France v England, 22nd August

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FRANCE v ENGLAND
22 August 2015
KO: 20:00 BST (21:00 Local)
Stade de France, Paris

Sky Sports

Referee: Jaco Peyper (South Africa)
Assistant Referees: John Lacey (Ireland) & Marius Mitrea (Italy)
Television match official: Simon McDowell (Ireland)

A. Head to Head

100 Played 100
38 Won 55
7 Drawn 7
55 Lost 38
1,244 Points 1,572

B. Recent Form

15 August 2015
Twickenham, London
19-14 to England

21 March 2015
Twickenham, London
55 – 35 to England

1 February 2014
Stade de France, Saint-Denis
26 – 24 to France

23 February 2013
Twickenham, London
23 – 13 to England

11 March 2012
Stade de France, Saint-Denis
22 – 24 to England


C. Teams

ENGLAND

15. Mike Brown (Harlequins, 37 caps)
14. Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs, 8 caps)
13. Jonathan Joseph (Bath Rugby, 11 caps)
12. Luther Burrell (Northampton Saints, 12 caps)
11. Jonny May (Gloucester Rugby, 14 caps)
10. George Ford (Bath Rugby, 11 caps)
9. Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers, 47 caps)

1. Joe Marler (Harlequins, 31 caps)
2. Tom Youngs (Leicester Tigers, 22 caps)
3. Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers, 50 caps)
4. Joe Launchbury (Wasps, 22 caps)
5. Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints, 38 caps)
6. James Haskell (Wasps, 59 caps)
7. Chris Robshaw (captain, Harlequins, 37 caps)
8. Billy Vunipola (Saracens, 13 caps)

Replacements

16. Jamie George (Saracens, uncapped)
17. Mako Vunipola (Saracens,21 caps)
18. David Wilson (Bath Rugby, 42 caps)
19. Dave Attwood (Bath Rugby, 21 caps)
20. Nick Easter (Harlequins, 51 caps)
21. Danny Care (Harlequins, 51 caps)
22. Danny Cipriani (Sale Sharks, 13 caps)
23. Billy Twelvetrees (Gloucester Rugby, 21 caps)

FRANCE


Spedding; Huget, Bastareaud, Fofana, Nakaitaci; Michalak, Tillous-Borde; Arous, Guirado, Slimani, Pape, Maestri, Chouly, Le Roux, Picamoles.

Replacements: Kayser, Debaty, Atonio, Flanquart, Nyanga, Kockott, Tales, Fickou.

Where's Lancaster put on Cipriani? Why even bother? If you don't want to pick him, just don't.

maestegmafia wrote:

yappysnap wrote:France have got very lucky with knock ons getting called knocked back this game

I would say it's more to do with the pack getting beaten in every facet and the backs looking clueless. The England back row have been dreadful. The halfbacks too.

God forbid I ever agree with a Welshman (... ) but maesteg is 100% right. Luck has precious little to do with the way this game's panning out. The bounce and decisions always seem to favour the side on top. England are quite simply getting what their game tonight deserves. This is a level of performance to finish not third, but fourth, in their RWC group. At least we wouldn''t (won't?) be the first RWC host nation to suffer an embarrassing opening game defeat: that honour went to France, v Argentina in 2007.

So Burgess and Slade for the RWC?

nathan wrote:

mid_gen wrote:Tackle count is irrelevant when you're getting smashed backwards and you're tackling behind the gainline.

Feel for the backs, they've been served a giant poop sandwich.

So you would prefer to have a forward that made 1 tackle against a forward that made 10?

I'm saying that putting in a lot of tackles doesn't equal a good performance. Problem is we have been bullied and Haskell was the only player competing physically first half.

mid_gen wrote:

nathan wrote:

mid_gen wrote:Tackle count is irrelevant when you're getting smashed backwards and you're tackling behind the gainline.

Feel for the backs, they've been served a giant poop sandwich.

So you would prefer to have a forward that made 1 tackle against a forward that made 10?

I'm saying that putting in a lot of tackles doesn't equal a good performance. Problem is we have been bullied and Haskell was the only player competing physically first half.

no but surely stopping them advancing is better than not?

jbeadlesbigrighthand wrote:Where's Lancaster put on Cipriani? Why even bother? If you don't want to pick him, just don't.

Ironically he's been far better then Ford though.

Ojbeadlesbigrighthand wrote:Where's Lancaster put on Cipriani? Why even bother? If you don't want to pick him, just don't.

So you can say to your knockers, that you gave him every chance.

Doesn't matter who you put in the mid field. That pack, with that form, will lose any game.

yappysnap wrote:

jbeadlesbigrighthand wrote:Where's Lancaster put on Cipriani? Why even bother? If you don't want to pick him, just don't.

Ironically he's been far better then Ford though.

is that due to our forwards playing better now france has subbed their best

yappysnap wrote:So Burgess and Slade for the RWC?

In the front row?

First touch and he gets a try

Well done Cips

Cips is da man. Seriously though he's already outplayed Ford.

2 more converted tries in the next 10 minutes and i'll be laughing

nathan wrote:

no but surely stopping them advancing is better than not?

I don't know what your point is. The forwards have been awful. Playing so terribly that you're constantly defending and having to make tackles isn't a plus point.

nathan wrote:

yappysnap wrote:

jbeadlesbigrighthand wrote:Where's Lancaster put on Cipriani? Why even bother? If you don't want to pick him, just don't.

Ironically he's been far better then Ford though.

is that due to our forwards playing better now france has subbed their best

In some ways maybe but then things like Fords missed kicks, dropped high ball and dodgy passed aren't due to that

jbeadlesbigrighthand wrote:Where's Lancaster put on Cipriani? Why even bother? If you don't want to pick him, just don't.

These are warm up games, better to be poor in every facet tonight than in the RWC.

Tomorrow the media will be writing England's chance to win the RWC off.

A good team can play poorly, they still remain a good team, just one that needs to wake the hell up.

mid_gen wrote:

nathan wrote:

no but surely stopping them advancing is better than not?

I don't know what your point is. The forwards have been awful. Playing so terribly that you're constantly defending and having to make tackles isn't a plus point.

there you have it, all forwards have played awful including Haskell

Biltong wrote:These are warm up games, better to be poor in every facet tonight than in the RWC.

Tomorrow the media will be writing England's chance to win the RWC off.

A good team can play poorly, they still remain a good team, just one that needs to wake the hell up.

That's what we were hoping after our last game vs Ireland.

No9 wrote:

jbeadlesbigrighthand wrote:Where's Lancaster put on Cipriani? Why even bother? If you don't want to pick him, just don't.

Is that aimed at me or Lancaster? Pretty clear he put on players for a hiding to nothing. Same with Easter.

Just going to put it out there we immediately look better when theres a receiver in midfield.

awful awful move

Undeserved gloss

joseph looked slow there

BamBam wrote:Undeserved gloss

not really undeserved, they still scored the points

Rowntree's ear looks bigger than it did when he was playing

intercept try on for france

This is what we need... England dont need to panic and just keep playing like this, all through the RWC...



Dont panic Mr Lancaster... Dont panic.. They dont like it up em.. they dont...

nathan wrote:

BamBam wrote:Undeserved gloss

not really undeserved, they still scored the points

Yep, but I think it's fair to say the French intensity dropped at 25-6

I promise that this isn't a secret second account for Beshocked, but is Mako now in front of Marler?

Dear God that was like the 6 Nations all over again

Lawes looks ok when he comes off his wing

Cipriani has been pretty impressive.

BamBam wrote:

nathan wrote:

BamBam wrote:Undeserved gloss

not really undeserved, they still scored the points

Yep, but I think it's fair to say the French intensity dropped at 25-6

England had no intensity the whole game, you can only play whats in front of you

BamBam wrote:

nathan wrote:

BamBam wrote:Undeserved gloss

not really undeserved, they still scored the points

Yep, but I think it's fair to say the French intensity dropped at 25-6

Yes but credit has to go to the substitutes that came on and offered something in England's attack. Atwood, Easter, Care and Cipriani.

Well dont... hard lines. Keep up this performance boys..

Not a good performance from England at all, at least for most of the game, but anyone tempted to underestimate them will have gotten a reality check after that finish. Still capable of being contenders, still have the armoury to hurt teams.

Jeez I thought we were going to nick it. Feel a bit better after that last spell.

jbeadlesbigrighthand wrote:I promise that this isn't a secret second account for Beshocked, but is Mako now in front of Marler?

I would guess that a few nailed on starters have un-nailed themselves tonight.

Well what a surprising game at the end there.

Easter, George, Mako, Attwood ,Careand Cipriani can all be happy with their cameos. The starting players can all be a little concerned.

Burrell in particular should be worried.

hopefully that match will give them all a kick up the arse

Pretty terrible performance cements Wood, Id say Slade and maybe Twelvetrees there. Hope Woodward is right and we re peaking for 3 weeks time. Complete turn around for French backs and English forwards!

Well England were outplayed, but at least Barnes enjoyed it

Ands Cipriani to be fair.

England in all honesty did not deserve to win  today. France for most of the game was by far the better team.

Nice try from Ciprinai. Twelevtrees? i am still not sure about him being in the squad to be honest.

Nick Easter when he came on did very well in my opinion.

Still plenty of headaches for Lancaster to choose his final 31 for the RWC.

The ground was terrible it is a wander no one broke their leg at scrum, time.

Easter. What an influence he had coming on. He's still got it. He made us patient.

Did anyone else notice he was giving the post match circle chat?

Surely we need his experience, skills and patience?

quinsforever wrote:Easter. What an influence he had coming on. He's still got it. He made us patient.

Did anyone else notice he was giving the post match circle chat?

Surely we need his experience, skills and patience?

like the last world cup? lol

Did wonder for a moment there maj whether ref was thinking uncontested scrums due to the pitch.

Pleased that England lost, and had their weaknesses exposed - now Lancaster and co. will certainly work on fixing it before the World Cup. Lineout most prominent of those, of course. But intensity at the breakdown needs to be worked on. I'm thinking Care will be the starting scrum-half - the back-line was far more fluid than when Youngs was on the pitch.

Oh and the pitch was atrocious - difficult to gauge anything from the scrums!

I'm hoping that Harrison/Barnes won't be commentating on ITV through the World Cup!

And I didn't realise England were still the envy of wums, but pathetic, sad posters like no9 clearly prove otherwise.