PSA names 36 men training squad for the RWC

not much of a big news but here is the list announced by PSA earlier today

FORWARDS
props: Atonio (La Rochelle), Ben Arous (Racing-Métro), Chiocci (Toulon), Debaty (Clermont), Mas (Montpellier), Slimani (Stade Français)
hookers: Guirado (Toulon), Kayser (Clermont), Szarzewski (Racing-Métro)
locks: Flanquart (Stade Français), Maestri (Toulouse), Vahaamahina (Clermont), Papé (Stade Français)
flankers: Dusautoir (Toulouse), Le Roux (Racing-Métro), Nyanga (Toulouse), Ouedraogo (Montpellier)
8s: Chouly (Clermont), Goujon (La Rochelle), Picamoles (Toulouse)

BACKS
SHs: Kockott (Castres), Parra (Clermont), Tillous-Borde (Toulon)
FHs: Michalak (Toulon), Tales (Castres), Trinh-Duc (Montpellier)
Centers: Bastareaud (Toulon), Dumoulin (Racing-Métro), Fickou (Toulouse), Fofana (Clermont), Lamerat (Castres)
wingers and FBs: Dulin (Racing-Métro), Guitoune (Bordeaux-Bègles), Huget (Toulouse), Nakaitaci (Clermont), Spedding (Bayonne)

so who's missing : Lopez (bad form and crap 6N), Plisson inured (although he's the unofficial 37th man and will be part of the above group in practice), Machenaud (not sure why, best T14 SH for a good month or 2, wasnt in the group since the australia tour disaster though), Mermoz (should be there instead of Dumoulin, at least has more experience and similar profile), Medart (finally back to his best form, PSA probably doesnt like players called Maxime).

who shouldnt ber near that squad : Tales (only there because he knows the "system" according to PSA, great great...), Papé (old school lock, penalty magnet that cannot pass), Michalak (only because he can kick at 80% success rate and has "experience", he's also injured and a liability that you cant afford at this level. Laportre subbed him at HT against Leinster but he's still ok for PSA apparently.). the flankers choice is overall a bit meh as your have basically 3 tacklers and only 1 player who can link.

apparently there is hidden list of other 14 players as the IRB requires a 50 men list before end june.

the above will be narrowed down to 31 by early august. Let's hope Trinh duc and Parra are in good shape and are allowed to run the show. otherwise might as well support Fiji.

oh for... Michalak and Tales as two of the three FHs?!?!?! Pray, pray and then pray some more that Trinh-Duc stays fit then (and of course that PSA actually picks him, something he's shown little inclination to doing so far when he's had the opportunity). Tales is just so painfully average, there's nothing he's particularly shocking at, but nothing he's good at either (by international standards).

I'm guessing that the WC squad doesn't actually have to come from this list? Considering injured players to come back? Hopefully Plisson knocks at least one of Michalak and Tales.

Other than that, and the fairly shocking omission of Mermoz as pointed out by whocares, it's not actually that bad a squad (in fact a pretty good one by PSA's standards). Of course there's no guarantee that will translate into a decent team with something resembling a gameplan, but...

France's best bet for me at this late stage (assuming they don't have time to develop a particularly coherent backline strategy) is the way they played for about ten minutes against Wales: get Parra sniping a bit around the breakdown and carrying a few paces to hold the defense, and get the big lumps (of which there are plenty) coming off his shoulder. Simple, but not easy to stop.

Of course they'll probably go with what they did after that strategy looked to be working (to a degree) and do lots of silly little chip-kicks instead. Oh well...

whocares wrote:apparently there is hidden list of other 14 players as the IRB requires a 50 men list before end june.

the above will be narrowed down to 31 by early august. Let's hope Trinh duc and Parra are in good shape and are allowed to run the show. otherwise might as well support Fiji.

Why do the IRB need a 50 man list by June? Do teams need to get their permission to bring new players in after that date?

Where's Teddy Thomas?

Yes another omission although he disapeared from the radar recently

bluestonevedder wrote:Where's Teddy Thomas?

PSA told him to get stuffed.

GunsGerms wrote:

bluestonevedder wrote:Where's Teddy Thomas?

PSA told him to get stuffed.

GunsGerms wrote:

bluestonevedder wrote:Where's Teddy Thomas?

PSA told him to get stuffed.

Let's hope he doesn't bear a grudge.

Cyril wrote:

GunsGerms wrote:

bluestonevedder wrote:Where's Teddy Thomas?

PSA told him to get stuffed.

Let's hope he doesn't bear a grudge.

Haha yes!! Poor Teddy.

GunsGerms wrote:

Cyril wrote:

GunsGerms wrote:

bluestonevedder wrote:Where's Teddy Thomas?

PSA told him to get stuffed.

Let's hope he doesn't bear a grudge.

Haha yes!! Poor Teddy.

It's a grizzly situation and a pile of pooh for sure but at least he didn't panda to popular opinion.

Dropping Teddy definitely gives one paws for thought.

Very interesting thread, WhoCares - thanks a lot for the analysis.

What is the position  about a new coach? I only heard about this as Woodward is in the frame. Is PSA definitely out? Is his coat on a shaky peg as we say in Scotland?

George Carlin wrote:Dropping Teddy definitely gives one paws for thought.

Very interesting thread, WhoCares - thanks a lot for the analysis.

What is the position  about a new coach? I only heard about this as Woodward is in the frame. Is PSA definitely out? Is his coat on a shaky peg as we say in Scotland?

Leaving after WC. I think that's a declaration already

PSA already stated he didnt re-apply for the job. Saw him the other day in CDG airport about to board a aer-lingus flight
Noves is the big favourite. Next is Ibanez followed by Woodward and Galthie. Jake white is hopefully way below!

whocares wrote:PSA already stated he didnt re-apply for the job. Saw him the other day in CDG airport about to board a aer-lingus flight
Noves is the big favourite. Next is Ibanez followed by Woodward and Galthie. Jake white is hopefully way below!

PSA to Leinster????

Hmmmm..... maybe it might be a marriage made in Heaven and PSA would have found his true vocation.... or.......................................... well, the 'or' is too horrific to contemplate.

Noves leaving Toulouse? Unthinkable...at least it was. I'd try and get Laporte back in...but that's just me .

Laporte has other ambitions i.e. he wants to be president of the FFR (good luck to him to displace the old pharts mafia)

Jesus, Laporte is only 50?  It seems he's been around and about 50ish for the last ten years.

But I looked him up there to just check up on his age because, I've mentioned this before, but I always wonder just how old the 'old pharts' are in these Unions that everyone always mentions.

SecretFly wrote:Jesus, Laporte is only 50?  It seems he's been around and about 50ish for the last ten years.

But I looked him up there to just check up on his age because, I've mentioned this before, but I always wonder just how old the 'old pharts' are in these Unions that everyone always mentions.

Camou is 69. lux is 69. Maso is 70. JC Skrela is 65. Dunyach is 69. Amongst the people who have responsibilities in the FFR only Retiere and Blanco are below 60.

Yeah...well in France the old tag 'old pharts' works....