RWC - New Zealand v France - 24th September

[antipodean]

French team for this weekend's match against the All Blacks:

15-Damien Traille, 14-Vincent Clerc, 13-Aurelien Rougerie, 12-Maxime Mermoz, 11-Maxime Medard, 10-Morgan Parra, 9-Dimitri Yachvili, 8-Louis Picamoles, 7-Julien Bonnaire, 6-Thierry Dusautoir (captain), 5-Lionel Nallet, 4-Pascal Pape, 3-Luc Ducalcon, 2-Dimitri Szarzewski, 1-Jean-Baptiste Poux.

Replacements: 16-William Servat, 17-Fabien Barcella, 18-Julien Pierre, 19-Imanol Harinordoquy, 20-Francois Trinh-Duc, 21-Fabrice Estebanez, 22-Cedric Heymans.

 

[Ruggo]

This game could be anything. This is the complete tipsters nightmare.

 

[Blue]

Parra at 10 where he has never played in a test or Top 14 game.

Lievremont is a genius.

 

[Lee Grant]

Amazing selection by Lievremont. He is starting his two regular scrummies: Yachvili - and also Parra, who will play at 10. Regular flyhalf FTD is on the bench, probably as a warning to lift his game. Parra has never started at flyhalf for France and only occasional filled in there during games. I can't remember his starting there for Clermont, the team I follow, last season, but I believe he has played there as a nipper.

Funny that: FTD at 10. when he was fit was hitherto one of the few constants in Lievremont's quixotic team selections.

8. Picamoles, gets to start ahead of Harinordoquy who is on the bench, much to my surprise, though he was MOTM against Canada. 2. Szarzewski gets a start in front of 1st string hooker, Servat, who is rested.

Traille, who everybody thought would be the alternative to FDT as flyhalf, will be the fullback. That is actually a good call because he is a poor no. 10 even on a good day. 12. Mermoz of Perpignan and 13. Rougerie of Clermont, who have never played together, will be the centres.

There's good players in there but they won't be a team - though how do you know with the French?

 

[antipodean]

Parra hasn't started at 1st 5/8 since he was a junior, but he did get a quarter in both games against Canada and Japan if that counts for anything. Obviously those cameos have impressed Lievremont enough.

I'm not surprised to see Picamoles get a start; it's well deserved after his efforts last week. I'm surprised Servat isn't playing, must be a niggle. IIRC he came off early last week?

The defence will be stiffened with Rougerie at centre. France fielding an excellent backrow. Should be a cracker of a match.

 

[tigerland12]

Parra at 10 where he has never played in a test or Top 14 game.

Lievremont is a genius.

Terrible decision, Trinh-Duc is a quality player, and has been playing good (at least I think he is). Also thought Harinordoquy should be ahead of Bonnaire.

And we complain about Robbie Deans' decisions, imagine if we had Lievermont as coach!

 

[Swat]

And we complain about Robbie Deans' decisions, imagine if we had Lievermont as coach!

At least we would have seen JO'C get a go at 12 by now....

 

[Hawko]

It looks to me like Lievremont has decided it is more important to run a few experiments than to take his best shot at winning the group. Given the state of Pool C, this is not as dumb as it looks. They will probably get England in the quarters, Wales or Ireland in the semi's and New Zealand in the final. They often beat England, and certainly have the cattle to bottle them up enough to scrape through. They would then face Ireland or Wales, neither of whom would scare them at all. Then its the final against NZ and they usually play very well against them.

So, as long as they don't lose any other pool games this is the easiest path for them. Lievremont doesn't look the complete fool. He has his strongest team in the wings for the knockout rounds and now he gets to try some left field solutions to his team's apparent deficiencies.

1. He gets to try Parra at 10. He's a very good 9 and kicks OK, TD has not been playing all that well so far (subbed twice for Parra) and if it goes reasonably well he is a grade A genius in his supporters eyes.
2. He gets to see if Bonnaire or Picamoles should start (assuming Harinordoquay is a certainty).
3. Similarly I would think Barcella is a certainty for the knockouts so lets put the other two under the microscope of the top rated team.
4. While Servat is the best hooker (IMO) for the set piece and the tight work, Szarzewski is very good in the open and maybe NZ would be more vulnerable to His play, particularly say after 30 minutes. If it all goes to shit Szarzewsky can be "injured" and Servat come back on.
5. The backline hasn't set the world on fire though there are some very good individuals (I rate Rougerie highly for example). So lets try a new combination and see how it goes.

I am not so sure that there isn't method in his madness.

Now if Henry was to throw the game however, NZ would get the easy run in against teams they haven't lost to for decades and France cops Australia or SA. But Henry would get lynched so I don't think that's a starter.

 

[Waylon]

Allblacks by 40

 

[sudrugby]

I will watch this game with Yannick Jauzion and Abdel Benazzi... it will be interesting to see how Jauzion support this team!
All Blacks by 30 for me

 

[Riptide]

Lievremont has fueled distrust in the squad since the tournaments started by criticizing players in the press. I have heard from French mates who are friends with some of the squad players that few players have respect for his leadership of the national squad. It's hearsay but consistent with other reports I have heard.

This French squad isn't unified enough to make a real run at the RWC. They are capable of beating anyone on their day if the stars are aligned, but France will not beat NZ in the pool stages, and I don't think they have enough to overcome England in the qtrs. England traditionally have their number in big games and in RWC matches.

 

[PaarlBok]

Parra at 10

Sound about right.

Pretty sure this is the one WC match both teams wont mind losing.

 

[SaderCheif]

Nervously waiting for this game. I know its only the pool stages but a loss to the frogs again could be catastrophic to the psyche.
The French unsettle me, like strong curry....

 

[Riptide]

AB side. Henry makes some big calls leaving Cowan and Mils out of the match day 22 completely. Whitelock gets the nod over Williams as the middle jumper. When Read comes back, Henry will have his starting XV with Kahui and Jane on the wings and SBW coming off he bench for impact, and Slade providing cover for 10 and the back three.

On Dagg being at 15, Henry is quoted as saying "There was a lot of emotion involved in this decision. But at the end of the day you've got to go with your best team and we've gone with Israel." Just when you think the ABs might have a weakness, they ruthlessly drop the weakness on the verge of winning his 100th cap.

1. Tony Woodcock (78 test caps)
2. Keven Mealamu (87)
3. Owen Franks (26)
4. Brad Thorn (54)
5. Sam Whitelock (20)
6. Jerome Kaino (43)
7. Richie McCaw - captain (99)
8. Adam Thomson (23)
9. Piri Weepu (51)
10. Daniel Carter (84)
11. Richard Kahui (14)
12. Ma'a Nonu (62)
13. Conrad Smith (50)
14. Cory Jane (28)
15. Israel Dagg (8)

Reserves:

16. Andrew Hore (57)
17. Ben Franks (12)
18. Ali Williams (68)
19. Anthony Boric (22)
20. Andy Ellis (22)
21. Colin Slade (7)
22. Sonny Bill Williams (9)

 

[SaderCheif]

AB side. Henry makes some big calls leaving Cowan and Mils out of the match day 22 completely. Whitelock gets the nod over Williams as the middle jumper. When Read comes back, Henry will have his starting XV with Kahui and Jane on the wings and SBW coming off he bench for impact, and Slade providing cover for 10 and the back three.

On Dagg being at 15, Henry is quoted as saying "There was a lot of emotion involved in this decision. But at the end of the day you've got to go with your best team and we've gone with Israel." Just when you think the ABs might have a weakness, they ruthlessly drop the weakness on the verge of winning his 100th cap.

1. Tony Woodcock (78 test caps)
2. Keven Mealamu (87)
3. Owen Franks (26)
4. Brad Thorn (54)
5. Sam Whitelock (20)
6. Jerome Kaino (43)
7. Richie McCaw - captain (99)
8. Adam Thomson (23)
9. Piri Weepu (51)
10. Daniel Carter (84)
11. Richard Kahui (14)
12. Ma'a Nonu (62)
13. Conrad Smith (50)
14. Cory Jane (28)
15. Israel Dagg (8)

Reserves:

16. Andrew Hore (57)
17. Ben Franks (12)
18. Ali Williams (68)
19. Anthony Boric (22)
20. Andy Ellis (22)
21. Colin Slade (7)
22. Sonny Bill Williams (9)

IMO this is the ABs top team. This is going to be an awesome game. It will be interesting to see how Dagg goes.

 

[Jumpers]

Mr. Henry has named his strongest team available-good team too. I don't think Dan Carter is 100% with his back injury and yes look for Carter coming off at around 25min mark replaced by Weepu. The game itself will be a cracker but I think the All Blacks will just sneak in, no more than 5-9 points in it!!

 

[Riptide]

Just as Aussies thought there was a sentimental weakness in Henry's selection of highly experienced but fading Mils, he goes ahead and dumps his ass just on the verge of his 100th cap for the more creative, big game temperament of Dagg. I'm impressed.

 

[Riptide]

Mr. Henry has named his strongest team available-good team too. I don't think Dan Carter is 100% with his back injury and yes look for Carter coming off at around 25min mark replaced by Weepu. The game itself will be a cracker but I think the All Blacks will just sneak in, no more than 5-9 points in it!!

If a fired up AB side cannot stuff a French squad out of tune with their idiot coach who has selected a 10 with minimal experience of playing 10 outside a 9 he has never played with, then the ABs will go into the Qtrs with additional question marks and pressure.

 

[SaderCheif]

Just as Aussies thought there was a sentimental weakness in Henry's selection of highly experienced but fading Mils, he goes ahead and dumps his ass just on the verge of his 100th cap for the more creative, big game temperament of Dagg. I'm impressed.

Yea, I'm suprised as well, Mils seems to be Henrys golden boy.

 

[antipodean]

AB side. Henry makes some big calls leaving Cowan and Mils out of the match day 22 completely. Whitelock gets the nod over Williams as the middle jumper. When Read comes back, Henry will have his starting XV with Kahui and Jane on the wings and SBW coming off he bench for impact, and Slade providing cover for 10 and the back three.

On Dagg being at 15, Henry is quoted as saying "There was a lot of emotion involved in this decision. But at the end of the day you've got to go with your best team and we've gone with Israel." Just when you think the ABs might have a weakness, they ruthlessly drop the weakness on the verge of winning his 100th cap.

Just what I wanted to hear.