France vs Wales

First topic message reminder :

15. Halfpenny, 14. Williams, 13. Davies, 12. Roberts, 11. North, 10. Biggar, 9. Webb, 8. Faletau, 7. Warburton(c), 6. Lydiate, 5. Charteris, 4. AWJ, 3. Lee, 2. Baldwin, 1. Jenkins.
Replacements: Richard Hibbard (Gloucester), Paul James (Bath), Aaron Jarvis (Ospreys), Bradley Davies (Wasps), Justin Tipuric (Ospreys), Mike Phillips (Racing Metro), Rhys Priestland (Scarlets), Scott Williams (Scarlets).

Some changes to in the pack to counter the France scrum and lineout drive threat - Baldwin to start is a bold call though. Our bench is better this week, apart from the replacement halfbacks.



France team announced:
Dulin - Huget, Lamerat, Fofana, Guitoune - (o) Lopez, (m) Parra - Le Roux, Chouly, Dusautoir (cap) - Maestri, Taofifenua - Slimani, Guirado, Ben Arous.

Subs: Kayser, Debaty, Atonio, Suta, Goujon, Tillous-Borde, Tales, Bastareaud.

Webbs made a good start, nice quick service

I thought that was a decent turnover myself.

He was clearly off his feet.

He was off his feet to start with which is why it was a penalty

I wouldn't say clearly, he looked to have secured the ball before going off his feet. I have seen those allowed many times.

He reached over the ball with his hands on he floor. Ref indicated that

Must have not seen it properly then.

nathan wrote:He reached over the ball with his hands on he floor. Ref indicated that

absolutely. great to see a ref pinging early for that. whole first half in wales vs england players were doing it repeatedly. that and resting whole bodyweight on player on the ground and competing for the ball.

if ref is consistent its going to make the game very open as ball will get quickly recycled. good to see.

I know I sound like a broken record but France rarely throw straight at the line out. Again, that one did not look straight. I would love to see that policed more.

Wonder if Jenkins has his compass with him today....

Nachos Jones wrote:I know I sound like a broken record but France rarely throw straight at the line out. Again, that one did not look straight. I would love to see that policed more.

For me I imagine there is a foot wide line down the middle and so long as it's remains in there it's fine. Else we'll have a game full them being pinged for it

feel wales are going to get humped here. ominous signs in scrum.

nathan wrote:

Nachos Jones wrote:I know I sound like a broken record but France rarely throw straight at the line out. Again, that one did not look straight. I would love to see that policed more.

For me I imagine there is a foot wide line down the middle and so long as it's remains in there it's fine. Else we'll have a game full them being pinged for it

I understand the tolerance but France seem to be constantly well outside that.

That was cheeky and a little clever by Parra, he dummied his first pass and got Davies off side.

Nachos Jones wrote:That was cheeky and a little clever by Parra, he dummied his first pass and got Davies off side.

Not sure it was deliberate, the ball shot back and I think he thought it was popping out the back. More reaction than anything thought about.

who is the saffa commentating on bbc? is he drunk?

quinsforever wrote:who is the saffa commentating on bbc? is he drunk?

His Italian side just won, so he's probably been on the Peroni.

I'm watching on the BBC and my reception is shocking.

Isn't it NZ's Ali Williams...

quinsforever wrote:who is the saffa commentating on bbc? is he drunk?

Is that not Ali Williams?

The Saint wrote:I'm watching on the BBC and my reception is shocking.

I was as well so I switched to France 2 but its just as bad there.

quinsforever wrote:who is the saffa commentating on bbc? is he drunk?

Ali Williams?

ah yes. sounds like he's had a bit too much pre-match sauce. dont usually hear a commentator being so aggressive. he had a bit of a pop at jiffy already.

Ah, he's new to this. Actually if he continues to have a pop at Jiffy this could be very entertaining. I loved him calling Andrew Cotter on his Bastareuad joke

Nachos Jones wrote:

The Saint wrote:I'm watching on the BBC and my reception is shocking.

I was as well so I switched to France 2 but its just as bad there.

BBC are probably just taking the feed from them, if so it'll make no difference.

agree notch. too easy for bbc commentators to take a pop at french players.

welsh scrum creaking like my knees

terrible decision there.

quinsforever wrote:welsh scrum creaking like my knees

It's not that bad. But I guess you got to keep up your Welsh whinging somehow.

i think you're more of an example of Welsh whinging somehow, actually.

quinsforever wrote:terrible decision there.

Penalty was clearly the correct decision as the tackler never released. However Dulin didn't knock on before the scrum, that was the poor decision

Very lucky there for Biggar...

Now why is that misjudgement ironically by Biggar any different to Russell two weeks ago?

a more cynical team (ireland or wales...) would have milked that dulin catch for a yellow for biggar.

Because Russell went right underneath Biggar and could have caused a horrible injury. That one by Biggar should have been a penalty, no more.

Hammersmith harrier wrote:Now why is that misjudgement ironically by Biggar any different to Russell two weeks ago?

He can feel very lucky, Dulin goes down and could very well have seen a yellow.

Happily the ref saw it for what it was as well.

JDizzle wrote:Because Russell went right underneath Biggar and could have caused a horrible injury. That one by Biggar should have been a penalty, no more.

There's absolutely no difference between the two apart from Dulin not looking to make the most of it.

Hammersmith harrier wrote:Now why is that misjudgement ironically by Biggar any different to Russell two weeks ago?

Different outcome so obviously it is. Had a feeling I'd see you back crawling all over a WALES match thread

quinsforever wrote:a more cynical team (ireland or wales...) would have milked that dulin catch for a yellow for biggar.

Hmmm. I think that is a bit of a dodgy comment, especially from an England fan...

Hammersmith harrier wrote:

JDizzle wrote:Because Russell went right underneath Biggar and could have caused a horrible injury. That one by Biggar should have been a penalty, no more.

There's absolutely no difference between the two apart from Dulin not looking to make the most of it.

I suggest you watch them again. Russell goes right under Biggar's legs and completely upends him. Biggar hits Dulin with an outstretched arm. They are both offences, but one is more serious than the other.

The laws constitute the initial action not the outcome Saint, it's a 6N match thread also involving France, the world doesn't revolve around Wales.

JDizzle wrote:

Hammersmith harrier wrote:

JDizzle wrote:Because Russell went right underneath Biggar and could have caused a horrible injury. That one by Biggar should have been a penalty, no more.

There's absolutely no difference between the two apart from Dulin not looking to make the most of it.

I suggest you watch them again. Russell goes right under Biggar's legs and completely upends him. Biggar hits Dulin with an outstretched arm. They are both offences, but one is more serious than the other.

I suggest you take your blinkers off JD, they are one of the same.

The French loosehead has been brilliant over the ball at ruck time today.

I'm fairly sure the IRB directives say that how you land directly affects the punishment?

How are they the same though when one player gets taken out and the other doesn't ?

how awful is all the appealing from the players in red. has wendyball taken over across the Severn?

That same loosehead caused Ireland a heap of problems at the breakdown. Fantastic over the ball

A very close game so far but I do expect it to kick off in the second half. The space will come as the players on both sides get tired.

Decent half from Wales. We have tended to fizzle out after initial gainline wins from early phase ball though, and France have been good over the ball from slow ball. I think we need to use the kicking game more when we lose the pace in attack.

quinsforever wrote:how awful is all the appealing from the players in red. has wendyball taken over across the Severn?

Are you on here to comment on the game or is your intention to upset the Welsh fans?