[2015 RWC] Warm Up Match: France vs England (22/08/2015)

[Irish boy]

I think Corbs will start or at least be on the bench because when he is fully git which I think he is he is one of the best scrummagers in the world. Plus the Australians are still having nightmares about what he did to them in the lions. It's like Sheridan in 2007

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

I think Corbs will start or at least be on the bench because when he is fully git which I think he is he is one of the best scrummagers in the world. Plus the Australians are still having nightmares about what he did to them in the lions. It's like Sheridan in 2007

 

[goodNumber10]

Neil Back getting stuck into the england backrow (wish he'd just disappear):

http://www.skysports.com/rugby-unio...chris-robshaw-not-in-world-top-five-opensides

 

[TobesHodges]

Well everyone knows Robshaw is a 6 but Lancaster plays him at 7.. What a muppet.

 

[ratsapprentice]

Did you guys read the article? - don't think he says anything particularly controversial...

Certainly nothing in there that I'd disagree with - not strongly, anyway.

 

[goodNumber10]

Did you guys read the article? - don't think he says anything particularly controversial...

Certainly nothing in there that I'd disagree with - not strongly, anyway.

of course i read it

i never said it was controversial, just that he's getting stuck in. I don't think he's saying anything many people haven't thought, but I just think the timing is rubbish and he shouldn't be worrying about James Haskells fitness business... just leave him to do his job.

also, it's neil back, and i'm not a fan of him

 

[ZeroTwo]

Thought the world was done with the Robshaw is a 6 thing.

Do you think it'll continue post WC or he could ever switch to blindside?

 

[TobesHodges]

I didn't read it i just called him a muppet, but I'm also bit of a muppet so no harm no fowl

 

[TobesHodges]

Thought the world was done with the Robshaw is a 6 thing.

Do you think it'll continue post WC or he could ever switch to blindside?

I genuinely think if armitage was playing like he is for an English club right now he would be 7 and Robshaw 6..

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I think the bigger talking point is that he thinks Haskell making a handful of Youtube videos a year would distract him from his game.
How many players do distance learning/part time Uni courses and are applauded for it? But because Haskell's spare time goes into his fitness business instead he can barely keep his mind on the game.

 

[ZeroTwo]

Yeah but with a young crowd of flankers coming through (Kvesic, Clifford, Itoje, etc) you don't think Lancasters eye will look further ahead?

 

[NickBD]

Neil Back getting stuck into the england backrow (wish he'd just disappear):

http://www.skysports.com/rugby-unio...chris-robshaw-not-in-world-top-five-opensides

What a confidence booster, stupid timing. Not just him though Matt Dawson, Mike Tindal all seem to be talking a lot and not very kindly either.

I disagree with Back, I know I'm in the minority here but think Robshaw is a world class talent.

 

[j'nuh]

Eh, what do we want, for everyone to be kind to the England squad?

Better to have a range of opinions from the media than totally blinkered all-praise-be to the England team.

 

[nickdnz]

Is it just me, or does anyone else think Dawson is a cracking pundit?

 

[Chistera]

I thought Fofana and Basteruad were out of favour with PSA, they have both said they've been slightly snubbed by the coaches, neither have set the world alight this season, though Fofana is a class act, it would be ridiculous not to play him.. I think your best 9 and 10 is Parra and TD, + i think Krockett is bit of a douche, always getting into fights etc. If I was PSA I wouldn't come away from that partnership, unless getting Tilles-borde in at 9(who had a great season with Toulon).
I think the French have an awesome back row in Le Roux, Pic's and Dusitour(when fit) I think Nyanga is better than Chouly. I think the real weakness in the French team at the moment is the tight 5, especially the second row, Meastri, Pape and Franquri don't have great mobility around the park, I think PSA has to play Vahaamhama(God knows how to spell) to get some kind of balance in that area.
So all in all, its a bit like what everyone has been saying, which is France haven't really built towards this WC and no-one really knows what the best team is, which also makes them unpredictable (as ever) and very dangerous.

Bastareaud is the one out of favour with PSA, because of his playing style -doesn't pass enough-, but still constitently performs with France. Fofana's very much a lock as a starter, the only back with that comfort along Huget. Parra and Trinh-Duc have been our best and logical half-back pairing since 2011 but Saint-André dislikes both and of them, he'd probably rather field Kockott and Michalak. Tillous-Borde sure had a great season but Machenaud was the Top 14's best 9 last season and didn't even make the squad.
We have quite some depth in our back row but Le Roux and Dusautoir are both defensive-minded players and I'd only play Dusautoir, most probably alongside Nyanga who's more well-rounded. Chouly's never been convincing with France, but he's still better as a flanker (his Clermont position) than at 8 (his France position - now back to its rightful owner Picamoles).
Maestri is quality player, Vahaamahina brings some SH physicality to the role but he's likely not to make the final 31, so that's that. Flanquart's good enough though, rather have him than Papé.

 

[The Jones Boy]

Robshaw is a world class player when he is in form, which he generally is, especially when he pulls on an English jersey... but unfortunately for Lancaster he is not, nor will he ever be an open side flanker.
Everything about Robshaw breathes blindside flanker. He's a crash hot no.6 being consistently played out of position.
Lancaster has played him out of position for four years and how much silverware have England garnered in that time frame?
Trouble is, Haskell is the form no.6 in an English shirt and he also brings the element of an enforcer that is lacking in the Pommy pack.

- - - Updated - - -

France.... what a disappointment PSA has been for France.
A wonderful player who had some success at club level as a coach but as the boss of France he has taken the Tri-colours to the lowest point I can remember in the last 40 years.
France look lost.
They look woeful.
The playing staff have loads of individual talent but the management are trying to herd cats instead of letting them play.
Yes France can still do anything on their day but they rarely have a day of that sort under PSA.

 

[goodNumber10]

Eh, what do we want, for everyone to be kind to the England squad?

Better to have a range of opinions from the media than totally blinkered all-praise-be to the England team.

I'm struggling to think of an ex-england player pundit who isn't criticising this team right now.

 

[goodNumber10]

Is it just me, or does anyone else think Dawson is a cracking pundit?

it's just you - kind of.

I find him annoying on TV but he's better on the radio, his chatty geezer style works better. one guy who is really good but doesn't seem to get any worthwhile work is Paul Grayson.

 

[Peat]

I think the bigger talking point is that he thinks Haskell making a handful of Youtube videos a year would distract him from his game.
How many players do distance learning/part time Uni courses and are applauded for it? But because Haskell's spare time goes into his fitness business instead he can barely keep his mind on the game.

Yeah, insofar as it's a talking point, in that Back's quite clearly talking out of his hoop there.

When it comes to his assessments of them as players, I don't make him far wrong if any.

Yeah but with a young crowd of flankers coming through (Kvesic, Clifford, Itoje, etc) you don't think Lancasters eye will look further ahead?

Difficult call. I suspect Lancaster would like to take guys like Robshaw to the next World Cup and he'll make the next generation work sodding hard to displace the current one; I certainly wouldn't be confident in Lancaster going straight for the next generation and that goes double if the World Cup goes bad and he's only got a couple of windows in which to justify his job. Of course, if it goes really well, then how can you dismantle the team when there's 6Ns to be won?

 

[ncurd]

I'm struggling to think of an ex-england player pundit who isn't criticising this team right now.

Brian Moore, Woodward?, Dunno if Wilko counts as a pundit....however all I've really seen is people wade in om the Burgess debate.