France v Australia

[KOB1987]

not sure where that came from Mr D but I do think the only possible scenario that would see KB (Kurtley Beale) flown over for this tour is an injury to Folau..

EDIT: or a stack of backline injuries

 

[Braveheart81]

not sure where that came from Mr D but I do think the only possible scenario that would see KB (Kurtley Beale) flown over for this tour is an injury to Folau..

He's heading over now with Jake Schatz. Folau isn't injured.

 

[KOB1987]

oh OK, hadn't heard that..

EDIT: just read the Fox article now

 

[I like to watch]

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

 

[Lee Grant]

As for the French, Teddy Thomas, great name!

Not as good as Jean Condom (Condom has come off, circa 90s Ballymore!!) but still memorable.

Not a bad player either Teddy - and a hat-trick in his first game last week.

It was 1990 - yeah I remember Condom.

If I remember right Bray also said about a lineout "…and Condom gives protection to a team mate ……I've been waiting to say that."

It was a dirty series that: Benazzi, in his first test got sent off for stomping on Fitzy's head.

That wasn't so bad for Fitzy, who was already writing in the SMH at the time, but he was trying to get a nickame going for himself as "The Hammer"—so it was embarrassing when centre Sella punched him from behind and he dropped to the ground.

He has been reminded of it ever since.
.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

^^^ While you are reminiscing of the olden days, I recall the 1985 France v Ireland game where Willie Anderson was opposing Jean Condom in the lineout.

An Irish supporter had a banner at the ground "Our Willie's bigger than your Condom".

 

[Hardtackle]

and of course in cricket - Poms v West Indies, there was the commentator who said, "the batsman's Holding, the bowler's Willie"

 

[Biffo]

It was 1990 - yeah I remember Condom.

wasn't that the series after which the French squad went to New Caledonia for some home comforts away from home and one of the players died in very strange circumstances?

 

[Tomikin]

I would just like too add I heard Chekia say Sam coped a bump against the Welsh and that Horwill probably deserved a start after the BarBars game.

Could also be why Skeltons the bench option although He adds a difference.

 

[Quick Hands]

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

Bill clearly needs someone to tell him what to do

 

[Bairdy]

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.

 

[Brumby Runner]

I think he did well in general play against the Welsh. There was nothing flashy but he made it over the gain line with each carry and got good recycles. He also tailed the ball carrier into a few tackles and produced strong cleanouts and allowed us to get quick ball.

I think this is what Cheika is looking for from him off the bench. To help keep our forward momentum and provide strength at the breakdown. In the games where we've been overrun in the last 15 minutes this year it's often involved a big momentum shift in the forwards and all of a sudden we're getting smashed. We're going to lose physicality when we replace Slipper and Kepu so we need to add a physical dimension from somewhere.

Yeah - just like we had forward momentum when Foley kicked with 40 seconds to play against Wales?

 

[I like to watch]

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.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Wallabies just need a fast start. If they can score a few early tries, the French won't trouble them

Going to be under serious pressure in the scrum. We chose a much bigger, stronger pack in the June series and we still struggled to hold our own in the scrums. Like last week Im worried that Cheika has gone too lightweight. I'd actually play a bit of territory against the French. Keep the ball out of the wallabies 20 at all costs.

I tend to think the starting scrum is too light as well, but the front row will be up for the contest as long as they stay on the pitch. Unfortunately, the reserve scrum will be much weaker although much heavier after the Ben(n)s and Skelton come on. The front row won't be our saviours then.

And just who is going to hoist the ball out of our 20m area?

The problems I believe we will have at scrum and late lineout times could just be enough to let the French make a real contest of this. We could well be starved of good possession in French territory and it will be the superior defense of the Wallabies that will keep us in the hunt.

I really believe that Cheika has got a couple of selections wrong, ie Skelton in and no Jones on the bench, and if we happen to lose it will very much be his responsibility.

 

[Biffo]

I really believe that Cheika has got a couple of selections wrong, ie Skelton in and no Jones on the bench, and if we happen to lose it will very much be his responsibility.

if Skelton goes OK and we win, will you remind us that TGC knows a bit about the game?

what was your other claimed wrong selection?

 

[Brumby Runner]

if Skelton goes OK and we win, will you remind us that TGC knows a bit about the game?

what was your other claimed wrong selection?

Happily. Skelton going ok means he also contributes positively to the set piece as well as getting over the gain line every occasion he has the ball (as is claimed by many of his fans), hitting all rucks within spitting distance and effectively cleaning out every French player over the ball and disrupting every opposition maul (which I don't doubt he will do a good job at).

The other mystery selection imo was the omission of Jones from the bench in place of Hodgson to bring more size and aggression into what is a fairly unbalanced backrow. But that was on the assumption that Carter should have been on the bench. If he has a bump as apparently mentioned by Cheika, then Jones on the bench in place of Skelton.

Just to clarify, I believe the weakness of these selections in the set piece is the only area where the French could set up a win. If they do that, then I believe it is wholly attributable to poor selection in the forwards by the coach.

 

[Groucho]

Skelton going ok means he also contributes positively to the set piece as well as getting over the gain line every occasion he has the ball (as is claimed by many of his fans), hitting all rucks within spitting distance and effectively cleaning out every French player over the ball and disrupting every opposition maul (which I don't doubt he will do a good job at).

That gets an OK? It sounds like a combination of Richie McCaw, Brodie Retallick and Kieran Read.

 

[Biffo]

That gets an OK? It sounds like a combination of Richie McCaw, Brodie Retallick and Kieran Read.

all on the field at once in a 17-man team

 

[Groucho]

all on the field at once in a 17-man team

Bloody cheats.

 

[BabyBlueElephant]

This French team is being given too much respect. Tactically they are woeful, in all areas. Their scrum has traditionally been top 3 the past decade but it was beyond awful in the 6N. They had the worst one in the tournament if I remember correctly.

Aus should win this with relative ease. Especially as Cheika is the polar opposite of PSA. Aus should win by 8+ or more.