France Team, Six Nations 2013

[Big Ewis]

Here's the "pre-selected" 33-man squad.
Gives us a good idea of what's going down for France in a month...

 

[Amobokoboko]

I hope to See Debatty and Bastareaud in the squad. Apparently Bastereaud went on a diet and is in top shape.

 

[Big Ewis]

Debaty, le belge !
Very powerful scrummager in deed, he and Domingo can do some SERIOUS damage, by Toutatis !

Very happy to see Bastareaud in shape physically but especially mentally...after a few 'difficult' episodes...playin excellently right now in the top14...with his powerful 115kg frame, he'll offer smt at center we haven't had so far on the team...
Man, seriously, I don't mean to jinx it or be chauvinistic at all, but objectively looking at the squad on paper...France could seriously destroy some sides, potentially.

Final squad announced on the 28th I believe...

 

[psychic duck]

Debaty, le belge !
Very powerful scrummager in deed, he and Domingo can do some SERIOUS damage, by Toutatis !

Very happy to see Bastareaud in shape physically but especially mentally...after a few 'difficult' episodes...playin excellently right now in the top14...with his powerful 115kg frame, he'll offer smt at center we haven't had so far on the team...
Man, seriously, I don't mean to jinx it or be chauvinistic at all, but objectively looking at the squad on paper...France could seriously destroy some sides, potentially.

Final squad announced on the 28th I believe...

Wrong.

Debaty is a running prop not a scrummaging prop. If you play Clermont and see Debaty in their lineup instead of Domingo you know you''ll get an easier time at the scrums. Hence why Leinster managed to shove Debaty about, whilst without him playing Clermont are normally on top at scrums or at least not getting shoved about.

 

[Big Ewis]

I love it !!
"WRONG !!!"

I cantotally imagine some of the forum conversations in real life. As I'm comfortably discussing Debaty's prowess, there's a guy who jumps from the shadowy back of the room and right after landing, stares at me and goes "WRONG !!"...

No but I quite like the Dwight Shrute speech:
False.
Debaty is a running prop with scrummaging strength as well.
Fact !
Remember the November game against Australia. He was very powerful. He was leading the pack for that penalty try.

Nah but srs though, we'll be just fine with the scrum for the 6N is the bigger point here I suppose, psychic...

 

[psychic duck]

I love it !!
"WRONG !!!"

I cantotally imagine some of the forum conversations in real life. As I'm comfortably discussing Debaty's prowess, there's a guy who jumps from the shadowy back of the room and right after landing, stares at me and goes "WRONG !!"...

No but I quite like the Dwight Shrute speech:
False.
Debaty is a running prop with scrummaging strength as well.
Fact !
Remember the November game against Australia. He was very powerful. He was leading the pack for that penalty try.

Nah but srs though, we'll be just fine with the scrum for the 6N is the bigger point here I suppose, psychic...

Debaty started against Leinster and Mike Ross was dominating him. As soon as he was taken off Clermont regained their solidity, and retained it for the next match where Debaty didn't play.

True he was there during a penalty try against Australia, but Australia had been destroyed all match from the start by Nicolas Mas, I don't think he can claim credit for that, he was only on for a couple of minutes when that happened against a demoralised pack. Normally, Debaty is not nearly as good a scrummager as Domingo.

 

[Big Ewis]

Well Domingo man, d'you see that last game against Exeter ? He just seriously had a guy BOUNCE off him twice during the match trying to tackle him. Like, the first time I cracked up on the replay, it's just PURE comedy ! Impressive power from a guy who's that short, bulky but still...abnormal power for a 1m73 fellow.

Yeh I suppose I let that performance against Australia overwhelm me...n I haven't seen that Leinster match...didn't pay attention to him too much with Clermont's scrum. But he lifts an Aussie during that scrum on the penalty try, and guides the scrum brutally...it was a pretty unique thing to watch, really did an impression on me...

Mas sure will be missed very soon, he's like 45 right now...was it against Argentina (Nov '12) where he just drops on the floor unconscious after a scrum for like 15 seconds ?!...:lol:
It was pretty scary to watch for those 15secs !!

 

[Big Ewis]

(not a double post):

http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,16024_8429082,00.html

Can't wait to hear that final 23-man squad...
I have to agree actually. I haven't thought of it so simply and clearly, but England are more of favorites than France are. France is better on paper, but with their confidence and 3 games at home (incl. hosting France) this year, they do have the upper hand objectively.

Also: really wish PSA would play Fofana at center. Would be really fkn awesome to see Bastareaud and Fofana at this stage of their careers together at center, the form they're in right now...

 

[racingmetro92]

Vincent Clerc, injured, is replaced by Hugo Bonneval

 

[Big Ewis]

^ yeh, was going to post that but seeing the lack of activity on this thread I'd just look like a lonely fool !!

It's official then ? Earlier today they said it was "probable" Clerc would miss out...
FFS !!!!!!! very, very, verrrrrry fkn annoying but I suppose we can't complain too much. We're deep as fk, and we're not like Wales injury-wise !! God speed to them this tournament !...

 

[erwanseb]

Vincent Clerc, injured, is replaced by Hugo Bonneval

Just for information, he is the son of Eric Bonneval, the great France and Toulouse wing in the 80's.

 

[ZeFrenchy]

Also, Adrien Planté (Perpignan, 27 yo, uncapped) and Maxime Médard were called to replace Gaël Fickou and Brice Dulin. Two certain starters in the back three are now out, so some of the new call-ups may actually play. I see something like:
Domingo - Kayser - Mas
Papé - Maestri
Dusautoir - Picamoles - Nyanga
Parra - Michalak
Huget - Mermoz - Fritz - Fofana
Médard

I think Dusautoir and Médard will get in on reputation, despite their level not being back to their standard. I'd like to see Chouly playing alongside Picamoles from the beginning. I'm not a fan of Fofana at the wing either, but PSA seems to think it's better to have all three of Mermoz, Fritz and Fofana playing together. The lack of options in the back three may force some of that to happen too.

 

[Big Ewis]

that looks pretty damn good. Especially that 3rd row imo...goddamn that can do some damage !!

I'd like to see Bastareaud in the middle, starting for France...Fof+Bastareaud would be such a potent one-two punch at center.
And Huget has yet to prove his worth at int'l level when he's so obviously capable...

Really looking forward to seeing Malzieu. Such flair at the wing. Hopefully (if he comes off the bench) he can inject some good pace and freshness into the game this tournament.

 

[ZeFrenchy]

The third row I've seen it somewhere else... (hint: they play for the same club). Actually, if Ouedraogo is fit, I wouldn't be surprised to see him starting in Dusautoir's place. Personnaly, I'd like to see Chouly and Picamoles playing together, but leaving out two of Dus, Nyanga and Fufu is borderline criminal.
Fofana - Bastareaud I don't think that would work. They're both probably the french centers that run the best lines, but I think they lack complementarity. Fofan is developping a very giid passing game, but more fitting into an outside center role (i.e. with more space and in order to deliver the final pass for a linebreak), whereas Bastareaud has been immense in defense, but hasn't found his pass yet. On the other hand, Fritz has been as reliable as ever, and has developped playmaking skills while playing 12 for Toulouse (though often wearing 13) with Fickou outside him.

 

[Big Ewis]

oh God !! You know man, I actually didn't even click about the third row !! Haven't seen Toulouse play a lot this year lol, totally skipped that thought...
I think PSA's gonna call up Ouedraogo, he says he's not sure he'll even select Dusautoir (after the injury...).

About Fof+Bastareaud, like you said Fofana's developing that sweet passing game, becoming a true center with all its intrinsic qualities...there's been some FAN-TAS-TIC stuff in Clermont this year...and he's rugged enough to avoid tackles. Bastareaud I'd like to see with Fofana coz he'd be more like a battering ram-type center to resist tackles then offload, like what Nonu's been doin for NZ, and then Fofana with the pure pace/creativity/athleticism and now passing.



All in all though, I'm looking for Picamoles/Bastareaud/Fofana and Michalak to be impactful...if just these guys can play just "well", the forwards always perform and then Para's excellent % kicking...
I really hope we can erase that fkn 4th place from last year totally.
The funny thing is, even if we don't perform this 6N, we might still do really well in NZ this summer...ahhhhh, ze french...!

 

[Big Ewis]

(not a double post).
Got this from TrinhDuc's FB fanpage news feed:
really beautiful, some magnificent tries in there:

The trailer for the France 2013 Six Nations

[video=dailymotion;xx0k8g]http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xx0k8g_6-nations-2013-la-bande-annonce_sport#.UQamk2eKLbx[/video]

 

[ZeFrenchy]

One hour left for the matchday squad announcement. I'm betting on a 6/2 split for the bench if Ouedraogo is fit, with all of Nyanga, Ouedraogo, Dusautoir, Chouly and Picamoles making the squad. I think Médard will get in as well, mostly because of lack of options at 15 (I don't think Buttin can play 15 at international level without a boot).

 

[DonBilly]

The 24 players retained for Sunday's Test versus Italy:

[h=2]Les 24 pour Italie-France :[/h] Avants (14) : Debaty (Clermont), Forestier (Castres), Szarzewski (Racing-Métro), Kayser (Clermont), Ducalcon (Racing-Métro), Mas (Perpignan), Papé (Stade Français, capitaine), Maestri (Toulouse), Taofifenua (Perpignan), Dusautoir (Toulouse), Nyanga (Toulouse), Picamoles (Toulouse), Ouedraogo (Montpellier), Chouly (Clermont)

Arrières (10) : Machenaud (Racing-Métro), Parra (Clermont), Michalak (Toulon), Trinh-Duc (Montpellier), Mermoz (Toulon), Fritz (Toulouse), Bastareaud (Toulon), Fofana (Clermont),Fall (Racing-Métro), Huget (Toulouse)

 

[Big Ewis]

^ Nice to have a Spaniard on our side !

Yeh, will be looking closely at Machenaud. He's a bit of a rookie for France, his first cap was against Argentina last summer...looked good in all his tests so far.
And again, seriously hope Huget can tap into his potential FINALLY, he's a very capable winger...

 

[French TommyGun]

Bit surprised that Thomas Domingo has been left out of the forwards, I don't think it'll be a problem though that pack looks pretty lethal as it is!

However, the Backs make me a bit uneasy! I take it Fofana's undeniable skills as a center will be overlooked AGAIN so he can be stuck on the wing where he never seems to perform? Huget on the other wing... Fall as full back and in true PSA style... Trunh Duc as a replacement fall back!? :huh: Confused! I do like PSA, he is much better than lievrement that for sure! But this selections for our back line makes me nerves!