[2016 RBS Six Nations] Round 1: France vs. Italy (06/02/2016)

[Bada-Bing!]

The past two France v Italy games have been borefests; expecting another one on Saturday. Hope I'm wrong.

 

[JJFlash]

A new dawn of the same more like it. You too should write for Walesonline :lol:

Noves is up against the same issues that plagued his predecessors. He doesn't have a team going into this game and won't have one next June either.
He won't be able to pick players from the big clubs next June. Toulouse Toulon Clermont Racing are highly likely to be involved in the T14 playoffs in June. He'll be boarding the plane to Argentina with another group of players. There's no continuity. Most of his choices for Argentina will be enforced once again.

The 4 new players just in for the Italy game are enforced changes due to injury. Fofana is out when he should have been rested. Same old joke. Noves can only just tinker along with whatever players are available or left standing. You can't build for the future when you're left with crumbs.
That's all the union is getting. Crumbs. The union boys are clutching at straws in every department.

Not one T14 club last weekend did Noves any favour - not even his old club. I was at the game v Pau and Bézy picked up a knock during 1st half when the game was well won. They strapped him and let him play another 30 minutes when he should and could have been substituted.

Take off the expats blinkers and open your eyes.

It's crystal clear that you got out of bed the wrong side this morning, my friend!
You may be right, but even with blinkers on I have a feeling that they could do quite well this 6N!
As I said, if the win 3 games, they will have done well.
Call it blind optimism, if you wish.

 

[Tony Manx]

It's crystal clear that you got out of bed the wrong side this morning, my friend!
You may be right, but even with blinkers on I have a feeling that they could do quite well this 6N!
As I said, if the win 3 games, they will have done well.
Call it blind optimism, if you wish.

Haha......I wish you had not lost your white stick but you are sure of finding it again no doubt!!!

 

[Canuck]

Guy Noves first selection for the 6 Nations game v Italy on Sat in Paris. 4 new caps in the starting XV +3 on the bench
i think a win with efficency will be acceptable for this first game under the new coach.

Le XV de départ: Médard ; Bonneval, Fickou, Danty, Vakatawa ; (o) Plisson, (m) S. Bézy ; Lauret, Picamoles, Chouly ; Maestri, Jedrasiak ; Slimani, Guirado (cap), Ben Arous.

While I am a huge fan of Plisson and Danty, I can't help feeling like their 9-10-12-13 combination is way too inexperienced. Bezy is 24 and uncapped, Plisson 24 with 6 tests under his belt, Danty 23 and uncapped and Fickou has the most tests with 15 but is just 21 and has started just six times. I understand the importance of blooding the youngsters against Italy but I imagine having at least one experienced player in the midfield would have come in handy, especially for tactical play and organizing the defense.

 

[gaston le gaff]

this maybe an inexperienced backline, but given that France have done nothing under PSA, its time for change. Noves looks to me as though he is building for the future and more than likely the next WC, the reason why he has picked loads of youngsters even in the forwards. Most of these guys play week in week out, organising their teams in defence and attack, Bezy deserves his place, Plisson could loose out to FDT, Danty has a chance to shine.
Whoever selects the National team will always have a problem with the clubs, even Noves was against lots when at Toulouse, but you have to give the guy a chance, things could hardly be any worse for National rugby while club rugby is the best in Europe!!! (Toulon have proved that)
Unlike French fan i am going to support Noves and hope he creates something that has been missing for the past few seasons, but then again i am a very positive person and do not understand negativity.!!!!! So as someone said early in the thread if we win the 3 homes games its a good solid start and France progress from there. I do personally think that the guys selected will have the chance to regain the pride that has been lost for a while now, and these younsters will play rugby off the cufff as well as following a game plan.

 

[FrenchFan]

Gaston I supported Noves during last 18 yrs I've been with ST so plenty of catching up for you. And if the wins are hard to come by as I believe they will, he's not going to have many supporters, least of all among the clubs.

I won't support the union's team. I withdrew my support after the last GS in 2010 because of the union. They have screwed up the national team beyond repair with their politics. You know full well the clubs will not get behind Noves as long as he is working for the union. And look at your own club's recruitment for starters :huh:

The expectations placed on Noves are ridiculous. The media are BS merchants they've turned him into the Messiah he is not. Even he says so. He cannot turn things around on his own.
I'm positive about my club ST and looking forward to us winning the league

 

[JJFlash]

The media or whoever, who think Novès is the new Messiah is unwise and uncalled for. He's been appointed as the coach of the XV de France after several years of disappointing team performances and deserves the chance to see what he can do.
The team that he has chosen with new young players gives us cause for optimism and I genuinely think that we will see some positive rugby. OK, so it's highly unlikely they will win the Grand Slam but the portents are good.

I too, think that ST have a good chance of winning the league, maybe beating Montpellier in the final!

 

[gaston le gaff]

The problems are there for all to see but being positive which the French are not in General is always somewhere to start from. Yes i do know about all the politics etc i also have been with the Top 14 for many years, but there is a new strain of players coming through and with or without the clubs support do you honestly think these guys are going out onto the park to lose because of some politics between clubs and Fede. No of course not so while we have no TOP 14 for a couple of weeks i will support the French, Noves would not have been my first choice but he has the experience and the human side of him to help these players become better and what the hell he could do no worse than PSA.!!!!! I think we may well see a younger more efficient French national time in the next couple of months and as i said previously win the 3 home games and that would be an excellent start.

 

[Tony Manx]

Interesting that 20000 tickets unsold and no tickets sold after the terror attack in November? True or Gabby Logan bull****?

 

[Tony Manx]

4 minutes in and the Parisian "supporters" doing the bloody Mexican wave!!!

They should play internationals in France where the true rugby supporters are and that is not Paris!!

I hate the choke tackle.......

 

[ratsapprentice]

Great start from Italy.

 

[Tony Manx]

Thoroughly deserved lead.

Super classy try from France!!

 

[Groundhog]

Poor Sarto is the almost man
Edit: lol. Italy have penetration in abundance here.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Big call, executed perfectly. Well done Italy.

 

[profitius]

Good, enjoyable game so far. France showing their flair of old in attack while Italy also playing very well.

 

[Tony Manx]

Impressive performance so far from Italy other than the set scrum which is unusual for an Italian team.

Their LH and hooker are both new caps and Slimani is giving the LH a real tough time!

Lauret having a good game.......

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Bezy looks to have no technique when kicking.

 

[Groundhog]

The slow motion of Parisse's slap is funny

 

[TheOvalBall]

the place kicking in this match is crazy bad....

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I'd forgotten how much I'd enjoyed not having Jiffy commentating games.
He's dire.