Super Saturday, Game 3: England v France

First topic message reminder :

  
ENGLAND v FRANCE
Saturday 21 March 2015
KO: 17:00
Twickenham Stadium

Referee: Steve Walsh (ARU)
AR1: John Lacey (IRFU)
AR2: Leighton Hodges (WRU)
TMO: Ben Skeen (NZR)

***********************

A. Teams

ENGLAND
 
15. Mike Brown (Harlequins, 36 caps)
14. Anthony Watson (Bath Rugby, 8 caps)
13. Jonathan Joseph (Bath Rugby, 10 caps)
12. Luther Burrell (Northampton Saints, 11 caps)
11. Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs, 7 caps)
10. George Ford (Bath Rugby, 10 caps)
09. Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers, 46 caps)

01. Joe Marler (Harlequins, 30 caps)
02. Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints, 65 caps)
03. Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers, 49 caps)
04. Geoff Parling (Leicester Tigers, 22 caps)
05. Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints, 37 caps)
06. James Haskell (Wasps, 57 caps)
07. Chris Robshaw (captain, Harlequins, 36 caps)
08. Billy Vunipola (Saracens, 16 caps)

16. Tom Youngs (Leicester Tigers, 21 caps)
17. Mako Vunipola (Saracens, 19 caps)
18. Kieran Brookes (Newcastle Falcons, 9 caps)
19. Nick Easter (Harlequins, 50 caps)
20. Tom Wood (Northampton Saints, 35 caps)
21. Richard Wigglesworth (Saracens, 20 caps)
22. Danny Cipriani (Sale Sharks, 11 caps)
23. Billy Twelvetrees (Gloucester Rugby, 19 caps)

FRANCE

15 Scott Spedding, 14 Yoann Huget, 13 Gaël Fickou, 12 Maxime Mermoz, 11 Noa Nakaitaci, 10 Jules Plisson, 9 Sébastian Tillous-Borde, 8 Loann Goujon, 7 Bernard le Roux, 6 Thierry Dusautoir (c), 5 Yoann Maestri, 4 Alexandre Flanquart, 3 Nicolas Mas, 2 Guilhem Guirado, 1 Vincent Debaty.

Replacements: 16 Benjamin Kayser, 17 Rabah Slimani, 18 Uini Atonio, 19 Romain Taofifenua, 20 Damien Chouly, 21 Rory Kockott, 22 Rémi Talès, 23 Mathieu Bastareaud.

B. Head to Head

85 Played 85

45 Wins 33

33 Losses 45

7 Draws 7

147 Tries 135

78 Conversions 77

151 Penalties 90

22 Drop Goals 33

1,218 Points 1,036

captain carrantuohil wrote:It is notable what a thin year this has been for crossing the whitewash. I saw a stat the other day that said that the current record for the fewest tries scored by a winning team in the 6 Nations is 9 (one of the Welsh triumphs, I think). Every chance that this feat will be eclipsed this year, I would guess. France may be clueless in a lot of departments but they know how to defend and I wouldn't be backing England to score many tries against them. They've been better than the rest at scoring tries this year but that doesn't, per se, say a lot.

If England fail to get that 26-point win Ireland will take that record with eight. And yet today proves that teams can score if they are incentivised to do so, Ireland doubled their try count, time to re-open the debate about bonus points in the Six Nations?

Clive Woodward just paid someone else a compliment

What's that all about init

Steffan wrote:Clive Woodward just paid someone else a compliment

What's that all about init

perhaps he's drunk

If we don't get enough to overhaul Ireland we don't, but I want to see progress and we should have enough to beat France by 15 if we play to our potential

The championship nonsense is just a red herring, forget it, its not important. What we need is to win well with a strong skilled inteligent performance.

Now we are at the sharp end and the pressure is upon us it will be very interesting to see how the coaches manage their game plan and replacement strategy.

Will Cipriani be thrown on with 5 minutes to play and be expected to turn it on?

what is with all this Cipriani rubbish, he was brought on with 3 minutes to go at full back because brown took a knock.

Big effort required now for England. Wish them and their fans the best of luck but for the love of god, please fall short

Thanks a lot Italy and Scotland, pathetic performances.

Why does everyone hate us that much that they allow teams to walk through their defences to stop us winning the 6 nations, please 6 nations organisers can we have an easy fixture to finish next season!

TightHEAD wrote:Thanks a lot Italy and Scotland, pathetic performances.

Why does everyone hate us that much that they allow teams to walk through their defences to stop us winning the 6 nations, please 6 nations organisers can we have an easy fixture to finish next season!

You have the advantage, you know what you have to do!

Notch wrote:

TightHEAD wrote:Thanks a lot Italy and Scotland, pathetic performances.

Why does everyone hate us that much that they allow teams to walk through their defences to stop us winning the 6 nations, please 6 nations organisers can we have an easy fixture to finish next season!

You have the advantage, you know what you have to do!

With England, that isn't an advantage, it's more pressure.

Against France, that doesn't seem fair, but hey we are used to it by now.

nathan wrote:what is with all this Cipriani rubbish, he was brought on with 3 minutes to go at full back because brown took a knock.

Lancaster dosn't know what he's really doing, he knows so much but is no where near a top end international coach, be that strategy or selection. We have a fantastic squad of players even with all our injuries but sadly Lancaster dosn't have a scooby........

interest stats

26 point margin is too much for an error-strewn England.

I'll say England by 14 in a defensive-mess of a game - England 34-20 France. Though I still fear a French renaissance.

kingelderfield wrote:

nathan wrote:what is with all this Cipriani rubbish, he was brought on with 3 minutes to go at full back because brown took a knock.

Lancaster dosn't know what he's really doing, he knows so much but is no where near a top end international coach, be that strategy or selection. We have a fantastic squad of players even with all our injuries but sadly Lancaster dosn't have a scooby........

what a load of cowpat, who do you think put together that fantastic squad of players!

Just win the game lads

Let's be honest if england beat France an lose the championship then it will not be today's game to blame, we should have put 40+ vs scotland

The missed chances last week are coming back to haunt us I'm afraid. We should....have had a pd of + 57 if Eng had put those opportunities away. Just win the game...

nathan wrote:

kingelderfield wrote:

nathan wrote:what is with all this Cipriani rubbish, he was brought on with 3 minutes to go at full back because brown took a knock.

Lancaster dosn't know what he's really doing, he knows so much but is no where near a top end international coach, be that strategy or selection. We have a fantastic squad of players even with all our injuries but sadly Lancaster dosn't have a scooby........

what a load of cowpat, who do you think put together that fantastic squad of players!

Really, listen if he was fit we'd still have Farrell at 10 and Barritt at 12 and this is the bloke who selects Good at 15 - yer right, that's cowpat as you put it.

kingelderfield wrote:

nathan wrote:

kingelderfield wrote:

nathan wrote:what is with all this Cipriani rubbish, he was brought on with 3 minutes to go at full back because brown took a knock.

Lancaster dosn't know what he's really doing, he knows so much but is no where near a top end international coach, be that strategy or selection. We have a fantastic squad of players even with all our injuries but sadly Lancaster dosn't have a scooby........

what a load of cowpat, who do you think put together that fantastic squad of players!

Really, listen if he was fit we'd still have Farrell at 10 and Barritt at 12 and this is the bloke who selects Good at 15 - yer right, that's cowpat as you put it.

So there have been a few selection mistakes, doesnt mean he hasnt a scooby. you cant win every game and when you lose a game you are always looking for someone to blame so regardless of who took over from england you would say they are rubbish

Retweeted Dai Lama (@WelshDalaiLama):

So, Ireland or England for the championship? It's like asking which testicle I want to lose in a horrible industrial accident. ‪#‎ENGvFRA‬

Steffan wrote:Retweeted Dai Lama (@WelshDalaiLama):

So, Ireland or England for the championship? It's like asking which testicle I want to lose in a horrible industrial accident. ‪#‎ENGvFRA‬

lol

TightHEAD wrote:Let's be honest if england beat France an lose the championship then it will not be today's game to blame, we should have put 40+ vs scotland

And you shouldn't have conceded three tries to Italy, Haskell shouldn't have run into a post against Wales, and you blew a few chances in Dublin too...

I'm not on the wind-up or anything, I genuinely agree; you should have had it wrapped up. I have no idea how you've contrived not to.

Hmmm

Notch wrote:

TightHEAD wrote:Let's be honest if england beat France an lose the championship then it will not be today's game to blame, we should have put 40+ vs scotland

And you shouldn't have conceded three tries to Italy, Haskell shouldn't have run into a post against Wales, and you blew a few chances in Dublin too...

I'm not on the wind-up or anything, I genuinely agree; you should have had it wrapped up. I have no idea how you've contrived not to.

error after error

forcing it already

Notch wrote:

TightHEAD wrote:Let's be honest if england beat France an lose the championship then it will not be today's game to blame, we should have put 40+ vs scotland

And you shouldn't have conceded three tries to Italy, Haskell shouldn't have run into a post against Wales, and you blew a few chances in Dublin too...

I'm not on the wind-up or anything, I genuinely agree; you should have had it wrapped up. I have no idea how you've contrived not to.

Perhaps you haven't noticed but...it's what we do

I see us losing before we get +26

Good start

great start!!

Believe.......

Well that's the start they wanted

Fookin hell

Cheers France, just hand them the trophy!

Is today just about which team can wave their white flag highest?!

Rory_Gallagher wrote:Cheers France, just hand them the trophy!

lol, tad early that.

Ford will probably have a crap day kicking

This day is getting worse...

Gents, I look at it a bit differently, though sympathise with your points of view.  It's not the last match or the one before that which are to blame for our challenge today.  It's year-on-year just enough to finish second which is the problem.  The head coach doing just enough to fail by slim margins.  If we have the same reault again this year, then it will be clear.  Injuries be damned.  We are being coached to being just good enough to lose.  Fan-effing-tastic.  And the RWC result will be a mirror image.  

I have not gone off about Mr. Lancaster before this 6 Nations.  I believe things take time.  But England have hit a plateau at which they appear comfortable.  We are as good as our record says we are, each season.  There has been zero improvement in our record.  Just remember Mr. Lancaster was a political appointment made by a political appointment.  Is that a recipe for Rugby coaching success?  There is a dude coaching at Quins who clearly doesn't suck.  Same as at Saints.  Maybe even at Leicester (at least he would be fun).  
One game
One match
For the future
For posterity
For England.

Well done Billy

nathan wrote:

Rory_Gallagher wrote:Cheers France, just hand them the trophy!

lol, tad early that.

Ford will probably have a crap day kicking

Your shield of pessimism is fooling no-one!

Great start by England.

doctor_grey wrote:Gents, I look at it a bit differently, though sympathise with your points of view.  It's not the last match or the one before that which are to blame.  It's year-on-year just enough to finish second which is the problem.  The head coach doing just enough to fail by slim margins.  If we have the same reault again this year, then it will be clear.  Injuries be damned.  We are being coached to being just good enough to lose.  Fan-effing-tastic.  And the RWC result will be a mirror image.  

I have not gone off about Mr. Lancaster before this 6 Nations.  I believe things take time.  But England have hit a plateau at which they appear comfortable.  We are as good as our record says we are, each season.  There has been zero improvement in our record.  Just remember Mr. Lancaster was a political appointment made by a political appointment.  Is that a recipe for Rugby coaching success?  There is a dude coaching at Quins who clearly doesn't suck.  Same as at Saints.  Maybe even at Leicester (at least he would be fun).  
One game
One match
For the future
For posterity
For England.

lol, could you imagine cockers at england.

Could we not get behind our team and talk about it after the game?

nathan wrote:

doctor_grey wrote:Gents, I look at it a bit differently, though sympathise with your points of view.  It's not the last match or the one before that which are to blame.  It's year-on-year just enough to finish second which is the problem.  The head coach doing just enough to fail by slim margins.  If we have the same reault again this year, then it will be clear.  Injuries be damned.  We are being coached to being just good enough to lose.  Fan-effing-tastic.  And the RWC result will be a mirror image.  

I have not gone off about Mr. Lancaster before this 6 Nations.  I believe things take time.  But England have hit a plateau at which they appear comfortable.  We are as good as our record says we are, each season.  There has been zero improvement in our record.  Just remember Mr. Lancaster was a political appointment made by a political appointment.  Is that a recipe for Rugby coaching success?  There is a dude coaching at Quins who clearly doesn't suck.  Same as at Saints.  Maybe even at Leicester (at least he would be fun).  
One game
One match
For the future
For posterity
For England.

lol, could you imagine cockers at england.

Could we not get behind our team and talk about it after the game?

Just getting my game face on. Talk to you in a few.

While Wales, Ireland and England have been trying to score the most points Italy, Scotland and now France are competing in a separate game of 'who can play the worst'

Stupid from France, they were matching England in the scrum and decided to take a backward sideways step to win a penalty...

grrr haskell

how did he not pick that up!

France passing the ball in midfield

Embarassing. Couldnt get a worst start.

Butter fingers

BY the way, I posted this on another thread:

We have before us an ordeal of the most grievous kind. We have before us many, many long months of struggle and of suffering........You ask, what is our aim? I can answer in one word: It is victory, victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory, however long and hard the road may be;