Ireland v France

[Stillknox]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Monkeypigeon @ Feb 2 2009, 08:02 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

I haven't ever really paid much attention to Tillous Borde. What standard is he?

Looks a fairly stong team if it gels. Question really is, what level is Beauxis really at? Can Heymans find some form? And how will Poitre'oh no' handle Kearney up and unders all day?


P.s. I can't remember the name of the little french back who always used score against Ireland. He was blonde and short and very quick. Can anyone help because it's bugging the s*** out of me. He was around I suppose 7/8 years ago....not entirely sure abut that bit though.[/b]

Tillous Borde is a sort of Kelleher look alike, big and strong but pretty fast, a unique profile in french rugby. He looked good against Australia this summer, and in the autumn internationals too... he was involved into Castres's victories against Leinster and Wasps too.


Beauxis is still promising and seems to have improved in his game but his real level is still a mistery, he has been most often injured since two years and missed some big games.

PS: Dominici ? Bernat-Salles ?

 

[JohnBE]

Dominici

 

[Mr.cyclopede]

"Tillous Borde is a sort of Kelleher look alike, big and strong but pretty fast, a unique profile in french rugby. He looked good against Australia this summer, and in the autumn internationals too... he was involved into Castres's victories against Leinster and Wasps too."

That's why we should also se first hand attacks Tillous/Beauxis/Jauzion around scrums or lineouts (and more: Tillous/Jauzion, and then Beauxis, Jauzion having a better capacity to focus 2 or 3 players and deliver good balls, while Beauxis showed recently good trajectory vision and acceleration in the center of the defense)

 

[shtove]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Monkeypigeon @ Feb 3 2009, 07:02 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

P.s. I can't remember the name of the little french back who always used score against Ireland. He was blonde and short and very quick. Can anyone help because it's bugging the s*** out of me. He was around I suppose 7/8 years ago....not entirely sure abut that bit though.[/b]

You thinking of the great Dominici? I seem to remember he went blond in the end.

Beauxis will have to prove he's more than a giant boot. But I guess that's what France need without Traille on the pitch.

 

[cyRil]

Dominici was hardly blonde. And Bernat-Salles was grey!!

 

[monkeypigeon]

No guys, Dominici did go blonde in the end and that is who I was searching for. Thanks.

 

[Mr.cyclopede]

So I only see Castagnède, who played a blonde in this period !

 

[MunsterMan]

French backline is scary. Malzieu - Poitrenaud - Heymans! f***. If you compare lineups you would have to say it looks like a French victory but there is a lot more to it than that. If there wasn't then Kidney's record against French teams would be far worse. Croke Park under lights, Ferris, Wally and POC on the rampage should hopefully be enough for an Irish victory - hopefully is the key word.

 

[monkeypigeon]

Well we have Kearney and Earls (hopefully) attacking and Poiitre'oh no' is as much a defensive liability as attacking asset.

 

[Mr.cyclopede]

Just discovered that Tillous-Bordes and Beauxis were not totally foreigners to each other, as were associated is their present position in the -21 years french selection world champion in 2006

 

[Stillknox]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Monkeypigeon @ Feb 2 2009, 09:52 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Well we have Kearney and Earls (hopefully) attacking and Poiitre'oh no' is as much a defensive liability as attacking asset.[/b]

Poitrenaud improved since his famous and numerous "Poitrenades"... I found he was brillant against Bath a few weeks ago, catching all the high balls in a very wet weather. His attacking skills are as always, quality. I wish he will (finally) confirm his talent at international level. Otherwise we still have Médard, Heymans or Baby... 


The squad is very solid, even our scrum look good this year. The main question is (as always since Galthié and Lamaison) the 9-10 axis... we'll see. It should be very difficult (more than the past few years imo) to win at Croke Park anyway... 

 

[Stillknox]

Actually Medard will start instead of Heymans (who's a little out of form) et Lecouls (who was uncertain) finally start instead of Mas.

 

[elgringoborracho]

Really happy with the team, and we have all it takes to beat the crap out of the Irish. </span>

 

[An Tarbh]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (elgringoborracho @ Feb 3 2009, 10:09 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

According to Lievremont, they were all chosen thanks to their ability to provide quick balls. I might add that our backrow is 100% runners, which will even add to our attacking options. I'm a big fan of Szarzewski no matter what he'll always bring a huge amount of energy to shatter the Irish at home. Let's just hope he doesn't throw too many pizzas in the lineouts.[/b]

or concede too many penalties as he's prone to do.

 

[An Tarbh]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (elgringoborracho @ Feb 3 2009, 10:09 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Poitrenaud (Toulouse), Malzieu (Clermont), Fritz (Toulouse), Jauzion (Toulouse), Médard (Toulouse), (o) Beauxis (Stade Français), (m) Tillous-Borde (Castres)

We have bloody good backs, and all are on form at the moment.

I'd like to make a pronostic for man of the match : Malzieu. He's on awesome form at the moment and always plays his best with France. He scored a fantastic try against Munster a few weeks ago so he knows how to do it against the Irish.[/b]

I thought Rougerie was on better form than Malzieu to be honest, still though as you say we all saw what he was capable of at Thomond Park. Poitrenaud can go from the sublime to the ridiculous, the Bath game being the perfect case in point. If the backs click we could be in serious trouble but the one positive from the Autumn from an Irish point of view was our defence so hopefully that will have come on again, it'll need to have if the backs are on form.

 

[An Tarbh]

Ireland XV: 15. Kearney (Leinster), 14. Bowe (Ospreys), 13. O'Driscoll (Leinster) ©, 12. Wallace (Ulster), 11. Fitzgerald (Leinster), 10. O'Gara (Munster), 9. O'Leary (Munster), 1. Horan (Munster), 2. Flannery (Munster), 3. Hayes (Munster), 4. O'Callaghan (Munster), 5. O'Connell (Munster), 6. Ferris (Ulster), 7. Wallace (Munster), 8. Heaslip (Leinster).

Replacements: 16. Best (Ulster), 17. Court (Ulster), 18. O'Kelly (Leinster), 19. Leamy (Munster), 20. Stringer (Munster), 21. D'Arcy (Leinster), 22. Murphy (Leicester)

Pretty happy with that team given the squad Kidney selected, bar Flannery starting over Best, just feel that Flannery would be a better impact sub. Other than that no complaints, Heaslip showed he was getting back to his best against Edinburgh, Wallace did well during the Summer alongside O'Driscoll and Fitzergerald has looked more threatening since going back to the wing for Leinster.

 

[durbutter]

Maybe Keith Earls, for Murphy on the bench. Other than that, pretty happy. Still can't see an irish win though.

 

[An Tarbh]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (noidsay @ Feb 3 2009, 12:58 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Maybe Keith Earls, for Murphy on the bench. Other than that, pretty happy. Still can't see an irish win though.[/b]

probably Earls for D'Arcy would be my call, just given that's he's not back that long

 

[An Tarbh]

doesn't matter either way as he wasn't considered due to injury.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

I'm quite pleased with the Ireland team. I'd start Best ahead of Flannery but that's a marginal call. Keith Earls is unlucky not to get onto the bench but I assume it's due to not having fully recovered from injury given he's not in the A squad either.