6 Nations - France v England - Match Thread - 2/2/19 - 3pm

[TightHEAD]

France XV

England XV

Big day of Sport, Super Bowl 54 too!

[whocares]

First time I actually look forward to the crunch in 9 years.

[Gooseberry]

Anyone checked the long range weather forecast? 

[TightHEAD]

I can confirm the roof will be open.

[Gooseberry]

Well Im sure if there is an unexpected storm then Scotland will have a ground ready for us to use for this at a moments notice.

[Guest]

Imitation is the best form of flattery...

[RiscaGame]

Are we travelling back in time?

[SecretFly]

Forget about it.  The Biggest game that weekend (at least in 2020) is Wales and Italy.  Italy will have saved up their hate, anger, hurt and all their bestest moves that they were going to inflict on the ABs.
Wales will be left dizzy by the fury of it all.... 3 - 84.

"And THAT's what we wud'a did to them Kiwis!', will shout Parisse, who will have quickly come back from retirement to wait for another go at the ABs in 2023.

[LondonTiger]

Imitation is the best form of flattery...

That is a very disturbing use of emojis. Do I need to book you guys a room?

[nlpnlp]

Interesting to see who England's props will be for the match, seeing as Sir Clive puts England loss in the world cup final to playing ball players in Mako and Sinkler, rather than hardcore scrummagers like Harry Williams, Nick Schonert, Phil Vickery, etc. In his prime Phil Vickery would have had the Beast 'on toast'.

[TightHEAD]

Has Dan Cole retired yet?

If not he should.

[Gooseberry]

You can't really blame the selection of Sinkler, he was on the pitch for 2 minutes and no scrums. Coles a pretty solid technical scrummage usually, just seems SA came very switched on and made better going of the reffing ( at least one they'd pushed early) It's not like they'd had problems in the scrum prior to that game, even the last time they'd faced SA.

Going back to lumps ( and let's remember phil vickery kept his career alive by losing two stone) is all well and good but England wont be playing SA in the 6 nations or Japan. They were very glad of a mobile front row against Aus where all but one starting forward got into double figures on tackles ( I think needs fact check but it was something ridiculous like that).

Blaming the scrum alone for Englands loss feels very 2003 thinking. I'd blame the execution of other skills like the field kicking and youngs passing which had been excellent in the two previous knock outs just as much. I'm sure SCW would put it down to the psychology of the scrum but really ? I dont think the Sinkler injury helped either but we have seen England go to pot for no real reason before ( passing was poor against Argentina too, and well that half against Scotland....) when the scrum was just fine.

NZ targeted Englands line out, Jones backed his first choices and rather than sacrificing other aspects trusted them and it worked. SA obviously were always going to see the physical battle of the forwards as a place they could get an advantage, Jones back his scrum and lost that time.
Maybe a mistake in hindsight but it's not like they had simon shaw to stick in the second row or Neil Back to "lend a hand".

All in I just dont see Jones abandoning faith in his front row or core team and the way they play. The bad game and loss to SA hasn't fundamentally changed rugby anymore than Wales beating them or Scorland ripping them did.

There will be tweaks and the Japan tour forces spots for fresher faces. Jones hasn't ever really stood still on this team, but nor has he tended to have mass clear outs or completely changed the game plan overnight.

[majesticimperialman]

Is there any news of Dan Cole. Joe Marler.....not being available for the 6ns?

How much longer should/can England afford to keep Ben Youngs at 9 and Daily at 15? 

Should England start clearing out the players who will not be available in the next Rugby World Cup in the 6ns? start a fresh now. 

Or should it be a filter type system, start bringing players on as the come about?

[Gooseberry]

There is an entire other thread on the topic of refreshing the side.

[Guest]

I think the big question is will France continue the upward trajectory they've sort of been stuttering along over the last 2 years, or will we see them back to being useless. France v England games have been pretty one sided affairs for the last deade. Other than a game in Paris (2012?) I can't think when France last not only beat England, but actually came close to giving them a game.

[whocares]

reasons to be more optimistic than usual:
- first game of 6N at home , usually this is when France give a scare to other bigger teams (Wales , Ireland in recent years).
- new coaching staff (not the one most people wanted but still)
- part of the old losing generation (Guirado , picamoles etc) gone and replaced by players who hopefully don’t have the same inferiority complex
- finally some decent options at 10 (albeit maybe a bit too early for most of them
but gotta start somewhere) with Jalibert , Carbonel and Ntamak.

[Gooseberry]

Sean Edwards as defense coach for France...will there be an impact?

[whocares]

Sean Edwards as defense coach for France...will there be an impact?

I hope so!
Am more concerned about the attack coach (labit) but at least they got rid of deadwood like elissalde .

[TightHEAD]

France will win the next RWC.

Didn't realise Gatland was being lined up for the head job and it was the amateur french clubs that rejected having a foreign head coach, and people think Britain is backwards for voting for Brexit, welcome to the EU.

[SecretFly]

It'll be a fun time for Edward's translator as he/she tries to find the right furious cuss words to match what I'm sure is Edward's rich vocabulary down that line when he ain't happy with the efforts being put in.

Either the French will become an alert and interested flesh shredding herd of orcs .... or ..... player power will get rid of Edwards after his first year; "Wot, he wants uz to conzentroite on rugby for zey full eighteee minettes? No, not possibeele! I think about my beautiful girlfriend, no.  She is so delicious that she melts in my mouth, yes?"

[Guest]

I think the French will actually take to Shaun. They must be crying out for good coaching and irrespective of the propensity to revolt, if they see that his systems get results - which they do, and they will - it might be a bit of a rollercoaster, but I think he'll make a success of it.

The choice for head coach, however, is an absolute shocker.

[whocares]

France will win the next RWC.

Didn't realise Gatland was being lined up for the head job and it was the amateur french clubs that rejected having a foreign head coach, and people think Britain is backwards for voting for Brexit, welcome to the EU.

That’s what you get with Laporte . He is a backward populist who was elected by amateur clubs.

[majesticimperialman]

It will be interesting to see how France defence goes in the 6ns. I understand Shaun Edwards is taking over the roll.

[Gooseberry]

Be interesting to see if Phil Vickery retires too maj

[RiscaGame]

It will be interesting to see how France defence goes in the 6ns. I understand Shaun Edwards is taking over the roll.

Think they prefer baguettes Maj.

[SecretFly]

It will be interesting to see how France defence goes in the 6ns. I understand Shaun Edwards is taking over the roll.

Think they prefer baguettes Maj.

Croissants! F**king croissants.

Never in field of human endeavour has there ever been such a waste of energy and flour as in the creation of f**king pointless, taste-vacuum, vapid, dead-beat concoctions called Croissants!

[RiscaGame]

Fair point.

[Galted]

It will be interesting to see how France defence goes in the 6ns. I understand Shaun Edwards is taking over the roll.

Think they prefer baguettes Maj.

Croissants!  F**king croissants.  

Never in field of human endeavour has there ever been such a waste of energy and flour as in the creation of f**king pointless, taste-vacuum, vapid, dead-beat concoctions called Croissants!

They make a pleasing accoutrement if you like sitting cross-legged outside pavement cafes in the morning.

[SecretFly]

One croissant, one snail, one cig. A hearty meal for Parisian Ladies.

Nah, a full dump truck carvery on the pavement is the way to fend off frost bite in Northern Europe al fresco eating.... provided you harness in your big belly, lest it knocks a passing pedestrian to their death onto a busy street.

[lostinwales]

It will be interesting to see how France defence goes in the 6ns. I understand Shaun Edwards is taking over the roll.

Think they prefer baguettes Maj.

Croissants!  F**king croissants.  

Never in field of human endeavour has there ever been such a waste of energy and flour as in the creation of f**king pointless, taste-vacuum, vapid, dead-beat concoctions called Croissants!

You just have not had a decent one - one that's dripping in butter for starters

[SecretFly]

It will be interesting to see how France defence goes in the 6ns. I understand Shaun Edwards is taking over the roll.

Think they prefer baguettes Maj.

Croissants!  F**king croissants.  

Never in field of human endeavour has there ever been such a waste of energy and flour as in the creation of f**king pointless, taste-vacuum, vapid, dead-beat concoctions called Croissants!

You just have not had a decent one - one that's dripping in butter for starters

Butter? Butter! The worst usage of a cows udders in God's Nation!


..... I am partial to a bit'a butter, to be honest .. but not on them things.

[lostinwales]

Proper croissants are made with layers of pastry and butter. I don't personally advocate putting more on but whatever makes people happy.

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