French Squad named

by Adam D Thu 05 Jan 2012, 11:34 am

New France coach Philippe Saint-André has named his 30-man squad for the 2012 Six Nations which includes uncapped Clermont centre Wesley Fofana.

There is a very strong Toulouse presence in the group with lock Yoann Maestri receiving his first call up alongside team-mates Lionel Beauxis, Yann David and Yannick Nyanga.

More to follow...

France Six Nations squad:

Front rows: Vincent Debaty (Clermont), Fabien Barcella (Biarritz), Luc Ducalcon (Castres) Jean-Baptiste Poux (Toulouse), William Servat (Toulouse), Dimitri Szarzewski (Stade Français), , Nicolas Mas (Perpignan),

Locks: Pascal Papé (Stade Français), Yoann Maestri (Toulouse), Romain Millo-Chluski (Toulouse), Julien Pierre (Clermont)

Loose forwards: Julien Bonnaire (Clermont), Yannick Nyanga (Toulouse), Thierry Dusautoir (Toulouse/Cap), Fulgence Ouedraogo (Montpellier), Louis Picamoles (Toulouse), Imanol Harinordoquy (Biarritz)

Scrum-halves:Morgan Parra (Clermont), Dimitri Yachvili (Biarritz)

Fly-halves: François Trinh-Duc (Montpellier), Lionel Beauxis (Toulouse)

Centres: Maxime Mermoz (Perpignan), Aurélien Rougerie (Clermont), Yann David (Toulouse), Wesley Fofana (Clermont)

Outside backs: Maxime Médard (Toulouse), Vincent Clerc (Toulouse), Alexis Palisson (Toulon), Julien Malzieu (Clermont), Clément Poitrenaud (Toulouse)

http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,3551_7412031,00.html

Thoughts?

by Geordie Thu 05 Jan 2012, 11:38 am

Their backrow is gonna be formidable whichever combo they play!!

by Sgt_Pooly Thu 05 Jan 2012, 11:49 am

Some real form call ups there, Maestri & Nyanga have been fantastic when I've seen them.

Nallet dropped is a huge call!

As an Englishman I'm glad to see Beauxis involved, he's awful

by bluestonevedder Thu 05 Jan 2012, 11:52 am

Pretty decent looking squad, their backrow options are unbelievable

by propdavid_london Thu 05 Jan 2012, 11:58 am

Has Beauxis been playing for Toulouse? I thought that they had been using McAllister there a lot.

by beshocked Thu 05 Jan 2012, 12:09 pm

I saw Beauxis for Toulouse against Montpellier on a relatively recent ESPN match. I thought he was excellent especially with the boot. Effortlessly kicked everything including a lovely weighted kick for Medard to collect for a try, 2 drop goals and he didn't miss many if any penalties.

by Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler Thu 05 Jan 2012, 12:11 pm

Not a lot of new names in the backs.

What are the ages of the senior player sin the side? Theres obviously the framework there for a strong experienced side now but will they be significantly affected by retirements in 4 years time?

It also perhaps shows a cultural difference that France have named just 4 half backs, whereas if England dont name 6 in their squad half the internet goes into meltdown. It certainly suggests that the coach has no issues with the old names in those positions and sees no need to bring in fresh blood...same with the back 3.

Looking through that squad, and the transition others are facing, you wonder how France could mess this tournament up

by whocares Thu 05 Jan 2012, 12:12 pm

Disapointed that Fritz is not making this team as he's the form centre in the T14 at the moment.
as for the rest surprised to see ducalcon and not kayser and also David and poitrenaud (who are not in the first Toulouse XV). Poitrenaud having also less to offer nowadays appart from experience. looking forward see other youngsters (buttin , ric ) by the summer.
Looks like Nallet has played his last game against NZ...

by sirtidychris Thu 05 Jan 2012, 12:14 pm

In his last game against Bayonne he played a blinder kicking all his sides points...people reckon on current form mcallister is going to struggle to gain his 10 jersey back when he's fit.

When PSA was selected as coach this is what i was scared about.....decent squad selections...France are going to be a tough cookie to beat without a lunatic in charge undermining all the talent they have !

by geoff998rugby Thu 05 Jan 2012, 12:15 pm

Sgt_Pooly wrote:Some real form call ups there, Maestri & Nyanga have been fantastic when I've seen them.

Nallet dropped is a huge call!

As an Englishman I'm glad to see Beauxis involved, he's awful

Beauxis was outstanding in the last Touluse match I watched - a couple of weeks ago

by Sgt_Pooly Thu 05 Jan 2012, 12:17 pm

Beauxis has generally been playing second fiddle to McAlister at 10(McA is no 10 for me).

He was very good against Mont but is equally likely to be truely awful. I think his T14 kicking averages at around 60% which is pretty dire

by whocares Thu 05 Jan 2012, 12:36 pm

Beauxis is back from injury and has pushed Mcalister to the 12 spot.
At the end of the day there is not many french being 1st choices at 10 in the T14 so not many options Sad

interesting points PSW as I always wondered what would you do with 6 half backs!

otherwise players like Mas, Servat, Clerc, poitrenaud, poux and rougerie are all over 30 and should be phased out in the next 2 years...

by Geordie Thu 05 Jan 2012, 12:46 pm

It shouldnt matter squat that they are over 30.....it should matter how they are playing...and if they are playing superbly then they should be in the squad....

by **rodders** Thu 05 Jan 2012, 1:01 pm

The French don't have a bad pool of players at all do they?!... Whistle

Flip, I think I better revisit that 6N prediction thread again..... Run

by gowales Thu 05 Jan 2012, 1:10 pm

In the Quins match Mcalister seemed to go into meltdown mode wich he regularly did with the Blues, his more natural position is 12 he doesn't have the game management required to play there.

Is Lakafia injured or just not selected?

by Rory_Gallagher Thu 05 Jan 2012, 1:11 pm

I think France have the best backrow in the world tbh - they have crazy depth there. Picamoles, Harinordoquy, Dusautoir, Nyanga, Bonnaire, Ouedraogo.. all of those players are international quality. They may not have "natural" 7s, but if you watch their games against NZ you can clearly see they don't need one..

by SecretFly Thu 05 Jan 2012, 1:14 pm

Ok..so you heard it here first... Another Slam for France. This time it's not a prediction.

by Guest Thu 05 Jan 2012, 1:42 pm

no Nallet

Loving the look of their backrow selection though, hard has nails, going to be tough for anyside to compete with them properly at the breakdown I reckon.

by whocares Thu 05 Jan 2012, 1:43 pm

Lakafia not selected - he's starting to play quite well of for biarritz again. on pure form he's ahead of say harinordoquy who is half injured but you cant buy experience. he also has a similar profile at 8 to picamoles who is just too good to be dropped right now.
Same goes with Yachvili or Parra, selected more on experience than form (Dupuy is imo the best french SH right now).

by Hound_of_Harrow Thu 05 Jan 2012, 2:38 pm

Quality in every postion, and quality back up in every position. France arguably have the strongest squad of 30 in world rugby.

The Six Nations should be a stroll for them.

Smile

by Morgannwg Thu 05 Jan 2012, 2:48 pm

They must have some 2nd row depth to leave out the likes of Thion and Nallet. Seeing Poitrenaud back in the squad is a bit of a suprise for me, I think he is a bit of a headless chicken.

Do France have an A team?

by Hound_of_Harrow Thu 05 Jan 2012, 3:19 pm

Morganwg - I know what you mean about Poitrenaud. Sublime an ridiculous spring to mind sometimes.

France could do worse than give Porical (Perpignan) a run.

I don't think France have run an A team for a while. Their U20s fill that role.

by Morgannwg Thu 05 Jan 2012, 3:24 pm

He has always been like that Hound, his whole career. Personally I think the ridiculousness outweighs the sublimeness.

by formerly known as Sam Thu 05 Jan 2012, 3:45 pm

As an Englishman I'm glad to see Beauxis involved, he's awful.

He could be a really useful player off of the bench in a tight game. We've all seen how handy ROG is when some steady kicking a late drop goal or two is needed. Beauxis maybe not the brightest spark ball in hand but he is very good off of the tee and has a pretty massive drop goal range (he slots them pretty regularly as well). Considering the games will be in Feb and March a reliable kicker with a big range is always a handy addition to the squad.

Suprised Yann David is in there, not been impressed by him when I've seen him. Fritz I assume is not in the squad because of his temper. Those rush of blood to the head moments he has could cost France at international level.

by B91212 Thu 05 Jan 2012, 3:54 pm

sirtidychris wrote:When PSA was selected as coach this is what i was scared about.....decent squad selections...France are going to be a tough cookie to beat without a lunatic in charge undermining all the talent they have !

Me too, and other than Domingo its about the strongest options they have. If these guys click then a Grand Slam could be on the cards after all.

You can make a fairly decent 22 form those players of

Jean-Baptiste Poux (Toulouse)
William Servat (Toulouse)
Nicolas Mas (Perpignan)
Julien Pierre (Clermont)
Pascal Papé (Stade Français)
Thierry Dusautoir (Toulouse/Cap)
Imanol Harinordoquy (Biarritz)
Louis Picamoles (Toulouse)
Morgan Parra (Clermont)
François Trinh-Duc (Montpellier)
Julien Malzieu (Clermont)
Maxime Mermoz (Perpignan)
Aurélien Rougerie (Clermont)
Vincent Clerc (Toulouse)
Maxime Médard (Toulouse)

Dimitri Szarzewski (Stade Français)
Fabien Barcella (Biarritz)
Romain Millo-Chluski (Toulouse)
Yannick Nyanga (Toulouse)
Dimitri Yachvili (Biarritz)
Lionel Beauxis (Toulouse)
Wesley Fofana (Clermont)

by Hound_of_Harrow Thu 05 Jan 2012, 3:59 pm

He's usually sound for Toulouse. However the 2004 HC final was a real blooper - Howley should never have got that try. I was very happy that he did though Smile

by munkian Thu 05 Jan 2012, 4:00 pm

rugbydreamer wrote:no Nallet

Loving the look of their backrow selection though, hard has nails, going to be tough for anyside to compete with them properly at the breakdown I reckon.

Bizzarely, I had a weird dreamlast night where I was waiting in the departures lounge to fly home from France and saw Nallet in the arrivals area Erm

I really must start drinking again

by Sgt_Pooly Thu 05 Jan 2012, 4:04 pm

" Beauxis maybe not the brightest spark ball in hand but he is very good off of the tee"

Beauxis is very flakey from the tee. I read/heard he averages in the low 60% in the T14. Not a fan in the slightest

by munkian Thu 05 Jan 2012, 4:07 pm

Hope he starts in Cardiff then thumbsup

by formerly known as Sam Thu 05 Jan 2012, 4:15 pm

Beauxis is very flakey from the tee. I read/heard he averages in the low 60% in the T14. Not a fan in the slightest.

Won't matter too much especially as the reliable penalty kicking scrum halves are in the squad. You'd only be looking for Beauxis to pull off the massive long range efforts or the big drop goals. Could be valuable off of the bench.

by J_D Thu 05 Jan 2012, 4:23 pm

Very strong squad, front and back row's look immense

by maestegmafia Thu 05 Jan 2012, 4:30 pm

Wow, you suddenly remember what an impressive rugby country france is....! This could be a sensational team.

by Welshmushroom Thu 05 Jan 2012, 4:39 pm

Well he is not using the 6 Nations for development. Picked pretty much the strongest players available to France. There must be a lot of pressure on the coach to get results though as they seem to be putting off the rebuilding job. There are a lot of players who wont make the 2015 WC and if they do they probably wont be the same players they are now. Servat, Bonnaire, Dusautoir & Rougerie to name just a few.

I cant see this side win a Grand Slam to be honest. At Centre they dont look as strong and in the boilerhouse they havent really selected a big bruiser. Also I would put serious question marks on them at 10.

At home they will be strong but away from home they are beatable.

by formerly known as Sam Thu 05 Jan 2012, 4:50 pm

Romain Millo-Chluski is pretty massive from memory Mushroom. The centres are pretty damn good as proven against NZ in the RWC final and that young Fofana is a really class act. The Fofana/Rougerie double act may well be selected, they've been in great form for Clermont and I don't think any other team in the 6N would most such a well rounded centre combination.

You are right about the continuing weakness at 10 though, a lot rests on the shoulders of Trinh-Duc.

by Rory_Gallagher Thu 05 Jan 2012, 4:54 pm

Anyone know how Alexandre Lapandry is getting on? Or why he is not included? He has looked very good in the past. He reminds me a bit of Harinordoquy.

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