France v Ireland, 11 October

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FRANCE v IRELAND
11 October 2015
KO: 16:45
The Millennium Stadium, Cardiff

Live on [tbc]

Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)
Touch judges:Wayne Barnes (England) & Leighton Hodges (Wales)
Television match official: Graham Hughes (England)

A. Head to Head

93 Played 93
55 Won 31
7 Drawn 7
31 Lost 55
1508 Points 1084

B. Recent Form

14 February 2015
Aviva Stadium, Dublin
18 – 11 to Ireland

15 March 2014
Stade de France, Saint Denis
20 – 22 to Ireland

9 March 2013
Aviva Stadium, Dublin
13 – 13 Draw

4 March 2012
Stade de France, Saint Denis
17 – 17 Draw

20 August 2011
Aviva Stadium, Dublin
22 – 26 to France

13 August 2011
Stade Chaban-Delmas, Bordeaux
19 – 12 to France

C. Teams

FRANCE

15 Scott Spedding, 14 Noa Nakaitaci, 13 Mathieu Bastareaud, 12 Wesley Fofana, 11 Brice Dulin, 10 Frederic Michalak, 9 Sebastien Tillous-Borde; 1 Eddy Ben Arous, 2 Guilhem Guirado, 3 Rabah Slimani, 4 Pascal Pape, 5 Yoann Maestri, 6 Thierry Dusautoir (c), 7 Damien Chouly, 8 Louis Picamoles.

Replacements: 16 Benjamin Kayser, 17 Vincent Debaty, 18 Nicolas Mas, 19 Alexandre Flanquart, 20 Bernard Le Roux, 21 Morgan Parra, 22 Remi Tales, 23 Alexandre Dumoulin.

IRELAND

15 Rob Kearney, 14 Tommy Bowe, 13 Keith Earls, 12 Robbie Henshaw , 11 Dave Kearney,  10 Jonathan Sexton, 9 Conor Murray; 1 Cian Healy, 2 Rory Best, 3 Mike Ross, 4 Devin Toner, 5 Paul O'Connell (c), 6 Peter O'Mahony, 7 Sean O'Brien, 8 Jamie Heaslip.

Replacements: 16 Richardt Strauss, 17 Jack McGrath, 18 Nathan White, 19 Iain Henderson, 20 Chris Henry, 21 Eoin Reddan, 22 Ian Madigan, 23 Luke Fitzgerald.

Engine#4 wrote:What on earth has happened the maul?? It's been probably our most potent weapon for the last two years.  The Romanians and Italians swallowed it up.

I think the problems at the maul are partly down to new refereeing instructions for the tournament. Truck and trailer is being called an awful lot, and I think Ireland are afraid of penalisation there. In Ireland's first maul against Romania they tried to go around the side of the defending maul, and continue rumbling forward like they usually do quite well. The ref called a penalty to Romania once Ireland went around, deeming the maul over in that instant (as the Romanians were disengaged from the maul when Ireland changed the point of attack), and truck and trailer to occur once the next Romanian got around to engage the maul. Could be completely wrong here, as the maul rules don't really make too much sense when you look at them in detail, but it looks like Ireland are now trying to bludgeon straight through defending mauls to avoid the truck and trailer call.

Ireland taking a leaf out of NZ's book and resorting to mediocrity at best before the crunch game.

Very much interested to see how this tactic works. France are a tough opponent, make no bones about it. But Argentina are playing very well at the moment so the winner is hardly going to be jumping up and down thinking phew what a relief.

If either of us play well enough, we might just skip over both New Zealand and Argentina.
At least that's what ourselves and the French are hoping. I think if a side scores more than 85 points they can go straight into the semis.

I think a poodle is a bit unfair.

I reckon the French Mastiff is a bit more 'proud' looking

Fine looking dog. Big, strong and completely thick.

Munchkin wrote:Fine looking dog. Big, strong and completely thick.

Basteraud's lawyers are on the 'phone for you

Cyril wrote:

Munchkin wrote:Fine looking dog. Big, strong and completely thick.

Basteraud's lawyers are on the 'phone for you

Ha! He did spring to mind on first viewing

kiakahaaotearoa wrote:Ireland taking a leaf out of NZ's book and resorting to mediocrity at best before the crunch game.

Very much interested to see how this tactic works. France are a tough opponent, make no bones about it. But Argentina are playing very well at the moment so the winner is hardly going to be jumping up and down thinking phew what a relief.

Right now the smart money would have to be on both the All Blacks and Argentina winning their quarters. But I will not be daunted in the quarter-final whether we win or lose. We obviously stand a lesser chance against the All Blacks but we have to beat them sometime and after what happened in Dublin in 2013 I'd love us to get a crack at the All Blacks before O'Connell retires. We would be written off, but that is no bad thing. The dream scenario is for that to happen later in the tournament of course, but once you're into Cup Rugby, whole nation behind you, rest of the world seemingly against you, backs to the wall- I'd be happy with that.

Argentina in Cup Rugby is the draw I fear more, in a strange way? We can't be 'underdogs', it's a different mentality. It's a case of us having nothing to lose and everything to win like when we play the All Blacks. And that makes it the better result, the better fixture, because thats the mentality we are trying to build. Being comfortable with expectation. If thats where we are mentally, we are better equipped to go further in this tournament. I just don't know if that is where we are mentally after this weekend and the complacency that crept into our work. I still feel like 'the big game where no-one gives us a chance' is going to get a higher level of performance out of us.

If we last long enough, we'll have a monstrous game... probably one where we have to fight back when behind on the scoreboard.  IF we last long enough.

Of course nobody can pre-plan which game that might be as it relies on the details of a particular game.
I personally hope it isn't as early as the French game.  So I get apprehensive when I hear Sexton say Ireland will have to play better than they ever have under Schmidt to get the result against France.  They've already had their best game under Schmidt and that was that New Zealand game.

I'm not so sure we have to go there to beat France.  We have to be smart yes, and certainly more emotionally up for and into the game!!  But I think we can reserve an all out effort for a quarter final.

We should give the French game a good go, but do so with a mind that one more all-out effort might get us to a semi-final.  Get there, and things would get more fluid because, yes, we'd probably begin to suffer from the slog and have player fatigue issues or even serious injuries to accommodate - but all other sides would be getting into that zone too.  They'll all be feeling the effects and, well, the semi or final would be a lotto.  Play your game and take your chances.

So............ the game we genuinely should be thinking about holding for our all-out effort one is that quarter final.

Wonder if Rob Kearney and Payne will be out for next week as well?

Good attitude to have Notch. The Irish do love the underdog tag. Slipping down from 2nd in the rankings was celebrated in the streets I hear.

Ireland or France make me nervous but knockout footy makes me nervous. Add to that, our play has been far from inspiring and a few senior players are looking rather iffy not to mention icky and I'm going to be a nervous wreck in two weeks' time. But that's the beauty of sport.

Kia, neither France nor Ireland have looked like they have enough to knock out the All Blacks. I'd be really only worried about Australia if I were you.

French and Irish fans can only hope that their teams see next weeks match as the real start of their World Cup. So everything up to now has been them going through glorified training matches building up to the real thing.

Too many heartbreaks endured to be complacent FR.

The big final pool match remaining along with Wales Australia.

Did a New Zealand fan just say to an Irish fan that he's endured to many World Cup heart breaks??

We arrived at our first World Cup and learned before the match we had to have an anthem. Someone ran to record store and grabbed "The Rose of Tralee" which was played before all our matches. And we should have given up on this whole World Cup malarkey then because that would barely make our top 5 World Cup embarrassment's DVD.

FecklessRogue wrote:Did a New Zealand fan just say to an Irish fan that he's endured to many World Cup heart breaks??

We arrived at our first World Cup and learned before the match we had to have an anthem. Someone ran to record store and grabbed "The Rose of Tralee" which was played before all our matches. And we should have given up on this whole World Cup malarkey then because that would barely make our top 5 World Cup embarrassment's DVD.

love it

SecretFly wrote:I know it's all a 'ruse', rodders.  Joe is plotting on his drawingboard as we speak.... his little specs on and loads of things bubbling in his test tubes behind his back.

But I absolutely don't want to get into another battle with Nos na Gaoithe about the definition of 'acting'!!  I was up all night with that fella.

Ok SF... So I was thinking for tonight's lecture we could all turn to page 46 in our textbooks: "The Stanislavsky system and its importance in modern professional rugby".

Haha nice one FR. Heartbreak is relative to the woman you choose and the emotional investment in that woman.

Ireland have had a few dalliances with the town bike and got a few punctures. NZ have been in some committed relationships only to be betrayed publicly.

kiakahaaotearoa wrote:Haha nice one FR. Heartbreak is relative to the woman you choose and the emotional investment in that woman.

Ireland have had a few dalliances with the town bike and got a few punctures. NZ have been in some committed relationships only to be betrayed publicly.

 

kiakahaaotearoa wrote:Good attitude to have Notch. The Irish do love the underdog tag. Slipping down from 2nd in the rankings was celebrated in the streets I hear.

Ireland or France make me nervous but knockout footy makes me nervous. Add to that, our play has been far from inspiring and a few senior players are looking rather iffy not to mention icky and I'm going to be a nervous wreck in two weeks' time. But that's the beauty of sport.

I agree, you guys look sh*t to be honest - surprised kiwi fans are still tuning in -i'd be pretty nervous if I were you.

Looks to me like Ritchie saved his best stuff for the dre beats add and Sonny Bill and Savea are spending too much time in the hair salon.

I agree, you guys look sh*t to be honest - surprised kiwi fans are still tuning in -i'd be pretty nervous if I were you.

Looks to me like Ritchie saved his best stuff for the dre beats add and Sonny Bill and Savea are spending too much time in the hair salon.

rodders you're really sucking diesel this world cup.

rapidsnowman wrote:

I agree, you guys look sh*t to be honest - surprised kiwi fans are still tuning in -i'd be pretty nervous if I were you.

Looks to me like Ritchie saved his best stuff for the dre beats add and Sonny Bill and Savea are spending too much time in the hair salon.

rodders you're really sucking diesel this world cup.

Sucking diesel and blowing gas.

So Ireland V France anyone? I think Canada proved with those two early tries in the second half that France can be ripped open and tries are there for the taking.
We need to be much more accurate in our passing especially in tight areas and up the offloads. If we try to go from ruck to ruck they will flatten us.

Sub - When France get 20 points ahead of a team they tend to relax as they did v Canada - After that they just moved up to 3rd gear etc. This game will define where Ireland are on the curve - Good luck.

I'm already focused on Argentina - nothing to see here folks.

High ball, chase, regather, kick, defensive line out, press, France drop ball/turnover, scrum/penalty - repeat for 65-70 min -bring on subs - close out game.

We'll leak 2 tries and will be nervy at the end but otherwise should be a routine day at the office.

rodders wrote:I'm already focused on Argentina - nothing to see here folks.

High ball, chase, regather, kick, defensive line out, press, France drop ball/turnover, scrum/penalty - repeat for 65-70 min  -bring on subs - close out game.

We'll leak 2 tries and will be nervy at the end but otherwise should be a routine day at the office.

Ah the romance of the world cup.

RubyGuby wrote:Sub - When France get 20 points ahead of a team they tend to relax as they did v Canada - After that they just moved up to 3rd gear etc. This game will define where Ireland are on the curve - Good luck.

I dont think the French were remotely bothered by the Canadians regardless of the silent rant from PSA at half time. Every time they were actually bothered they just pulled away. The last 20 mins they were just having fun.

I don't know what to say.  I swing from moments of gloom when I think of this game and beyond, to moments of surges in confidence that the Irish boys will turn the tide on the new image we have as push-overs, with no ideas in the back and, really, nothing physical in the forwards either.

That seems to be the ideas coming out of France right now... players sneering our 'great' win against Romania and hinting strongly that they mean to drive us off the field with their World Cup form rather than their 6N phone-in stuff.

And Ireland.  Well our boys seem to keep emphasising the 'defensive' aspect of our game - as in what we'll need to do to stop France winning.  O'Brien says we're 'hard to beat' - meaning we're the passive side as France sends waves of attack our way.   They also talk of us having to stop Bastareaud - more 'defence talk'.
Do we remember why England imploded against Wales?  They turned the chat and team selection into one of defence - defend against the Welsh stampede of big ball carriers coming at you.  The team built on attack lost the nerve of 'attack speak' and changed the narrative.

Ireland need to get off their butt now mentally speaking - put the disaster of a performance against Italy to bed, clean it from their minds (tough to do) and assault the French lines with emotion as much as directed tactics.  
Ireland is losing the X-tra factor by slowly, month by month, year by year, losing the emotional fire.  
They're focusing too much on gameplans and numbers and positions and homework.  It's served us well to date - but this is the real show, and this competition will need both tactical craftiness AND much more emotional involvement.  The Welsh were absolutely fired up for their game against England.  The Australians were often wild with a frenzy to win at all costs.  
The time for smiles and strolling around when ball is out of play is over.  Ferocity from all players..., lots of constant chat and players keeping each others alertness up...  an inner contained fury.  You too Zebo!!!  If you get picked - no more lightweight Mr fun guy.  Growl.

ME-109 wrote:

RubyGuby wrote:Sub - When France get 20 points ahead of a team they tend to relax as they did v Canada - After that they just moved up to 3rd gear etc. This game will define where Ireland are on the curve - Good luck.

I dont think the French were remotely bothered by the Canadians regardless of the silent rant from PSA at half time. Every time they were actually bothered they just pulled away. The last 20 mins they were just having fun.

So you're in the kick it up in the sky camp as well?

Nope. I think we will win.

I think France were reacting to their own media not giving any credit to France for their results so far, and praising Ireland for near enough the same results.
In a way, I think they have had it slightly easier. They faced a poor Italy. We faced an average, but more determined Italy.
We have had two tough games with France in the last two seasons. The last game of the 6N's, two seasons ago, is the one that sticks most in the mind. I don't buy this talk of 'they were simply using the 6N's as a means to prepare for the world cup'. As if the winning was less important to them than it would be for us. They went hell for leather in trying to beat us of the park that day. They threw everything at us and failed, on their own turf.
I don't see this game being any different. Not that it's a given we will win, but that both sides will give a good account of themselves, with the victor winning by a small margin.

I say Ireland will win, but then I am biased

From what I've seen of Ireland so far Munch I think they're using the RWC to prepare for the 2016 6 Nations! Good luck - This game will define your team; if you don't win then you have some black storms ahead.

Walesonline: Sensation!!!!!!!!!!! Muck Savages from Erin's Greenish Isle Bury Blacks in Bog Trotting Splendour!

SecretFly wrote:Walesonline:  Sensation!!!!!!!!!!!  Muck Savages from Erin's Greenish Isle Bury Blacks in Bog Trotting Splendour!

RubyGuby wrote:From what I've seen of Ireland so far Munch I think they're using the RWC to prepare for the 2016 6 Nations! Good luck as this game will define your team because if you don't win then you have some black storms ahead.

The storm is coming regardless of who we meet, be it NZ or Argentina, but it's only a storm in that two very good teams will go at each other in a knock out game. True that this game will help us see exactly where we are in terms of competing with the best, but Ireland have just won two 6N's back to back, beating France on both occasions. We know what we can do when the pressure is on. We can beat France in their own backyard, and as the AI's prove, we can beat SH sides at home - South Africa and Australia.

Whatever you think about our run so far, it will be a different Ireland on Sunday.

I too believe you can win. Just make sure the game is so traumatising that the defeated team comes out of it a basket case and incapable of stringing a few phrases together let alone a few phases with the ball in the next game. Deal?

The deal has already been made, kia.  There has been the secret (nobody knows but the two teams - and me) coin toss where it was agreed by both France and Ireland which side would be first and which would be second.
I'm not telling that part for obvious reasons........... I want to make a killing at the bookies

But anyway, given that the result is a forgone conclusion, it'll ensure that both sides can take it easy in the game itself.... run in a 6-3 scoreline and be fresh as a daisy for the ABs and Argentina.

I like the way you skip over the home defeat to Wales and the defeat to England Munch which are your more recent games - Yes you have a 50/50 chance here but Ireland are gonna have to start playing some rugby or France will put them to bed with ease in my opinion. Good luck

Yeah, Parisse was pi-ss-ed too. "Play rugby you asswholes!!!!"

Everyone wants us to play rugby. Just accept the wins when you get them. Don't be greedy.

kiakahaaotearoa wrote:I too believe you can win. Just make sure the game is so traumatising that the defeated team comes out of it a basket case and incapable of stringing a few phrases together let alone a few phases with the ball in the next game. Deal?

Ha! I'm sure that is what the French are planning to do to us.

I think both sides will kick lumps out of each other, with the victorious man of the match bruised and incoherent in his post match speech. Hopefully Ireland don't suffer any key player casualty, but no doubt there will be some very sore bodies on the Monday, on both sides.

RubyGuby wrote:I like the way you skip over the home defeat to Wales and the defeat to England Munch which are your more recent games - Yes you have a 50/50 chance here but Ireland are gonna have to start playing some rugby or France will put them to bed with ease in my opinion. Good luck

Didn't want to come across as a sore loser by stating the facts. We should have beaten England on their own turf, but for the Sexton injury, and the poor decision to keep him on. We shouldn't have lost to Wales, but for Barnes being their sixteenth man.

Anyway, you kind of missed the point. We are not playing England or Wales on Sunday. We are playing France, the team that we beat two years running.

Ignore them Jonny - kick the bloody ball.

I like the way you skip over the home defeat to Wales and the defeat to England Munch which are your more recent games - Yes you have a 50/50 chance here but Ireland are gonna have to start playing some rugby or France will put them to bed with ease in my opinion. Good luck

thumbsup

We barely turned up for those matches. England went at it hammer and tongs - look at them now!

And as for Wales they threw everything at us and just injured themselves for their efforts.

No, believe me Joe has the perfect curve all planned out.

Ignore them Jonny - kick the bloody ball.

To the corners please! Bowe couldn't catch a cold.

Wish Trimble was there!

If you Irish do get Argentina I wouldn't be too hasty with the aerial bombardment. NZ tried that in the first game and lost-looks like some serious work was done in that area because the Pumas were magnificent.

rapidsnowman wrote:

Ignore them Jonny - kick the bloody ball.

To the corners please! Bowe couldn't catch a cold.

Wish Trimble was there!

If the kicks were at a different trajectory he would catch them.
Some of those kicks, on Saturday, he did well to get to even get his finger tips to let alone catch them.

As for Trimble Fitzgerald being selected instead of Trimble remains the mystery of this squad

geoff999rugby wrote:If the kicks were at a different trajectory he would catch them.
Some of those kicks, on Saturday, he did well to get to even get his finger tips to let alone catch them.

As for Trimble Fitzgerald being selected instead of Trimble remains the mystery of this squad

The Bowe comment was tongue-in-cheek.

Trimble would have offered a bit more physicality against the Italians on Sunday. I thought that was missing from our backs. Whether with the ball or as a chaser Trimble would have brought something different to the table.

I've been thinking about this and.... I think we'd be better off losing this one.

I think we stand a good chance of a first ever win against the ABs, who aren't in top form, in the QF, then a likely SF against SA and final against the Wallabies - who'd be knackered at that stage.

Alternatively we throw the kitchen sink against France the reward is a red hot Argentina team, then the Wallabies and if we can get through that a final against the ABs, if they've played themselves into form, or the Boks/France.

It's a no brainer, we should field a weakened team here.

Who's with me? Joe are you reading this??

rodders wrote:I've been thinking about this and.... I think we'd be better off losing this one.

I think we stand a good chance of a first ever win against the ABs, who aren't in top form, in the QF, then a likely SF against SA and final against the Wallabies - who'd be knackered at that stage.

Alternatively we throw the kitchen sink against France the reward is a red hot Argentina team, then the Wales and if we can get through that a final against the ABs, if they've played themselves into form, or the Boks/France.

It's a no brainer, we should field a weakened team here.  

Who's with me? Joe are you reading this??  

Just corrected that for you Rodders

RubyGuby wrote:

rodders wrote:I've been thinking about this and.... I think we'd be better off losing this one.

I think we stand a good chance of a first ever win against the ABs, who aren't in top form, in the QF, then a likely SF against SA and final against the Wallabies - who'd be knackered at that stage.

Alternatively we throw the kitchen sink against France the reward is a red hot Argentina team, then the Wales and if we can get through that a final against the ABs, if they've played themselves into form, or the Boks/France.

It's a no brainer, we should field a weakened team here.  

Who's with me? Joe are you reading this??  

Just corrected that for you Rodders

Could be ruby, could be!