France v Australia

[USARugger]

Not a good thing having Nigel. He gave England a dodgy penalty try and heavily penalised NZ's defensive maul. France are going to pummel us in this area.

NZ weren't exactly doing their best impression of a maul defense last weekend, either. I think he was a little heavy on the whistle but the English were just straight up beating them up at the maul.

 

[ForceFan]

Front Row: W 345kg - F 323kg (+22kg)
2nd Row: W 232kg - F 234kg
Back Row: W 304kg - F 327kg (-23kg)
TOTAL: W 881kg - F 884kg

Very even Pack weights.
Wallabies win out on experience.

Forwards' Test Caps: W Av 41 - F Av 30

France appears to have extra jumper - Le Roux.

Wallabies Team av 36 Tests versus French Team av 20 Tests.


Report from the Captain's Run is that the pitch is soggy, chops up very easily (slabbing) and still raining. Fog forecast Sat am - no drying.
Expect bench to be used earlier than against Wales.

 

[Bairdy]

Expect France to actually work hard in defence and stick to their defensive pattern.

 

[Biffo]

So now we know who is in charge of the ARU.
Wonder what little tasks Cheika has set for Bill while he is away?

checking the qualifications and experience of current staff and applicants?

 

[Shelts89]

Front Row: W 345kg - F 323kg (+22kg)
2nd Row: W 232kg - F 234kg
Back Row: W 304kg - F 327kg (-23kg)
TOTAL: W 881kg - F 884kg

Very even Pack weights.
Wallabies win out on experience.

This maybe so, but I would still expect the French pack to be better in the set piece and tight work. The Aus pack is rarely the smallest or least experienced, yet it still often lacks 'grunt'. Probably to do with the style of rugby they grow up with perhaps?

 

[HighPlainsDrifter]

Bairdy ..Yes , I thought Jones didn't disgrace himself in the 20 minutes of a tight dour test which was in the balance .... I thought Sean was tentative for the first 20 or so vs Wales ..its called the pace an intensity of Test Rugby which is bad luck if you only get 20 minutes .... If Jones ever gets the chance (on this tour) I think he is due , I wouldn't look forward to facing him on the pitch ...Some say he's not big enough , what a laugh ... its his core strength which puts him on an equal footing to larger opponents ,who, don't seem to get off the deck to quickly after he's tackled them and in attack he regularly attracts 2 defenders to take him down , Line Out strong too ... Also , I think he played his School Rugby & U20 World Cup with Hooper so there may be a combo factor to be played out .

 

[KOB1987]

Well Tom English and Tetera Faulkner have had theirs. Godwin, Jones, Speight, Quade, JMR & To'omua to go.

Tom English had his when? Did I miss something?


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[Marcelo]

Is France a real threat?

I didn't see their game against Fiji and I don't know how good is their scrum, which should be their most powerful weapon against our lads. I'm more worried about Ireland and England TBH

 

[swingpass]

Tom English had his when? Did I miss something?


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had a run for the Baa Baa's against Leiscter

 

[Scrubber2050]

Intriguing that people always go back to Skelton's debut against a disinterested French side - who didn't feel like defending that day - as a reason why he should be persisted with despite his misgivings.

Meanwhile Jones has a timid, ineffective debut a week earlier in that tight, high pressure test, and all of a sudden his form which warranted his inclusion is discounted, and he's thrown on the scrap heap.

Thats a shame but seems the way it goes. Reminds me of Ben Daey of the Reds - selected for Australia against the Poms in 2010. He absolutely got flogged at scrum time and hasn't represented again (3 caps, I think). Slipper came on, did very well as a kid, and has continued with test career.

Trouble for Jones is the position, Probably frontrunners are Simmo definitely, then Carter, Horwill and Skelton. He will find it hard to get a run against the Irish or Poms.

 

[Dctarget]

In more positive news, it's Sekope Kepu's 50th test this weekend.​

​

So expect a nice intercept from Slipper on our try line, with Slips and Kepu doing a bit of a "1,2,1,2" down the field, slicing through the French defence like a knife through their delicious beurre. Eventually Kepu scores in the corner with a magnificent swan dive that would put Chris Splashton to shame. To top it off, Kepu nails the sideline conversion with a simple droppie, no kicking T required.​

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Everyone goes home tired but happy.​

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Except Kurtley, he can stay in France.​

 

[Scrubber2050]

In more positive news, it's Sekope Kepu's 50th test this weekend.​

​

So expect a nice intercept from Slipper on our try line, with Slips and Kepu doing a bit of a "1,2,1,2" down the field, slicing through the French defence like a knife through their delicious beurre. Eventually Kepu scores in the corner with a magnificent swan dive that would put Chris Splashton to shame. To top it off, Kepu nails the sideline conversion with a simple droppie, no kicking T required.​

​

Everyone goes home tired but happy.​

​

Except Kurtley, he can stay in France.​

Mate you are the most positive bloke around !!!!!!!!
Suppose you will win Lotto tonight and take Jennifer Hawkins to the Drive-In as well.

 

[fatprop]

Some of these guys won't be the first to tour and not play a test.

With who we are playing the best 15 available will needed for each test, so an injury or form drop of an incumbent may be the only way they get some time, and who would wish that on any of the incumbents.

 

[Dctarget]

Mate you are the most positive bloke around !!!!!!!!
Suppose you will win Lotto tonight and take Jennifer Hawkins to the Drive-In as well.

Have you been reading my diary?

 

[pissedoffihavetoregister]

I see some of chubby's tahs behaviour coming thru.

He makes very few changes to the main team to build combinations even sometimes after a loss.

And he will drag someone who has been training the house down and include them.

Both messages are great messages for the team to get.


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[Brumbieman]

The issue wasn't could he make any yards at that time of the day.
the issue was who was going to be right up his clacker ready to repel the certain 3 or 4 desperate defenders trying to get/spoil our ball.

The issue, was "who the fuck is taking this next phase!?"

Anyone who reckons Genia is good at bossing his forwards around, should watch that last few minutes very carefully.

The last five minutes, is EXACTLY where Genia should have been the one standing up and directing traffic. Foley had played 80 mins and was buggered, not in a clear head space for thinking clearly, and Genia had only been on for 15-20 mins or so. He was the experienced playmaker who should have been screaming at players to get them into position, and he wasn't.

He was just jogging up to rucks, and then looking around for an option. Watch Aaron Smith at the end of a game: He's screaming at anyone who isn't realigning quickly enough to maintain their structure and ensure that Smith has several options at each ruck.

 

[KOB1987]

What would be peoples' predictions under the scenario that Lilo has to come off injured? Presumably Horne to 12, less than ideal..alternatively QC (Quade Cooper) to 12, also less than ideal..

 

[KOB1987]

To that end, To'omua would be a more preferable bench option to QC (Quade Cooper), so perhaps the fears of some that there is something up with To'omua are on the money..also may explain why he is being completely overlooked..and also maybe why Beale is on the plane..

we could have To'omua OR QC (Quade Cooper) on the bench with Beale, but not with each other..

 

[Pete King]

What would be peoples' predictions under the scenario that Lilo has to come off injured? Presumably Horne to 12, less than ideal..alternatively QC (Quade Cooper) to 12, also less than ideal..

We could do a lot worse then have Horne run on at 12 in the case of an injury. Career best form and has played a lot there

 

[Bobby Sands]

Quade is on the bench for a very good reason.