French "barbarians" 35 men squad for NZ

First topic message reminder :

so PSA just announced the list of players that will travel to NZ next month. It was his last opportunity to try new players before his squad settle in RWC preparation mode.

Not an easy task since he cannot select too many Clermont/Toulouse/Toulon players as most of those will be involved in the T14 final a week or so before the 1st test.

8 newcomers including which 3 foreigners :
Eddy Ben Arous (prop, Racing-Métro), Alexandre Flanquart (lock, Stade Français), Camille Lopez (flyhalf, Bordeaux-Bègles), Remi Talès (FH, Castres), Adrien Planté (wing, Perpignan), Daniel Kötze (prop, Clermont), Bernard Le Roux (backrow, Racing-Métro) and Noa Nakaitaci (utility back, Clermont).

who's missing : papé , clerc (injured) and Trinh Duc (not sure why but PSA clearly said he wants a 10 that can kick well).

odd selection : Mermoz who has been doing nothing recently but warming Toulon bench. guess he will be fit at least. Michalak as usual but also should be fresh this time.

full team :

forwards(19) : Eddy Ben Arous (Racing-Métro), Vincent Debaty (Clermont), Thomas Domingo (Clermont), Guilhem Guirado (Perpignan), Benjamin Kayser (Clermont), Dimitri Szarzewski (Racing-Métro), Luc Ducalcon (Racing-Métro), Daniel Kotze (Clermont), Nicolas Mas (Perpignan), Alexandre Flanquart (Stade Français), Yoann Maestri (Toulouse), Christophe Samson (Castres), Sébastien Vahaamahina (Perpignan), Yannick Nyanga (Toulouse), Fulgence Ouedraogo (Montpellier), Thierry Dusautoir (Toulouse, cap.), Bernard Le Roux (Racing-Métro), Antonie Claassen (Castres), Louis Picamoles (Toulouse).

backs(16) : Maxime Machenaud (Racing-Métro), Morgan Parra (Clermont), Frédéric Michalak (Toulon), Camille Lopez (Bordeaux-Bègles), Rémi Talès (Castres), Mathieu Bastareaud (Toulon), Gael Fickou (Toulouse), Wesley Fofana (Clermont), Florian Fritz (Toulouse), Maxime Mermoz (Toulon), Maxime Médard (Toulouse), Noa Nakaitaci (Clermont), Alexis Palisson (Toulon), Adrien Planté (Perpignan), Brice Dulin (Castres), Yoann Huget (Touloluse).

Referees have been announced:

Wayne Barnes 1st test
Jaco Peyper Blues game
Alain Rolland 2nd test
Nigel Owens 3rd test

Happy days whocares.

Rolland at least makes sense. Always think it's unfair how most sides are just expected to communicate with the ref in English. If I were French I'd have trouble understanding Nigel Owens.

French players hardly communicate, they gesticulate and make noises
If Rolland refs like he did on saturday and if france defend as well as Toulon in the 2nd half (2 penalties conceded with 30% of possession) then we have a slight chance to do better than Ireland last year. Loads of IFs I know but need to find hope where I can.

Welshmushroom wrote:To many weak areas in that France team. Fly Half is woeful for them.

They do have a good loose forwards but I actually think the scrum will be under pressure. Mas has looked completely out of sorts hence being offloaded by Perpignan. I still question Debaty/Domingo at Loosehead as well. Given that at Lock they lack experience as well, I can see the All Blacks taking it to them in that area. Should render the quality of the French loose forwards useless. Backline for France is great but again with Michalak at Fly Half I doubt they will be used properly. Also they will have limited ball if France's front 5 get smashed. Potentially this could all be over by the 2nd test.

I agree with a lot of this but you doubt Domingo at LH? He's been class for France and Clermont

Parra is out.

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2013/05/26/rugby-france-doussain-idUKL3N0E707H20130526

Palisson out as well. Replaced by Andreu (Castres).

Assuming none of Castres/Toulon player will start, here's a probable team for the 1st game.


Domingo, Szarzewski, Mas
Maestri, Vahaamahina
Ouedraogo, Picamoles, Dusautoir
Machenaud, Lopez
Médard, Fofana, Fritz, Planté
Huget

Tired front row, inexperienced 2nd row, lightweight backrow. Dodgy half-backs and some flaky backline.
All set for a repeat of Dunedin - 2009