France v All Blacks
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They're playing better, not so sure we are.
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I going to call an AB loss in this one. Based on not much; last match of the year, press distractions, gut instinct, dodgy wingers.
Wallabies just played a B team against them and won fairly easily. The scoreline flattered the French.
I'd be severely disappointed if we dropped this one.
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@Rapido didnt you also say both Whitelock and BBBR shouldnt play last week?
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No, just Whitelock.
Would have played bbbr , but been concerned.
But, yeah. That st least had some 'reason' behind that feeling. This almost pure hunch. Plus I almost always over rate France.
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I going to call an AB loss in this one. Based on not much; last match of the year, press distractions, gut instinct, dodgy wingers.
Wallabies just played a B team against them and won fairly easily. The scoreline flattered the French.
I'd be severely disappointed if we dropped this one.
Eh? I thought a couple of very poor non-calls by Hometown right at the death robbed France of kicking to win the test match.
France will try and play at pace with plenty of offloads. I think we need to be a little more patient than we have shown on this tour so far and the oppprtunities will come.
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@No-Quarter said in France:
I going to call an AB loss in this one. Based on not much; last match of the year, press distractions, gut instinct.
That would be quite a points turnaround from the last time we played them.
They do have a habit of dramatically making up those points blow outs
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I going to call an AB loss in this one. Based on not much; last match of the year, press distractions, gut instinct, dodgy wingers.
Wallabies just played a B team against them and won fairly easily. The scoreline flattered the French.
I'd be severely disappointed if we dropped this one.
Australia won fairly easily, by 25-23? I didn't see the game, but media reports suggest France missed an injury time drop goal.
That's a pretty loose definition of "won fairly easily".
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You shouldn't have any problems against France. They've been really poor the last few years and getting worse. Italy have beaten them twice in the 6N in the recent past. Their moneyball league has ruined the national side and now they're paying the price. It's difficult to even name a decent French born 10.
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@Wreck-Diver said in France:
hope the French show up for this game.
Highly likely they will. The stadium is just down the road. No excuses for getting lost on the way.
I really was meaning the team, but think you knew. The sarcasm is good though. It really all depends if lunch is to their liking. If its good we are in for a hell of a game but if it substandard we will spank them.
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@Tregaskis said in France:
I going to call an AB loss in this one. Based on not much; last match of the year, press distractions, gut instinct, dodgy wingers.
Wallabies just played a B team against them and won fairly easily. The scoreline flattered the French.
I'd be severely disappointed if we dropped this one.
Australia won fairly easily, by 25-23? I didn't see the game, but media reports suggest France missed an injury time drop goal.
That's a pretty loose definition of "won fairly easily".
I watched it and felt that France were just hanging on for much of the game. Wallabies should have won by more. Thought it was quite a contrast in intensity to the game played beforehand in Dublin.
But I guess who knows with France.
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With Speeding out it takes some of the pressure off us, his long range goal kicking can really hurt you. Plus he seemed like the glue that made that winger pairing work. Lopez is no mug with the boot but he would have been second choice and doesn't have the same kind of range.
Weather looks to be holding so should have conditions for running rugby.
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@mooshld I said difficult, not impossible, and you've named only one. Plus, he hasn't actually been that good in recent seasons.
Depends on your bench mark for good of the NH fly halves, In my view he is there and abouts with Ford being the stand out play maker and the rest doing the chasing.
Doussain probably moves the line better but as he doesn't kick goals very well its somewhat limiting. But if you have Para or Speeding playing that is no issue.
Don't get me wrong France has a lot of imports now but they still have quality players. Guy Noves has a very distinct style of play he likes and both of those 10's can play it pretty well. He is a traditionalist he likes quick ball and backs scoring tries. Well he did when Toulouse where at their heights.
You write off the french at your own peril. For me their biggest strength is also their biggest weakness both their wingers are great ball in hand but neither are great kickers and neither are that strong turning. Front foot though and those boys can finish. Finally Louis P is due a big game and he has the skillset to be the best 8 in the world on his day.
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@mooshld I've actually always liked Trinh-Duc and don't think he got enough French caps over his career. However, I'm comparing the outhalf stock in France now to the past, where they always had a good number of quality players to come in. The situation today is as bad as it's been in last 40 years, worse probably, and the main reason is the club game employing too many foreign players. They're not just from the SH hemisphere either anymore, English, Irish, Scottish, Welsh, Italian, Georgian etc.
I agree they do have quality players, but they're clearly not the force they were even 5 years ago, certainly in the player depth charts.
Oh and yes, Picamoles is class and has been very good recently, he seems a bit lighter and more mobile.
