France name their starting XV

France's match-day squad to face England:

M Medard, V Clerc, A Rougerie, M Mermoz, A Palisson, M Parra, D Yachvili; JB Poux, W Servat, N Mas, P Pape, L Nallet, T Dusautoir (capt), J Bonnaire, I Harinordoquy. Replacements: D Szarzewski, F Barcella, J Pierre, L Picamoles, F Trinh-Duc, D Marty, C Heymans.

Parra remains at outside half, Harinordoquy makes his first start of the tournament.

I thought rougerie was injured! Im not sure what Heymans has to do to break into that team. Any time i see him play he is immense

I'd heard Rougerie had a shoulder injury too, but that's the team.

So hard to put any firm view forward for this team - I have no idea if they'll perform like world beaters or be a total mess.

Parra over Trinh-Duc is a massive call again for me - advantage England

So much quality, so little time.

Trinh-duc on the bench - Lievremont really is mad!

i think we can beat that team, im just suprised trinh-duc is on the bench and parra playing at 10

Seriously, Parra is an excellent player and Yachvilli is in excellent form, but while Trinh Duc hasn't been setting the world alight, he is still a 10 that can control a game.

Using Ireland as an example, Tony Buckley is a so so tight head that can play loose head badly. But he's still a better loose head than 27 other guys in the squad.

So this selction is just baffling, but then again, that is the Lievremont way it seems.

I should add, that this is the perfect time for France to pull their customary stunning performance. A mad coach, unhappy players, weird selections, no rythym in attack and suspect in defence. Yep, France by 15, just coz they feel like it.

Seriously though, England should win this. SHould, but I think it'll be a close enough match. A good match too, hard nosed winning rugby required and in MJ England have the perfect coach (or is it still 'manager') to get his players in the right frame of mind.

All England can do is their best. They have no way of, and shouldn't even try to, legislate for the French mood. However if they don't do their best they wont go home happy.

In general except for Parra the team looks very strong. Problem is we have seen them in action (or should that read inaction). The only bit of form they have shown was the first 15 - 20 mins against the ABs.

Besides Parra I cant understand Palisson over Heymans and Picamoles must feel unlucky as well.

France to win by playing so badly that the English players fall apart laughing at the debacle in front of them. Drop goal by Mas in the 89th minute.

Blawdy french

JB Poux, W Servat, N Mas world class front row

T Dusautoir (capt), J Bonnaire, I Harinordoquy world class back row

and some jaw dropping backs, then there bench is world class

yet they have played so bad that they can thank canada that they qualified.

The team is too good not to turn up in my view


Mas -v- stevens or corb is not going to be nice for england i fear

This Parra thing makes no sense. He looks very uncomfortable there and has hardly played the position since school, supposedly. Additionally Trin-duch has been excellent this year.

Looks beatable to me, Parra at 10 doesn't work for me either

England by 4pts

Problem is .....its the French.

They could quite easily come out and play the best rugby seen this tournament.....

I just hope for our sakes...its the schoolboys team that turns up. ...

JB Poux, W Servat and N Mas should be the difference int the two teams.

England don't have a front row that can match that. France will concentrate on the set piece and should on paper have the upper hand.

But their coach seems to be in self destruct mode.

I am amazed that Trinh-Duc is not starting at 10.

Trinh-Duc must have did or said something to upset Lievremont.

The front row is indeed decimated, because Domingo is home and mighty Barcella didn't play last year for injury and is only a half Barcella now, and Servat is injured . The ideal front row is off, and that was the basis of French game .
This for the bad luck . Add a lunatic as a coach :
Heymans with Médard and maybe Clerc are the only ones I saw able to spark some genius, and Heymans is replaced by that dull Palisson . Of course Malzieux and Poitrenaud stayed home .
Trin-Duc off, Picamoles off seem nonsenses .
I'm French, and as nearly every French, I only watch this WC with one eye, recording the games in case something happens rather than watching live
It's the only way I found to not throw stones into my TV or set some dynamite under ML's house .

DOD wrote:
France to win by playing so badly that the English players fall apart laughing at the debacle in front of them. Drop goal by Mas in the 89th minute.

It nealry worked for Scotland

phildange wrote:The front row is indeed decimated, because Domingo is home and mighty Barcella didn't play last year for injury and is only a half Barcella now, and Servat is injured . The ideal front row is off, and that was the basis of French game .
This for the bad luck . Add a lunatic as a coach :
Heymans with Médard and maybe Clerc are the only ones I saw able to spark some genius, and Heymans is replaced by that dull Palisson . Of course Malzieux and Poitrenaud stayed home .
Trin-Duc off, Picamoles off seem nonsenses .
I'm French, and as nearly every French, I only watch this WC with one eye, recording the games in case something happens rather than watching live
It's the only way I found to not throw stones into my TV or set some dynamite under ML's house .

Interesting to see a Frenchman's perception. Thought perhaps it was just me who couldn't understand why Heymans can't get a game - he looked brilliant at full back during the HC games I saw him in. A back 3 of Heymans at FB and Clerc and Medard on the wings would worry most teams no matter how poor their form was going into the match. The loss of Domingo was massive, for me he was just about the best LH prop in the world in 2010 and Barcella doesn't seem anywhere near match fit after all his injuries. JB Poux seems solid but not much else (reminds me of a French Tim Payne).

With both teams playing nothing like their best, you never know it could spark them both into life and we could be set for a cracker (doubt it though!). Either that or it will be a case of the teams that plays least poorly going through!

B91212 wrote:JB Poux seems solid but not much else (reminds me of a French Tim Payne).

ouch, now that's harsh!

Trinh-duc on the bench - Lievremont really is mad!

He's a French coach it's basically part of the job description.

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:

B91212 wrote:JB Poux seems solid but not much else (reminds me of a French Tim Payne).

ouch, now that's harsh!

Okay, maybe that was a bit over the top. Maybe a bit like John Hayes then, solid in the set piece but pretty invisible in the loose

Poux will probably have a stormer now I said that, carrying for hundreds or yards and tackling anything that moves....

I realy do not understand why Trindoc is on the bench......Para, what is so special about Para playing 10?

Lievremont persists with this crazy notion that he has to make room for a goal kicker but thinks Parra is better at halfback. So he puts him in at first five to show Parra he is unlucky not to be playing at halfback. Unfortunately this means putting a specialist, Trinh-Duc, on the bench.

Someone in possession of his marbles would see that Parra must play at halfback and having a specialist first five and no reliable goalkicker is better than Lievremont´s mad scheme. He has had two big losses to realise Parra has no business being there. Third time still unlucky Marc. Maybe he thinks this undisciplined England team will see a lot of penalties go France´s way. But Parra will be exposed again as England will target that channel and have plenty of video analysis to give them ideas.

majesticimperialman wrote:I realy do not understand why Trindoc is on the bench......Para, what is so special about Para playing 10?

player power...apparently trinh duc is 'unpopular'

Gatts wrote:

majesticimperialman wrote:I realy do not understand why Trindoc is on the bench......Para, what is so special about Para playing 10?

player power...apparently trinh duc is 'unpopular'

On the grounds he makes the rest of them look bad by trying?