Bastareaud not good enough

[TRF_Cymro]

French coach Marc Lièvremont has his explained his decision to leave out centre Mathieu Bastareaud and recall veteran prop Sylvain Marconnet in to his 30-man squad for the Six Nations.

The 34-year-old Marconnet has 80 international caps, but played only one Six Nations match last year - the 33-10 home win against Ireland. His presence will give Lièvremont added toughness, experience and leadership.

"I have faith in him, his competitive spirit, his experience, his versatility," said Lièvremont.

"He can play on the left, on the right. He may not be the Sylvain Marconnet of 10 years ago ... but I preferred him to less experienced guys."

Bastareaud played all of the Six Nations games last year, but was then dropped for Tests against Fiji, Argentina and Australia.

"I asked him, before November, to improve his physical form and state of mind. I wasn't listened to, " said Lièvremont.

"From all the feedback I've had from Stade Français, there are better [players] today at outside centre than Mathieu Bastareaud.

"We can regret it, given his enormous potential. Even if there is an injury to one of the centres, we'll call up [wing] Julien Malzieu because we like Clément Poitrenaud in [midield]."

David Marty was preferred to Florian Fritz at centre, and scrum-half Julien Dupuy was also left out along with the 22-year-old Bastareaud.

But Lièvremont insists "they are not excluded" from an eventual return before he names his squad for the World Cup later this year adding that loose forwards Wenceslas Lauret and Louis Picamoles are also still in the running.

France won the Grand Slam last year, but ended the season with a stinging 16-59 home defeat to Australia that rocked the team.

France begin their ***le defence against Scotland at Stade de France on February 5, then travel to play Ireland.

The loss to Australia - where France capitulated after being level 13-13 at half-time - has made Lièvremont reassess his own leadership skills.

Lièvremont says he needs to "to be stricter, to be clearer" with his players and that the Australia debacle highlighted how there was "a collective failure" in his team to respond to the Wallabies.

"The highest level often comes down to small details that can have a dramatic importance when you're confronted with the very, very high level," said Lièvremont.

In recent days, captain Thierry Dusautoir pledged to improve his communication skills at the behest of Lièvremont, as France failed to show a united front after the Australia match amid raging criticism from the nation's press.

http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,3820_6673607,00.html​

 

[Charles]

THis coach is full of ****. Lots of people in France were giving him the benefit of the doubt but really this squad makes no sense. And I'm not talking about the severe beatings we've been getting regularly these past years.

No Malzieu, Dupuy, Picamoles, Fritz...Baffling.

 

[TRF_Cymro]

Surely he could do with dropping a few pounds?

 

[nickdnz]

Surely he could do with dropping a few pounds?

Agree on that. I mean there is no point in being a big ass centre, if you don't have the speed to benafit from breaking the line, and I don't think Bastareaud does. He's about 15kgs heavier than Ma'a Nonu, but he doesn't look anywhere near as lean as any of the block busting centres such as SBW, Nonu and Roberts. I think he can only benefit from loosing weight, and Lièvremont knows that.

Once again though, I don't think Lièvremont handles any of his players the way that will encourage them. He always comes off to me, as a bit of a twat.

 

[bayzer]

Needs to lose some weight iMO

 

[nickdnz]

Needs to lose some weight iMO

Why have your last 8 posts, been random 8 word contributions? Need 10 posts?

 

[Gavin]

Bastareaud hasn't been playing that badly lately really. I think he would have brought something else to the French squad.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Bastareaud hasn't been playing that badly lately really. I think he would have brought something else to the French squad.

Was thinking the same,
He may be a big lump, but it takes three guys to put him down, leaving a lot of gaps around him. Just teach him to offload, and you're sorted

Also, look at 1:31 in this video:

 

[TRF_Cymro]

Remember seeing that pretty funny, although him and Cacau would be devastating in the middle of the park.

 

[Seaton]

I'm happy for his non-inclusion

He ripped us a new one last time round

 

[seatea15]

I'm happy for his non-inclusion

He ripped us a new one last time round

Pretty much exactly what I was going to post. I, for one, am very happy to see he is not included.

 

[lucky number 7]

I am also chuffed he is not playing He was the big difference in France last year sucking in defenders all over the place...I doubt that anybody in the world let alone France is as difficult a man to stop... 18 stone going at high speed ....also he is a very powerful defender too....His exclusion is madness.

 

[Daylightfire]

Have to agree,, I've not seen him play recently, but he was pretty damn devastating!

 

[wertas]

However, everybody forgets that basta is liability in defence. France used rush defence just because of him. Also, Jauzion had to take care of him in defence. Basta has talent, but needs to improve and right call to drop him. Also, same strange calls by France coach, but it is France, so what else do you expect.

 

[eot345]

he's just got tooo fat he s 6 kg heavier then last years 6 nations and so is now just a little too slow

 

[shtove]

However, everybody forgets that basta is liability in defence. France used rush defence just because of him. Also, Jauzion had to take care of him in defence. Basta has talent, but needs to improve and right call to drop him. Also, same strange calls by France coach, but it is France, so what else do you expect.

Yeah, I think there was one match last year when he trotted back in defence while France were being ripped apart in their own 22. Looked like bad attitude - can't have that in a team. Sad if he doesn't have the balls to become a great player. Look at BOD - 11 years since he scored a hat trick against France, but when he's injured he still comes on as the waterboy.