RWC Semi Final: France - Wales (15-08-2011, 21:00)

[McTallshort]

Wales need to show some bottle but they could go all the way, France have one good game every WC and that was it....not that they really needed it

 

[Taylo2]

We beat Welsh by 30 points in the last Six Nations, but Wales really impress me today. Can not wait to see this game !
@Taylo2 : sorry, good game
My French team would be;
1 Barcella 9 Yachvili
2 Servat 10 Parra
3 Mas 11 Palisson
4 Nallet 12 Mermoz
5 Pape (or Pierre) 13 Rougerie
6 Dusautoir 14 Clerc
7 Bonnaire 15 Medard
8 Harinordoquy

Ah its ok, We didn't perform, certainly not in the first half. Second half was more of a contest, but the better side on the day prevailed. Well done France

I can't see past Wales in this one I'm afraid, they have built up decent momentum, strong self belief and are playing with no fear. Their lack of age in the side appears to be working for them, giving them that sense of indestructibility younger players always seem to have. I am a fan of a few of the french players, I really like Parra, but at 9 rather than 10. Clerc is as deadly a winger as you'll find anywhere, on a par with the likes of Williams and on their day Bowe & Aston.

For Wales, thier back row forwards are looking very tasty indeed. Warburton, Lydiate (sp), and Faletau (sp) are growing together nicely and best of all have a good run in them. Priestland has been hugely impressive too, never heard of the lad before of the warm up games, high hopes for him. Then the good ol boys of Williams, Roberts and Phillips, 3 stars that any team in the world would love at their disposal. Imagine the lions team in oz with a backs division something like Youngs, Priestland, North, Roberts, Tuilagi, Bowe, Hook/Halfpenny

 

[Amiga500]

Wales have the ability to win this at a canter. If they play anything like to their potential, they should win.


Indeed, I think the only thing can beat them is complacency.

 

[alexman]

Wales have the ability to win this at a canter. If they play anything like to their potential, they should win.


Indeed, I think the only thing can beat them is complacency.

So france will win this one

 

[Jer1cho]

Can't see Wales losing this one. They are now my favourite team to win. Hopefully the Wallacheats can cheat past the AB's then meet Wales in the final. I want Jamie Roberts to tear Cooper a new one.

With France though, one never knows. They have the potential, but there is something different about this Welsh team. They are starting to believe that they can go all the way, and are playing with more passion, structure and discipline than any other team. They remind me of the Springboks in 2007. It would be wonderful for the game if Wales could go all the way, but lets see what happens against the world's most unpredictable team first...

 

[smb64]

We need a NH winner this year, based on recent form you have to say Wales look more likely to do it than France at the moment. Don't let me down Wales I'm rooting for ya.

 

[TRF_Cymro]

 

[j-dawg]

Hope Wales destroy France, then destroy New Zealand in the final. Nothing would give me more pleasure than for a Northern Hemisphere side to yet again cause the all blacks to choke.

 

[M Two One]

Wales were impressive against Ireland, but I can't see them winning unless France turn up with the wrong heads on their shoulders.

 

[Mr.cyclopede]

Should start with a more versatile and mobile third line on this one (Ouedraogo, Lakafia). Despite Walles are especially dangerous in the last 20min, I would name it at the beginning, with Hari and Bonnaire entering around the 55th, swapping mobility by physical freshness.
Keeping the front row, maybe Barcella instead of Poux, but here again with Swarsevski entering soon in the 2nd.

We need to keep the Yachvili-Parra association, as it's working better and better with game time. I'm worrying also on Trinh-Duc who didn't get the spark the team did, and who is still underperforming. We need him.

Collective Welsh team is impressive, but I should place a special attention on Roberts...

 

[psychic duck]

Should start with a more versatile and mobile third line on this one (Ouedraogo, Lakafia). Despite Walles are especially dangerous in the last 20min, I would name it at the beginning, with Hari and Bonnaire entering around the 55th, swapping mobility by physical freshness.
Keeping the front row, maybe Barcella instead of Poux, but here again with Swarsevski entering soon in the 2nd.

We need to keep the Yachvili-Parra association, as it's working better and better with game time. I'm worrying also on Trinh-Duc who didn't get the spark the team did, and who is still underperforming. We need him.

Collective Welsh team is impressive, but I should place a special attention on Roberts...

Bonnaire and Harinordoquy are perfectly versatile and mobile, I think France should learn their lesson and not make too many wholesale changes from a winning team

 

[Mr.cyclopede]

Bonnaire and Harinordoquy are perfectly versatile and mobile, I think France should learn their lesson and not make too many wholesale changes from a winning team

I don't think we can tell 2 or 3 changes in the starting XV a wholesale, moreover with players who already played together (exept Ouedraogo). Of course it's no time to turn the team upside down with the 30 players squad, but it's also stupid to try to play the same one, ignoring we won't have to play Walles as we played England.

We previously made this mistake in 2007 after the QF vs NZ...

 

[AKA]

Ah its ok, We didn't perform, certainly not in the first half. Second half was more of a contest, but the better side on the day prevailed. Well done France

I can't see past Wales in this one I'm afraid, they have built up decent momentum, strong self belief and are playing with no fear. Their lack of age in the side appears to be working for them, giving them that sense of indestructibility younger players always seem to have. I am a fan of a few of the french players, I really like Parra, but at 9 rather than 10. Clerc is as deadly a winger as you'll find anywhere, on a par with the likes of Williams and on their day Bowe & Aston.

For Wales, thier back row forwards are looking very tasty indeed. Warburton, Lydiate (sp), and Faletau (sp) are growing together nicely and best of all have a good run in them. Priestland has been hugely impressive too, never heard of the lad before of the warm up games, high hopes for him. Then the good ol boys of Williams, Roberts and Phillips, 3 stars that any team in the world would love at their disposal. Imagine the lions team in oz with a backs division something like Youngs, Priestland, North, Roberts, Tuilagi, Bowe, Hook/Halfpenny

That's the problem you have in England my friend. You don't give your younsters a chance. It took public pressure and outcry for Johnson to give the likes of Ashton/Foden/Youngs/Lawes a chance. In Wales we give any younsters with potentail to shine. I guess one reason is we don't have a A team but Gatland always trust the younsters and Johson always relys on exprienced out of date players.
One trick Johnson and England missed is not picking Ben Morgan (no.8 for Scarlet). He should have picked him for the world cup or should have given him a chance in the warm up games because he is far better than Easter and anyone you have at the moment. He will be eligible for wales in January and should be in the Wales team for the 6 nations.
Trust me mate, he is going to be special and England are gonna miss out Big time.

 

[TVH11]

Why is this game so far away!!!! This is gonna be a monsterous match, i honestly have no idea how things will go (france are so unpredictable). Im cofident with out form, and looks like we have a fully fit squad to chose from. Darn it why am i so exited!!!

Sent from my R800i using Tapatalk

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

I think France will have that performance they have every 4 years in this match and I think AUS will pick it up vs the AB's and win and then for the final they'll both go back to crap for an other awful final. And the Bronze Final will be class.

 

[Peat]

That's the problem you have in England my friend. You don't give your younsters a chance. It took public pressure and outcry for Johnson to give the likes of Ashton/Foden/Youngs/Lawes a chance. In Wales we give any younsters with potentail to shine. I guess one reason is we don't have a A team but Gatland always trust the younsters and Johson always relys on exprienced out of date players.
One trick Johnson and England missed is not picking Ben Morgan (no.8 for Scarlet). He should have picked him for the world cup or should have given him a chance in the warm up games because he is far better than Easter and anyone you have at the moment. He will be eligible for wales in January and should be in the Wales team for the 6 nations.
Trust me mate, he is going to be special and England are gonna miss out Big time.

First off, the not picking youngsters stuff is ********. I shan't derail this thread with the giant chapter and verse (besides, I've had this argument with gingergenius), but its simply not true.

Second, we asked Morgan to play for the Saxons, and he said no. Can't pick a player who doesn't want to play. I rate him, I'm annoyed that he'll line up for the Welsh - but if he doesn't want to play for us then so be it.

Anyway, this game should be a cracker. I think Wales have the edge. I can't decide who I want to win. Probably France though. But that feels wrong.

 

[M Two One]

Bonnaire and Harinordoquy are perfectly versatile and mobile, I think France should learn their lesson and not make too many wholesale changes from a winning team

I agree, and Harinordoquy had an amazing match against England. I think replacing him in the starting XV against Wales would be an awful idea. I do like Lakafia, but bringing him off of the bench would probably be for the best. Ouedraogo on the other hand, I wouldn't be against him starting.

 

[Saintjay]

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That's the problem you have in England my friend. You don't give your younsters a chance. It took public pressure and outcry for Johnson to give the likes of Ashton/Foden/Youngs/Lawes a chance. In Wales we give any younsters with potentail to shine. I guess one reason is we don't have a A team but Gatland always trust the younsters and Johson always relys on exprienced out of date players.
One trick Johnson and England missed is not picking Ben Morgan (no.8 for Scarlet). He should have picked him for the world cup or should have given him a chance in the warm up games because he is far better than Easter and anyone you have at the moment. He will be eligible for wales in January and should be in the Wales team for the 6 nations.
Trust me mate, he is going to be special and England are gonna miss out Big time.

Mate to be honest, we messed up with going with some of the experienced players, as they did not play that well.

I really don't understand why people think this Wales team was so young it is not like you started with an u21 team. A few of are team were early to mid-twenties as is Wales.

Plus lets be honest Gatland does not have an long list of decent experienced internationals to choose from. He had no choice but to go with youth. He just picked the best players he had available age probably had little to do with it.

The regional welsh teams are not that good, compared to English, French and Irish clubs. Most people including those in Wales did not see Wales doing as well as they did, most die hard welsh fans I know were worrying they might not get out the group.

Don't get me wrong I think Wales have been great and there rugby is just wow. I really hope they win it now, but no one expected them to be playing as good as they are.

 

[SmokeyMonkey]

"Hang on lads, that froggy boio seemed very interested in our chat"

 

[MichaelBoard]

Haha what a picture that is! Can't help but notice how similar Lloyd Williams looks to his father Brynmor, spitting image of him.