Same Tim Cymru v J'ai une tour Eiffel dans mon pantalon

First topic message reminder :

Welsh squad remains the same for the showdown in Paris.

Would have swapped over Halfpenny and Williams personally

Halfpenny, North, Davies, S William, L Williams; Biggar, Webb; Evans, Owens, Francis, Ball, AW Jones (capt), Warburton, Tipuric, Moriarty.

Replacements: Baldwin, Smith, Lee, Charteris, Faletau, G Davies, S Davies, Roberts.


French team announced

Dulin - Nakaitaci, Fickou, Lamerat, Vakatawa - Lopez, Serin - Gourdon, Picamoles, Sanconnie - Maestri, Vahaamahina - Slimani, Guirado, Baille.

Les remplaçants : Chat, Atonio, Ben Arous, Le Devedec, Chouly, Trinh-Duc, Dupont, Huget

Wayne Barnes

That is an outrageous call - not even a penalty IMO.

He was going for the tackle!

There goes gunsvgerms that Barnes favours Wales... If that was a yellow card then the first one was as well.

Horribly inconsistent.

Classic example of Barnes being inconsistent. Worlds worst ref. Its the same in literally every game.

How could Barnes say that he deliberately knocked it on - terrible decision

Shocking call given the exact same thing happened at the other end and they didn't even review it ... and you could even hear him say "same as the one at the other end" ... so same thing, two different treatments ...

And now the French ref in the Ireland/England match may want to give us some payback ...

Anyone know where Barnes went to school?

Heaf wrote:And now the French ref in the Ireland/England match may want to give us some payback ...

Hope so

I find myself defending Barnes a lot but you cannot defend that. Simply a very poor decision.

Anyone know why Barnes refs so many Wales games?

He used to be good but seems to have fallen for the early hype and now is just arrogant ...

Why was that offside? The French didn't engage at the ruck?

true ...

good kick but unfair decision ...

not 100% sure about that North turnover either

Do refs have performance reviews? Barnes should get his books for that. The touches are missing plenty neck rolls too

Fair fecks to Wales though. They were being well beaten in every aspect of the game but have fought back well. They may be getting most of the decisions by Barnes but they have certainly adjusted to France's attack and are countering it well now.

Just saw the replay of the JDII 'accidental' trailing arm knock on. For once the French have every right to be furious.

That is simply terrible. Barnes should certainly hang his head for that one. I actually think that it was Biggar screaming into Barnes' ear that led Barnes to go to the TMO, very soccerish from him.

Heaf wrote:not 100% sure about that North turnover either

Yeah he was off his feet. What do you do - penalise North for being off his feet or the frenchman for not releasing - and he went with North.

To be fair North is looking very dangerous when hes got the ball. A much better performance

North's wasn't a turnover and Davies was a yellow, but it's embarrassing to see allegations of biasedness etc. I'd find fans of a certain nation might be better off starting their own Wayne Barnes thread, rather than disrupting Welsh ones. It's seriously poor form.

lostinwales wrote:Just saw the replay of the JDII 'accidental' trailing arm knock on. For once the French have every right to be furious.

Yep blatantly deliberate - but no review or YC ... horribly inconsistent to then give a YC to France ..

RiscaGame wrote:North's wasn't a turnover and Davies was a yellow, but it's embarrassing to see allegations of biasedness etc. I'd find fans of a certain nation might be better off starting their own Wayne Barnes thread, rather than disrupting Welsh ones. It's seriously poor form.

I'm not sure there has been allegations of bias, but when you see decisions like that (very possibly France should have been awarded a penalty try with a welsh player sent off), it's pretty understandable that some are going to question just how objective Barnes is when reffing Wales.

RiscaGame wrote:North's wasn't a turnover and Davies was a yellow, but it's embarrassing to see allegations of biasedness etc. I'd find fans of a certain nation might be better off starting their own Wayne Barnes thread, rather than disrupting Welsh ones. It's seriously poor form.

To be fair, apart from one exception, I don't think many are claiming bias - just very poor/inconsistent decision making by Barnes

I would suggest any ire is directed at the touch judge. Clear view a few feet away. Should have been 2 yellows. Finely balanced game but Wales are getting mullered at the breakdown.

Don't think Barnes is biaised. Just easy to influence and not always consistent.

Did AWJ just pop his shoulder?

So deliberate knock on by 1/2p now...

Should that have also gone to the TMO?

For me it was an accident but based on other incidents, was probably worth a second look.

Don't think the French think too much of Barnes either.

Should really take the 3pts here...

Wales getting away with quite a bit I have to say ...

Typical...

Has the TMO's mike broken?

Can't understand why France aren't taking the 3 points - twice now they've turned down easy kicks ...

I don't think Barnes is biased, just inconsistent in his application of the laws, arrogant in the way he dismisses players, clueless at the scrum and allows defense lines to live offside.  Wales just happen to play him well.

And of course his biggest crime. Being English.

No 7&1/2 wrote:And of course his biggest crime. Being English.

Being English is nothing to do with it.

Think it's more his being Welsh.

Engine#4 wrote:I don't think Barnes is biased, just inconsistent in his application of the laws, arrogant in the way he dismisses players, clueless at the scrum and allows defense lines to live offside.  Wales just happen to play him well.

This is the worst game I have seen from him. He has been very poor today. Normally I think he is a very good ref but you are right, Wales have adjusted to him better than France. Ireland also do not seem to be able to adjust to him which is why some see him as being biased against Ireland when he referee's Wales - Ireland games.

Engine#4 wrote:I don't think Barnes is biased, just inconsistent in his application of the laws, arrogant in the way he dismisses players, clueless at the scrum and allows defense lines to live offside.  Wales just happen to play him well.

Don't a few referees have a degree of arrogance? Look at how Nigel Owens condescends players, yet people think it's brilliant. He also has zero clue of the scrum etc.

Well...it doesn't help

That is some kick, again.

Wales having that game gifted to them by France really.

Completely in from the side.

Warb's never came from behind the back foot, well in from the side...

Its silly things. The lineout. KO takes a step to the left before throwing - so he's throwing 'straight' but over the top of the Welsh line

RiscaGame wrote:

Engine#4 wrote:I don't think Barnes is biased, just inconsistent in his application of the laws, arrogant in the way he dismisses players, clueless at the scrum and allows defense lines to live offside.  Wales just happen to play him well.

Don't a few referees have a degree of arrogance? Look at how Nigel Owens condescends players, yet people think it's brilliant. He also has zero clue of the scrum etc.

I find Owens tends to explain his decisions when questioned while Barnes just gives something along the lines off "no, I'm right now go away". That said I don't watch much English club rugby so maybe it's just that he never liked Paul O'Connell.

To be honest I'm not sure how France can adapt to Barnes giving them a YC whilst allowing Wales to get away with the same thing ...

The Welsh centres have been so poor today. It's almost like neither side wants to win.