June International Test: Argentina vs. France [1st Test] (19/06/2016)

[FrenchFan]

The France line up


15 Hugo Bonneval,
14 Xavier Mignot,
13 Julien Rey,
12 Jonathan Danty,
11 Djibril Camara,
10 Jules Plisson (capt.),
9 Baptiste Serin,
8 Kevin Gourdon,
7 Raphaël Lakafia,
6 Loann Goujon,
5 William Demotte,
4 Julien Ledevedec,
3 Rabah Slimani,
2 Rémi Bonfils,
1 Jefferson Poirot

Replacements: 16 Clément Maynadier, 17 Uini Atonio, 18 Lucas Pointud, 19 Fabrice Metz, 20 Louis Picamoles, 21 Sébastien Bézy, 22 François Trinh-Duc, 23 Gaël Fickou

what kind of a team compo is this?! This is not a test side. More like the Harlem Globe Trotters on Tour.

The union will hide behind the 'youth and inexperience' of the group. Baptiste Serin has had an excellent season with UBB and is the only youngster showing potential test credentials. The rest of the newbies are just good T14 soldiers.

Noves didn't pick that group. The T14 did.

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Think it's ESPN 2 (Arg).

Game could go either way. Two highly erratic teams playing against each other.

Erratic would be an improvement. They were pîss poor during the 6N. Not one redeeming performance.

Easy picking for los Pumas. Good warm-up before the RC starts.

 

[Jaguares]

What a try by Montero!

Pumas 10 - Les Bleus 3

21 minutes

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Try by Tuculet! Running rugby, baby!

The Pumas 17 - Les Blues 3

30 minutes

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Try from rolling maul for France

The Pumas 17 - France 10

34 minutes

 

[Dark Horse]

Argentina to forget about their awful Super Rugby performances: Arg 27 Fra 15. I think they will be a different team when wearing blue and white. Orange and black has no identity yet.

Anyone know what channel (France or Argentina) this is on?

Still on for this score line!

 

[Jaguares]

Penalty kick by Plisson

Argentina 17 - France 16

48 minutes

Ortega Desio out (yellow card)

 

[Jaguares]

Fantastic try by Petti. Super Rugby style!

Argentina 30 - France 19

74 minutes

 

[Rockradar]

France is still the same. Lose to everyone else but us.

 

[Dark Horse]

That was a good performance from Argentina. I did feel they would win this one and play well doing so and they did both. They never really looked too troubled and are on a nice run of international performances. Given Australia's losses, they may even jump to 3rd in the world rankings? This was a welcome break from Super Rugby and it shows all the Jaguars apologists that this team just should not be getting smashed by average provincial sides. The players are there. The depth is there and I would expect Argentina to win again next week and ruffle some feathers in the Rugby Championship. What a pity their home game vs. Australia is actually an away game. Farcical, disgraceful and unexplainable.

 

[argie]

A very good offload of Tetaz-Chaparro like a back row, finished in the try of Petti running to the H.

 

[CocoPampas]

No so impressed with the performance. But happy with the result.
Good to see they took the points when they could.

 

[Jaguares]

Nico Sanchez is a tough nut to crack

 

[Aotearoa_]

France had the majority of the possession, this game reminded me a little of Aus vs Eng the other night. Argentina just far more clinical than France, 3 tries to 1. Great to see the Pumas back in action.

 

[Superalexmarket]

That was a good performance from Argentina. I did feel they would win this one and play well doing so and they did both. They never really looked too troubled and are on a nice run of international performances. Given Australia's losses, they may even jump to 3rd in the world rankings? This was a welcome break from Super Rugby and it shows all the Jaguars apologists that this team just should not be getting smashed by average provincial sides. The players are there. The depth is there and I would expect Argentina to win again next week and ruffle some feathers in the Rugby Championship. What a pity their home game vs. Australia is actually an away game. Farcical, disgraceful and unexplainable.

Very explainable. Money talks, that's it. UAR sold this home game to the highest bidder.

 

[Ludders93]

Jules Plisson is absolutely terrible, some of his defence whilst sweeping for France was cowardly. His club form for Stade has been hopeless too, and against Wales in the 6 Nations he put in the worst display at 10 I've seen in years. Why FTD doesn't start I'll never understand

 

[FrenchFan]

Jules Plisson is absolutely terrible, some of his defence whilst sweeping for France was cowardly. His club form for Stade has been hopeless too, and against Wales in the 6 Nations he put in the worst display at 10 I've seen in years. Why FTD doesn't start I'll never understand

Agreed. Defense is not his forte but the rest of his game was not up to test level anyway.

Believe or not this is as good as it gets. The staff keeps selecting SF players who had a nightmare of a season. Twas the same during 6N.

FTD is not the answer either IMO. He has played few games with Montpellier and will be playing even less at Toulon given the competition he'll be facing. At nearly 30 his boat for Intl rugby has sailed. How the staff can't see it I don't know..

The Pumas played within themselves I thought but still good enough. They will crank it up for 2nd test and raise the intensity as this is their launchpad to the RC. There is a full division in standards now between the Pumas and France who should drop out of the top 10 by next year.

The Perfect Storm is heading towards FFR and their joke of a team...

 

[Aotearoa_]

Agreed. Defense is not his forte but the rest of his game was not up to test level anyway.

Believe or not this is as good as it gets. The staff keeps selecting SF players who had a nightmare of a season. Twas the same during 6N.

FTD is not the answer either IMO. He has played few games with Montpellier and will be playing even less at Toulon given the competition he'll be facing. At nearly 30 his boat for Intl rugby has sailed. How the staff can't see it I don't know..

The Pumas played within themselves I thought but still good enough. They will crank it up for 2nd test and raise the intensity as this is their launchpad to the RC. There is a full division in standards now between the Pumas and France who should drop out of the top 10 by next year.

The Perfect Storm is heading towards FFR and their joke of a team...

What has happened to French rugby of late? Is there infrastructure and cultural problems at the top end? Or are you simply not producing good enough players? From an outsider looking in the, the FRF has always seemed some-what disorganized and temperamental.

 

[Ludders93]

You're right about FTD, I think he's been harshly treated by Jake White but nevertheless he won't get regular starts at Toulon so worth trying to bring someone else through at 10. Are there any other good young 10's coming though?

French rugby is in a sad state, I see they're flying out all the Montpellier and Clermont players for the second test, so perhaps that could give France a chance? I don't think this Argentina side are great.

Toulon look set to win another top 14 in the Nou Camp. The one time I bet on them this year, to beat Clermont in late March/Early April can't remember exactly when, they **** up and cost me £2,000 after a late try from Chouly I think. Shows my luck.

France were a long price to win the second test, 6/1, and from what i've heard they dominated large parts. A win in the second test wouldn't be unreasonable if they add Fofana, Naikataci, Spedding etc

 

[FrenchFan]

You're right about FTD, I think he's been harshly treated by Jake White but nevertheless he won't get regular starts at Toulon so worth trying to bring someone else through at 10. Are there any other good young 10's coming though?

Of course I'm right. You only need look at his age, his game time in 2nd part of season at Montpellier and the life time on the bench he's facing at Toulon. If he gets picked by Noves he'll be well short of pace at test level. He was excellent with Montpellier in 2013-14 with Pelissié as SH, they offered an exciting halfback partnership that was never even given a shot.
There's **** all Plan B outside of FTD and Plisson. Going by what Noves said he's going to stick with those 2 and try and grow them into their position. Good luck with that...

French rugby is in a sad state, I see they're flying out all the Montpellier and Clermont players for the second test, so perhaps that could give France a chance? I don't think this Argentina side are great.

I'm not sure who's in the late cavalry but I can't see the late comers to Argentina making a difference because they're coming in at the end of a long season. They're not fresh and can't slot into a game plan that's just not there. The team has not shape in attack and in defense.
Defensively France are poor. They have been since the last 6N. But hey this is what you get for hiring a union defense coach (Gerald Bastide) who's never coached in pro rugby, no T14 experience. Beat that!?

Toulon look set to win another top 14 in the Nou Camp. The one time I bet on them this year, to beat Clermont in late March/Early April can't remember exactly when, they **** up and cost me £2,000 after a late try from Chouly I think. Shows my luck.

You're betting on the wrong games i.e. the most difficult ones to make money. Semis and the final are a roll of the dice, can go either way with dodgy ref weather etc getting in the way.

France were a long price to win the second test, 6/1, and from what i've heard they dominated large parts. A win in the second test wouldn't be unreasonable if they add Fofana, Naikataci, Spedding etc

I would expect the Pumas to rip them open and score more tries - I'm going by what I saw from the Pumas who seemed a bit rusty in 1st test and played within themselves but still the better side. They rode out well France's strong moments without losing shape and showing patience.
So there's more to come I think from them. The Pumas are fresher, better organised and their SR time together with the Jaguares will eventually tell vs a makeshift team that's going nowhere.
Also home advantage. They should crank it up with SR ahead - this is just a warm-up let's face it. I expect them to move the ball out wide more and strech the French defense will eventually give in esp. in last 20 min where they'll be out on their feet. French defense has been poor around the rucks. This is an area where Argentina should attack with good rewards.

 

[Ludders93]

Cheers for the good information, you're right backing France for this second test would be insanity. Their away record in the last 5 years since the 2011 world cup is absolutely horrendous. Top 14 betting odds are absolute chaos, because sides seem to regularly tank away games. Toulon Clermont seemed a good oppurtunity because Toulon picked all their stars, and Clermont were missing Fofana and Abendanon. So many top 14 games seem to end up in home wins, and Toulon at 2/5 just seemed certain money.

But it went wrong in so many ways. Firstly the game was played at Marseilles not in Toulon which neutralised home field advantage. Secondly giteau went off after 10 minutes and that dic*head Michalak came on. He had a horrific game, he seemed to slot in at full back and dropped 5 high balls. But Toulon were leading 9-0 after 15 minutes and 15-9 with 15 minutes to go, I seriously couldn't see them losing the game. Then out of nowhere Clermont off a late attack put a kick through which bounced to Naikataci who passed inside to Chouly for the game winning try. Absolutely Gutted, I risked £2000 only to make £800 and it backfired.