France v Ireland, A realistic view

First topic message reminder :

With France v Ireland only a few days away, what can we honestly expect to get from the game?? My heart says we go to France and do a number on them, however my head says this wont be.

Deccie most likely will give us another experimental team, (most likely with the view of winning our two home games and entering the WC on a winning streak), and why not?? He is using these games very well and making the right noises.

The French however have already picked their 30 man squad for the WC and will look to target a big win with their big names on home soil, but with the game being played in Bordeaux it might suit the Irish to be away from Paris.

I fear the best result we can hope for is if our second string can hold what will be a dominate French side to within 10-15 points it will be seen as a decent result for Ireland

Here is the French line up-

FRANCE : Traille – Clerc, Marty, Mermoz, Palisson – (o) Trinh-Duc, (m) Yachvili – Lakafia, Harinordoquy, Dusautoir (cap) – Millo-Chluski, Pierre – Ducalcon, Szarzewski, Marconnet

Remplaçants : Guirado, Poux, Nallet, Bonnaire, Parra, Skrela, Médard

MBT

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:

red_stag wrote:I'm quite happy we can beat that French team.

Encore un petit wager, monsieur cerf rouge?

Cela semble bon pour moi monsieur anti-ordre des comportements sociaux.

I think it is a pretty tough French team myself, no shortage of quality players there!!! I wouldn't mind seeing your team Notch, maybe put Ryan or Cullen in the second row starting and one of POC or DOC subing.

Also would be tempted to see more of Fitz.

Why does ML persist with Traille at 15??? The guy is a lunatic

red_stag wrote:

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:

red_stag wrote:I'm quite happy we can beat that French team.

Encore un petit wager, monsieur cerf rouge?

Cela semble bon pour moi monsieur anti-ordre des comportements sociaux.

Et le perd?

Notch wrote:

Carpe Diem wrote:A test is a test, surely you want to win every single match. I know i do!

Yeah, exactly. That doesn;t mean we can't out out a team like this;

1. Cian Healy
2. Rory Best
3. Mike Ross
4. Donncha O'Callaghan
5. Paul O'Connell
6. Denis Leamy
7. Sean O'Brien
8. Jamie Heaslip
9. Eoin Reddan
10. Jonathon Sexton
11. Andrew Trimble
12. Paddy Wallace
13. Keith Earls
14. Tommy Bowe
15. Rob Kearney

16. Jerry Flannery 17. John Hayes 18. Leo Cullen 19. David Wallace 20. Conor Murray 21. Ronan O'Gara 22. Luke Fitzgerald

And learn a lot from the experimentation there.

Quality.

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:

red_stag wrote:

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:

red_stag wrote:I'm quite happy we can beat that French team.

Encore un petit wager, monsieur cerf rouge?

Cela semble bon pour moi monsieur anti-ordre des comportements sociaux.

Et le perd?

Vous devez écrire tous les messages en irlandais gaélique. Vous devez faire cela jusqu'à ce qu'un modérateur vous arrête. Vous pouvez utiliser Google Translate.

red_stag wrote:

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:

red_stag wrote:

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:

red_stag wrote:I'm quite happy we can beat that French team.

Encore un petit wager, monsieur cerf rouge?

Cela semble bon pour moi monsieur anti-ordre des comportements sociaux.

Et le perd?

Vous devez écrire tous les messages en irlandais gaélique. Vous devez faire cela jusqu'à ce qu'un modérateur vous arrête. Vous pouvez utiliser Google Translate.

C'est un offre tres genereuse - Je l'accepte avec empressement. Et pour vous, vous devez écrire un article à la gloire des Dragons de Newport Gwent-, mais se réfèrent à eux comme à travers Newport seulement!

Mais le révérend va me tuer. Il n'aime pas Newport. Il est trèS AgreSsif parce qu'il est de Gwent.

J'accepte

Yeah yeah you can both use google translate well done.

leinsterbaby wrote:Yeah yeah you can both use google translate well done.

Yeah yeah you can be very cranky well done

Sure thing boss Just embracing the spirit of the Franco-Hiberno rugby festival that is upon us.

MBTGOG wrote:

The Great Aukster wrote:Still think the results of the remaining pre-RWC games are incidental, and the achievement of their goal is far more important. In fact, it could be argued that if Ireland lost all five then there would no expectation and therefore zero pressure on the team in the ones that matter.

The team is bound to be rotated each week because there are still players to come back, and still players who need more pre-season time. It is fine saying this is France's first game and they will be rusty, but it will be the same for most of the Ireland team. These are still friendlies (for both sides) where players are trying to reaquaint themselves with the 'line' but not necessarily put their body on it.

Do you really think losing 5 matches in a month wouldn't have some sort of negative psychological effect?

... except they aren't Test matches, they're shared training exercises with another friendly nation (or member province in Connacht's case), to both sides mutual benefit.

Both teams win, and the result is incidental... except to Franno of course

They are test matches. Caps are awarded, fans are paying to see them, they are being televised for the nation, world ranking points are on offer.

It's important everyone gets a bit of gametime and match fitness before the World Cup, but that doesn't mean we should treat the jersey with disrespect. If a coach or player said what you're saying I would be furious.

Beating the French should be the only target - home and away. It's the team Ireland can't beat, except once in a blue moon.

Beating England at home is not going to set the world on fire, nor get any real, long-term confidence into the team. Been there, done that already for the last 7 years.

France is the only target. Beat them. By any means necessary. And don't come off the pitch until they do.

I think Ireland will have to up their game considerably to beat France. Against Scotland, you were quite lucky to only get beaten by 4 points as it was our ineptitude and some very good defence which kept the scores close. (I hope that doesn't come across as argumentative or arrogant as it wasn't meant to). I thought you back 3 were threatening but beyond that, there wasn't much on display. However, the difference between last week's team and your ideal team shoud stand you in good stead come the WC itself.

Notch wrote:They are test matches. Caps are awarded, fans are paying to see them, they are being televised for the nation, world ranking points are on offer.

It's important everyone gets a bit of gametime and match fitness before the World Cup, but that doesn't mean we should treat the jersey with disrespect. If a coach or player said what you're saying I would be furious.

Who's showing any disrespect to the jersey?

Seriously do you really think the Scotland Ireland game had the same selection dilemmas, or intensity of the 6N game for the coaches, players or fans from both sides? The price of the entrance ticket is a clue. Do you think BOD would be risked for example in these games if he isn't 100%, the way he might be against Australia? They are certainly capped International games and a win is better than a loss, but Test matches - no.

BTW the game last Saturday was not televised to the nation by RTE, so another clue there...

The Great Aukster wrote:
BTW the game last Saturday was not televised to the nation by RTE, so another clue there...

Yet the games against France and England are, so this is completely irrelevant.

red_stag wrote:

The Great Aukster wrote:
BTW the game last Saturday was not televised to the nation by RTE, so another clue there...

Yet the games against France and England are.....

You sure abut that? http://www.sportsnewsireland.com/rugby_irish/33534/

The Great Aukster wrote:

Notch wrote:They are test matches. Caps are awarded, fans are paying to see them, they are being televised for the nation, world ranking points are on offer.

It's important everyone gets a bit of gametime and match fitness before the World Cup, but that doesn't mean we should treat the jersey with disrespect. If a coach or player said what you're saying I would be furious.

Who's showing any disrespect to the jersey?

Seriously do you really think the Scotland Ireland game had the same selection dilemmas, or intensity of the 6N game for the coaches, players or fans from both sides? The price of the entrance ticket is a clue. Do you think BOD would be risked for example in these games if he isn't 100%, the way he might be against Australia? They are certainly capped International games and a win is better than a loss, but Test matches - no.

BTW the game last Saturday was not televised to the nation by RTE, so another clue there...

It was on the BBC, live in Scotland. Obviously they are one of the nations involved here.

For me, the Scotland game was not of a lower quality than the test match between Ireland and Samoa last November. What it meant to both sets of players is clear. We need to get players match fit for the World Cup and experiment a little bit, that doesn't mean we don't go onto the field with the intention to win. These results really matter if we can carry some confidence into the tournament it will be massive.

French 22 for the 6 Nations :


French 22 on Saturday