6N 2017: England v France, 4 February

First topic message reminder :

  
ENGLAND v FRANCE
4 February 2017
KO: 16:50
Twickenham, London 

Live on ITV, FR2, RTE, DMAX, BBC (H)

Referee: Angus Gardner (Australia)
Touch judges: Glen Jackson (New Zealand) & Marius van der Westhuizen (South Africa)
TMO: Peter Fitzgibbon (Ireland)

A. Head to Head

102 Played 102
56 Won 39
7 Drawn 7
39 Lost 56
1623 Points 1290

B. Recent Form 

19 March 2016
Stade de France, Saint-Denis
21 – 31 to England

22 August 2015
Stade de France, Saint-Denis
25 – 20 to France

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

C. Teams

ENGLAND 

15-Mike Brown; 14-Jonny May, 13-Jonathan Joseph, 12-Owen Farrell, 11-Elliot Daly; 10-George Ford, 9-Ben Youngs; 1-Joe Marler, 2-Dylan Hartley (captain), 3-Dan Cole, 4-Joe Launchbury, 5-Courtney Lawes, 6-Maro Itoje, 7-Tom Wood, 8-Nathan Hughes

Replacements: 16-Jamie George, 17-Matt Mullan, 18-Kyle Sinckler 19-Teimana Harrison, 20-James Haskell, 21-Danny Care, 22-Ben Te'o, 23-Jack Nowell

FRANCE

15-Scott Spedding; 14-Noa Nakaitaci, 13-Remi Lamerat, 12-Gael Fickou, 11-Virimi Vakatawa; 10-Camille Lopez, 9-Baptiste Serin; 1-Cyril Baille, 2-Guilhem Guirado (captain), 3-Uini Atonio, 4-Sebastien Vahaamahina, 5-Yoann Maestri, 6-Damien Chouly, 7-Kevin Gourdon, 8-Louis Picamoles

Replacements: 16-Clement Maynadier, 17-Rabah Slimani, 18-Xavier Chiocci, 19-Arthur Iturria, 20-Loann Goujon, 21-Maxime Machenaud, 22-Jean Marc Doussain, 23-Yoann Huget

Just been watching last year's highlights again....forgot that Care was in such good form and was starting! Really hope he can recover that this year.

Also even in just the highlights, I saw plenty of tackles that will be getting players binned/sent off this year, hope players have had enough time to adjust their technique so the championship isn't decided by cards.

WELL-PAST-IT wrote:

doctor_grey wrote:I hope you boys are right.  To me, it is not just the dudes we are putting out there, it is also the match fitness.  I am sure any player Jones puts out there will have met their objective fitness measurables, but it is different when being pushed by a lot of French beef.  Hopefully I am wrong.  

Also, who will have the job to tell Jonny May to run 'forwards'?

I don't think we will have to worry too much about that Doc, seems to have got himself straight. Reading past comments by the England squad, circles and zig zags are just the way his mind works, scatty. Had the game of his life in my opinion against the Argies, seemed to cover both wings, massive defensive effort and sound in attcak down either flank.

I agree that game was May's best for England. But, I also think that situation played to his strengths and personality. Down to 14 men, we need a guy running all over, especially on defense. Let's hope he doesn't need to do that tomorrow.

And, re-reading my last sentence - It is tomorrow. Tine flies, mates, time flies. Let's have a blast, enjoy the day, celebrate with an occasional pint of the good stuff.

Yeah, that Lawes tackle on Plisson would have been carded in current day rules.
Might even have been a red as he does land on his head and there is drive into the ground!

I do hope that England as seriously prepping for long stretches of the game at 14 or 13 men! And/or having long discussions with referees about legality of modern tackles.

GeordieFalcon wrote:

WELL-PAST-IT wrote:

doctor_grey wrote:I hope you boys are right.  To me, it is not just the dudes we are putting out there, it is also the match fitness.  I am sure any player Jones puts out there will have met their objective fitness measurables, but it is different when being pushed by a lot of French beef.  Hopefully I am wrong.  

Also, who will have the job to tell Jonny May to run 'forwards'?

I don't think we will have to worry too much about that Doc, seems to have got himself straight. Reading past comments by the England squad, circles and zig zags are just the way his mind works, scatty. Had the game of his life in my opinion against the Argies, seemed to cover both wings, massive defensive effort and sound in attcak down either flank.

Scrummed down well on the flank aswell

I am not sure Mako would agree with you there. seem to remember him binding onto Mako's ankle and trying to lift his foot off the floor

It was quite funny WPI. His head was almost up Makos backside,

Best of luck ye English lads

Hello France...

eirebilly wrote:Hello France...

Was never going to be a walk over.

Bit disappointed with the ref, not allowing it to flow

Nothing in that at all, ridiculous. Not even a penalty.

Poopie ref....

The commentators trying to justify the call, bullschmidt, nothing at all wrong. Terrible call.

Soft yellow. Wasn't even a penalty imo

This Ref is out of his depth. Should be in the pro12

Well that lineout went wrong...

Lineout on fire for both sides

So homoerotic. 'Picamoles strength is the girth of his quads'

Youngs in his Tigers form so far

No penalty to Englans as Hartley was holding the player in the ruck

TightHEAD wrote:Soft yellow. Wasn't even a penalty imo

Legs raised over the horizontal, lands head first. Its pretty much a textbook yellow.

Youngs is having a mare....terrible passing again

Is it me or is Ford looking slightly out of his depth today?

Didn't think you could lift legs

Seriously this ref is woeful, he's ruining this game

The ref is very finicky, seems to find anything to stop the play...

Sir really likes his whistle today.

It's the sort of game where players on both sides could start getting frustrated. Hopefully nothing boils over.

Yeah. I don't think he's getting it wrong. Just too fussy.

France to win. England forwards look out of shape.

Hopefully that can be the spark that Ben Youngs needs to get into this game.

GunsGermsV2 wrote:France to win. England forwards look out of shape.

The England bench isn't short of forward impact thankfully.

Jamie George, Sinckler and Haskell I'd back to make a good impact in this physical game.

I've thought Dan Cole has been quietly having one of his better England games for a while in the loose.

Ford seriously lacking composure out there.

Ball is out, then penalty against England for diving on the ball? Do not agree with that, its out or in...

Dreadful aimless kicks from Youngs and Ford there.

ref clearly said ball was out of the ruck?!!!!! who is this guy?

What the Frak ref, can't dive on an emerging ball lol

Now that was weird reffing.

You're not allowed to fall on a ball coming out of a ruck tbf. Whether his calls reflected that I'm not sure.

I'm loathe to criticise refs because how much stick they get at all levels is a significant reason that standards aren't that high at the moment. With how much criticism they get it's not surprising so few people want to referee.

Gardner is looking out of his depth for this game though.

Scottrf wrote:You're not allowed to fall on a ball coming out of a ruck tbf. Whether his calls reflected that I'm not sure.

He made two calls. The first call was ball is out. That means ruck is over, and the second call about falling on ball is irrelevant. Eithe call is valid, but together make no sense.

Scottrf wrote:You're not allowed to fall on a ball coming out of a ruck tbf. Whether his calls reflected that I'm not sure.

Maybe I am not up to date with the laws as some but I always understood that when a ref calls 'ball is out' it was a free for all for any player to get it, even diving on it. It is deemed open play isn't it?

eirebilly wrote:

Scottrf wrote:You're not allowed to fall on a ball coming out of a ruck tbf. Whether his calls reflected that I'm not sure.

Maybe I am not up to date with the laws as some but I always understood that when a ref calls 'ball is out' it was a free for all for any player to get it, even diving on it. It is deemed open play isn't it?

I didn't notice when he called out. But yes would appear contradictory calls.

Great tackle from Daly at the end. Playing well IMO, as is Wood. Bit of a disjointed half though.

Scottrf wrote:

eirebilly wrote:

Scottrf wrote:You're not allowed to fall on a ball coming out of a ruck tbf. Whether his calls reflected that I'm not sure.

Maybe I am not up to date with the laws as some but I always understood that when a ref calls 'ball is out' it was a free for all for any player to get it, even diving on it. It is deemed open play isn't it?

I didn't notice when he called out. But yes would appear contradictory calls.

He was very clear and very audible when calling it out, the changed mind to say 'cannot dive on emerging ball'. Very very strange call.

Nakatawa and Spedding are running riot but this is such a scrappy game, both sides poor on the basics and cough up possession so easily.Not helped by some poor officiating

Ding ding Gwlad, Spedding has looked brilliant. Running some excellent lines.

When the ref is constantly finding fault with Tom Wood, it's a good sign he's being too officious. Agree with Scott above his decisions aren't so much wrong as unsympathetic. He isn't giving either side an idea of what they need to do to make him happy.

Brown's having a typically solid game, some good cover tackling.

Hope DC comes on soon Youngs is well off form

I thought hit would be a close game. France playing the best attacking rugby. But give c5redit to England for the way they are defending. 9 9 at the break.

Second half one side ( hope fully it will be England) will have to break loose and put some points on the board.

Fantastic kick from Daly, thats why he is there in the side!!! Still rising as it went over! Massive that we're going into halftime at 9-9 scores level, all to play for!

New rugby rule, a player must not dive on the ball in open play.

When did World Rugby bring that one in?

Jones might have been tempted to get Haskell on early but Wood didn't really deserve to be taken off.

bet Eddie gets another black eye at half time

I expect England to come out in the second half with far more structure in the forwards. If the ref allows the game to flow then I am sure England will win by 2 scores.

Danny care to come on, Farrell to 10 and England should have better shape.