Italian flyhalves

[Melhor Time]

Francois Trinh-Duc, surely set to play 10 for France in November, is doing a great job for Montpellier but nobody else is doing so well. Lionel Beauxis is playing 15 and Freddy Michalak is so inconsistant. Benoit Baby who started at 10 vs Wales in the 6N is not going to play 10 or 12 at all for Clermont.

Three Italians are playing flyhalf in the run on teams. Okay, so none of them are actually Italian but all have played for Italy.

- Craig Gower (Australia) is playing well for Bayonne and is, of course, the brightest list at flyhalf for Italy since Diego Dominguez. He should combine well with Andrea Marcato playing 15 for the Italian national side.

- Luciano Orquera (Argentina) has been in great form for Brive. Impressive with ball in hand and linking very well. A great surprize for Nick Mallet as he looks towards November when Italy play New Zealand, Samoa and South Africa. A great option to cover Gower on the bench. He should, unquestionably be used ahead of Luke McLean (another Australian) to wear the #21 shirt.

- Alberto Di Bernardo (Argentina) is playing 10 for Bourgoin. Not having much success but starting for a Top 14 side when two other Italian 10's are is something exciting for Italians.

Elsewhere, Canale is doing very well at 12 too for Clermont and finally, Mirco Bergamasco is comanding a starting spot for Stade Francais at 11. Great to see Italian backs doing well in the Top 14.

 

[erwanseb]

Michalak is starting to find his feet, was good against Toulon.
Pity Baby does not more play more often at 10, as he is the complete stuff, tactical acuity, kicking, running, passing. He is very complete and has always play flyhalf in youth categories until 21.

All other have some soft spot
Skrela: great defense, good kicking but too slow. He is however the best option against tri-nation opponent.
Trinh Duc: great running and passing but no kicking
Beauxis: Great kicking but the rest is average
Michalak: Everything good or bad, depens on the day but too light in my view.

Aside from Baby, the best option is Trinh Duc provided he has a great kicker like Traille at inside center. Traille can move to flyhalf eventually

There are a lot of of good flyhalves in France but none of them is up to the very best international standards
Courrent, Peyrelongue, Boyet,Rosalen, Laharague (Nicolas),Fauque...

There are a few new young players coming at flyhalf in particular
RADOSAVLJEVIC Ludovic although he is more a scrumhalf but the most promising is BELIE Mathieu (Montauban on loan from Toulouse).

As for the Italians, Luciano Orquera is a big surprise . I really wasn't expecting him at this level and did well while Goode was injured. Had one vey poor game gainst Toulouse though.
Actually Orquera at 10 with Craig Gower at 12 could be an option for Mallet.

 

[gingergenius]

Skrela is f***ing awful

From what I've seen purely of international performances, they should start with Beauxis and keep Trinh-Duc on the bench for when they need to spice things up later on.

 

[Charles]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (gingergenius @ Sep 22 2009, 02:27 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Skrela is f***ing awful

From what I've seen purely of international performances, they should start with Beauxis and keep Trinh-Duc on the bench for when they need to spice things up later on.[/b]

Nah, Beauxis is ****. His defense is crap, he stands too deep on attack and he is injury prone. Trinh-Duc, Michalak and Traille will be the 10's for the Autumn tests. Michalak can cover for scrum half, and Traille can also play 12 and 15.

 

[Prestwick]

After the abortive disaster that was putting Traille at 15, I'd be very wary about moving him outside of his usual comfort zone at center. I don't think he has either the skill or the nerve to make it as a good fly half.

If moving Traille to full back has taught France anything its that if the player is only good at one position, it's probably a good idea to keep him there...

 

[Melhor Time]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Codorniou @ Sep 22 2009, 07:27 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Michalak is starting to find his feet, was good against Toulon.
Pity Baby does not more play more often at 10, as he is the complete stuff, tactical acuity, kicking, running, passing. He is very complete and has always play flyhalf in youth categories until 21.

All other have some soft spot
Skrela: great defense, good kicking but too slow. He is however the best option against tri-nation opponent.
Trinh Duc: great running and passing but no kicking
Beauxis: Great kicking but the rest is average
Michalak: Everything good or bad, depens on the day but too light in my view.

Aside from Baby, the best option is Trinh Duc provided he has a great kicker like Traille at inside center. Traille can move to flyhalf eventually

There are a lot of of good flyhalves in France but none of them is up to the very best international standards
Courrent, Peyrelongue, Boyet,Rosalen, Laharague (Nicolas),Fauque...

There are a few new young players coming at flyhalf in particular
RADOSAVLJEVIC Ludovic although he is more a scrumhalf but the most promising is BELIE Mathieu (Montauban on loan from Toulouse).

As for the Italians, Luciano Orquera is a big surprise . I really wasn't expecting him at this level and did well while Goode was injured. Had one vey poor game gainst Toulouse though.
Actually Orquera at 10 with Craig Gower at 12 could be an option for Mallet.[/b]

France's strength at 9 should be used to help their weakness at 10. Dupuy, Tillous-Bourdes and Parra should all be picked at 9 ahead of Michalak. At 10, France only have Michalak and Trinh-Duc getting good game time in the Top 14. There are others, as you say, but they are uncapped players and will not feature in the 2011 World Cup squad. For this reason, they should not factor in at all. France can benefit spectatularly from using Parra as a backup to Trinh-Duc and Michalak as third choice.

Traille is not a 10 nor a 15. He can play both and do so well but he is never, from my own personal viewinf experiences, able to have the same impact on a game as when he is playing 12. France have great options at fullback so there is no need to play Traille there. Medard is outstanding and can be well supported by Pallison, Heymans and Floch.

9 Dupuy, 10 Trinh-Duc
12 Jauzon, 13 Yann David (or Bastrenaud if avaliable???)
11 Heymans, 15 Medard, 14 Clerc

20 Parra, 21, Mermoz, 22 Pallison

Assuming all are fit of course.

As for Italy, I think that, as you say, Luciano Orquera is definetly doing himself favors. Mallet will be thinking of playing him at 10 as you say. I think, however, that he will be on the bench. Italy will have Gower and Marcato who will be in the starting XV which means there is no need to have Orquera too as Italy would already have 2 playmakers. Also, the form of Gonzalo Canale for Clermont at 12 has been spectacular and he should play there permanently from here on in for Italy. They can also benefit hugely here by having two good choices for 13: Masi and Garcia.

9 Canavosio, 10 Gower
12 Canale, 13 Masi
11 Mirco Bergamasco, 15 Marcato, 14 Robertson