IRB Women's World Cup 2014

[goodNumber10]

This try by the French (if it doesn't pre-load go to 1:50 on the video clock):

[video]https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x22vda4_france-afrique-du-sud-feminines-le-resume_sport&start=110[/video]

 

[Mumbles119]

Wow France, just wow. Loved the last try of the first half, was like watching a French team from the 70s/80s producing their magic.

Congratulations to Ireland too, looked solid and unfazed by NZ all the way through. Well deserved

England made hard work of it against Spain, got some structure in 2nd half with some superb kicking from Scarrat. Plus the Packer try with four hand offs was a forwards wet dream! And Watermans try was superb too

 

[gaston le gaff]

I have often been to see our girls play on a Sunday, although you cannot compare with the Top 14 that would be ridiculous, the skills are very good, the try that Le duff scored was as good as any, interpassing with precision which created spaces left and right, for Le Duff to score.The big difference for me is there are less mistakes, the rolling mauls that France produced were organised and very effective, their line out ball more often than not clean and precise, of course SA are a weaker team but they had a hefty pack but did not use that weight intelligently, an emerging nation, but they will improve.The big pool game is now Australia on Sat but do not put the All Blacks in the cupboard just yet, they lost one game not the competition, excellent display from the Irish girls who showed the Fighting Spirit that is often shown by the guys, the last 10 mins was excellent, could see why they were elated after that victory, this is a very pleasant change, just before the start of our new season, with some good rugby, France showing most of the games direct!!!!!

 

[munstermuffin]

Great display from Irish ladies yesterday. Hopefully we can have serious shot at this now. But France look awesome. Well trained, superb talent and power and a beast pack

 

[goodNumber10]

Great display from Irish ladies yesterday. Hopefully we can have serious shot at this now. But France look awesome. Well trained, superb talent and power and a beast pack

Yep, but i think South Africa, despite the scoreline actually showed everyone how to beat them.

They have played some lovely rugby though, and their game against Australia will be interesting as they haven't conceded a try yet.

EDIT: viewing figures in for last nights France game: 1,5 milllion viewers.

 

[munstermuffin]

Yep, but i think South Africa, despite the scoreline actually showed everyone how to beat them.

They have played some lovely rugby though, and their game against Australia will be interesting as they haven't conceded a try yet.

EDIT: viewing figures in for last nights France game: 1,5 milllion viewers.

Yea there's a way to beat them but can any team successfully execute it on French soil. Like Ireland are superbly athletic team with an excellent coach in Doyle but the size of French is ridiculous and I think it'll take a special effort to knock them.

 

[Big Ewis]

Yep, but i think South Africa, despite the scoreline actually showed everyone how to beat them.

They have played some lovely rugby though, and their game against Australia will be interesting as they haven't conceded a try yet.

EDIT: viewing figures in for last nights France game: 1,5 milllion viewers.

well, explore that notion. What have you seen in that game that exposed the French women's game ?

And yeah that try you posted was one of the nicer ones, but I thought this one (at 1:37) was literally French flair:

[video]http://video.rugbyrama.fr/rugby/coupe-du-monde-feminine-france-afrique-du-sud-55-3-le-resume-video_vid338301/video.shtml[/video]

Too bad it didn't end as it started, with a slower motion at the end, but goddamn I'm enjoying watching women's ball more these days if that's what I get !

Yes gaston, the maul looked an awful lot better, that was worrying in the first game. The lineout is super solid now and they stole a ton from the Saffas. Defense was superb, particularly that game. And the pack and back line were just playing excellently, I don't think we can put it any other way.
BIG problem: kicking the points in. Both Le Duff and Agricole, but particularly the former were awful.

 

[gaston le gaff]

BIG problem: kicking the points in. Both Le Duff and Agricole, but particularly the former were awful.

if they score another 9 tries per game, conversions can be given to the prettiest prop forward!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[munstermuffin]

BIG problem: kicking the points in. Both Le Duff and Agricole, but particularly the former were awful.

if they score another 9 tries per game, conversions can be given to the prettiest prop forward!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Gaston it's 1 thing that's inconsistent across board for French now is goal kicking. The days of Yachvilli or Parra slotting them over no matter what seem a distant memory

 

[Big Ewis]

BIG problem: kicking the points in. Both Le Duff and Agricole, but particularly the former were awful.

if they score another 9 tries per game, conversions can be given to the prettiest prop forward!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

gaston. I can only applaud your humorous spirit (but of course cannot encourage it publicly, it's still a highly dangerous thing...).

Gaston it's 1 thing that's inconsistent across board for French now is goal kicking. The days of Yachvilli or Parra slotting them over no matter what seem a distant memory

hilaaaaaaarious thing about that is, when Parra's out, PSA and co. can't find anyone better than Jules Plisson, Maxime Machenaud, Jean-Marc Doussain or all three taking turns in a same game to kick in the points for France. None of these guys are primary kickers on their club teams, and they kick for Tier 1 nation France. So I continue with: "the hilaaaaaaarious thing" is the two best pen. kickers in the Top 14 are French, in a league with Jonny Wilko and Sexton and Morné Steyn and co. And they're both on mediocre/way below average teams, so don't get as many chances to go for boot.
And there are many other Frenchmen in the league who can kick a lot better than those first 3 mentions.

But that's guys...let's talk women:
so what's so obviously a French weakness on our women's squad ?

 

[gaston le gaff]

so what's so obviously a French weakness on our women's squad ?

some of the girls are using pink lipstick instead of red but other than that, it all looks pretty solid to me, in more ways than one.

 

[goodNumber10]

I never said it was a French weakness.

But your back three for a start and your defensive kicking game are a big weakness.

SA turned you and they struggled with that, but SA didn't have the pack or midfield to pressure you and keep you there. Against a bigger pack with a better defence you won't be able to trundle out of your own half win so many penalties and you don't have the kicking game to relieve that pressure from set piece.

Against England and Ireland in the 6 nations you had heavy grounds which suited your pack and allowed you to keep it tight with your mail and big ball carriers the conditions suit us better this time around.

Your pack won't be able to maul England, Ireland or Canada and New Zealand from your own half and teams like England, Ireland etc... Will play to put you back then keep you there under pressure. Yeah you'll get out of your half but how often and how frustrated they will be when they do?

You'll also need your midfield to really step up if girls like Scarrett and watermen are taking it to them.

That's all, it'll be interesting to see how Australia play you... Their midfield is brutal in attack and defence.

 

[Big Ewis]

our back three didn't seem to be a weakness...but it seems, as surprising as it sounds, that you're even more knowledgeable than me in terms of women's Rugby...
but hopefully everything you say is pure concoction and typical perfidious anglo-saxon intimidation and that's that...if not, then, I hope you're wrong, and this is just typical perfidious anglo-saxon intimidation.

 

[goodNumber10]

haha! it's just some observations though, and analysis of tactics & weaknesses is the same in all genders and this is what i do week in week out for my own club.

It's just observations from watching them in the 6nations and now this, but you have to look at those things in a bigger context and against your strengths.. of which France have many. the back three may be shaky defence wise, but are blistering in attack, so kick to them and don't chase well and it's pointless.

If you give the pack possession and step off they'll take the yards and in opposition 5m areas they WILL score.

It all balances out it's just going to be who can execute better... but if i was an opposition coach that'd be my game plan, i'd also look to get my players moving your pack around at 100mph when in possession and make the bigger powerful players about, but imprtantly i'd be looking for my players to do that in phases rather than go wide straight away.

Reason being i'd want that midfield to tackle then come around the corner, make your pack have to chase the breakdown, if you just go wide they can just set and let the backs defend, i'd want them running hard.

If you can watch the first 10 minutes of this, watch what happens when England kick to your back three, they put themselves under pressure, or mishandle, Agricoles kicking form hand doesn't relieve pressure she just surrenders possession. On the other hand watch what happens when the french pack trundles the ball England are literally helpless, and that's how France won (bear in mind England are playing two 7's in that game as fisher their main number 6 who is an immense tackler and ball carrier is out injured):

 

[FrenchFan]

gaston. I can only applaud your humorous spirit (but of course cannot encourage it publicly, it's still a highly dangerous thing...).



hilaaaaaaarious thing about that is, when Parra's out, PSA and co. can't find anyone better than Jules Plisson, Maxime Machenaud, Jean-Marc Doussain

that's cos there's no one around better than Jean Marc.

 

[gaston le gaff]

The problem which seem unevident and it is very difficult to analyis a games when the opposition has still a virgin try scoresheet against them, and i do think that 6 nations was a while ago and things have been perfected since then, France's girls have by far the hardest pool to get out of and have shown superb skills against good teams, playing 2 games with no tries against them, difficult to say where the defence is dodgy, some of these may be big in size and some in weight but they move around the park with relative ease, i do think and agree with BE that GN10 is more hopeing his observations and breakdowns will happen, but more than likely this could be falling on very stony ground, as i think the overall game of the French girls is extremely sound and on home soil they will be difficult to beat. But still good to see the old fashioned Anglo / rosbif whingeing coming out, especially when the odds are stacked against them, and whats more our girls are by far prettier, and very most attractive of French Gazelles.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[goodNumber10]

The problem which seem unevident and it is very difficult to analyis a games when the opposition has still a virgin try scoresheet against them, and i do think that 6 nations was a while ago and things have been perfected since then, France's girls have by far the hardest pool to get out of and have shown superb skills against good teams, playing 2 games with no tries against them, difficult to say where the defence is dodgy, some of these may be big in size and some in weight but they move around the park with relative ease, i do think and agree with BE that GN10 is more hopeing his observations and breakdowns will happen, but more than likely this could be falling on very stony ground, as i think the overall game of the French girls is extremely sound and on home soil they will be difficult to beat. But still good to see the old fashioned Anglo / rosbif whingeing coming out, especially when the odds are stacked against them, and whats more our girls are by far prettier, and very most attractive of French Gazelles.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

LOL! Why does an analytical observation that criticises elements of France have to be whinging? You guys actually asked me to expand on it then moan at me that i'm having a pop at the French. Come on Gaston that's a bit unfair.

Why can't you also focus on the positive things i said about France?

Regardless, France don't have the hardest pool at all, Wales and SA are not strong sides and never have been - if anything the toughest pool is the NZ/USA/Ireland pool all are big sides with history in this cup and are capable of beating each other.

Waving the defence thing around isn't really proof of anything, Australia haven't conceded a try against the same teams, and England have only conceded one consolation try against Spain, Canada only 2 and so on... all the big teams have good records against the small teams - but lets see how all these teams do against better opposition who have big powerful direct running midfields and back threes that are explosive.

Also remember once we hit the Semi's teams wont' be able to bully the opposition forwards in the same way they can the minnow teams.

 

[FrenchFan]

I watched the Fra Eng game in the video and I'm suprised the technical level of these girls is much better than I imagined. I have never been to a girls rugby game. Bad macho that I am.
Enjoyable game to watch. Will watch some of the girls WC now........ ;-)))

 

[goodNumber10]

I watched the Fra Eng game in the video and I'm suprised the technical level of these girls is much better than I imagined. I have never been to a girls rugby game. Bad macho that I am.
Enjoyable game to watch. Will watch some of the girls WC now........ ;-)))

indeed, when you get two good teams like France and England you get a serious game of rugby - that 6nations game, there was some real intensity in that game, the pace was fast and the french pack were powerful and direct.

It's different to mens rugby so it's pointless comparing it, but there are some brilliantly talented players in these teams... and the Le Duff try i linked above is good enough to grace any mens team.

 

[FrenchFan]

This try by the French (if it doesn't pre-load go to 1:50 on the video clock):

[video]https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x22vda4_france-afrique-du-sud-feminines-le-resume_sport&start=110[/video]

great try.. ball went thru 5 paires of hands at speed..many men can't score try like this..