[2019 Six Nations] France vs Wales (01/02/2019)

[Leinster Fan]

It's great to see N'Tamack and Tomos Williams starting, nice to see coaches trust youth. On the other hand Dupont not being in the squad seems crazy.

It seems like a decent France team and that backline has enough talent to do be awesome. I actually think they might sneak this by a few points. That said I wouldn't be surprised at all if Wales ended up with a Grand Slam.

 

[FrenchFan]

Trust me FF I get your negativity... if I was French I'd be damn near suicidal given your riches but all I would say is that they looked a much better team during last years 6N than during the summer and Autumn. I expect the 6N level of performance or better this year.

I am not suicidal. The union is. Their failure to broker a deal with the LNR and the clubs is their problem. It's their loss. They've lost the war. And we're having too much fun at their expense.
I am completely upbeat about Toulouse and the new generation coming thru and the strength of the club game in this country.
I see Pichot's league of nations is gathering pace. Some of his proposals are daft. Let's see who fares worst between club rugby in this country and the test game...
Saying that I have no idea how the Brunel brigade are going to perform better than last year with the staff they have and the group they've picked.

 

[FrenchFan]

It's great to see N'Tamack and Tomos Williams starting, nice to see coaches trust youth. On the other hand Dupont not being in the squad seems crazy.

I am not sure Brunel really trusts youth. I think he is too conservative for that. He has yielded to media hype when he picked NTamack. If they lose, Bastareaud will be back.

 

[Tooting Carmen]

Not a bad Welsh team, injuries considered. Wales to win by three points?

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Can N'tamack distribute the ball well or is he just a good athlete? The last thing France needs is a couple of centres who can run rings around you, but can't actually pass the ball.

I'm still bemused by the loss to Fiji so have no confidence in my predictions, but the 9-15 for France looks okay, the pack is likely to be as strong as ever and the coach is solid.

This shouldn't be straightforward for Wales, but I think it will be. There is some dynamism in the Welsh side with JD2 & Liam so they will score tries. France won't be able to keep up on the scoring front, they don't even have the wildcard of Teddy Thomas to pull out a try or two.

France 17 - 26 Wales

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Can N'tamack distribute the ball well or is he just a good athlete? The last thing France needs is a couple of centres who can run rings around you, but can't actually pass the ball.

I'm still bemused by the loss to Fiji so have no confidence in my predictions, but the 9-15 for France looks okay, the pack is likely to be as strong as ever and the coach is solid.

This shouldn't be straightforward for Wales, but I think it will be. There is some dynamism in the Welsh side with JD2 & Liam so they will score tries. France won't be able to keep up on the scoring front, they don't even have the wildcard of Teddy Thomas to pull out a try or two.

France 17 - 26 Wales

N'tamack's arguably more of a 10 than a 12; it's where he played most for the U20s. Definitely a good distributor.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

N'tamack's arguably more of a 10 than a 12; it's where he played most for the U20s. Definitely a good distributor.

Thanks, that may change my prediction a bit. France might get up to 20 or 23 points. But I'll keep it the same since the lad is on debut and can't be expected to be a world beater on his first start. Fickou shows flashes, but has had a fair few opportunities and never brought any consistency, so I think it is a good shout to try someone new (even if it is potentially pandering to media pressure).

 

[FrenchFan]

Can N'tamack distribute the ball well or is he just a good athlete? The last thing France needs is a couple of centres who can run rings around you, but can't actually pass the ball.

You bet he can distribute. But i don't know if he'll be able to do it if his pack is at 6s and 7s. Romain's game is all skills and vision. He can't go on pace or brute force. I think the expectations placed on the shoulders of a 19 yo are laughable. Media hype. He's not going to save the senior side from Brunel and his staff.

 

[FrenchFan]

Thanks, that may change my prediction a bit. France might get up to 20 or 23 points. But I'll keep it the same since the lad is on debut and can't be expected to be a world beater on his first start. Fickou shows flashes, but has had a fair few opportunities and never brought any consistency, so I think it is a good shout to try someone new (even if it is potentially pandering to media pressure).

I think Vakatawa would have been a better option. One of the leading try scorers in T14 at centre for Racing with 13 tries in 17 games and line breaks galore. How does he not make the squad nobody knows.

We have more depth at centre with Fickou Fofana Vakatawa Penaud (and i am not including NTamack or Bastareaud) than many nations. Same comment at hooker with Chat Marchand who are top notch and Bourgarit. Same at FB with Ramos Hamdaoui and Retiere (who have all yet to be capped).

 

[bushytop]

You bet he can distribute. But i don't know if he'll be able to do it if his pack is at 6s and 7s. Romain's game is all skills and vision. He can't go on pace or brute force. I think the expectations placed on the shoulders of a 19 yo are laughable. Media hype. He's not going to save the senior side from Brunel and his staff.

I get the part about him (maybe) being too young etc. but I would imagine that the French pack will have at the very least parity (probably a bit more than that). I'm not down playing Wales here, we are a good team with realistic chances of eventually winning the championship (along with England and Ireland) but our forwards rarely dominate a big powerful pack like France have.

 

[FrenchFan]

I get the part about him (maybe) being too young etc. but I would imagine that the French pack will have at the very least parity (probably a bit more than that). I'm not down playing Wales here, we are a good team with realistic chances of eventually winning the championship (along with England and Ireland) but our forwards rarely dominate a big powerful pack like France have.

Brunel's gone for bulk in the pack because he always picked big packs. Atonio is not a test prop. Too big too slow cant scrum. Penalty machine. Guirado, Willemse, Picamoles? Plodders.

If you look at the best pack in this country Clermont they are a very mobile unit.

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Brunel's gone for bulk in the pack because he always picked big packs. Atonio is not a test prop. Too big too slow cant scrum. Penalty machine. Guirado, Willemse, Picamoles? Plodders.

If you look at the best pack in this country Clermont they are a very mobile unit.

Guirado's world class.

 

[FrenchFan]

Guirado's world class.

Nope and he's behind Camille Chat and Julien Marchand in every T14 pecking order. His captaincy? Dont make me laugh

Heard he's picked because he's got so good now at sweet talking the media about defeat

 

[bushytop]

Nope and he's behind Camille Chat and Julien Marchand in every T14 pecking order. His captaincy? Dont make me laugh

Heard he's picked because he's got so good now at sweet talking the media about defeat

I honestly think that Guirado would've been the Lions test hooker if he was British.

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

I honestly think that Guirado would've been the Lions test hooker if he was British.

Agreed, and quite comfortably IMO. His work rate is phenomenal.

 

[FrenchFan]

Hard to believe the Lions could be that desperate. The fact Guirado is still captain after losing to Fiji at home on the back of a string of leaderless performances shows the union have lost the plot.
But fans in Toulouse and elsewhere have known that for a long time.

That said I have compassion for the players. Guirado is the victim of a dysfunctional union that have overstayed their welcome in the pro game.

 

[ThebigARena]

Good Value bet this weekend
England to win (3/1)
Wal or fra to win (21/20)
Double 8.1
£5 returns £41

I think this is excellent value , England being slightly overpriced makes it a bet worth making . Wales and France at the same price so it's a pick em .

 

[MikeTheNative]

Pretty predictable team from Wales and it's the French who seemingly want to play into the 'which France will turn up' cliche. Absolute monster pack paired with a back line on the small side, is that centre pairing going to be a bit too small for test level rugby? How do Wales beat the French? I expect them to kick long and in play, it will give the dangerous French back line the ball but will also make that big French pack run around a lot. When Wales do have the ball, expect them to play a wider game than usual of the first few phases, then when the backs do get the ball expect the strike runners to go straight for either shoulder of 12.

 

[FrenchFan]

I'd imagine Wales will run the big pack around, down the quays along the Seine up and down the Eiffel tower 3 or 4 times and finish off the FFR Massy Fergusson round the Arc de Triomphe. Target Atonio at scrum time. He's a crap scrummager. Run into his channel as he takes longer to get off the ground every time which opens up gaps.
There's only one good jumper in the line-out with Iturria which limits options for the throw. Wales will prob target the Lopez-Ntamack channel.
Defeat would be a major setback for the Welsh with Japan around the corner but i can't see it. Big difference in the rankings too.

 

[bushytop]

I'd imagine Wales will run the big pack around, down the quays along the Seine up and down the Eiffel tower 3 or 4 times and finish off the FFR Massy Fergusson round the Arc de Triomphe. Target Atonio at scrum time. He's a crap scrummager. Run into his channel as he takes longer to get off the ground every time which opens up gaps.
There's only one good jumper in the line-out with Iturria which limits options for the throw. Wales will prob target the Lopez-Ntamack channel.
Defeat would be a major setback for the Welsh with Japan around the corner but i can't see it. Big difference in the rankings too.

Sounds great, let's hope you've wrote the script.