Philipe Saint-André bemoans the amount of overseas players in TI4 games, but makes Five Squad changes...!!!

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L’Equipe pondered on Sunday how France could go from “the sublime to the ridiculous” in the space of just three months after a November in which they defeated Australia , Argentina and Samoa in fine fashion.

Le Journal du Dimanche, meanwhile, examined the ‘Autopsy of a Disaster’, bemoaning the fact ‘‘the gladiators of the autumn have transformed into tramps with worn shoes”, before pointing the finger firmly at the the club system.“ This Top 14, overflowing with foreign stars, is robbing the championship of home-bred French talent, the worry is that nobody is knocking on the door of selection.”

Philippe Saint-André, although trying to avoid being dragged into the row at his post-match press conference, said that he hoped a deal will be negotiated between the French clubs and the Federation in June along the lines of that Rob Andrew put in place between the Premiership clubs and the RFU.

The France coach was unable to gather his match squad until the Monday of the Italy game because of a full T14 programme the previous weekend, while this week he will lose some of his players as the clubs reclaim their prize assets for another busy T14 weekend featuring big matches between Toulon and Montpellier, and Toulouse and Perpignan.

Before the tournament Saint-André also angrily identified the French clubs’ obsession with expensively procured overseas players, a situation that sees just two or three French qualified fly-halves regularly starting for their clubs, while he estimates that on some weekends as many as 20 of the 28 T14 wings are overseas players. “The calendar is due to be discussed in June by the league, the Federation and the players and I hope everybody shoulders his responsibilities,” Saint-André said.

“We can’t win the title now but we can win respect. We must work harder and lift ourselves, and we will have to perform a smash-and-grab raid at Twickenham in a fortnight. It’s a fantastic challenge and while we may not be sure of ourselves, we have to fight and show the desire to win.

“Rugby can always produce surprises and we must go there with our heads held high.”
Saint-André though has also made a number of controversial selectorial calls for which only he can take responsibility. He has banished the brilliant young centre, Wesley Fofana, to the wing, opted for the inexperienced Maxime Marchenaud at scrum-half instead of Morgan Parra and selected Frederik Michalak at fly-half despite the fact that with Jonny Wilkinson at Toulon, Parra plays all his club rugby at No 9.

None of that has worked and you wonder where Saint-André goes now. A popular figure in France, he has a deal of credit left in the bank but appears to be running out of ideas. His former France colleague Abdel Benazzi is suggesting a mass old style clear-out, but the difference between then and now is that there doesn’t appear to be a raft of players to bring in.

Guy Noves was offered the job and didnt want it - I think PSA was number 3 in the shortlist.

Haven't posted much here before, so please be gentle with me - especially since I'm not really an expert and just like watching a bit of rugby!!!

I follow a wee bit of French rugby and although there are undoubtedly a load of overseas players there also seem to be a lot of talented French players that aren't really getting a look in with PSA.

I don't know a lot about his history but he seems to be a touch on the stubborn side when it comes to selection - he's named a squad of 23 today that still contains Machenaud and Michalak and it seems like he's determined to build a team round those two, regardless of the outcome. France really lacked leadership and any sort of gameplan - or at least one that evolved throughout the 80 minutes to cope with the Welsh - and surely that has to come from the scrum half/fly half partnership and the captain. And where was Dusautoir anyway on Saturday? I hardly heard his name once.

I''m sure Machenaud has the makings of a good player, but Parra he ain't! I can only assume the Clermont 9 has kicked PSA's dog or made eyes at his wife (or both) since I can see no other reason why he's not starting. In fact Parra was dropped to the bench in last year's tournament at one point in favour of Yachvilli (which I can understand) and Dupuy - which actually defies any kind of logic! Actually I'm fairly sure that was the same game where Beauxis played 10. Paillaugue at Montpellier seems to be in form at the moment, from what I can tell, why not give him a chance as scrum half cover?

Surely Michalak is approaching his sell-by date - towards the end of the Italy game he was standing with his hands on his hips pointing at things in the distance like he was still modelling for one of those calendars he used to be fond of back in the day. I know Trinh Duc isn't a world beater but at least he is a fly half.

Anyway, since it seems like St Andre is as mad as a box of frogs (no pun intended) I reckon I might stand a chance of being called up to cover fullback for England game .... you never know.

Anyway, that's just my tuppence worth ....

Absolute rubbish Josie Joe!







Someone else can tell you I'm only joking, I don't want to blow my cover.

Telegraph

Saint-André’s call to arms came on Monday when he announced five changes to his squad after he had been shocked and embarrassed by the paucity of France’s performances against Italy and Wales. Possibly as important though is the change in attitude Saint-André is demanding.

“The English are impressive in terms of power and pragmatism and we want to put into place a veritable commando operation to go to Twickenham,” said Saint André, whose grandfather was a French Resistance leader in the Vercors, in south-east France, before being executed in 1944.

“We have to be more aggressive in order to be first to the ball in the air, on the ground in the rucks. We won’t give in, we will go to London with the will to do better, to make things up to our fans and to win this match because I am sure we can do it.”

After the briefest pause for reflection on Sunday, Saint-André decided on Monday to dispense with the services of Maxime Mermoz, Damien Chouly, Fulgence Ouedraogo, Yannick Forestier and Romain Taofifénua while in come prop Thomas Domingo, lock Christophe Samson, flanker Yannick Nyanga, experienced wing Vincent Clerc and the uncapped Castres flanker Antonie Claassen.

Nyanga excelled in the autumn and was unlucky not be included in the Six Nations squad, but was dropped to make way for the return of Thierry Dusautoir, while Clerc, an automatic choice when fit, has been suffering from a knee injury.

Claassen, a combative ball-playing backrow player who is likely to be considered at blindside flanker, has been one of the players behind Castres’ improvement this season and is the son of former Springboks captain and flanker Wynand Claassen, who famously led the Springboks on their tour of New Zealand in 1981. Claassen junior played and lived in Brive for six years before joining Castres last summer.

In rugby terms Saint-André’s reshuffling of his resources would indicate strongly that the richly gifted Wesley Fofana, having been banished to the wing for the best part of an international season, is poised to return to his rightful position at centre.

That can only be to France’s benefit and it would seem likely the Clermont man will be paired with Mathieu Bastareuad, who was one of the few French players to escape widespread criticism after their defeat against Wales.

“After these defeats, we’ve made five changes because it is necessary to freshen up the squad mentally and physically,” added Saint-André.

“We want to get the team spirit back that we had in November. Antonie Claassen is the type of player who can bring us power and movement. He can play at six or No 8. We’ve been following him for the past 15 months.”


France squad to face England:

Forwards: Vincent Debaty, Thomas Domingo, Benjamin Kayser, Dimitri Szarzewski, Luc Ducalcon, Nicolas Mas, Yoann Maestri, Christophe Samson, Jocelino Suta, Antonie Claassen, Thierry Dusautoir (captain), Yannick Nyanga, Louis Picamoles.

Backs: Maxime Machenaud, Morgan Parra, Frederic Michalak, Francois Trinh-Duc, Mathieu Bastareaud, Vincent Clerc, Benjamin Fall, Wesley Fofana, Florian Fritz, Yoann Huget

An old French saying goes something like this:

"The Cockerel sings the sweetest when he's up to his knees in merde"

I'm worried that they'll just go out and give it a lash and do some damage. They still have quality throughout that team.

josiejoe Before i make my assement on your outragious post you need to tell where you are from..