Australia-France series

First topic message reminder :

Right since Mckenzie announced his team for the first test, let's start a thread i say!


1. James Slipper (Reds)
2. Stephen Moore (c) (Brumbies)
3. Sekope Kepu (Waratahs)
4. Rob Simmons (Reds)
5. Sam Carter (Brumbies
6. Scott Fardy (Brumbies)
7. Michael Hooper (Waratahs)
8. Wycliff Palu (Waratahs)
9. Nic White (Brumbies)
10. Bernard Foley (Waratahs)
11. Nick Cummins (Force)
12. Matt Toomua (Brumbies)
13. Tevita Kuridrani (Brumbies)
14. Adam Ashley-Cooper (Waratahs)
15. Israel Folau (Waratahs)

16. Tatafu Polota-Nau (Waratahs)
17. Pek Cowan (Force)
18. Paddy Ryan (Waratahs)
19. James Horwill (Reds)
20. Ben McCalman (Force)
21. Nick Phipps (Waratahs)
22. Kurtley Beale (Waratahs)
23. Pat McCabe (Brumbies)

Core of the team built around tahs and brumbies players (being the form aussie teams). Horwill on the bench with a rookie instead. No genia or higginbotham. Still looks like a strong team and looking forward to see Foley at test level. Isnt also AAC normally playing at centre?

As for France we dont even know who we will be starting with a 10... Gonna be between Knackered Tales, Michalak (who only played one game in 6 weeks) and Parra (a SH...).
Will France achieve their 1st win away to Australia in 24 games? Would think one win out of 3 games is possible.

Knowsit17 wrote:

And the worst thing is despite all that, I'm STILL too hesitant to rule them out entirely of the WC. If any side could recover from such a long slump in a few seconds it'd probably be the French. It'd be ruse of the century but I'm still wary of it!

the thing about all this is that France won't have to become world beaters to become world beaters.  All they'll have to do is surprise a few sides at the right time.  The surprise would be enough to knock a team out of their rhythm and get France through some meaningful games at perfect times.

Okay, so I joke about how it could all be a secret plan - but I'm serious about the idea that I feel France, unlike most sides, don't really care about losing these mid term games....  For them, the WC WILL be the focus and they will have certain tricks that other sides mightn't even attempt but they would....as in acting a wounded bird for a while.  

For one, there is NO way that France were as bad as their lead into the last WC final suggested.  They didn't remarkably find form just when they needed it.  They ain't that good.  But what they did do was to knock New Zealand well off their rhythm by virtue of the surprise they delivered on the day of just playing adequately hard.  If players predict that their opponents are going to be off colour on any given day then it doesn't matter how seriously they prepare, they are going to be knocked back mentally if hit by a side that performs well above expectancy.

France have completely fallen off the radar.  It will be difficult for any side to get into the mental readiness now to meet a French side that wants to play.  And France know the benefits of that.  They could even give Australia a much tougher game next time.  Erratic apathy really is real and really is still a factor in French teams.

"Erratic Apathy"

Must put that one down in the playbook - next to Erotic Empathy which is the other way France seem to play when they gel.

It might be comic but it durn tootin' true.

Rugby Fan wrote:

mbernz wrote:Although extremely risky so close to the RWC, if they could line up a decent candidate I think they should replace him asap, he looks like he's lost his players over the last couple of years and I don't think there is any coming back.

There is a precedent: England ditched Andy Robinson less than a year before the 2007 World cup. Brian Ashton got a Six Nations, a summer tour with most of his players missing, and a few warm up games before heading into the tournament.

Wales had a habit of sacking coaches 12-18 months out from a WC and it made no damn difference

It did to the coaches   

Okay... Unsurprisingly, PSA made 10 changes for the 2nd test in Melbourne bringing some much needed experience and grinta.

15 Brice Dulin, 14 Yoann Huget, 13 Mathieu Bastareaud, 12 Wesley Fofana, 11 Maxime Médard, 10 Rémi Talès , 9 Morgan Parra, 8 Damien Chouly, 7 Thierry Dusautoir (c), 6 Yannick Nyanga, 5 Yoann Maestri, 4 Alexandre Flanquart, 3 Rabah Slimani, 2 Guilhem Guirado, 1 Alexandre Menini.
Replacements: 16 Brice Mach, 17 Thomas Domingo, 18 Nicolas Mas, 19 Bernard le Roux, 20 Louis Picamoles, 21 Antoine Burban, 22 Frédéric Michalak, 23 Remi Lamerat.

The inclusion of Dusautoir, Bastareaud and Parra will hopefully be enough to provide a real test to the Aussies and a closer game.

Looks a stronger team, though with yet another new half-back combination. What on earth has Trinh-Duc done to upset PSA? Easily the best French FH IMO but just hasn't had a look-in...

Also, odd bench, isn't Le Roux normally a BR (or am I getting confused)? If so, that's 3 BRs on the bench and no locks.

Yes well spotted MFC. An entire front row and back row on the bench. It wouldnt be PSA if there was nothing odd

well PSA has told l'EQUIPE that Le Roux is covering second row (but also flanker) so that's alright then

the idea of having an actual second row cover on the bench (considering he already has two backrowers on there) obviously never occurred to him

whocares wrote:Okay... Unsurprisingly, PSA made 10 changes for the 2nd test in Melbourne bringing some much needed experience and grinta.

15 Brice Dulin, 14 Yoann Huget, 13 Mathieu Bastareaud, 12 Wesley Fofana, 11 Maxime Médard, 10 Rémi Talès , 9 Morgan Parra, 8 Damien Chouly, 7 Thierry Dusautoir (c), 6 Yannick Nyanga, 5 Yoann Maestri, 4 Alexandre Flanquart, 3 Rabah Slimani, 2 Guilhem Guirado, 1 Alexandre Menini.
Replacements: 16 Brice Mach, 17 Thomas Domingo, 18 Nicolas Mas, 19 Bernard le Roux, 20 Louis Picamoles, 21 Antoine Burban, 22 Frédéric Michalak, 23 Remi Lamerat.

The inclusion of Dusautoir, Bastareaud and Parra will hopefully be enough to provide a real test to the Aussies and a closer game.

Rugby by Numbers?

Someone sat PSA down and described to him how it all works.  'You pick that player, that player and that player.  Its sheet - see?  See?.  But you pick him and him and him..... then we at least have a rugby team, which is a start.'

Wallabies team for the 2nd Test at Docklands

15. Israel Folau
14. Adam Ashley-Cooper
13. Tevita Kuridrani
12. Matt Toomua
11. Nick Cummins
10. Bernard Foley
9. Nic White

8. Ben McCalman
7. Michael Hooper (c)
6. Scott Fardy
5. James Horwill
4. Rob Simmons
3. Sekope Kepu
2. Tatafu Polota-Nau
1. James Slipper.

Replacements: 16. Nathan Charles, 17. Pek Cowan, 18. Laurie Weeks, 19. Luke Jones, 20. Scott Higginbotham, 21. Nick Phipps, 22. Kurtley Beale, 23. Pat McCabe.

Will somebody tell these dumb Aussie commentators that the French 9 is Parra not Pa---rah. Doing me head in this time of the morning

brennomac wrote:Will somebody tell these dumb Aussie commentators that the French 9 is Parra not Pa---rah. Doing me head in this time of the morning

Yes and who the hell is Bruce Dulan?

Seems France have landed on Aussie soil finally??? 19 minutes and no Aussie tidalwave yet. How's Pa---rah doing?

and in French you don't pronounce the s' in Nicolas Mas

Knickers Ma it is then.

SecretFly wrote:Seems France have landed on Aussie soil finally??? 19 minutes and no Aussie tidalwave yet.  How's Pa---rah doing?

Only alright but not getting much protection from the forwards...still a lot more competitive than last week (apparently) still 0-0 after 27 mins

Oops..there's an 's' there too. Sorry.

Not a very good game...Wallabies look like they expected France to fall over again...

Bruce is going to take a kick...thanks Bruce, no worries Bruce...oh hang on its Morgan Parr..ah...strewth...

Cummins and Huget fighting about who has the best hair.....about the most exciting thing that has happened so far..

Nice clearance from that lad Pa......rah

highlight of the match. Cummins getting his hair (or pelt?) pulled by Huget.

God they are a boring side tonight. France, on the other hand have stepped up a notch.

ME-109 wrote:Cummins and Huget fighting about who has the best hair.....about the most exciting thing that has happened so far..

Ah Cummins has it for me in the hair stakes, reminds me of Robert Plant back in the early Led Zep days, Huget look a bit like a young Andy Irvine

Is it weird that I'm fully engrosed in this match, wondering where the first point is coming from is superb, France's performances is far better, do Australia have the key to unlock them?

Maybe it will have to go to extra time and penalties?

Such a frustratingly poor quality match to watch.

The Wallabies are so annoying to watch after last week! They say they were ready for a backlash but have obviously forgotten how to play the game themselves.

3-0 now. Well boo-bloody-hoo!

Looking like the Aus-Chile soccer match last night could be higher scoring than this game, maybe the Wobblies should sign up Tim Cahill

Well this is dull...

OMG France make a break.....and its a forward pass (two really)..my heart rate shot up there to about 60

Barnes picked up a good forward pass in the offload there from France

ps. Much respect for Cahill, good Everton lad. He's got some fight and is lethal with his head. Speaks funny though. Oz/pom hybrid.

At least those guys had some fight and were unlucky not to have equalised, brenno.

I'm probably sounding Irish now... but this performance disgusts me!   

They shouldn't be playing in Melbourne either - gives the French too much advantage playing in a rugby-neutral city.

Linebreaker wrote:At least those guys had some fight and were unlucky not to have equalised, brenno.

I'm probably sounding Irish now... but this performance disgusts me!   

They shouldn't be playing in Melbourne either - gives the French too much advantage playing in a rugby-neutral city.

Dead right linebreaker, very impressed with Aus after going two down in first 10 mins, lots of guts and Cahill is still class

Barnes missed that obstruction. My God he needs to be taken out the back...

Linebreaker wrote:I'm probably sounding Irish now... but this performance disgusts me!   

  

Nice mark fro Bruce

Thanks guys for providing a running commentary of the game. I feel like I've missed none of the action

Oh jeez PSA sends on flaky Freddie, match over

Wouldn't mind seeing France scoring a late try and pinching this.

Ebop u can catch the highlights later on, should take up 2 minutes of your time

Yeah I'm watching it brenno, the game woke up in the last 4 minutes, bit of excitement now though.

Jeez 77 mins and the French realise they are in a rugby game....

Well that was pretty awful to watch. Flat and uninspiring are the 2 words which come to mind.

Wow, what a scoreline, wonder what the odds would have been on neither side to score a try (especially after last week)!

Also, that surely has to be one of the lowest scoring games in recent memory?

France really have regressed,they are awful when they leave French soil.It might have looked close on the scoreboard but most days the Wallabies kicker doesn't have such a mare and it's 15-0 before the hour mark.

I had to go away on business well before halftime and it looked 'top end calibre' stuff then   .  Back to learn it was 6 - 0 at the end??? Missed a classic!

Were those two having a larf?

But it proves France Can play when they want to.  ...............................!...............................  that's two games that they weren't interested in then.  Why the plane tickets and hotel bookings guys?  Why?

That was awful to watch. God help us if the next World Cup looks like that.

A genuine misery to watch, I can only assume the drink culture is far worse then first thought in Oz for any of the fans to have stayed until the end!

Not a shade compared to some of those awful, poor quality 6N matches you guys are forced to witness year after year.

I must say that was a first for me but luckily there were 3 or 4 other sporting events on at the same time.

Linebreaker wrote:Not a shade compared to some of those awful, poor quality 6N matches you guys are forced to witness year after year.

I must say that was a first for me but luckily there were 3 or 4 other sporting events on at the same time.

We ain't blaming you guys for the French... but we are blaming you for humouring them in the second test. Making 'em feel at home. Playing some 6N style rugby with them

Sort of like watching two packs of drunks arm wrestle... and nobody able to deliver the knock out move or blow.

It was a very disappointing result considering how the Wallabies came out flying last weekend; but full credit must be given to France for counter-acting it this time, pouring cement on them and defending with so much more steel.

I don't think Barnes helped either team get a roll on. He tends to demand attention with his whistle and choke the flow of the match.
I can't understand how he was selected to officiate this match. Who is responsible... the IRB? (hope it wasn't the ARU!)
Feel sick thinking about his method of refereeing given all of his past controversies. I never, ever want to see highlights of that match again.

It was a cruel final score but my memory of the match is desperately trying to fade away fast.