france-tonga match thread

by whocares Sat 01 Oct 2011, 6:11 am

3-3 after 7 minutes with very physical Tonga side causing a lot of problems to french defense with a few good phases.

by whocares Sat 01 Oct 2011, 6:16 am

good break by rougerie but his pass end up in a tonga hand....
tonga looks good, this should be good game and some blood already been spilled ( poux)

by whocares Sat 01 Oct 2011, 6:21 am

offside from papé after another series of good phases from tonga.
penalty missed

by whocares Sat 01 Oct 2011, 6:26 am

another dangerous tongan attack with a clever kick behind the french 22 that was judged fowards...

morning all by the way coffee

by whocares Sat 01 Oct 2011, 6:28 am

good break by mermoz who passes to lakafia.
parra ends up 1m from the line - penalty for france (offside)

6-3 for france

by majesticimperialman Sat 01 Oct 2011, 6:29 am

This is a closer game at the moment than most people here thought it would be.

by majesticimperialman Sat 01 Oct 2011, 6:33 am

A great try by Tonga.

I do hope Francde are not being complacent here.

by whocares Sat 01 Oct 2011, 6:34 am

good opoprtunistic try for Tonga - palisson was missing on his wing (on the ground injured)
10-6 for tonga

how did it start? Lakafia at 9 was trying to pass to the 10 who was not positioned properly...

by whocares Sat 01 Oct 2011, 6:36 am

stupid penalty conceded by france when they were a few centimetres from the tongan line...
am impressed by tongan defense, more disciplined than usual.
france has to be patient

by whocares Sat 01 Oct 2011, 6:39 am

Parra is really exposed as a crap fly half today

by Guest Sat 01 Oct 2011, 6:41 am

ah whocares was just about to say he's putting in an ok stint there, certainly not shirking his defensive duties all that much.

Tonga are playing really, really well I have to say, and are deservedly in front. So hope they don't run out of steam in the last 20mins.

by whocares Sat 01 Oct 2011, 6:43 am

France really dominated by Tonga
they need to put some agressitivty back in their game

Parra is doing the basics allright but his positionning is too far fro mthe advantage line (more like a 9 than a 10)

13-6 for tonga

by whocares Sat 01 Oct 2011, 6:46 am

beautiful huge tackle on clerc by their 11.
this yellow card is completely unjustified.

by Guest Sat 01 Oct 2011, 6:46 am

oh nasty tackle on Clerc there, that was almost a full on spear one, sill Tongan, no need to tip him like that he'd already made the tackle.

Yellow for him, he's in the bin. Stern talking to from Walsh there. Think he's just about right not to issue a red, close call though.

by majesticimperialman Sat 01 Oct 2011, 6:50 am

Half time 13-6 to Tonga.

by whocares Sat 01 Oct 2011, 6:50 am

half-time after another french attack ends up with some handling error

Many thanks Canada

by whocares Sat 01 Oct 2011, 6:53 am

rugbydreamer wrote:oh nasty tackle on Clerc there, that was almost a full on spear one, sill Tongan, no need to tip him like that he'd already made the tackle.

Yellow for him, he's in the bin. Stern talking to from Walsh there. Think he's just about right not to issue a red, close call though.

to be honest, really thought it was a fair challenge, the timing of the tackle was perfect. wish palisson could do the same!

by Guest Sat 01 Oct 2011, 6:56 am

yeah the timing was great, I was all ready to cheer it as brilliant! - until he lifted Clerc's leg's verticle. Lucky Clerc landed more on his shoulder/back and that he didn't drive him hard into the ground. Yellow about right on reflection. I hate seeing things like that, it's just so unnecessary and dangerous and I think ref's need to come down hard on it. Just don't lift a player's legs verticle. Simple as that.

by whocares Sat 01 Oct 2011, 7:05 am

thanks Rugbydreamer

Kurst mortah misses another penalty for tonga - french offside i think

tonga very dangerous - great backrow ballcarriers

by Guest Sat 01 Oct 2011, 7:06 am

they've got brilliant ball carriers all of the park! Can't believe how easily they are running through the French here. It's all Tonga for now and they're still down to 14men. They need to start putting more points on the board now though.

France just don't look like they're there mentally at all.

by whocares Sat 01 Oct 2011, 7:13 am

late tackle on parra
great kick from yachvili , 13-9

by Guest Sat 01 Oct 2011, 7:14 am

ooooh Tonga, lucky not to get another yellow there for the shoulder charge off the ball on Parra.

Penalty to France, so 13-9 to Tonga now.

by eirebilly Sat 01 Oct 2011, 7:15 am

Cnt believe this . As soon as France bring it to 13-9 they put themselves under more pressure from the kick off

by whocares Sat 01 Oct 2011, 7:16 am

another great chance for tonga - another offside from france - france get the line out ball
tonga really looking for the tries

by Guest Sat 01 Oct 2011, 7:18 am

end to end stuff now, I love it! Really worried Tonga are going to run out of steam in the last quarter though. If it opens up any more it might actually play into French hands.

by Countnefarious Sat 01 Oct 2011, 7:19 am

Obviously Tonga have physicality, but there's some beautiful offloading coming from them too.

by eirebilly Sat 01 Oct 2011, 7:20 am

France are going to know that they have been in a match after this. What a game

by Guest Sat 01 Oct 2011, 7:21 am

I keep thinking the Tongan 9, is their no8, he's huge, I think he's actually bigger then the guy playing 8!

by Guest Sat 01 Oct 2011, 7:21 am

The best thing about France today is Harinodoquy's facial hair. They just can't even do the basics right today.

by whocares Sat 01 Oct 2011, 7:23 am

hope trinh duc come in asap!

by eirebilly Sat 01 Oct 2011, 7:24 am

Take the points Tonga :-)

by eirebilly Sat 01 Oct 2011, 7:25 am

aaarrrggghhhh misses, still 13-9

by eirebilly Sat 01 Oct 2011, 7:27 am

Whata break by Tonga

by Guest Sat 01 Oct 2011, 7:27 am

ah Tonga should have finished off that chance. Hope these missed kicks don't come back to haunt them.

by eirebilly Sat 01 Oct 2011, 7:28 am

Tong just trying to push 1 pass too many

by eirebilly Sat 01 Oct 2011, 7:30 am

Yellow card for that??? Thats harsh

by Countnefarious Sat 01 Oct 2011, 7:31 am

France really don't look like they're gonna pull through this one.

by eirebilly Sat 01 Oct 2011, 7:31 am

France down to 14

by Guest Sat 01 Oct 2011, 7:31 am

ooooh Bonnaire, you stupid man. he knew straight away he did something wrong, he even lifted his hands apologising! . Lifted a Tongan's leg verticle - yellow card. No other option. Consistency by Walsh there.

by whocares Sat 01 Oct 2011, 7:32 am

rugbydreamer wrote:ooooh Bonnaire, you stupid man. he knew straight away he did something wrong, he even lifted his hands apologising! . Lifted a Tongan's leg verticle - yellow card. No other option. Consistency by Walsh there.

yes true and fair from Walsh - its estebanez though.

by Guest Sat 01 Oct 2011, 7:33 am

oooh aye that it was! I'm still half asleep, my bad there sorry.

by eirebilly Sat 01 Oct 2011, 7:34 am

I thought that the yello was harsh, he brought the the Tongan down and it wasnt dangerous

by Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler Sat 01 Oct 2011, 7:35 am

France, what an embaressment. Tonga may be playing the game of their lives but this is more embaressing than the Italy game.

by Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler Sat 01 Oct 2011, 7:35 am

And to make it worse they are proving TGG right

by Guest Sat 01 Oct 2011, 7:37 am

billy - legs go verticle, that's a dangerous tackle, if he hadn't of landed on a French player that Tongan could have been really hurt. Tis like I said earlier, it just isn't needed, and incredibly stupid to lift a player like that. Yellow right call imo.

Biscuit - they are a bit rubbish today aren't they? Take nothing away from Tonga though, they just seem to want it more and the aggression and passion they are playing with is amazing.

by Guest Sat 01 Oct 2011, 7:37 am

aaaargh DG from Tonga off the post!

But they go back for a penalty anyway.

by eirebilly Sat 01 Oct 2011, 7:39 am

Just didnt look dangerous to me at all.

Tonga with a 10 point lead Very Happy

by eirebilly Sat 01 Oct 2011, 7:40 am

How did Tonga not score there

by TheGreyGhost Sat 01 Oct 2011, 7:41 am

And to make it worse they are proving TGG right .

I told you so.

Just think, what else am I right about that you deny vehemently? Whistle

Can't believe they butchered that certain try though.

by Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler Sat 01 Oct 2011, 7:42 am

rugbydreamer wrote:billy - legs go verticle, that's a dangerous tackle, if he hadn't of landed on a French player that Tongan could have been really hurt. Tis like I said earlier, it just isn't needed, and incredibly stupid to lift a player like that. Yellow right call imo.

Biscuit - they are a bit rubbish today aren't they? Take nothing away from Tonga though, they just seem to want it more and the aggression and passion they are playing with is amazing.

Yep theres a clear instruction form the IRB that any tackle where the legs are lifted over 90 degrees and the player isnt safely lowered is an automatic yellow. This is even the case where the tackler wasnt in control, if you make the contact you are responsible for the consequences. Ref had no option.

France deserve to go out on this.

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