France Name Team for Opening Fixture Against Japan

France: 15 Cedric Heymans, 14 Vincent Clerc, 13 Aurelien Rougerie, 12 Fabrice Estebanez, 11 Maxime Médard, 10 Francois Trinh-Duc, 9 Dimitri Yachvili, 8 Raphael Lakafia, 7 Imanol Harinordoquy, 6 Thierry Dusautoir (c), 5 Lionel Nallet, 4 Julien Pierre, 3 Nicolas Mas, 2 William Servat, 1 Fabien Barcella.
Replacements: 16 Dimitri Szarzewski, 17 Jean-Baptiste Poux, 18 Julien Bonnaire, 19 Pascal Papé, 20 Morgan Parra, 21 David Skrela, 22 David Marty


Thoughts?

Thoughts?

My initial thought is that 100% of the French subs would make it onto any other home nations starting 15.

I doubt Skrela, Marty and Papé would but possibly the rest.

Id have Marty ahead of Darce and Pape ahead of Donners. Anywho, great team and I hope they do well.

PS Im sure England and Scotland would take Marty as well. Wales and Scotland Skrela.

No way Skrela or Pape would. Marty might possibly for Ireland or Scotland.

Lakafia has done very well to earn a starting spot ahead of Bonnaire, Picamoles and Oudraogo.

I genuinely don't think it's any coincidence that Ireland played their best rugby against France when Skrela was at fly half. France really should pray that nothing happens to Trinh-Duc.

Which is bizarre because TD is not an amazing 10.

I think Skrela is suffering from the same maladie as K Earls..

MBTGOG wrote:I genuinely don't think it's any coincidence that Ireland played their best rugby against France when Skrela was at fly half. France really should pray that nothing happens to Trinh-Duc.

+1

Trinh-Duc might not be amazing but he is pretty damn good. He has really improved over the past year.

MBTGOG wrote:France really should pray that nothing happens to Trinh-Duc.

Absolument.

ML says it's his standard team, and that if the French had the privilege to play a quarter final, things would be different.

Skrela,after an injury riddled season, has things to prove;he may not be a great attacking player, but there are no questions about his defensive capacities.

happy with this team - ML was initially hinting that he would go for the team that played Ireland in Bordeaux - this one looks like our strongest possible XV at the moment (bar barcella whose form might still be dodgy but he need game time anyway).

Trinh-Duc is underrated, his kicking game might not be fantatsic but all the creativity/speed the french can show is coming from him. he looks average vs a cooper or carter and have not got the experience of a contepomi but I'd rather have him than any of the other NH fly-half.

Not an expert at french rugby, but Haymens over Medard at fullback? What on earth.

Harinordiquy at 7, Lakafia at 8, Yachvilli at 9 and Estabenez at 12 stand out for me. Classic Lievremont.

The Toulouse back three are interchangeable,but Clerc on the wing is a certainty.Pity they didn't take Poitrenaud.

flankertye wrote:Not an expert at french rugby, but Haymens over Medard at fullback? What on earth.

it's just that we need Medart on the wings more than at fullback!

Like the look of that team.

Looking forward to the France/All Blacks game.

Heymans is actually one of my favourite players.

He scored a great try when France beat New Zealand in New Zealand a couple of seasons ago. Quality player.

The only way we (Wales) would take Skrela is if he was playing 12 and wouldn't have the kicking duties. I think that's an awesome France line-up. Medard is wasted on the wing though, I'd swap him around with Heymans for the full backline potential to be unleashed.

Mick(TEFC) wrote:The Toulouse back three are interchangeable,but Clerc on the wing is a certainty.Pity they didn't take Poitrenaud.

I disagree. Poitrenaud can be a wonderful attacker but I've always seen him as a massive liability in defence. I didn't expect him nor Bastareud to make the RWC squad when they were last being talked up as world class in 2010. Best idea Lievremont has ever made was to leave them out.

Best idea Lievremont has ever made was to leave them out.

I disagree; his best idea was to leave after the RWC.

"Harinordiquy at 7, Lakafia at 8,"

Yeah thats the bit that i noticed aswell. Surely Harin will be 8 for the most part though.

Hell of a player he might be......a 7 he is not.

Is this yet another sign that the back rows are heading towards being 3 6'5s in the back three. People who can do everything well.

Not a Lievremont fan then... He could help France pull something off in the World Cup though. Win against NZ in NZ during his reign might I remind you.

Yes, and I was an ardent fan for the first couple of years when it was obvious that he was giving everyone a run;then when he decided to stick to a group of 35, I and others, started to worry

Parra is the second best SH in the NH (behind Yachvilli), although hes possibly the best (I havent been as impressed with Yachvilli lately), and France get to bring him off the bench?!

If France win the WC the genius of MLs selections will be paramount. He has created a situation where injuries are not a great threat to France as they have such strength and recent international experience in depth. The team that wins the WC will probably have handled the injuries they get with the smallest impact and France of all teams are in the best position to do this.

The WC is about the whole squad and France arguable have the strongest 30 if not the strongest 15.

Deadfred - having the strongest 30 is useless if you don't know your best 15.

It hurt NZ in last RWC and it may happen here with France. Its great to know you have 30 guys who will do a job but what happes for a must win game. Who plays?

Not happy with Parra being put on the bench, I'll have to change my fantasy team! Will Yachvili be kicking at goal?

My first thought is that poor Japan are going to be spending a lot of time under their posts. That is a very strong team. Will Medard and Heymans switch around for attack/defence do you think?

who will be the goal kicker yashvili? (sp)

Yep, Yach is place kicker

French game plan will not be very elaborated (dont expect fancy passing game with lots of flair, too late for that) : heavy pack+strong defence + territory kicking game seem to be their recipe. Yachvili is definitely better in this scheme than Parra (a more dynamic but less experienced SH).