Best Pan European XV going into the HEC...

Heres the Guardians Robert Kitson's suggestion.

"The latter squad would have a strong French flavour, naturally, but here's a possible pan-European XV (including a Dutchman on loan from Scotland) to ponder. Check out the pack, in particular. And remember where you heard the idea first...!"

Euro XV:

Clément Poitrenaud (France); Tim Visser (Holland/Scotland) or Vasily Artemyev (Russia), Aurélien Rougerie (France), Wesley Fofana (France), Vincent Clerc (France); François Trinh-Duc (France), Dimitri Yachvili (France); Davit Zirakashvili (Georgia), Marius Tincu (Romania), Martin Castrogiovanni (Italy), Pascal Pape (France), Yoann Maestri (Toulouse), Thierry Dusautoir (France, capt), Mamuka Gorgodze (Georgia), Sergio Parisse (Italy).

I'm assuming that this is a Euro ex-B&I Lions XV, maes?

maestegmafia wrote:Heres the Guardians Robert Kitson's suggestion.

"The latter squad would have a strong French flavour, naturally, but here's a possible pan-European XV (including a Dutchman on loan from Scotland) to ponder. Check out the pack, in particular. And remember where you heard the idea first...!"

Euro XV:

Clément Poitrenaud (France); Tim Visser (Holland/Scotland) or Vasily Artemyev (Russia), Aurélien Rougerie (France), Wesley Fofana (France), Vincent Clerc (France); François Trinh-Duc (France), Dimitri Yachvili (France); Davit Zirakashvili (Georgia), Marius Tincu (Romania), Martin Castrogiovanni (Italy), Pascal Pape (France), Yoann Maestri (Toulouse), Thierry Dusautoir (France, capt), Mamuka Gorgodze (Georgia), Sergio Parisse (Italy).

That front row wouldn't frighten anyone. Loads of penalties coming from there.

I'm pretty sure Davit Zirakashvili is a tighthead.

The Lions would hocky this team...

Don't know why its Tim Visser (Holland/Scotland), surly its settled as just Scotland now
they don't put Parisse (Argintina/Italy)

I hadn't realised that Toulouse had seceded from France. Is the Eurozone breakup underway already?

Anyone have a suggestion or two for a better team than Robert Kitson's one?

on current form, you could replace half of those french names by others . michalak better than TD, machenaud/parra better than yachvili (injured anyway), mermoz instead of rougerie, dulin or buttin instead of poitrenaud ...

Sounds like france are on a wave of strength in depth that will never break.

Poitrenaud and Rougerie were utter gash in the 6Ns

Has this guy watched anything other than T14 rugby?

Hound_of_Harrow wrote:Has this guy watched anything other than T14 rugby?

Possibly Edinburgh, he selected Visser

Maes,
You are a Welsh tart. But somehow, I love you.

I'll make it simple. The only players out of that lot, who would make into a European 23 are: Fofana, Dussatoir and Yachvili.

And Parisse, he's been very good. To be fair so has Trinh-Duc for Montpellier

to be fair, this team was I guess meant to be a sort of continental XV i.e. excluding "northsea islanders".

whocares wrote:to be fair, this team was I guess meant to be a sort of continental XV i.e. excluding "northsea islanders".

What's your problem with the Faroe Islands?

Mickado wrote:

whocares wrote:to be fair, this team was I guess meant to be a sort of continental XV i.e. excluding "northsea islanders".

What's your problem with the Faroe Islands?

haha seems that my poor geography knowledge has been exposed!

I would have thought a few Treviso players could have come close with their victories over Scarlets and Ospreys as well as their great performance against Leinster.

Ill have a crack at a Best Euro side... Maybe you'ld like to suggest your own before tearing mine apart?

15. Jean-Marcellin Buttin Clermont Auvergne
14. George North Scarlets
13. Jon Davies Scarlets
12. Wesley Fofana Clermont Auvergne
11. Maxime Médard Toulouse
10. Luke McCallister Toulon
9. Danny Care Harlequins
8. Sergio Parisse Stade Francaise
7. Justin Tuperic Ospreys
6. Ryan Jones Ospreys
5. Steve Borthwick Saracens
4. Dan Tuohy Ulster
3. John Afoa Ulster
2. Schalk Brits Saracens
1. Thomas Domingo Perpignan

I only commented on the OP because I thought it was a very arbitrary set of criteria for picking a team (France plus the rest of Europe).

Mickado wrote:I only commented on the OP because I thought it was a very arbitrary set of criteria for picking a team (France plus the rest of Europe).

Agreed.

So lets see who you think could be the players to watch come the HEC and Amlin in a few weeks time?