[2015 Six Nations] France

[FrenchFan]

there is another 3 rounds of Top 14 + 2 pool games in CC before this kicks off. How many of the above players will be left standing?

 

[Chistera]

Then, for scrumhalves *right now* for France, in order I'd probably go something like:
1 Kockott
2 Tillous-Bordes
3 Parra (just returning from injury)
4 Machenaud
5 Bézy

And then any of Lesgourgues, Doussain, Audy, Paillaugue, Pélissié, Escande...

Individually speaking and regardless of the n.10 to play along:

1. Parra/Kockott
2. Machenaud
3. Tillous-Bordes
4. Pélissié
5. Bézy

For Pélissié, his move to Toulon could permit him to regain his form from last season's first months, when he scored a string of impressive solo tries and impressed all. From Grenoble to Montpellier and now on to Toulon, his progress has been constant, I reckon he could seriously challenge Tillous-Bordes for the starter at La Rade and achieve constistency in the levels of excellency he displayed a year ago.
I also think that Machenaud and Tillous-Bordes being approximately the same type of "sturdy" pack-leading scrumhalves, I'd pick Machenaud over T-B for his youth and his better defense.

Now with Lopez at 10:
1. Parra
2. Machenaud
3. Tillous-Bordes
4. Kockott
5. Bézy

Lesgourgues-Lopez would also be an interesting duo, they've got that similar UBB attacking mentality and they could be very complementary. Won't probably have time to try it out before the WC though.
Lopez being a creative 10 who likes to dictate the play, a classic "feeder" scrumhalf would best suit him, so no Kockott.

 

[Big Ewis]

^ interesting comments. I'm liking you here, DON'T GO !!!

Pélissié and MP took off at the start of last year, they were magnificent. But then, although their good quality stayed through, Pélissié gradually became more and more of a second option to Paillaugue really. Probably the latter's better consistency over the former's. Transformers. No sorry, just former's. So Pélissié is on and off, a true French player. Flair, but not the same every weekend, not the same accuracy and rigor in play. I remember thinking he was our best 9 for a while, but then gradually forgot about him.
With TB, you get quick release of the ball. He won't mount you and realize a spectacular attacking scheme, or have that Fabien Galthié/Pélissié "fougue" and glitter in his eye and make the sneaky scrumhalf clean break or change direction maliciously, but he'll release quickly and insure clinical play, which we direly needed in this coachless/directionless team where the only talents of our individuals are left to themselves and nothing behind. It's what's worked in Toulon, la Rade, and so it can work anywhere, provided the rest of the attack follows (as it has, in places, last November).

Just wait for Parra to return to his full level capability. He can Lopez, right now, insure playmaking and quality halfback play.
On paper, the very best per position individually for me: Kockott Trinh-Duc.

 

[Wendigo7]

1. Chiocci
2. Szarcewski
3. Slimani
4. Pape
5. Taofifenua
6. Nyanga
7. Dusatoir
8. Picamoles (fecking drools at the backrow*)
9. Pelissie
10. Lopez
11. Thomas
12. Bastauraud
13. Fofana
14. Huget
15. Dulin

The team I'd personally go with. In reality Pelissie won't be the 9 come what may but he's a personal preference.

There's some decent players in there, just think the tight 5 could get exposed in the wider spaces against the better sides and tire. Decent side, not coached very well though which is a shame.

Ireland is the BIG game for France this year. **** the rest, Ireland in the 6Ns and in the WC is the game France must target to have a modicum of success and confidence.

 

[gaston le gaff]

Just like to think you are all jealous the bankero ( Societe Generale) has invited us (the boss and myself) to the France v Scotland game in Paris ( yeah i know someone has to watch Scotland) so that could be a good weekend in Paris. drinkies before and dinner and more drinkies after, such a nice bank i have!!!!!!!!!

 

[Big Ewis]

Ireland is the BIG game for France this year. **** the rest, Ireland in the 6Ns and in the WC is the game France must target to have a modicum of success and confidence.

there's no doubt on my mind, in fact it's almost factual knowledge rather than opinion; that France can beat Ireland in Dublin out of nowhere with merely a semblance of a game plan, and then get torn to pieces in the pool some months later at the WC by that same Irish team, or vice versa. Confidence comes and goes, like a bizarrely staggering ever-flowing stream, for France. They have always ever needed a day to come out like lions after being puppies, or they can lose their dynamic in just one week and concede the strangest upset. We absolutely could beat Ireland but lose to Italy in the pool, for e.g., this is a reality not an exaggeration. A fully three-dimensional, realistic prediction.

As for the "BIG game", there are really two. Dublin and Twickenham. Ireland and England are both too settled, and with Saint-André it would take yet another inhuman effort from each of the 15 individuals wearing blue to even stay close in the game, but with no game plan or strategy France actually beat England last year and almost (should've) beaten a supremely coached Ireland side, again off pure effort rather than constructive play.

If we had a coaching staff, we'd be favorites every year probably.

Nobody in France expects anything out of this tournament or predicts anything at all. We're all as ready to lose to Scotland at home on opening night and in Rome again as we are to squeeze in some awkward wins and get, like, second place.

 

[gaston le gaff]

full of confidence as usual BE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! remember FDT WILL BE BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Big Ewis]

full of confidence as usual BE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! remember FDT WILL BE BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

yep. And Lagisquet too.

 

[French TommyGun]

Avants (17) : Uini Atonio (La Rochelle), Eddy Ben Arous (Racing-Métro), Nicolas Mas (Montpellier), Alexandre Menini (Toulon), Rabah Slimani (Stade Français), Guilhem Guirado (Toulon), Benjamin Kayser (Clermont), Yoann Maestri (Toulouse), Pascal Papé (Stade Français), Sébastien Vahaamahina (Clermont), Alexandre Flanquart (Stade Français), Damien Chouly (Clermont), Thierry Dusautoir (Toulouse), Bernard Le Roux (Racing-Métro), Louis Picamoles (Toulouse), Yannick Nyanga (Toulouse), Charles Ollivon (Bayonne)
Arrières (14) : Rory Kockott (Castres), Sébastien Tillous-Borde (Toulon), Camille Lopez (Clermont), Rémi Talès (Castres), Brice Dulin (Racing-Métro), Scott Spedding (Bayonne), Sofiane Guitoune (Union Bordeaux-Bègles), Yoann Huget (Toulouse), Teddy Thomas (Racing-Métro), Noa Nakaitaci (Clermont), Mathieu Bastareaud (Toulon), Alexandre Dumoulin (Racing-Métro), Wesley Fofana (Clermont), Rémi Lamerat (Castres)


That's looking pretty strong! I haven't been following the top 14 of late, is Nicola Mas back on form yet?

There is a lot of talent in the backs in particular! Very excited!

 

[Chistera]

Some continuity for once on the French coaches' part. No much to say about the forwards' selection, except for Ben Arous who's been selected ahead of his Racing teammate Szarzewski. As for the backs, the usual Talès nonsense: while it made some sort of sense to select Talès, depsite him being an average player, when Castres was the top 14's champion it makes no sense now as Castres are playing terrible rugby and fighting for relegation. Plisson, with his Stade Français side before top of the Top 14, deserved a spot (not to mention that he's 7 years younger). Same goes for Kockott, I would've picked Parra instead, can't afford to ignore that club partnership of Parra and Lopez.
As for the centres and the back three, difficult to makes choices as we have quite a lot of density in these positions, would've have included Bastareaud instead or either Dumoulin or Lamérat: these two are good promising players but they have similar profiles while Bastareaud brings something unique to our game and is a tremendous impact player.
Anyhow, happy to see that Toulouse's backline has been left pretty much intact, with Huget our only back to be selected, we'll need to those players to qualify for the Top 14 playoffs.

 

[Every Time Ref]

I freely admit I don't watch enough French rugby to have a particularly valuable opinion, but from what I see of Clermont it seems madness not to have Parra at least in the squad.

 

[Patchey]

Worst part of that Burgess article is the last quote, concerning England's centre partnership...

 

[French TommyGun]

Has Big Ewis been booted from the forum?? I'm not complaining or anything just curious??

 

[Tony Manx]

Has Big Ewis been booted from the forum?? I'm not complaining or anything just curious??

Yes

 

[TheSaffycen]

Why ?

 

[iINDOMINUSxx]

Why ?

Because the admins/moderators has a discussion off it and they think its best because he has been ignoring they're messages about his behaviour on the forum. Which to be fair is fair enough if he had been ignoring what an admin or moderator says. But what I didn't understand is that why they decided to take action now and not sooner.

 

[Tony Manx]

Because the admins/moderators has a discussion off it and they think its best because he has been ignoring they're messages about his behaviour on the forum. Which to be fair is fair enough if he had been ignoring what an admin or moderator says. But what I didn't understand is that why they decided to take action now and not sooner.

Please can we not start this off again! There was a thread on this already!!

 

[iINDOMINUSxx]

Please can we not start this off again! There was a thread on this already!!

I agree, I rather get back onto topic. so what is the predicting XV for france this year ?

 

[TheSaffycen]

1.Menini 2.Kayser 3.Mas 4.Maestri 5.Vahaaminha 6.Chouly 7.Dusautoir 8.Picamoles 9.Borde 10.Lopez 11. Guitoine 12.Fofana 13.Lamerat 14.Noa 15.Dulin

 

[Every Time Ref]

1.Menini 2.Kayser 3.Mas 4.Maestri 5.Vahaaminha 6.Chouly 7.Dusautoir 8.Picamoles 9.Borde 10.Lopez 11. Guitoine 12.Fofana 13.Lamerat 14.Noa 15.Dulin

No Teddy Thomas? I feel he's earned himself a run with his performances in the autumn, defence notwithstanding. Spedding was also very good, I feel he deserves a spot