France vs Scotland - 16/03/2013

[iINDOMINUSxx]

here is the squad for scotland two changes in the team a first cap for grant Gilchrist for injured Richie gray and Al Strokosch is back in the team to replace rob harley so the team looks like this

1.) Ryan Grant
2.) Ross Ford
3.) Euan Murray
4.) Grant Gilchrist
5.) Jim Hamilton
6.) Al Strokosch
7.) Kelly Brown (C)
8.) John Beattie
9.) Greig Laidlaw
10.) Duncan Weir
11.) Tim Visser
12.) Matt Scott
13.) Shaun Lamont
14.) Sean Maitland
15.) Stuart Hogg

And for France three changes, Bastareaud is back in the team to replace Floran Fritz and Sebastien Vahaamahina gets his first cap to replace Pasquel Pape and Antonie Claassen get his first cap aswell to replace Yannick Nyanga who is on the bench so the team looks like this

1.) Thomas Domingo
2.) Benjamin Kayser
3.) Nicolas Mas
4.) Sebastien Vahaamahia
5.) Yoann Maestri
6.) Antonie Claassen
7.) Thierry Dusautoir (C)
8.) Louis Picamoles
9.) Morgan Parra
10.) Frederic Michalak
11.) Maxime Medard
12.) Wesley Fofana
13.) Mathieu Bastareaud
14.) Vincent Clerc
15. Yoann Huget

Do you agree with Scott Johnson or Philippe Saint-Andre's choices ? have your say

 

[KAPman]

Scotland need to keep the ball, be more disciplined and put pressure on Freddy michalak and then we've got a chance. Up front I think we'll struggle with the power of the French pack, but if we can play in the right areas of the field, go for the attacks with ball in hand when they're on, we can cause the French problems. Despite doing better in the second half against Ireland, I'm still not impressed with the phylosophy and the organisation of this French team. With Michalak at 10 they dont look like they have any understanding behind the scrum. Ive said that most of the tournament. Parra can only do so much from 9, but the playing what's in front of you and reading the game and the opposition defence has to come from 10.

 

[wertas]

If PSA persist with Parra and Michalak, then I'd rather see Parra at fly-half and Michalak at scrum-half.

 

[iINDOMINUSxx]

Scotland need to keep the ball, be more disciplined and put pressure on Freddy michalak and then we've got a chance. Up front I think we'll struggle with the power of the French pack, but if we can play in the right areas of the field, go for the attacks with ball in hand when they're on, we can cause the French problems. Despite doing better in the second half against Ireland, I'm still not impressed with the phylosophy and the organisation of this French team. With Michalak at 10 they dont look like they have any understanding behind the scrum. Ive said that most of the tournament. Parra can only do so much from 9, but the playing what's in front of you and reading the game and the opposition defence has to come from 10.

and also when france played ireland i didn't fully understand why its michalak whos taking the conversions when there is morgan parra on

 

[Tony Manx]

I was not a great fan of Freddie, until his outstanding performances in the Autumn, mainly because he can lose as many matches as he can win by not tackling, his teammates not understanding what he is going to do, his inability to bring the backs into play. After the autumn games, I though OK maybe he has changed?

So here we have him again in the resident 10 slot for France who are effectively vying for the wooden spoon in a championship they were widely tipped to win or be second.

Now I am not saying by any means that their lack of a realistic challenge this year has been entirely down to him - there have been far too many other sub standard performances and selection howlers to say that - BUT 10 is the fulcrum and he has abysmally failed so inevitably have the French team.

You can compare the misguided loyalty of PSA with Freddie to that of Lancaster with Ashton except that the oik is hidden, mainly, on the wing whereas Freddie is not only in the action all the time but should be calling the shots.

I warrant that he will have a wonderful game, if it is not raining and think it will be, today and France will win by a bucket load but it is still no justification to leave Trinh Duc on the bench when he has not put a foot wrong and continue the farce that is Freddie who has hardly put a foot right...............

 

[Big Ewis]

we better drop about 30 points on them....

 

[kesh]

France by 12. If Scotland had beat Wales then they wouldn't be going into this fixture with a fatalistic mindset. Hard to judge Scotland after the Welsh stop/start-y game even. They had their mojo back until then.

 

[madman]

come on scotland scotland win by 6

 

[irelandfan123]

has kelly brown a speech impediment? has to be Lions 7 looking back he has been pure class

 

[Draggs]

has kelly brown a speech impediment? has to be Lions 7 looking back he has been pure class

I see what you did there.

 

[UlsterRugby2012]

Nice wee close up on Kelly Browns eyebrows there.

Love the Scottish anthem when all the crowd sings - really hope they win.

 

[ratsapprentice]

He's got a stutter.

Is this going to be France's "one big game"?

Rooting for either a Scotland win or a France *****slap.

 

[big ginger 8]

Love it when Beattie kicks.

 

[Jbobo]

Rooting for either a Scotland win or a France *****slap.

Exactly this

 

[Tony Manx]

What are the BBC doing to us.....first it was "our Shane" (who at least has something to do with the sides playing) and now we have "our Lol" who is Italian/English making inane comments in the most boring voices...........I shall not even start on the deficiencies of the actual commentators!

 

[ratsapprentice]

BTsport have signed Lol up as their "Rugby Expert" to "spearhead" their premiership coverage. Still, could be worse... could be Gomarsall.

 

[Tony Manx]

BTsport have signed Lol up as their "Rugby Expert" to "spearhead" their premiership coverage. Still, could be worse... could be Gomarsall.

Even if I could receive BT broadband, which I cannot, I do not think I would be paying them anything to watch their rugby if that is the case!!

 

[ratsapprentice]

You won't have to, they have just bought ESPN uk and AFAIK have plans to broadcast some games on a terrestrial channel.
That's not confirmed yet though...

 

[Tony Manx]

You won't have to, they have just bought ESPN uk and AFAIK have plans to broadcast some games on a terrestrial channel.
That's not confirmed yet though...

ESPN UK was on the Sky platform at an extra tenner a month on top of paying for Sky Sport and presume "terrestial" means Freeview but they would surely charge for that or reducing the imppact of their broadband offer.......it is the Sky broadband customers they initally want and then monopolise sports so no other broadband operator can compete?

Eit....guess this is **** game really that we are discussing this!!

 

[ratsapprentice]

Terrestrial = Channels 1-5