Australia v. France 10 Nov 2012 Stade de France, Paris
- Thread starter BDA
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pissedoffihavetoregister
Alfred Walker (16)
There are a lot of tahs in that pack or near tahs. Is it a record at all?
Inside Shoulder
Nathan Sharpe (72)
I hope the 75% who think we will win this game are (a) correct, and (b) no indicative of any over confidence.
If the "take no prisoners" french team turns up it will be a tough game. As this bloke found out:
http://www.rugbydump.com/2012/11/28...-in-julien-saubade-injured-for-rest-of-season
If the "take no prisoners" french team turns up it will be a tough game. As this bloke found out:
en_force_er
Geoff Shaw (53)
Ever since we lost the WC QF in '07 that we were gurenteed I'm never over confident.
As far as test matches go that one particularly crushed me.
BDA
Jim Lenehan (48)
Agreed. True Wallaby Fans know that our team is horribly prone to losing the unlosable, let alone beating the world cup finalists in Paris. But I think we'll dominate possession and barring our scrum imploding, we should be able to boot our way to victory.
The only thing that maybe worries me is the conditions in France ATM. Ive been to Stade de France at this time of year and its f'n freezing. Our players might find playing in these conditions a shock to the system
Inside Shoulder
Nathan Sharpe (72)
Bruce Ross
Ken Catchpole (46)
They're a caring mob, your Frogs. Full time and the rest of the team head off to the showers leaving their team mate to be rushed to the Intensive Care Unit. C'est la vie Française.
.
BDA
Jim Lenehan (48)
Yeh but they'd been in Europe for almost a month at that stage
Takes a few weeks to acclimatise
Lee Grant
John Eales (66)
Sud Rugby has written an interesting blog about the test match here:
http://www.greenandgoldrugby.com/voila-your-inside-track-on-les-bleus/
Further down I responded so:
That's a good write up Sud Rugby; enjoyed it.
I wouldn't be quite as confident about France, though they are due to beat the Wallabies after going down to them 5 games in a row, and I wouldn't be too surprised if they did.
I don't think you can take too much from that summer win by France in Argentina, and don't forget they lost the first test. As you know: few of the Puma players who played against France in June were first rankers and not many of them were in the main team for the TRC - for example: only one started against the Wallabies in Oz, though a couple more were in the team for the home game in Rosario.
I know that Parra and FTD were the halves when Argentina beat France in the first June test and that Machenaud and Michalak were the halves in the second when France gave them a thrashing to square the series; so it is fair enough to keep that combination.
But I was still a bit surprised because Parra has been in good form for Clermont and Machenaud not stellar for RM in the Top14 games I have seen. Mind you, we get only get a couple of games a week from the Top14 on TV in Australia; so it's not a big sample.
France are not using the most exciting centre pairing they could have, but it's a solid midfield for test matches, and at least Fofana is in the XV, on the wing, where he has starred for Clermont in the past.
France have a huge attacking advantage in the back three and they have to take advantage of it. At least Wallaby AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) has experience that he can use on defence - but Fofana and Clerc operating against the other two, Harris and Cummins, is a scary thought for an Aussie fan.
LHP Forestier playing in his first test at age 30, and starting, is another surprise for me and how will Szarzweski respond being the main guy at hooker now? Servat will be missed but it had to happen.
Dusautoir will be missed also, especially with Bonnaire not around these days. The names Nyanga and Ouedrago don't resonate the same as the other two, though they have big engines. I think they should have chosen a true blindside flanker at 6 - a big bopper like Suta - to start, instead of playing from the bench, and have one of the others relieve him in the second half.
Like Forrestier, Suta is another late bloomer - and you say he is from Wallis & Futuna? What are the chances that he and Christopher Tolofuna, from such a small place, would both be playing for France? A pity that the 18 y.o. hooker is suspended else they could have played together in Suta's first test match.
No.8 Picamoles is in the form of his life and will worry the Oz tacklers unless they get him low. I rate him highly.
The scrum battle will be interesting. Although the Wallabies thrashed France in their last match two years ago they didn't scrum well against them and suffered a penalty try. They will outweigh the France scrum by 40-50kgs this time but they probably did last time too and it didn't help.
France will have an advantage in that they have played under all the new laws being trialled, but I think the 5 second rule will actually help Australia because it will force the Wallaby scrummie to act.
I think it's a wonderful change and the sooner it becomes official law, the better.
.
http://www.greenandgoldrugby.com/voila-your-inside-track-on-les-bleus/
Further down I responded so:
That's a good write up Sud Rugby; enjoyed it.
I wouldn't be quite as confident about France, though they are due to beat the Wallabies after going down to them 5 games in a row, and I wouldn't be too surprised if they did.
I don't think you can take too much from that summer win by France in Argentina, and don't forget they lost the first test. As you know: few of the Puma players who played against France in June were first rankers and not many of them were in the main team for the TRC - for example: only one started against the Wallabies in Oz, though a couple more were in the team for the home game in Rosario.
I know that Parra and FTD were the halves when Argentina beat France in the first June test and that Machenaud and Michalak were the halves in the second when France gave them a thrashing to square the series; so it is fair enough to keep that combination.
But I was still a bit surprised because Parra has been in good form for Clermont and Machenaud not stellar for RM in the Top14 games I have seen. Mind you, we get only get a couple of games a week from the Top14 on TV in Australia; so it's not a big sample.
France are not using the most exciting centre pairing they could have, but it's a solid midfield for test matches, and at least Fofana is in the XV, on the wing, where he has starred for Clermont in the past.
France have a huge attacking advantage in the back three and they have to take advantage of it. At least Wallaby AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) has experience that he can use on defence - but Fofana and Clerc operating against the other two, Harris and Cummins, is a scary thought for an Aussie fan.
LHP Forestier playing in his first test at age 30, and starting, is another surprise for me and how will Szarzweski respond being the main guy at hooker now? Servat will be missed but it had to happen.
Dusautoir will be missed also, especially with Bonnaire not around these days. The names Nyanga and Ouedrago don't resonate the same as the other two, though they have big engines. I think they should have chosen a true blindside flanker at 6 - a big bopper like Suta - to start, instead of playing from the bench, and have one of the others relieve him in the second half.
Like Forrestier, Suta is another late bloomer - and you say he is from Wallis & Futuna? What are the chances that he and Christopher Tolofuna, from such a small place, would both be playing for France? A pity that the 18 y.o. hooker is suspended else they could have played together in Suta's first test match.
No.8 Picamoles is in the form of his life and will worry the Oz tacklers unless they get him low. I rate him highly.
The scrum battle will be interesting. Although the Wallabies thrashed France in their last match two years ago they didn't scrum well against them and suffered a penalty try. They will outweigh the France scrum by 40-50kgs this time but they probably did last time too and it didn't help.
France will have an advantage in that they have played under all the new laws being trialled, but I think the 5 second rule will actually help Australia because it will force the Wallaby scrummie to act.
I think it's a wonderful change and the sooner it becomes official law, the better.
.
BDA
Jim Lenehan (48)
since sunday/monday... i think
en_force_er
Geoff Shaw (53)
Would you be more frustrated if:
a) us and the frogs play well and score tries but we lose.
b) us and the frogs play a shocking and stilted game that we win.
These are the only two ways I can visualise this match playing out. Let's hope I'm wrong as I'm not expert.
As a side note I'm not a RugbyHeaven sympathiser, I can enjoy a test match without many tries but not one without us generally trying to score 5-pointers.
a) us and the frogs play well and score tries but we lose.
b) us and the frogs play a shocking and stilted game that we win.
These are the only two ways I can visualise this match playing out. Let's hope I'm wrong as I'm not expert.
As a side note I'm not a RugbyHeaven sympathiser, I can enjoy a test match without many tries but not one without us generally trying to score 5-pointers.
ChargerWA
Mark Loane (55)
Have you been watching the Wallabies lately en_force_er ?
The most likely scenario is the French to play well and the Wallabies to play poorly and still win.
Please Note: The definition of "play poorly" in this sentence refers to lack of attacking flair, not commitment and defence.
The most likely scenario is the French to play well and the Wallabies to play poorly and still win.
Please Note: The definition of "play poorly" in this sentence refers to lack of attacking flair, not commitment and defence.
Jethro Tah
Bob Loudon (25)
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