[solved]France-Australia saturday 10th november 21h00 CET KO

Teams announced
France

15 Brice Dulin
14 Wesley Fofana
13 Florian Fritz
12 Maxime Mermoz
11 Vincent Clerc
10 Frederic Michalak
9 Maxime Machenaud
1 Yannick Forestier
2 Dimitri Szarzewski
3 Nicolas Mas
4 Pascal Pape
5 Yoann Maestri
6 Yannick Nyanga
7 Fulgence Ouedraogo
8 Louis Picamoles

subs :
16 Benjamin Kayser
17 Thomas Domingo
18 Vincent Debaty
19 Jocelino Suta
20 Damien Chouly
21 Morgan Parra
22 Francois Trinh-Duc
23 Yoann Huget

AUSTRALIA

15 Mike Harris
14 Adam Ashley-Cooper
13 Ben Tapuai
12 Pat McCabe
11 Nick Cummins
10 Kurtley Beale
9 Nick Phipps
1 Benn Robinson
2 Tatafu Polota-Nau
3 Sekope Kepu
4 Kane Douglas
5 Nathan Sharpe
6 Dave Dennis
7 Michael Hooper
8 Wycliff Palu

Subs:
16 Stephen Moore
17 James Slipper
18 Paddy Ryan
19 Rob Simmons
20 Radike Samo
21 Liam Gill
22 Brett Sheehan
23 Berrick Barnes

Some key players missing in both teams namely Pocock , Ione and Dusautoir.
Some small surprises with Forestier as LH (and a 100% ASM front row on the bench) and Fofana to the wing. Happy with the french backline (no Huget) and the Michalak/Machenaud partnership that was tried in Argentina this summer. As expected a very mobile backrow s, all suited for a fast paced game (hopefully!).

any insight on the Australia team?

Only 2 backs on the bench for the Aussies, interesting.

Don't like AAC on the wing, he should be in 13

Not really an insight but my 2c worth...

Well guess we've got steady Barnes to come on in case Beale breaks down, or have a bad game.

Best kicker we had for a while in Harris, Beale to take the 50 yarder plus, replacement front rows all known quantity.... read into that as you will, and a solid looking centre pairing. Nothing to get over excited about but I think since the last 2 games the side's spirit is much better and I am expecting a win still for the Wallabies.

Only faction I am not 100% confident of is our back row, I think the French will be much stronger and more mobile than ours.

Phipps I think is turning out to be a good find, as is Cummins, though rather have had Genia and Drew.

Looking forward to the game.

thanks for the feedback guys, it seems indeed that Australia is coming with pretty much the same solid team that drew with the ABs. that should make them slightly favourite on paper but hope the result will be very different from the last time both teams played each other.

This is going to be a cracking match. Two very well matched sides. I think France have the advantage in selection, form and obviously playing at home will be huge.

Interesting to see Michalak at ten not nine...?

I personally find that Michalak expresses himself better at 10 than 9. he's a decent 9 but his controlled creativity can be very useful at flyhalf (can also create a disaster). obviously at Toulon there is Jonny so he has to play 9 most of the time but his couple of games at 10 were good performances. generally he's a much improved player after his season playing for the sharks.
there is also mermoz outside him which he already plays with at toulon.

True, Mermoz is a good guy too. There must have been some tough decisions for St Andre in this selection.

Looks interesting. Fortunately it is on TV in the UK. on ESPN at 07:45 Saturday evening.

Don't rate that French team. Strong front 5 but the rest seems too mix n match.

I think tge backs aren't the best the French can put out but they are still extremely dangerous. The back row is arguably one of the strongest 2nd choice units I can even imagine. It's a completely 2nd choice back row but it is easily International class and probably one of the better backrows on show this Autumn!

Maestri out injured (lumbago) : Suta will start and Vahaamahina will get a spot on the bench.

I think this could well be the best game this weekend.

the ref will be Nigel Owens. PSA already moaned about the way the Wallaby scrumhalf introduce the ball into their scrum (allegedly straight between their props legs which allow them to get quick ball out). I think Australia will have the upper hand on the set pieces specially in the line outs (with nathan sharpe being one the best line out operators in the world againts rather inexperienced french players).

This is a hard game to call. This could be the best game of the week end .

Of course it will depend on which France team turns up.

majesticimperialman wrote:This is a hard game to call. This could be the best game of the week end .

Of course it will depend on which France team turns up.

Hey maes, are you getting a bit of deja vu here?