[2015 Six Nations] France vs Wales (Round 3)

[Draggs]

I'm interested to hear if any Welsh fans think Gatland needs to go? I have a Welsh friend and he is so frustrated by Gatland, yet when I ask him if he thinks Gats should be sacked, he says no way, because there is way too much silverware to show.

I do. Sure he won two grand slams, but put it in perspective and look at the state of the other countries.
We had the easiest World Cup path and still blew it.
Stagnant gameplan, has not evolved at all.
Satisfied with 'we got close' 'take positives' etc.

 

[Every Time Ref]

I agree. Fofana / Lamerat to start with Bastereaud replacing either one of them 60mins in when the bench comes on and the French team turns into a human bulldozer. Fofana and Bastereaud are both good player but sadly have no chemistry together what so ever!

I'm really not a big fan of Bastareaud, I think he'd be a pretty formidable bench player though.

 

[Ospreylian]

I'm interested to hear if any Welsh fans think Gatland needs to go? I have a Welsh friend and he is so frustrated by Gatland, yet when I ask him if he thinks Gats should be sacked, he says no way, because there is way too much silverware to show.

Gatland is by no means perfect, but I have never been keen on the way lots of people seem to shift so much of the blame onto him after a poor Wales game. The Welsh public are quick to forget the good times and dwell far too long on the bad. Yes we have only beaten southern hemi sides twice under him, but I am personally willing to forgive the close calls as a lot of them have been very unlucky. I think what Gatland seems to do well is galvanize teams and give them self-belief - I believe that was a major part in Wales turning around their 2013 campaign and beating England so comfortably in that final game, and the same for the last Lions test. It may not have worked as well for Wales against the SH, but the team has come incredibly close on multiple occasions and there hasn't been much in it.

I've wondered for the past few years if Rob Howley is the weak link. Wales have improved immensely in defense under Shaun Edwards, so he isn't a problem. Gatland has made odd calls over the years and may have got things wrong at times or said strange/cocky things, but I'm not so sure he is entirely to blame for the way in which Wales seem to have stagnated. I feel like Wales' attacking game is the primary area in which the team has not improved upon (or perhaps even gone backwards) since 2012. So this brings me to Howley and why the public rarely seems to hold him to account.

Hypothetically I would love to see Howley replaced with a more imaginative attack coach and see what they could do with Gatland and Edwards. But I can't see that happening. The more likely scenario is that Howley will succeed Gatland as head coach when he eventually stands down (which seems more and more like after the world cup now, after todays' comments following Roger Lewis' announcement of departure)

Personally, I think he'll leave after the World Cup anyway. I have never felt he was such a bad coach I wanted him to step down, personally. I don't know, maybe it's because I'm in a good mood with him for excluding Cuthbert from the 23

 

[ae15]

I do. Sure he won two grand slams, but put it in perspective and look at the state of the other countries.
We had the easiest World Cup path and still blew it.
Stagnant gameplan, has not evolved at all.
Satisfied with 'we got close' 'take positives' etc.

I'm not sure about that at all. We were exceptional in that World Cup and only didn't beat France because Warburton was sent off, we were all over them in the first 20 minutes. Considering how badly we had been playing in the two years before that, losing in that way was still a fantastic achievement. If you're going to critisise Gatland it has to be because of his lack of versatility or his reluctance to start form flair players, imo you certainly can't critisise him on his silverware record.

 

[Every Time Ref]

I think what Gatland seems to do well is galvanize teams and give them self-belief - I believe that was a major part in Wales turning around their 2013 campaign and beating England so comfortably in that final game, and the same for the last Lions test. It may not have worked as well for Wales against the SH, but the team has come incredibly close on multiple occasions and there hasn't been much in it.

From the outside, it's true that Welsh poor form rarely seems to last long - personally, I've privately come to the opinion that Gatland's Wales are finally over on more than one ocassion (including at the moment ... ) and been wrong every time (let's see this time ... ). Gatlandball does work. It doesn't work every time, and it's limited, but it overall it works. It just depends whether you think the same group of players would be more successful without Gatlandball as with it? I probably don't know enough about Welsh rugby to comment on that, but I know that when it clicks it is scary.

I don't know, maybe it's because I'm in a good mood with him for excluding Cuthbert from the 23

That's enough to put anyone in a good mood, except a Frenchman!

 

[Irishkid]

I'm interested to hear if any Welsh fans think Gatland needs to go? I have a Welsh friend and he is so frustrated by Gatland, yet when I ask him if he thinks Gats should be sacked, he says no way, because there is way too much silverware to show.

They won't sack him till after the World Cup.

 

[ncurd]

Yeah but one of those grand slams was just as he got hold of the team. Arguably that's another win when he was off with Lions however.

I don't like the mind games him and Edwards bleed on about. Warrenball is a terrible form of the game and is fairly uninteresting to watch...

Eh I've never been convinced by the way this Welsh team plays an grand slams are the anomaly in the results rather than 4th places and SH record.

I think they'd do a lot better under a different coach.

 

[bw245]

I'm not sure about that at all. We were exceptional in that World Cup and only didn't beat France because Warburton was sent off, we were all over them in the first 20 minutes. Considering how badly we had been playing in the two years before that, losing in that way was still a fantastic achievement. If you're going to critisise Gatland it has to be because of his lack of versatility or his reluctance to start form flair players, imo you certainly can't critisise him on his silverware record.

I think the Warbs red card was justified. I know many will disagree, but that can't be a reason for why they didn't win.

 

[Tony Manx]

I think the Warbs red card was justified.

Please not again............

 

[Rugga-lad]

I'm sure Le Blues can win this game. If they just stick to the basics.

 

[The Man]

So it's Lamerat in the end. And Kayser, and Guitoune, the rest as expected.

FRANCE : Dulin â€" Huget, Lamerat, Fofana, Guitoune â€" (o) Lopez, (m) Parra â€" Chouly, Le Roux, Dusautoir (cap) â€" Maestri, Taofifenua â€" Slimani, Guirado, Ben Arous

Remplaçants : Kayser, Atonio, Debaty, Suta, Goujon, Tillous-Borde, Talès, Bastateaud

 

[Every Time Ref]

And Parra finally starting! That looks like a much better French side, I think the right calls from PSA

 

[The Man]

And Parra finally starting! That looks like a much better French side, I think the right calls from PSA

Given the 30 that he had selected, I'm ok with the 15 he chose. I only wonder if it would be time to think past Dusautoir. When you see the season Lauret has been having...
And as I said before, I think it is important that PSA has included Suta and Plisson in the starting squad, as it puts some pressure on Tales and Chouly, the two weakest points in this 23 imo.

 

[TheSaffycen]

In fairness Dusautoir has been brilliant. That is one hell of a strong team, who knows I think France by 6.

 

[Chistera]

Good backline selection by Saint-André, Fofana and Bastareaud can't play together, and even though Bastareaud has been playing well Fofana will be paired with his club teammates Parra and Lopez, this 9-10-12 combination shouldn't lack any complementarity for once.
I like the forwards too, slightly concerned about the offensive threat that our flankers, Dusautoir and Le Roux, and n.8, Chouly, pose. Dusautoir and Le Roux are both defensively-minded at first, and Chouly hasn't been too impressive recently. Hoping that Picamoles will be back soon. Also, Nyanga should have been on the bench, not the inexperienced and unproven Goujon.

 

[Maverick1987]

I'm not sure about that at all. We were exceptional in that World Cup and only didn't beat France because Warburton was sent off, we were all over them in the first 20 minutes. Considering how badly we had been playing in the two years before that, losing in that way was still a fantastic achievement. If you're going to critisise Gatland it has to be because of his lack of versatility or his reluctance to start form flair players, imo you certainly can't critisise him on his silverware record.

You didn't win the semi final against France because you didn't kick your kicks it's literally as simple as that . The team got you in a position to win and they didn't get the 3 pointers when it mattered .

 

[French TommyGun]

I think this looks like a very strong team with a powerful bench to come on at the end. The Clermont 8-9-10-12 channel is bound to help as well! Hopefully it'll help with the set piece at the back of the scrum. Very very happy that Parra is finally back in the France number 9 jersey where he belongs! I think (and hope!) that France will win this one! If we can't run in at least 1 or 2 tries with the likes Huget, Guitaune, Dulin, Fofana and Lamerat then I'm afraid we just never will!

 

[Tony Manx]

And Parra finally starting! That looks like a much better French side, I think the right calls from PSA

Doubt it was PSA!!!!

Good team AT LAST!!

 

[gaston le gaff]

Doubt it was PSA!!!!

Good team AT LAST!!

On paper it looks ok and probably as good as it gets with the injuries etc making some players unavailable, my one concern is Lopez he never crosses the gain line and rids himself of the ball far too quickly, giving the defence an easy time in drifting across to finish with 2 or 3 against the French winger, maybe i'm just seeing FTD doing exactly the opposite!!! At least with Parra at 9 the distribution will be much slicker and he commands well from the base of the scrum. Dulin always dangerous on the counter attack and good to see Lamerat getting his chance again. Weak points for me Lopez (although there is no one else) and Huget not my favouite!!!

 

[tituslechmakus]

You didn't win the semi final against France because you didn't kick your kicks it's literally as simple as that . The team got you in a position to win and they didn't get the 3 pointers when it mattered .

That's right, France did not win this match, Wales lost it ! They've had 2 opportunities to drop goal in the last 10 minutes but didn't take their chance ... We did an awful match that day ...

- - - Updated - - -

On paper it looks ok and probably as good as it gets with the injuries etc making some players unavailable, my one concern is Lopez he never crosses the gain line and rids himself of the ball far too quickly, giving the defence an easy time in drifting across to finish with 2 or 3 against the French winger, maybe i'm just seeing FTD doing exactly the opposite!!! At least with Parra at 9 the distribution will be much slicker and he commands well from the base of the scrum. Dulin always dangerous on the counter attack and good to see Lamerat getting his chance again. Weak points for me Lopez (although there is no one else) and Huget not my favouite!!!

I'm really lost and don't know anymore what to think of that team ... On the paper, we've got good players, as always ... But when it comes to the pitch, we always do 15 knock on per match, have no attacking intentions, no gameplan ... and finally, we loose ...