles119]

Just got to watch the match when returning home. Frustrated to watch a dull and stop/start 1st half. Got all excited for the first 15 mins of second half, then just plain confused watching a soap opera of cards and personnel changes.

Glad Bonneval got a try on his debut. Fofana was again, a very classy operator. But Bastareaud looked toothless, just bashing and crashing to little effect. Maybe Fickou should be given a start to create a potentially missing link between Fofana and the back three.

PS is Fritz over injury yet? Or available soon?

 

[Big Ewis]

Would've liked to see Fickou enter earlier at least here....could've been very dangerous for the Italians, Fofana-Fickou.
Yes, was very happy for Bonneval too - just like Guitoune, a try for his first cap !

Fritz still is on the injury list for both Toulouse and the XV...no news right now. Statistically, much more efficient than Basta...we miss him, clearly. I really do think Basta should be given a role as impact player off the bench, not that there's anything 'shameful' in that. I'd have liked to see Vincent Debatty this tournament as well, in stead of Forestier speaking of powerful ball carrying impact players...

 

[FrenchFan]

Would've liked to see Fickou enter earlier at least here....could've been very dangerous for the Italians, Fofana-Fickou.
Yes, was very happy for Bonneval too - just like Guitoune, a try for his first cap !

Fritz still is on the injury list for both Toulouse and the XV...no news right now. Statistically, much more efficient than Basta...we miss him, clearly. I really do think Basta should be given a role as impact player off the bench, not that there's anything 'shameful' in that. I'd have liked to see Vincent Debatty this tournament as well, in stead of Forestier speaking of powerful ball carrying impact players...

yeah imagine that Fritz is injured and what a player he is. He is a pocket battleship Florian. I've seen him kick series of 40m penos in training like there's no tomorrow. He kicked a 40m in the final of Top14 2 years ago. And Fickou Fickou Fickou O my my. We give them Bastareaud now, because we want them to have something to tackle. But with Gael it'll be like trying to taclke the WIND !

 

[Mumbles119]

Could there ever be a Guitone - Dulin - Bonneval back three?

 

[Big Ewis]

We give them Bastareaud now, because we want them to have something to tackle. But with Gael it'll be like trying to taclke the WIND !

lol you talk about Basta like he's some kind of big steak with legs "we give them Bastareaud". Fickou is just 19-20, that's just awesome. Imagine when he puts on a big more muscle, gets more battle scars...and we use him with Fofana to start at midfield.

Could there ever be a Guitone - Dulin - Bonneval back three?

Hmmm, not any time soon. Dulin is there to stay, he's just been good in every single test match at 15. And though Guitoune to me is a must at one wing-spot, the other should belong to Huget. He's just been excellent so far, and offers thickness at the wing that we need. Bonneval is a little too light, and we'd have two light-weights on the wings. We need some seasoned meat for good defense, Guitoune+Bonneval is just too young, too risky. Fully healthy, I say France should go 11.Guitoune 12.Fofana 13.Fritz 14.Huget 15.Dulin.

 

[Draggs]

France haven't had a big wing since Malzieu or Rougerie. Clerc, Heymans, Palisson were all under 6' IIRC.
Whatever happened to Malzieu? He was popular, faded away, came back a few seasons back with PSA and again faded away.

 

[Maverick1987]

Guys please tell me there is a TRF award for most bull**** talked in one thread ! Ewis talks about BIG loose forwards then puts hopper in his world XV . Then compares all black 2013 team to 2014 French team ! Most things he says is laughable but this is damn right arrogant .

 

[Chikwa]

Glad to see the French winning. It is good for world rugby. Les Bleus are still very much work in progress but at least their getting their belief back .

 

[gaston le gaff]

EXCELLENT the "100 year war" is obviously alive and kicking, just wonder what the comments would have been if France had won by only 8 pts like Wales did against Italy:
just a few of your illustrious remarks, Terrible, Boring, Rubbish today, Wind your heads in, etc etc. France won by 20pts and where leading 30-3 with minutes to go with only 13 on the park and still Italy had difficulty scoring their only try.
If its not the French National team its the too much money thread of the TOP 14, France beat England, get over it it is now classed as history.
Why not start a new thread, Hate the French aned the Rich TOP 14!!! COULD BE AMUSING, ne c'est pas You could all go for your lives its all getting a bit thin and very petty reminds we of school playtime many years ago and such comments as "my dad is bigger than your dad etc.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I thought this was a forum for rugby and not personal insults against the luvable FROGS!!!! maybe i'm wrong.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

"France beat England, get over it" is now the equivalent of a toddler screaming "I know you are but what am I?!".
You do realise Draggs is Welsh? Why would he care if England lost?
Maybe, just maybe, France weren't as amazing as you claim they were yesterday.

 

[gaston le gaff]

"France beat England, get over it" is now the equivalent of a toddler screaming "I know you are but what am I?!".
You do realise Draggs is Welsh? Why would he care if England lost?
Maybe, just maybe, France weren't as amazing as you claim they were yesterday.

Read again, where is the word amazing or i referring to them being amazing, and whether Draggs is Welsh or not did he or did he not write the comment, maybe also he could comment himself or is this another team spirit UK, this defeat obviously hurts more than i ever realised.

 

[Darwin]

France haven't had a big wing since Malzieu or Rougerie. Clerc, Heymans, Palisson were all under 6' IIRC.
Whatever happened to Malzieu? He was popular, faded away, came back a few seasons back with PSA and again faded away.

Please TFR DRAGGS, Frances last big win was yesterday they scored 30 points which i believe can not be bettered so far in the 6 Nationq this season. If its not the French National team its the too much money thread of the TOP 14, France beat England, get over it it is now classed as history........

Though it is entirely possible Draggs is part of an anti-French UK cult, I think it is more likely he was simply commenting on the fact that France have not had big wings since Malzieu or Rougerie....

 

[gaston le gaff]

Sorry my mistake i read big win Malzieu has been injured for some time and only came back a few weeks ago, but i do not think he is a part of PSA plans for France and the next World Cup, he is not a regular with Clermont now they have the Fijians and not sure but i think they are not renewing his contract again next season. MUST CLEAN MY GLASSES!!!!!!!!

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Read again, where is the word amazing or i referring to them being amazing, and whether Draggs is Welsh or not did he or did he not write the comment, maybe also he could comment himself or is this another team spirit UK, this defeat obviously hurts more than i ever realised.

France beat England, get over it

 

[Big Ewis]

*sighhhhh* this is all this thread could conjure since I last was on here ?...

errrr, yeah so:
Draggs well I don't know if you can say that about France. We did play Benjamin Fall for example, and Guitoune is the same height (1m86). Huget of course is tall at 1m90.
Bonneval surprisingly is 1m85 tall...
While it's true Médard, Vincent Clerc or esp. Marc Andreu are below the avg. height for wingers.


Anyways, match wasn't perfect and the French attack still isn't where it should be, but 30 points on an Italian team that really challenged the Welsh at home and were very resilient in Paris too and a 20 point victory (I'd predicted 15+) which really should have been more...pretty happy with France overall.

 

[Mrs. Peter Quinn]

So Ewis, whenever England or other sides score from a charge-down or intercept you describe it as 'lucky' and don't really think it counts.

So by your own logic, with 7 of your points coming from an intercept yesterday which doesn't really count, basically you only won 23 - 10 yesterday at home against Italy. Also, one of your tries (Fofana) came from the ball squirting out the side and the Italian defense wasn't really ready for him to run down the side of the pitch like that so I'm not sure that counts either..
16 - 10 at home isn't really that great is it - bit pants actually...

 

[samxara]

 

[Big Ewis]

So Ewis, whenever England or other sides score from a charge-down or intercept you describe it as 'lucky' and don't really think it counts.

So by your own logic, with 7 of your points coming from an intercept yesterday which doesn't really count, basically you only won 23 - 10 yesterday at home against Italy. Also, one of your tries (Fofana) came from the ball squirting out the side and the Italian defense wasn't really ready for him to run down the side of the pitch like that so I'm not sure that counts either..
16 - 10 at home isn't really that great is it - bit pants actually...

 

[gaston le gaff]

So Ewis, whenever England or other sides score from a charge-down or intercept you describe it as 'lucky' and don't really think it counts.

So by your own logic, with 7 of your points coming from an intercept yesterday which doesn't really count, basically you only won 23 - 10 yesterday at home against Italy. Also, one of your tries (Fofana) came from the ball squirting out the side and the Italian defense wasn't really ready for him to run down the side of the pitch like that so I'm not sure that counts either..
16 - 10 at home isn't really that great is it - bit pants actually...

obviously more than one person who is having problems digesting England's defeat...16-10 at home i honestly thought the score was 26-24, long live the 100 year war

 

[Mrs. Peter Quinn]

You really shouldn't be writing on a forum if you can't tell when someone is joking/referring to a past exchange. That's twice now you've gone off on one about le crunch when thats not at issue at all.

Also, its funny that its the French guys on here who seem to place more emphasis on that rivalry. The English posters on here mostly couldn't care less, seeing as when you've got the other home nations queuing up to give you the big right hook and constantly saying stuff like 'Playing and beating England" is every Scotsman/Irishmans/Welshmans dream, you stop having time for the English/French rivalry quite quickly.. I like France as a team and a country so have no particular designs against them and definitely don't begrudge them a victory..