RBS 6 Nations - France vs England - 11/03/2012, 15:00

[Toby Faletau-Jones]

I really believe England can do it regardless of it being in France, and i hope they do from a rugby supporters perspective. I feel that if they can contain the French in the opening 20, and silence the French crowd (Cliche as it is) they can go on and win. The French are known for getting dirty when they become frustrated, so England must do this. Does anyone know if Farrell is fit, and going to be playing? Oh thats another thing, unless he is injured England shouldn't take him off, because the difference showed against Wales. Flood (great player) but played too deep when attacking, and it's easier for defences to contain. When Dickinson went off, it also showed.

Prediction: France 13 - 20 England.

 

[jaunard06]

Can't agree more with all what has being said in the latest posts.

My feeling is that for a few years, Ireland, England and France are very close to each other, no team regularly take the upper hand on the other; on the other side Wales is above and Scotland and Italy are generally more challengers that favorites.

I really can't guess who will win, but on french side there's two necessary conditions IMO:
1) get the A team to start the match; bring in Picamoles and Servat (at least) !
2) improve the work at breakdown urgently; England have always been experts in that area and we will suffer even if we improve from last match where our ruck clearance was only 53%.

 

[mstar]

i agree HenryChinanski, Tuilagi is a monster, and a great weapon to have as he attracts defenders to him releasing the back line. THis tactic (not sure if it was planned or not by Lancaster) worked a treat in the first half that the welsh players/Gatland realised quickly that to stop Tuliagni making hard yards they need to "double up on him" as he threw Roberts off him and the other back row players with ease. This i am convinced not what wales expected as they have HUGE backrow players. The result was it sucked a extra man to bring down tulagni, causing a larger hole for England to exploit (hence the success England had).
Tuilagi kind of slowed in the 2nd half (understandable as he hasnt had much match time).

I would expect England to use Tuilagi in the same manner to set up the attacks as watching the match some of the best phases came when we had big ball carriers carrying over the gain line. What i want to happen is Ashton/Strettle to run off the shoulder Tuilagi and for Tuilagi to have the VISION (see my ratings i commented on him not looking to offload to the the wingers) to see his support runners before going into contact.

 

[Tadginator]

i agree HenryChinanski, Tuilagi is a monster, and a great weapon to have as he attracts defenders to him releasing the back line. THis tactic (not sure if it was planned or not by Lancaster) worked a treat in the first half that the welsh players/Gatland realised quickly that to stop Tuliagni making hard yards they need to "double up on him" as he threw Roberts off him and the other back row players with ease. This i am convinced not what wales expected as they have HUGE backrow players. The result was it sucked a extra man to bring down tulagni, causing a larger hole for England to exploit (hence the success England had).
Tuilagi kind of slowed in the 2nd half (understandable as he hasnt had much match time).

I would expect England to use Tuilagi in the same manner to set up the attacks as watching the match some of the best phases came when we had big ball carriers carrying over the gain line. What i want to happen is Ashton/Strettle to run off the shoulder Tuilagi and for Tuilagi to have the VISION (see my ratings i commented on him not looking to offload to the the wingers) to see his support runners before going into contact.

nice consistent spelling.
go on you strettle

 

[ZeFrenchy]

Can't agree more with all what has being said in the latest posts.

My feeling is that for a few years, Ireland, England and France are very close to each other, no team regularly take the upper hand on the other; on the other side Wales is above and Scotland and Italy are generally more challengers that favorites.

I really can't guess who will win, but on french side there's two necessary conditions IMO:
1) get the A team to start the match; bring in Picamoles and Servat (at least) !
2) improve the work at breakdown urgently; England have always been experts in that area and we will suffer even if we improve from last match where our ruck clearance was only 53%.

Starting Picamoles and working on the breakdown are mutually exclusive, I'm afraid. Picamoles plays way too loose (sounds like "Toulouse" XD), I remember against Italy the guy was defending between the centres while the italian maul was going forward fast, as an example. Plus, most of the breakdown work lately is being done by Bonnaire, followed by Harinordoquy. We also have the problem of being extremely dependent on those two for the lineout. I hope that will change soon with younger locks, as Maestri, but for now we can't let Bonnaire go.

On the Servat issue I'm quite torn. On the one side, Servat is a better player than Szar. On th other hand, we need Szarszewski to step up, and we can't drop him after one bad game, I feel it would be almost a career ender.

Also, one thing I've been saying from last year: France's and Wales' favourite tags came from only a couple of games. Both had had mediocre november tours in 2010 and then average 6N. Wales got a reputation out of the Sout Africa game (which they lost). France was awful in november, then in the 6N (including a defeat to Italy), then decent in the WC warm ups, then terrible in the pools, then had ONE good game, then had a bad one, then had a very good one (wihch we lost). So this "grand slam favourite" tag came pretty much out of a single game. The same could have been said about Ireland; they beat Australia after all.
The only side that has performed up to the expectations is Wales, and bloody well so. I wasn't expecting this, I've always felt that creating hype and then not living up to it is sort of a welsh specialty.

 

[jaunard06]

Starting Picamoles and working on the breakdown are mutually exclusive, I'm afraid. Picamoles plays way too loose (sounds like "Toulouse" XD), I remember against Italy the guy was defending between the centres while the italian maul was going forward fast, as an example. Plus, most of the breakdown work lately is being done by Bonnaire, followed by Harinordoquy. We also have the problem of being extremely dependent on those two for the lineout. I hope that will change soon with younger locks, as Maestri, but for now we can't let Bonnaire go.

On the Servat issue I'm quite torn. On the one side, Servat is a better player than Szar. On th other hand, we need Szarszewski to step up, and we can't drop him after one bad game, I feel it would be almost a career ender.

Also, one thing I've been saying from last year: France's and Wales' favourite tags came from only a couple of games. Both had had mediocre november tours in 2010 and then average 6N. Wales got a reputation out of the Sout Africa game (which they lost). France was awful in november, then in the 6N (including a defeat to Italy), then decent in the WC warm ups, then terrible in the pools, then had ONE good game, then had a bad one, then had a very good one (wihch we lost). So this "grand slam favourite" tag came pretty much out of a single game. The same could have been said about Ireland; they beat Australia after all.
The only side that has performed up to the expectations is Wales, and bloody well so. I wasn't expecting this, I've always felt that creating hype and then not living up to it is sort of a welsh specialty.

Partially agree about your statement concerning Picamoles, still against England and Wales we need more brute force and physical power, which Picamoles obviously brings on each game he entered s a substitute there was a blatant before/after difference.
For the rucks my concern is less about individuals than technical : our ball carrier is most of the time isolated from his forwards, and the clean-up is badly done. This is something that has to be teached correctly to the whole team. We put too many guys and still the ball is slowed down by our opponent.

 

[mstar]

sorry get it right next time :lol:

 

[mstar]

In the breakdown England seemed really sharp against Wales. You could see that England worked on that, and it did nullify Sam W to a certain degree.
They need the same skill and sharpness against France. As i agree with the earlier poster if they can keep France quiet for 20mins or so, and get some penalties it put France under pressure.

One thing i noticed about France is that they are slow starters, if chances present themselves England need to captilise. One thing that is worrying is that France come on strong in the 2nd half. So england need to raise their game further in the 2nd half.
Englands blitz defence was fantastic against a attacking force of Wales so more of the same and take any penalties will win the game. Displine from England needs to be good as the subs basically lost England the game. Keep youngs on the bench, and stevens away from the pitch

 

[clementing]

England have kicked the most of possession so it could be dangerous for them if France decide to
counter as England have the worst tackle completion stats.
On top of that since france conceded the fewest penalties in the tournament so far,
kicking the possession away won't give them much penalties so England won't be able to exploit Owen O'Farrell's accurate boot.
Finally, England is so far the least Dangerous team on attack (2 tries in 3 games) and made just 3 line-breaks.
I can't see England winning this one... but it is England against France and the stats could be irrelevant.
I hope we have a good match to watch and not too much blood.

 

[mstar]

England have the worst tackle completion stats.

I don't agree my friend. Are you saying:

1. England are not good defensively?
2. They make tackles but don't stop the opposition?

 

[clementing]

No, I am saying: it could be tricky for them as france will give less penalties than Wales, and you just need to miss one tackle to concede a try.

 

[B10]

Flood and Doran-Jones released back to club duty. So we have to endure Stevens off the bench again. It was a tight call between Flood and Hodgson but I would of kept Flood in the 22 as he is younger but also our most capped player. Hodgson is a good player but not going to feature much in the future, I hope.

Also Clark and Mears released, more to go tomorrow.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Gutted to see Doran-Jones released.

As you said, close call between Flood/Hodgson.
I still maintain I'd rather Hodgson coming on if we're 3/6/9 behind, than Flood who may well implode under the pressure.

 

[SelimNiai]

As Hodgson is playing I'd pop down to the bookies to bet on a chargedown try at some point

 

[Mogs999]

As Hodgson is playing I'd pop down to the bookies to bet on a chargedown try at some point

It depends on whether the French back row can be bothered init

 

[wertas]

I think that Lievremont was not totally insane. France probably need to use Parra at fly-half instead of Beauxis, because I don't understand how so limited player can even make France 22. Besides, I think that Szarzewski is done. He is missing to much tackles and after Servat retiring France need another starting hooker and it is not Szarzewski.

 

[Mrs. Peter Quinn]

Stevens ****** me off because he's a good player with a good workrate, he'd be a perfect sub if it wasn't for the penalties. I can see what Peat was saying about Stevens not obviously being in the wrong when he gave away that key penalty against Wales. But that's just what the breakdown's like, the referee defines the amount and extent of competition that he'll allow.

Any fan of French rugby will have better informed opinions than me but I can't see any reason for Szarzewski being picked above servat, apart from injury grounds. I like Beauxis as a player, think he needs another chance. Meanwhile I would have kept Flood because I feel that England won't be any sort of force until he's back on form, and Hodgson isn't a long-term fix.

 

[gingergenius]

Strange call on Flood - I thought he was excellent against Gloucester - that said, Hodgson did his job in a dire game vs Saints. Anyone reckon Lancaster made the choice because Hodgson would otherwise have a week off, and Flood can go and play for Leicester in the Anglo-Welsh?

 

[jaunard06]

I think that Lievremont was not totally insane. France probably need to use Parra at fly-half instead of Beauxis, because I don't understand how so limited player can even make France 22. Besides, I think that Szarzewski is done. He is missing to much tackles and after Servat retiring France need another starting hooker and it is not Szarzewski.

Lievremont was insane.
Simply the guys had a lot to prove against NZ, you must expect the best from a french team when they feel embarrassed.

Dupuy will probably start, along with Trinh-Duc.

 

[jaunard06]

Any fan of French rugby will have better informed opinions than me but I can't see any reason for Szarzewski being picked above servat, apart from injury grounds. I like Beauxis as a player, think he needs another chance. Meanwhile I would have kept Flood because I feel that England won't be any sort of force until he's back on form, and Hodgson isn't a long-term fix.

About Szar he is way under his usual form, and PSA has unfortunately no other choice.
Agree that when Servat will retire there will be something missing...he's such a bull ! This can on the other side be a chance for France as the team will have to rely less on the pack and play a little bit more...I wish we could take the same direction as Scotland in terms of gameplay !