RBS 6 Nations - France vs Italy - (04/02/2012 - 14:30)

[Me 1]

To be fair that's not exactly true is it!? This time last year if you a France supporter you didn't have much hope at all and it definitely wasn't exciting times! The spring test were abysmal, we conceded our biggest defeats ever from the likes of Argentina and South Africa and later on that year we got absolutely hammered by Australia in Paris! So last year I would say that France was a much more sheepish and humble team. Nobody thought it was exciting times for us. Agreed??? =P

I take your point and do think France will win, but I'm just saying that everyone thought the same thing last year, so we shouldn't say they have no chance at all. Saint-Andre is probably better than Lievremont (It's not hard to be to be fair) and the team is in better shape, it's just better not to write them off, as we've seen they have the potential.

 

[Amobokoboko]

Gonna be a hard pick for me. A fellow country man, Vincent Debaty was picked by the French to join the Squad.

Wishing him all the best

 

[ZeFrenchy]

15. Médard;
14. Clerc,
13. Rougerie,
12. Fofana,
11. Malzieu;
10. Trinh-Duc,
9. Yachvili;
7. Bonnaire,
8. Picamoles,
6. Dusautoir (cap.);
5. Nallet,
4. Papé;
3. Mas,
2. Servat,
1. Poux.

16; Szarzewski,
17. Debaty,
18. Maestri,
19. Harinordoquy,
20. Parra,
21. Beauxis,
22. Mermoz.

Just announced. Just as expected, then. My only change would be Parra for Yachvili.​

 

[ZeFrenchy]

Major change, rugbyrama.fr had made a mistake, Debaty starts at LH. Big call, to play a poor scrummager against Castrogiovanni.
Real squad:

15. Médard;
14. Clerc,
13. Rougerie,
12. Fofana,
11. Malzieu;
10. Trinh-Duc,
9. Yachvili;
7. Bonnaire,
8. Picamoles,
6. Dusautoir (cap.);
5. Nallet,
4. Papé;
3. Mas,
2. Servat,
1. Debaty.

​

16; Szarzewski,
17. Poux,
18. Maestri,
19. Harinordoquy,
20. Parra,
21. Beauxis,
22. Mermoz.​

 

[Melhor Time]

Major change, rugbyrama.fr had made a mistake, Debaty starts at LH. Big call, to play a poor scrummager against Castrogiovanni.
Real squad:

15. Médard;
14. Clerc,
13. Rougerie,
12. Fofana,
11. Malzieu;
10. Trinh-Duc,
9. Yachvili;
7. Bonnaire,
8. Picamoles,
6. Dusautoir (cap.);
5. Nallet,
4. Papé;
3. Mas,
2. Servat,
1. Debaty.

​

16; Szarzewski,
17. Poux,
18. Maestri,
19. Harinordoquy,
20. Parra,
21. Beauxis,
22. Mermoz.​

Three surprizes in that for me. I rate Malzieu but didn´t expect him to start.

Picamoles has so much talent but has been such an underperformer for France since staring in the win over South Africa in Toulouse in 2009. His World Cup was poor. Lucky to be included.

Debaty... not sure waht to make of his selection. Italy will target him in the scrum and should succeed.

Talk about Toulouse and Clermont being represented! But the man of the hour is Trinh-Duc who was king on Friday vs Stade Français. He should tear Orquera apart. Yachvilli-Trinh-Duc-Fofana has a great balance to it.

France to win this by 35.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I like that side alot - Rougerie/Fofana is going to be the best centre partnership in the Six Nations, I think.
Would have started Parra over Yachvili, but there's not a massive amount between them really.

 

[Gavin]

Orquera out of clash? Botes called in.

 

[madflyhalf]

How's weather forecast for Paris?

Italian ones says it's gonna be pretty damn freezing: temperatures below 0°C all day, between -10° and -5° on thursday; -11° and -5° on friday; -8° and -4° on saturday.

 

[ZeFrenchy]

Yeah, it's pretty cold. My league's games were all suspended due to forecasts of frozen pitches.

minimal -6, maximal -1 on saturday.

 

[Mr.cyclopede]

Should be dry but a bit cold for sure, under 0°C and an easterly moderate wind.

Like Olyy, appreciate the Rougerie/Fofana association. With Malzieu/Clerc/Médard back line, it's a dreaming combinaison and the best we can provide from the TOP 14 2 leading clubs.

Tribute to Bonnaire who announced his last 6N, will definitely regret this player.

 

[ZeFrenchy]

Something PSA mentiones and I hadn't noticed: Debaty has played twice this season against Castro, one as a starter, and didn't look embarrassing (from what they say, for moments it was the other way round). Also, even if he gives some penalties, Italian kickers are not that​ good.

 

[Jockstap]

I like that side alot - Rougerie/Fofana is going to be the best centre partnership in the Six Nations, I think.
Would have started Parra over Yachvili, but there's not a massive amount between them really.

Pfft, I take it you're never heard of the new super leprechaun pairing of McFadden/O'Malley?

 

[ZeFrenchy]

I think that's not Debaty (he was wearing 1 that game) and I'm pretty sure that's not Castro...

 

[Darwin]

A few interesting selection for France. I look forward to seeing Fofana, who I've heard a lot of good things about. Slightly surprised to see Nallet straight into the starting lineup considering he was only brought into the squad after Millo-Chluski was ruled out with injury - I would have thought one of the locks that were in the original squad would have got a start.

Slightly surprised to see Harinordoquy not in the starting XV too. I thought he had a very strong RWC, once he was given the starting 8 jersey halfway through the tournament. I do like the powerful running game that Picamoles offers, but his work-rate was pretty questionable at the RWC, and his lateral defense was very weak - it was like have another tight-forward in the defensive line. I don't think this will cost France against Italy (but who would have predicted last years result between these two teams?), but it may cost them against some of the better teams in the tournament.

 

[French TommyGun]

Three surprizes in that for me. I rate Malzieu but didn´t expect him to start.

Picamoles has so much talent but has been such an underperformer for France since staring in the win over South Africa in Toulouse in 2009. His World Cup was poor. Lucky to be included.

Debaty... not sure waht to make of his selection. Italy will target him in the scrum and should succeed.

Talk about Toulouse and Clermont being represented! But the man of the hour is Trinh-Duc who was king on Friday vs Stade Français. He should tear Orquera apart. Yachvilli-Trinh-Duc-Fofana has a great balance to it.

France to win this by 35.

I definitely expected to see Malzieu at starting 11 I'd choose him over Palisson everytime

I completely understand why you wouldn't have faith in Picamoles, like you say he always underpreformes for France. However he has so much potential and does some pretty good number 8 work for Toulouse, I hope this 6 nations will be his time to shine.

I agree about Debaty he will be targeted in the scrum, I just hope he ups his game for Frances sake.
Trinc-Duc is my favourite number 10 such a classy fly half i wish Parra was scrum half with him tho, i have nothing against Yachvilli he's great but Parra has this certain "je ne sais quoi!"
France will out class Italy in every way including the scrum! I think we'll get 3 or 4 trys in but i hope italy get atleast 1. France34-11Italy

...Oh and bring back Poitrenaud!!!!

A few interesting selection for France. I look forward to seeing Fofana, who I've heard a lot of good things about. Slightly surprised to see Nallet straight into the starting lineup considering he was only brought into the squad after Millo-Chluski was ruled out with injury - I would have thought one of the locks that were in the original squad would have got a start.

Slightly surprised to see Harinordoquy not in the starting XV too. I thought he had a very strong RWC, once he was given the starting 8 jersey halfway through the tournament. I do like the powerful running game that Picamoles offers, but his work-rate was pretty questionable at the RWC, and his lateral defense was very weak - it was like have another tight-forward in the defensive line. I don't think this will cost France against Italy (but who would have predicted last years result between these two teams?), but it may cost them against some of the better teams in the tournament.

Nallet literally wasn't chosen because he is getting on a bit and PSA wants to look to the future with Milo-Chluski but after his injury Nallet was the first choice.
Harinordoquy isn't on form at the moment after his injury but Picamoles has been doing very well for Toulouse recently, I know Picamoles has been unreliable for France in the past put i feel that he's grown from his experience at the world cup and I expect good things from him this 6nations

Should be dry but a bit cold for sure, under 0°C and an easterly moderate wind.

Like Olyy, appreciate the Rougerie/Fofana association. With Malzieu/Clerc/Médard back line, it's a dreaming combinaison and the best we can provide from the TOP 14 2 leading clubs.

Tribute to Bonnaire who announced his last 6N, will definitely regret this player.

I didn't know about Bonnaire! He is an absolute lengend and will be sorely missed. I'm sure this 6Nations will be an extension of his amazing proformence in the world Cup

 

[Pierce Brosnan Rugby]

18-20 My Prediction Here
Brunnel needs a win and italy sure will be no scare to fight !!!! besides Picamoles SUCKS and Castrogiovanni will smack french ass!!!

 

[London_Italian]

I would like to us take the game to the French on Saturday. We were far too conservative under the last coach, hopefully under Brunnel things will be different. Still think France will edge this one though

 

[danit]

interesting selection, pretty much youngster-oriented

15 Andrea MASI (Aironi Rugby, 64 caps)
14 Giovanbattista VENDITTI (Aironi Rugby, uncapped)
13 Tommaso BENVENUTI (reviso, 12 caps)
12 Alberto SGARBI (Treviso, 12 caps)
11 Luke MCLEAN (Treviso, 33 caps)
10 Kristopher BURTON (Treviso, 9 caps)
9 Edoardo GORI (Treviso, 9 caps)
8 Sergio PARISSE (Stade Francais, 83 caps) - c.
7 Robert BARBIERI (Treviso, 16 caps)
6 Alessandro ZANNI (Treviso, 58 caps)
5 Quintin GELDENHUYS (Aironi Rugby, 25 caps)
4 Cornelius VAN ZYL (Treviso, 6 caps)
3 Martin CASTROGIOVANNI (Leicester Tigers, 82 caps)
2 Leonardo GHIRALDINI (Treviso, 41 caps)
1 Andrea LO CICERO (Racing-Metro Paris, 91 caps)

16 Tommaso D'APICE (Aironi Rugby, 3 caps)
17 Lorenzo CITTADINI (Treviso, 8 caps)
18 Marco BORTOLAMI (Aironi Rugby, 88 caps)
19 Simone FAVARO (Aironi Rugby, 6 caps)
20 Fabio SEMENZATO (Treviso, 8 caps)
21 Tobias BOTES (Treviso, uncapped)
22 Gonzalo CANALE (Clermont-Auvergne, 72 caps)

into the squad:
Luca MORISI (Parma Crociati, uncapped)
Michele RIZZO (Treviso, 2 caps)

banned until the 6 feb.: Antonio PAVANELLO (Benetton Treviso, 5 caps)


back to the Club: Mauro BERGAMASCO (Aironi Rugby, 88 caps), Giulio TONIOLATTI (Aironi Rugby, 8 caps), Roberto QUARTAROLI (Aironi Rugby, 3 caps), Alberto DE MARCHI (Aironi Rugby, uncapped), Paul DERBYSHIRE (Treviso, 16 caps), Luciano ORQUERA (Aironi Rugby, 27 caps)

selected with the U20: Angelo ESPOSITO (Ruggers Tarvisium)

 

[madflyhalf]

Italy:

Masi
Venditti
Benvenuti
Sgarbi
McLean
Burton
Gori
Parisse
Zanni
Barbieri
Geldenhuys
Van Zyl
Castrogiovanni
Ghiraldini
Lo Cicero

D'Apice, Cittadini, Bortolami, Favaro, Semenzato, Botes, Canale.


Finally!! Benvenuti and Sgarbi both at centres!!

 

[Getofmeland]

An Interesting graph showing Age and Experience in the Italian Squad to Face France...