French team to tour Australia named

Seems like a bit early, but here it is:

Forwards: Thomas Domingo, Alexandre Menini, Guihelm Guirado, Benjamin Kayser, Christophe Tolofua, Vincent Debaty, Nicolas Mas, Rabah Slimani, Yoann Maestri, Alexandre Flanquart, Sébastien Vahaamahina, Bernard Le Roux, Antoine Burban, Damien Chouly, Thierry Dusautoir, Yannick Nyanga, Florence Ouedraogo, Louis Picamoles.

Backs: Morgan Parra, Maxime Machenaud, Frédéric Michalak, Rémi Talès, Mathieu Bastareaud, Rémi Lamerat, Wesley Fofana, Gaël Fickou, Yoann Huget, Felix Le Bourhis, Maxime Médard, Brice Dulin, Hugo Bonneval.

Any thoughts?

Thierry Dusautoir, Yannick Nyanga, Florence Ouedraogo, Louis Picamoles

Pretty useful back row options....

With such talent at their disposal, I'm really looking forward to seeing how they stuff it up this time.

Only the French could have that selection of backs to choose from and still be rubbish.

For the sake of rugby I do hope that they select Talès at 10 with Fofana and Fickou in the centres. That is an unbelievably promising midfield.

Just looking at the backs. Why is there no Dimitri Yashvilli?

Is he injured or as he retired from international rugby.

Semi-retired...
How on earth he keeps on selecting Flaky freddy and average Remy instead of on fire trinh-duc is beyond understanding. Did the latter shag PSA wife?!
Am so angry right now, I wont comment on the rest of team with other disapointing selections.

I was going to ask about Trinh-duc also. Not injured and not picked?

It was suggested several times during the 6N that the source of French woes wasn't overall lack of team quality- it was the way that squad functioned during games. They played as individuals, as a team they looked disjointed (apart from the Ireland game where they nearly staged a trademark revival- evidently their unpredictability isn't to be underestimated by anyone even now). PSA still has a lot to answer for considering they looked more organised under Lievremont, a coach the squad allegedly came to hate. Unless these issues are addressed, I don't see much going France's way down under... their away record since the RWC looks pretty abysmal

Its strange when you think

6 Dusatoir
7 Oudrago
8 Picamoles

10 Tales
12 Fofana
13 Fickou
14 Huget

Give you a pretty good skeleton of a team to work with!

Am sad for Trinh-Duc. He was told he had to work on his kicking game and so did he, spending extra time training and he's now kicking points for his team while still being the best french fly half to get a backline moving by miles.
<insert big shrug here>

Watched Toulouse and Racing tonight. If Dussatoir is going to be captain he looked like he needs game time badly before the tour...

At least Doussain isnt going...he was rubbish this evening (albeit playing at 10).

whocares wrote:Semi-retired...
How on earth he keeps on selecting Flaky freddy and average Remy instead of on fire trinh-duc is beyond understanding. Did the latter shag PSA wife?!
Am so angry right now, I wont comment on the rest of team with other disapointing selections.

+1

He's been the outstanding 10 according to the Planet Rugby reports. France need to play him with Parra. Kicking duties sorted.

ME-109 wrote:Watched Toulouse and Racing tonight. If Dussatoir is going to be captain he looked like he needs game time badly before the tour...

At least Doussain isnt going...he was rubbish this evening (albeit playing at 10).

Shock away win for RM. Sexton kicked all their points I believe.

Toulouse can only blame themselves for the loss: 12 penalties conceded, similar number of unforced errors, maverick selections (Doussain at 10 when McAlister is fit? Fickou , steenkamp on the bench) and an average Dusautoir (he's returning from a long injury though). Noves sorted his team at HT and Toulouse came back but Kudos to racing defense and Sexton 100% strike rate although they have nothing else to show!. Looks like ROG unseen work is finally paying off .

Intriguing series. Australian Super form is on the up and regardless of the reasons for that, the Aussie test side will approach this June series with confidence. A confident Wallabies side is a dangerous one.

Last year the rookies put on France's best display in the first test. Fatigue and injury recovery should mean PSA rewards form over experience. Dusatoir being a prime example. However, regrettably, the last thing PSA is known for is taking a punt and conservatism and frustrating selections will rule the day. This could be a horror tour for France if their forwards don't do the job they can do and cut the legs from this Wallaby backline. If the Wallabies get front foot ball, it'll get ugly for France in a big way.

Surprised that big French 8, Galen? Didn't make it.
He looks like Ben Morgan fed on garlic bread.

Notch wrote:With such talent at their disposal, I'm really looking forward to seeing how they stuff it up this time.

Two words for you Notch: Freddie Mitchalak   

here's the 32 players McKenzie selcected for the games against France next month:

props: Ben Alexander, Pek Cowan, Sekope Kepu, Scott Sio, James Slipper

hookers Nathan Charles * , Stephen Moore, Tatafu Polota-Nau

2nd row: Sam Carter*, James Horwill, Luke Jones*, Rob Simmons, Will Skelton *

back row : Scott Fardy, Scott Higginbotham, Matt Hodgson, Michael Hooper, Ben McCalman, Wycliff Palu

SH: Will Genia, Nick Phipps, Nic White

FH: Kurtley Beale, Bernard Foley

Centres: Tevita Kuridrani, Christian Lealiifano, Matt Toomua,

back 3: Adam Ashley-Cooper, Nick Cummins, Rob Horne, Pat McCab, Israel Folau

* denote uncapped players

Cooper is injured but Jesse Mogg and Benn Robinson are also missing...

any thoughts?

looking forward to a Huget vs Honey Badger "hairy" showdown

Is it just me or do the "back 3" players look more like centres other than Folau and Cummins