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[2017 RBS Six Nations] Round 1: England vs. France (04/02/2017)

Crazy how French haven't produced a decent international 10 in years

Shocking from Doussain at the end missing touch. France have always been built around their 9. The only decent 10 I can remember for France in recent memory was Lamaison.
 
I don't think the impact of the bench was due to them being 'finishers', it was due to them being better players than those they replaced.
 
Went as I predicted. France ahead until the bench came out and overall the better team, but England's depth made the difference. IMO, for the first time in a while, I think France have something to build on there. I think that they may be on the way back to the top levels in Europe. Also, Picamoles was a level above the rest on the field.

Mixed feelings on England. A fairly bad performance, but a trademark of a good team is where they can play badly for long periods and pull out a win. England will get better and I expect a couple of changes next week, but I do wish we had an easier game than Wales away next weekend.
 
So Tommi your still just harping on about rules yet don't know them then try ignore. Pity I don't seem to understand people who slate the ref yet when asked to explain what was wrong just can't explain.

People like to simplify by saying that "the referee had no choice". Just not true though, he could have just given a penalty and would not have been in any trouble or anything and in so doing would have shown empathy for the situation which was may pulling one way, fickou spinning the other, and the outcome wasn't great but was never dangerous as far as I can see. Saying the referee had no choice feels like a cop-out.

It's not like the referee was very consistent today as well, maro itoje should have been penalised for a couple of high ones, a French player was unfairly penalised for a tackle on may where may was falling and practically horizontal at the time of the tackle, add to this that I have no idea why France were not carded for cynical play on their 5 metre line ....

So yeah plenty to criticise the ref for and more to the point if we don't try and implement a bit of common sense alongside the safety rules, this stuff will get more and more ridiculous.

Also the current TMO use is terrible. It's as if the TMOs are briefed to never publicly contradict the referee so they pretty much never say anything other than I agree
 
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France committed far too many mistakes to win that game, but it was good to see that they troubled England in most areas and if they had had a little luck in the first half could have been a different story. Losing by 3 pts was a great effort but they still lost!!!!!!!!!!!
Well done England through gritted teeth, with many injuries France still proved today they are a better team than 12 months ago.
 
People like to simplify by saying that "the referee had no choice". Just not true though, he could have just given a penalty and would not have been in any trouble or anything and in so doing would have shown empathy for the situation which was may pulling one way, fickou spinning the other, and the outcome wasn't great but was never dangerous as far as I can see. Saying the referee had no choice feels like a cop-out.

It's not like the referee was very consistent today as well, maro itoje should have been penalised for a couple of high ones, a French player was unfairly penalised for a tackle on may where may was falling and practically horizontal at the time of the tackle, add to this that I have no idea why France were not carded for cynical play on their 5 metre line ....

So yeah plenty to criticise the ref for and more to the point if we don't try and implement a bit of common sense alongside the safety rules, this stuff will get more and more ridiculous.

Also the current TMO use is terrible. It's as if the TMOs are briefed to never publicly contradict the referee so they pretty much never say anything other than I agree

But Henry you xant say ref was a disgrace or be slating a guy who carried outbrulws correct. Earls got red vs Glasgow and it could easily have been a yellow. But these refs get assessed and as was mentioned this ref is hoping to do Lions test. He had to carry out law correct. High tackle issues came in just last month so they'll take time to adjust. But tip tackles here longer and will be reffed accordingly.
I'd disagree on TMO as I've seen them disagree in past. But my issue is more saying a call is a disgrace when by law it was correct. I don't agree with some of new rules but they are correct. Like as I said if May showed elbows going back down in motion it was red.
 
Jean marc doussain. ..merci pour ta super touche ...ça me rang fou ....c'est inacceptable à ce niveau. ..putains trouve la touche au niveau des 50 mètres et chercher les trois points avec le pied de Scott speding ....doussain vaut plus rien ...ou alors tu es en manque de calcium. ..dégoûté
 
So Tommi your still just harping on about rules yet don't know them then try ignore. Pity I don't seem to understand people who slate the ref yet when asked to explain what was wrong just can't explain.

If the pen was yellow in the first half you obviously aren't a proper Munster fan.
 
I think you've got to give credit where it's due. We've got a few players missing and it's going to take time for the group to click when it counts. I thought France played well for large periods of the game, like England they made a few errors and lacked a bit of fluency but they took the game to us. The bench made a big difference and were heavily involved in the try: huge carry from Haskell to present quick ball, quick snipe from Care to engage the a and b and a lovely decision from Farrell to send Teo over. Huge plays under pressure and that's what wins big games.

Lots to work on and a tough game next week. I'd like to see us player with a bit more agression and cutting edge. Be interesting to see whether Haskell starts over Wood but as others as said, to win when you aren't playing well is a good sign.
 
End of the day I'm pretty happy right now. It was ugly and there was a lot of crap but we won and I think we did a lot of good things to ensure we were never out of the game when at peak crap. A team that's difficult to beat and opportunistic and looking to put its fluidity and systems right with another week in camp is okay with me for this stage. I'd rather have that than France's team, who dominated long periods but weren't streetwise enough to win a game they should have. Its a lot easier to put right out problems than their problems.
 
Referee had a rulebook for England and a different one for France. Held both sides to different standards. Kept England in it.
 
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