France vs Ireland - 13/08/2011 RWC Warm up

[big ginger 8]

Guinness Summer Rugby Series
Stade Chaban-Delmas
August 13th 2011
20:30
Referee: Steve Walsh (AUS)​

[TABLE="class: grid"]
<tbody>[TR]
[TD]France[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]Ireland[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Damien Traille[/TD]
[TD]15[/TD]
[TD]Rob Kearney[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Vincent Clerc[/TD]
[TD]14[/TD]
[TD]Andrew Trimble[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]David Marty[/TD]
[TD]13[/TD]
[TD]Keith Earls[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Maxime Mermoz[/TD]
[TD]12[/TD]
[TD]Paddy Wallace[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Alexis Pallison[/TD]
[TD]11[/TD]
[TD]Luke Fitzgerald[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Francois Tring-Duc[/TD]
[TD]10[/TD]
[TD]Ronan O'Gara[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Dimitri Yachvili[/TD]
[TD]9[/TD]
[TD]Eoin Reddan[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Raphael Lakafia[/TD]
[TD]8[/TD]
[TD]Denis Leamy[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Imanol Harinordoquy[/TD]
[TD]7[/TD]
[TD]Sean O'Brien[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Thierry Dusautoir (c)[/TD]
[TD]6[/TD]
[TD]Donnacha Ryan[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Romain Millo-Chluski[/TD]
[TD]5[/TD]
[TD]Leo Cullen (c)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Julien Pierre[/TD]
[TD]4[/TD]
[TD]Donncha O'Callaghan[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Luc Ducalcon[/TD]
[TD]3[/TD]
[TD]Mike Ross[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Dimitri Szarzewski[/TD]
[TD]2[/TD]
[TD]Rory Best[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Sylvain Marconnet[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD]Cian Healy[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Guilhelm Guirado[/TD]
[TD]16[/TD]
[TD]Jerry Flannery[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Jean-Baptiste Poux[/TD]
[TD]17[/TD]
[TD]Tony Buckley[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Lionel Nallet[/TD]
[TD]18[/TD]
[TD]Paul O'Connell[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Julien Bonnaire[/TD]
[TD]19[/TD]
[TD]Jamie Heaslip[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Morgan Parra[/TD]
[TD]20[/TD]
[TD]Conor Murray[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]David Skrela[/TD]
[TD]21[/TD]
[TD]Fergus McFadden[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Maxime Medard[/TD]
[TD]22[/TD]
[TD]Felix Jones[/TD]
[/TR]
</tbody>[/TABLE]













Sorry this is so ugly hopefully a mod will take it upon himself to mae it perty.

As it's home match for them I would expect France to play pretty much a full strength team. But who know's with Lievermont?

Expect us to be a lot nearer to full strength. I'm expecting something along the lines of.

1. Healy
2. Flannery
3. Buckley (will get destroyed by Domingo expect it to be his last game till U.S.A.)
4. Cullen
5. O'Connell (c)
6. O'Brien
7. Jennings
8. Heaslip
9. O'Leary (for the love of God no)
10. O'Gara
11. Earls
12. McFadden
13. Bowe
14. Trimble
15. Murphy

16. Best
17. Court (thanks to the theory he can play both sides)
18. O'Callaghan
19. McLaughlin
20. Murray (crossing my fingers)
21. Sexton
22. Jones (expect him to get more game time)

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Fixed her up, will add in teams when they're announced


Really looking forward to this, and thank God it doesn't clash with the England match

 

[big ginger 8]

Thank you Olly it's beautiful.

If France play with their Gallic flair (instead of S.A. style like they do quite often) should be a cracker.

 

[profitius]

It should reveal more about Kidneys plans. Scrum half is the most interesting position. If Murray or Stringer is not in the squad for the French game then its unlikely they'll be going to the world cup.

 

[big ginger 8]

Forgot to say this one is on RTE. Don't know what the story is for other channels. Really happy about this as love getting angry at Hook, quite like Pope annd hope O'Shea is ther quite enjoy his side of things when he can get it in.

 

[cyRil]

Why does steve walsh keep getting international matcheeeeeeesssss?!?!?!!!!

 

[TRF_Cymro]

Why does steve walsh keep getting international matcheeeeeeesssss?!?!?!!!!

Because he knows your gay

 

[deedeedatiger]

Intresting to see how the French peform prior to this wc. Sad that Bastereaud not included in rwc squad cuz he didnt lose any weight <_<

 

[ZeFrenchy]

Question for the Irish: what's the deal with Stringer? He had perhaps the straightest pass in world rugby and, even if he was never too creative, has always been a reliable SH, suited for controlling games. Kind of like the perfect SH for ROG. Has he lost it? Or is it just that the coaches prefer a more creative player?

 

[Aout]

Domingo will probably not start the game as he's injured. The injured players in the squad at the moment are

Barcella
Domingo
Servat
Ouegraogo (tho he can play)
Rougerie

Mermoz and Szarzewski have both been injured for 6 months, but they now seem to be better, as they are taking part to trainings.

What is really going to be interesting for France is the backline Lievremont will start with.

Wingers/Fullback : Palisson, Clerc, Medard, Heymans
Centers : Estebanez (12), Mermoz (12), Marty (13), Traille (12-13)
Fly halves : Trinh Duc, Skrela
Scrum halves : Parra, Yachvili

Parra and Trinh Duc are likely to start, as well as Mermoz and Marty, because Marty is the only outside center available.
The back 3 choice is harder to guess. Although Clerc, Heymans and Medard seem to be the obvious choice, we all know how much Lievremont loves Palisson. And even if he picks up Medard Clerc and Heymans, who will start as a fullback ? Out of these 3 guys, Clerc is the only one who can only play on the wing. Heymans has never ever played has a fullback in a French jersey, but it is his performances as a fullback that made him join the squad (he was tremendous with Stade Toulousain since Guy Noves repositioned him).

But then there's Medard. Fullback is probably the position where he shines the most, as he is much more involved in the game than when he's on the wing.

 

[Gavin]

France by 13+

 

[Jockstap]

Horan, Mick O'Driscoll and Ronan have been released from the Ireland squad, 3 down 10 to go.

 

[big ginger 8]

Thank God that means Jennings must be pretty much ready so I guess Wallace will start.

 

[big ginger 8]

Question for the Irish: what's the deal with Stringer? He had perhaps the straightest pass in world rugby and, even if he was never too creative, has always been a reliable SH, suited for controlling games. Kind of like the perfect SH for ROG. Has he lost it? Or is it just that the coaches prefer a more creative player?

I think it's more that they want a more physical scrum-half.

 

[coonor]

I think it's more that they want a more physical scrum-half.

O´leary is seen as a big physical scrum half and that is a factor contributing to his selection however I would beg to differ to some degree as I have seen him miss tackles numerous times even last match he missed his fair share. He is farily physical but nothing compared to other 9´s around the world especially in the souther hemisphere.

My main problem is that many experts have said Ireland and most other team have concentrated on speed and fitness work during preseason as the game has changed. If this is so why is TOL being picked for his physical attributes? surely we should be picking a scrum with a speedy pass to coincide with our quick gameplan. It doesn´t make sence that the Ireland management is suggesting speed is one of their key weapons and is pivotal to their World Cup campaign yet they still pick TOL.

 

[OnTheBall]

I really hope that Kidney doesn't persist with O'Leary for most of these games, hoping that he'll find form.
Frankly I'd prefer any of the other scrum halves in the squad ahead of him and even 'on form', O'Leary is average enough. I don't care how physical he is, he cripples a backline.
What's sad is that no matter how he plays, he's guaranteed to be going to New Zealand and will probably be first choice for the big games...

 

[M Two One]

France by at least 12 points.

 

[Jockstap]

If it's two full strength teams, France to win at home. Ireland hopefully to win at Lansdowne(we really should have beaten them in the Six Nations). France seem to have the same hoodoo over us that we have over England.

 

[Aout]

Not really judging by the last results :

Rugby World Cup

21 September 2007 France 25 - 3 Ireland Stade de France

Six Nations

13 February 2011 Ireland 22 - 25 France Aviva Stadium
13 February 2010 France 33 - 10 Ireland Stade de France
07 February 2009 Ireland 30 - 21 France Croke Park
09 February 2008 France 26 - 21 Ireland Stade de France
11 February 2007 Ireland 17 - 20 France Croke Park
21 September 2007 France 25 - 3 Ireland Stade de France

Source : IRB

France's squad will be announced this afternoon at 15h (Paris time).

 

[Jockstap]

True, but we really should have won in 2007 and last year at home, I know, I know, could've, would've, should've and all that.