A look ahead: the 2014 Six Nations

[ratsapprentice]

Nyanga always seemed like a strong character to me.

 

[Big Ewis]

lol yeh I suppose we could use some "couillus"...we definitely could use some roughness. I thought all our past squads had that, even the last 2011 RWC side. A big example of that was how we didn't totally show up in the physicality aspect against the Boks in Paris in November. The last time the Boks visited France in 2009, they got what they came to do to us.
At the same time, they really had too big a weight advantage this time in 2013...like 7kg more per forward...

We're a little too fresh, a little too "pretty" I suppose. Thank God we've still got some of the veterans in Mas Dusautoir and co., but I miss the Barcella Servat Nallet...even our backs, a guy like Damien Traille was rough as fk.
But it seems all teams have become like that. Rugby players are bigger and stronger but also look "prettier" than before. I think of the old Carl Hayman, Roncero, Phil Vickery...

I guess one of the only sides to have kept that is South Africa, today.

 

[FrenchFan]

l

I really hope they drop Mermoz. Happy to see Flanquart back in the group, though I'm sure they'll drop him too....

>>dont like Mermoz. Never was a fan of Medard. Not great in defense. Mermoz is not a great tackler.

im really excited by Guitoune & Fickou. Fickou is devastating. What a prospect. Very young though. Needs time. Theyre very reluctant about the national side for him in Toulouse, I dont blame them. Its a bit early. But if PSA uses his bench well, Fickou could slide in nicely into the side. But he didnt do that last season Le Goret.

I am a big fan of Dulin. I also like Doussaint & Machenaud. But again individuals dont make a team. With Para, the scrum half pos is well covered and they all kick! Looks strong on paper. But what TEAM does he send out of the dressing room?

PSA is running out of time. The real job for him is to come up with tried and tested partnerships at 9-10, 12-13 in particular. He is hasnt got that yet. Fofana is a shoe in as a center, but who to play alongside? Fickou is worth a look. Bastareau needs to step up his game or he is out. Fritz is out unfortunately as he was a dead cert. I like him, he is a warrior, he was born with Toulousain hands and his kicking game is strong. I have seen him kick +30m penalty at Toulouse.

 

[Big Ewis]

Will you stop putting a 't' at the end of *Doussain* !!!!!
Yes, I like Doussain a lot myself. I wish he'd be the no.1 scrum half for France eventually when we're ready for the RWC in England. Everybody likes Dulin man, no denying he's a gem for the XV de France. Super low center of gravity, always brings an interesting dynamic after he's caught a ball and initiates a play, gets past a few tackles 9/10 times, excellent at FB duties under high ball etc...scores tries...

Agreed Médard is a bit too soft on defense for int'l level, but he's a spear on attack. And nobody likes Mermoz lol.

And oh yeah there's no doubt our problem since PSA has been chemistry. But a lot of that, whether you like it or not, is due to the Top 14 taking up way too much space. If only we could have more preparation time....oh, well, what d'ya know, we'll have 2 weeks, just like everybody else for the first time !
I agree our FFR-LNR agreement must be revised and poses many problems, some serious and fundamental - but for now, I just hope we can enjoy a well oiled Bleus machine, which has always had fantastic parts but never any time to be glued together.

Let's have the world watch and judge, French or not, what real preparation together does to us. Saint-André is fair (and almost taking risks) as he affirms 2 weeks are well enough to see a difference and to see the XV de France perform with more chemistry.

When I think about it now, it's downright miraculous we got away with almost drawing against the AB, beating Tonga so handsomely and keeping SA within single-digit this past November.
If you'd remember, against the Blacks we looked intense and focused for sure but struggled horribly the entire 80min to score tries despite the countless opportunities. Against Tonga, we literally looked *clueless* on attack despite huge opportunities, we scored 4 tries shoulda scored 6-7 easy. And then against the Boks, we only survived that game because our 'individual components' are all top class, but the entire game was one Frenchman taking it upon himself to try and be the hero before he was stopped eventually.

Maybe 2014 marks the year we actually know each other well and play with interesting combinations and a semblance of chemistry. If things go as I can imagine, we should win the tournament. If not, maybe we'll just hang in there in each match but lose more than we win again !...

 

[FrenchFan]

lol yeh I suppose we could use some "couillus"...we definitely could use some roughness. I thought all our past squads had that, even the last 2011 RWC side. A big example of that was how we didn't totally show up in the physicality aspect against the Boks in Paris in November. The last time the Boks visited France in 2009, they got what they came to do to us.
At the same time, they really had too big a weight advantage this time in 2013...like 7kg more per forward...

>> i was talking about couillus more on the mental side of it. PSA needs a psychologist, a war general, not another fitness coach. He needs to send out a team of gladiators. Yeah i liked Nallet as well, what a grafter, a warrior, thats what u want as lock. Guys ready to sacrifice tehsemlves for each other. UN ESPRIT DE CORPS NOM DE DIEUUU
Theres a big question mark in my view about PSA ability to really motivate his troops. That was a big issue last seaons. The players body language will tell.

 

[Big Ewis]

oh clearly Saint-André isn't the grande motivator and public speaker and leader of men we'd like from a national coach no doubt. I actually like him a lot, personality wise, after watching countless interviews and all...he's easy going, seems to be the kind who pays very little attention to details and technical aspects (I don't mean in Rugby tactics). He's pretty horrible with grammar for example as he speaks. I'm sure he spells like shyt. He's got that weird tremolo in his voice, but never seems to feel awkward or shy though. He's right there, fairly confident. Just not a whole lot of charisma, but a really cool "chilled guy".
Very humble too. I love humility as a quality in general, but for example Lievremont as disastrous as he may've been as head coach, had the biggest balls in the world. There's no way you're intimidating that guy, all the confidence you can find in the world. And not to be chauvinistic, but in a very Frenchy kind of way. I don't like showoffs, but I admit it was cool having that. And he knew how to motivate his troops, let aside the disasters we also had during that era...

PSA isn't a wimp or anything, but like I said, he's just there...nothing special, and definitely not much presence. And I think French players need that.
You look at England, they have a typical calm, gathered, rational Englishman in Lancaster. He conveys the tactics and gameplans to his players, probably in a very typical-for-him pragmatic, calm way, but the players totally play with intensity and all. They get the message.
In France, I think we need that ardor - almost hubristic. A coach needs to reach into the hearts of his players more than other nations. And the whole world knows the kinds of hearts the French possess.

P.S.: dude, please, just...can you stop messing up with those post quotes ?! Just "Reply With Quote" but don't remove the outside code at the end of the text !

 

[FrenchFan]

oh clearly Saint-André isn't the grande motivator and public speaker and leader of men we'd like from a national coach no doubt. I actually like him a lot, personality wise, after watching countless interviews and all...he's easy going, seems to be the kind who pays very little attention to details and technical aspects (I don't mean in Rugby tactics). He's pretty horrible with grammar for example as he speaks. I'm sure he spells like shyt. He's got that weird tremolo in his voice, but never seems to feel awkward or shy though. He's right there, fairly confident. Just not a whole lot of charisma, but a really cool "chilled guy".
Very humble too. I love humility as a quality in general, but for example Lievremont as disastrous as he may've been as head coach, had the biggest balls in the world. There's no way you're intimidating that guy, all the confidence you can find in the world. And not to be chauvinistic, but in a very Frenchy kind of way. I don't like showoffs, but I admit it was cool having that. And he knew how to motivate his troops, let aside the disasters we also had during that era...

PSA isn't a wimp or anything, but like I said, he's just there...nothing special, and definitely not much presence. And I think French players need that.
You look at England, they have a typical calm, gathered, rational Englishman in Lancaster. He conveys the tactics and gameplans to his players, probably in a very typical-for-him pragmatic, calm way, but the players totally play with intensity and all. They get the message.
In France, I think we need that ardor - almost hubristic. A coach needs to reach into the hearts of his players more than other nations. And the whole world knows the kinds of hearts the French possess.

P.S.: dude, please, just...can you stop messing up with those post quotes ?! Just "Reply With Quote" but don't remove the outside code at the end of the text !

>>u should write a song to your Philippe or a poem, how about a song and a poem...Mon Philippe je t'aime d'un amour qui ne s'avoue pas...bblablaba (ca rime en plus)

 

[Rich Taff]

Well, this is the first time I've seen a thread 'Frenched' (and not in the good way)

 

[Big Ewis]

>>u should write a song to your Philippe or a poem, how about a song and a poem...Mon Philippe je t'aime d'un amour qui ne s'avoue pas...bblablaba (ca rime en plus)

hah. Well first of all congratulations on the clean quote there.
Also, very nice rhyme. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't at least slightly moved.
And whether I'm in love with Phillipe Saint-André or not IS NONE OF YOUR DAMN BUSINESS !!!!!!...

And is that all you have to say about the epic concepts that I bring forward ? How we need a passionate coach in France to revive our tamed fire ?!....

Rich Taff: I don't think it counts if it's just a couple of guys...but yes. Consider this thread...*FRENCHED*.

 

[big ginger 8]

With nowhere else to put this I'll put it here.

http://dementedmole.com/2014/01/09/ruck-marks-irelands-autumn-series/#more-3827

Shuld make interesting reading for any fan of Irish rugby. Shows the ridiculous ability of SO'B and how much we'll miss PO'C.

 

[UlsterRugby2012]

Is SOB 100% likely to be out of the 6N? Or is there any chance of him being back? He's just so crucial to Ireland's gameplan.
That being said, POM - Henry - Healsip isn't bad at all.

 

[big ginger 8]

Is SOB 100% likely to be out of the 6N? Or is there any chance of him being back? He's just so crucial to Ireland's gameplan.
That being said, POM - Henry - Healsip isn't bad at all.

I believe he had surgery today or yesterday and it's actually worse than expected and is now probably looking at the whole 6N and possibly the whole season unfortunately. Looks like we'll have to do it the hard way.

 

[Rumpi]

Apparently they had to do open surgery, his season might be finished. He's away in Toulon this weekend seeing what they have to say for themselves.

 

[Will]

That was awfully nice of the author to give Scotland a passing mention. That was awfully generous of him.

 

[Big Ewis]

That was awfully nice of the author to give Scotland a passing mention. That was awfully generous of him.

haha.
Anyways, Scotland have two interesting matches at home this year, France and England visiting Murrayfield, a chance for upsets there.

 

[Big Ewis]

anyone want to extend another prediction for the final ranking ?
I initially said:
1 - France
2 - Wales
3 - Ireland
4 - England
5 - Scotland
6 - Italy

I really don't think England can win it this year. They've got just 2 home games, and I don't see them having the general substance to produce a great run. They might come close, but I don't think they can outright win the thing.
I think just Wales, France and Ireland can personally: but can Wales do it 3 times in a row ? will France finally click ? Can Ireland win one of Twickers or Paris AND make sure they beat Wales at home ?

 

[Big Ewis]

uhmm BUMP


Yeah so the scenarios are as follows:
- for France to win, the perfect (yet completely improbable) scenario is we beat Scotland and Ireland, England beats Wales but loses in Rome. That way everybody's lost a couple at least, and Charles de Gaulle produces a happy fart in Heaven.
* or we put a ton on Scotland and quite a bit on Ireland, watch Wales win their last two but we manage a higher pts difference. They're at +6 and we're at +1 right now...if they barely beat England by 1-3 pts and then manage a lesser win margin against Scotland there's a chance...

- Ireland must win both matches from now on. They need to make sure they put a ton on Italy because any of England or Wales will likely win their last two...

It's probably going to come down to pts diff., and there'll likely be two teams with 4 wins 1 loss.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

On the positive side, at least it looks like you got 5 and 6 right.

 

[FrenchFan]

no Top14 this weekend <sob there is no way 6N will fill the gap...we should send Clermont or Toulon to scotland instead & give our internationals a break from PSA rather than field the B side he has picked. And Im not even sure Scotland would beat either.

 

[Big Ewis]

no Top14 this weekend <sob there is no way 6N will fill the gap...we should send Clermont or Toulon to scotland instead & give our internationals a break from PSA rather than field the B side he has picked. And Im not even sure Scotland would beat either.

with all due respect to Scotland, they would lose against both those teams quite certainly, and you can add (a full strength) Toulouse there too at least, if not more Top 14 sides.

France is basically a Top 14 side with lots of good players but a terrible coach/gameplan/chemistry.