Wales vs France Six Nations 2016

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Wales v France

Date: Friday, 26 February
Venue: Principality Stadium, Cardiff
Kick-off: 20:05 GMT

Coverage: Live on BBC One Wales & S4C, commentary on Radio 5 live sports extra, BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru & BBC Sport website and BBC Sport app, plus live text commentary.

Wales team: Liam Williams (Scarlets), Alex Cuthbert (Cardiff Blues), Jonathan Davies (ASM Clermont), Jamie Roberts (Harlequins), George North (Northampton ), Dan Biggar (Ospreys), Gareth Davies (Scarlets); Rob Evans (Scarlets), Scott Baldwin (Ospreys), Samson Lee (Scarlets); Bradley Davies (Wasps), Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys); Dan Lydiate (Ospreys), Sam Warburton (Cardiff Blues, CAPT), Taulupe Faletau (Newport Gwent Dragons).

Replacements: Ken Owens (Scarlets), Gethin Jenkins (Cardiff Blues), Tomas Francis (Exeter Chiefs), Jake Ball (Scarlets), Justin Tipuric (Ospreys), Lloyd Williams (Cardiff Blues), Rhys Priestland (Bath), Gareth Anscombe (Cardiff Blues).

France Team: Maxime Medard; Virimi Vakatawa, Maxime Mermoz, Jonathan Danty, Djibril Camara; Jules Plisson, Maxime Machenaud; Jefferson Poirot, Guilhem Guirado (capt), Rabah Slimani, Alexandre Flanquart, Paul Jedrasiak, Antoine Burban, Damien Chouly, Wenceslas Lauret.

Replacements: Camille Chat, Uini Atonio, Vincent Pelo, Yoann Maestri, Loann Goujon, Sebastien Bezy, Francois Trinh Duc, Gael Fickou.

Meanwhile, in the Southern Hemisphere...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdxPsl6vTwY

I'm quickly losing interest in the Six Nations. I still follow Irelands games religiously of course, but as a neutral the rest of the games are often not worth watching.

I am watching Crusaders v Chiefs. This game had been awesome.

tatterd wrote:Seems to be a lot of posters criticising Wales for their lack of creativity whilst implying England are the next messiah in this regard. Let's be clear: England have beaten Scotland and Italy. Let's see how they do today against a team with a good defence who will deny them easy space for the full eighty, and then revisit how fantastic and creative their backs are...

We are told time & again 'everyone knows Wales get better and better as the competition goes on'

Do you really believe that happened last night? Wales did what Wales do - very strong in defence but beyond that there was little else other than a couple of breaks from Davies. Wales are the most settled side & surely they should be producing a little more than strong defence & good kick chase.

It will all be forgotten after the weekend & the result will be all that matters but I think the Welsh public deserve better don't you?

Notch wrote:Meanwhile, in the Southern Hemisphere...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdxPsl6vTwY

I'm quickly losing interest in the Six Nations. I still follow Irelands games religiously of course, but as a neutral the rest of the games are often not worth watching.

Shame but true

I though Barnes did OK reffing. As for the game, I watched in a packed pub as a neutral but ended up banging my hand on the table in frustration at Wales kicking every opportunity away. You should've won by 15+ pts more if Wales had used possession. It was bordering on the criminal at times and although the try came from a kick it was the equivalent of an own goal due to France being completely hapless. What has happened to that team? Awful awful display.
Thought Warburton and jd2 were quality, biggar too.

So just reading back. Lots of people with lots of opinions, yet just 2 posters congratulate Wales on a very tough win. Not a classic, but they're often not in the 6N.

Thanks you two. All the best for your games. The rest of you can get stuffed!

offload wrote:Boring, boring, boring........

We may win but don't expect a line break. I have a sneaky feeling that rather than create space and side step the defense Gatland will confuse the oposition by changing tactics.  He may get his big backline to run straight into the nearest blue shirt until eventually they give way.  Might work...

We have the worst wing in the NH back in the team, an average club scrum half on the bench and Anscome and Priestland to come on and make an "impact"  

I tried to listen to Howley being interviewed today and couldn't hear him properly as I was interrupted by my own snoring!

Well for a change I was bang on (ok so Cuthbert didn't completely screw up).  France were dire, Wales were Wales.  We are genuinely excellent in defense and offer nothing else at all.  Don't be sucked into Gatland's thesis that there is no space in international rugby and that it's just a war of attrition.  The brick wall that is the Welsh back line couldn't open up a can of beans.  We are winning though so everything is OK.....

Well done boys on a tough win. It's rugby - but not as we like it.

Griff wrote:So just reading back. Lots of people with lots of opinions, yet just 2 posters congratulate Wales on a very tough win. Not a classic, but they're often not in the 6N.

Thanks you two. All the best for your games. The rest of you can get stuffed!

Good job Wales. I didn't watch it, but you're building a bit of momentum now.

Well done Wales....

Griff wrote:So just reading back. Lots of people with lots of opinions, yet just 2 posters congratulate Wales on a very tough win. Not a classic, but they're often not in the 6N.

Thanks you two. All the best for your games. The rest of you can get stuffed!

I do not come on after a match as emotions run far too high, but guess I can get stuffed. Wales should have been out of sight at half time, but due to their own mistakes and strange decision to play the game at a slow tempo when the French were blowing meant they were not. Great start to the second half by the home team, but after that they were pretty much defending for the last 30 minutes. Edwards will be pleased with just how solid the defence was and meant that Wales won. A hard fought win, much more hard fought than it should have been, but in the end winning is all that matters - so well done.

Thanks LT!

When you read any international match thread there's usually heated exchanges, disagreements on ref calls, etc. However, there's usually a good number of 'well dones' regardless of the outcome or the quality of the game. I'm not one of the 'anti Welsh brigade' on here but when you see such a high number of posters on a thread that suddenly go quiet at the end and can't bring themselves to congratulate the winner, it does make you wonder! Just an observation. What happened to traditional rugby values?!

Couple of this things. Congratulations on the win, great defence but dosent Sam Warburton look like one of the Easter island statues?
I was frustrated not to see you destroy the French, looked like they were there for a spanking,
This whole tournament seems to be frustrating

It's all gone a bit rugby league, but with some rucks and without the invention and flair that you see in league on the 5th tackle!

carpet baboon wrote:Couple of this things. Congratulations on the win, great defence but dosent Sam Warburton look like one of the Easter island statues?
I was frustrated not to see you destroy the French, looked like they were there for a spanking,
This whole tournament seems to be frustrating

Strangely he always remionds me of Sam the Eagle from the muppets.

I though it was a bit sad that in the pre-match fluff piece he did not know who Graham Price was - mind Mike Brown probably does not know who David Duckham is.

I thought Trin-Duc looked good when he came on. I think this result will make France a better team for their last two games.

Not a great game but a win counts for Wales.

It may not have been the most exciting game but it was a very good win for Wales, they put the French under extreme pressure and honestly could have won by more. Building up nicely for a Wales England title deciding match.

Another Wales win and another round of Scottish and English blaming the ref. Some things never change.

whocares wrote:You mean 9-3 at HT and leaving possession to your opponent during the 2nd half is deemed as being in control that's pretty high standard

High standard is going on an unbeaten run, like Wales beating France 5 times in a row now. I'm surprised if you or anyone else is surprised at the game, it went the exact same way as the previous 4 - shut France down and they've got nothing. Ta-ra France.

Congrats Wales - the result never really looked in doubt tbh.  Think France have to start Trin-Duc from now on as they looked better with him on the pitch but came far too late.

Heaf wrote:Congrats Wales - the result never really looked in doubt tbh.  Think France have to start Trin-Duc from now on as they looked better with him on the pitch but came far too late.

The result was never in doubt.  What?

What game was you   watching?

Up and untill North scored that try, the game was all ways in doubt.

Madge it sounds as if you're the one who hasn't been watching games... The result against France is never in doubt when you shut them down. It's been that way for almost 5 years.

Not a huge amount of rugby played, pressure is king at the top, those who can exert it for 80 mins do well, those who go through dips lose by narrow margins...

Makes the England v Wales game next up tasty, both teams look very similarly structured

majesticimperialman wrote:

Heaf wrote:Congrats Wales - the result never really looked in doubt tbh.  Think France have to start Trin-Duc from now on as they looked better with him on the pitch but came far too late.

The result was never in doubt.  What?

What game was you   watching?

Up and untill North scored that try, the game was all ways in doubt.

Onbly because of the scoreline - based on performances Wales whould have been out of sight at half time, but were unable to add the extra urgency when it was needed, nor execute their skills at the right time. (much like the broken roof? )

Watching the game France never looked like they could or even believed they could win. (Guirado aside - he was fantastic, best performanhce from either side)

Still shocked Guirado didn't get MOTM!

LondonTiger wrote:
Onbly because of the scoreline

Surely it is only the score-line that counts.

LondonTiger wrote:
- based on performances Wales whould have been out of sight at half time, but were unable to add the extra urgency when it was needed, nor execute their skills at the right time.

That does not make sense. How can their performance be good if they lack urgency and cannot execute skills when required?

LT.
Based on performance Wales should of been out of sight at half time.


What performance? Up untill half time, neither team performed that well. IMO.

majesticimperialman wrote:

Heaf wrote:Congrats Wales - the result never really looked in doubt tbh.  Think France have to start Trin-Duc from now on as they looked better with him on the pitch but came far too late.

The result was never in doubt.  What?

What game was you   watching?

Up and untill North scored that try, the game was all ways in doubt.

You've changed what I said ... I said never really looked in doubt, not was never in doubt, and barring about 15-20 minutes France didn't really look like they had it in them to win.

Reading Daniel Herrero chronicle this morning (the "poet" of French rugby): the strength of this French team is in destruction, its weakness is in construction. The heart of the men is strong, the technique low. The only small progress is that we went from refusing the game to a very low level of initiative. Also noted that the only player who was able to break tackles was Guirado which is clearly not enough as it's key to disorganise defended nowadays. France should also have by now a few set plays and still have none. The lack of time together is not an excuse at this level as well. Maybe the players are just not good enough.

Exiledinborders wrote:

LondonTiger wrote:
Onbly because of the scoreline

Surely it is only the score-line that counts.

LondonTiger wrote:
- based on performances Wales whould have been out of sight at half time, but were unable to add the extra urgency when it was needed, nor execute their skills at the right time.

That does not make sense. How can their performance be good if they lack urgency and cannot execute skills when required?

the scoreline can be close, but the performances far apart such that scores come later.

We saw it in England v Italy, Scotland v Italy, England v Ireland and Wales v France.

Wales dominated the first half to such an extent that I never felt we woudl see anything other than a Wales win. (substitute England for Wales re Saturdays game).


For me, the result was never in doubt on Friday night.


(Ps I never said the Welsh performance was good - merely much better than France.)

Well done Wales. Good win. Jamie Roberts, AWJ and Biggar were all immense.
A game of solid defence rather than attacking flair - but a win is a win and France could have been a banana skin for you.
Good win

Just a few thoughts,to the French supporters i'd say you were fantastic and some of the fancy dress was sensational.Mrs EJ was taken particularly by the revolutionaries and the cockerels.

Given what it costs to watch Wales play live home and away we were absolutely blydi delighted with the win BUT what standards do we want to be measured against.Will we be consistently top 3 rank with the rugby we are playing? As Gats continues to describe all his coaches as world class there doesn't seem to be much chance of change to the attack coach.However,the scrum and lineout have improved so let's hope the same can happen to the backs.What I find confusing is why international class backs can't themselves work out the quality of passing and running lines needed to exploit the full width of the pitch unless they are being instructed to only operate one style of play.

exile jack wrote:Just a few thoughts,to the French supporters i'd say you were fantastic and some of the fancy dress was sensational.Mrs EJ was taken particularly by the revolutionaries and the cockerels.

Given what it costs to watch Wales play live home and away we were absolutely blydi delighted with the win BUT what standards do we want to be measured against.Will we be consistently top 3 rank with the rugby we are playing? As Gats continues to describe all his coaches as world class there doesn't seem to be much chance of change to the attack coach.However,the scrum and lineout have improved so let's hope the same can happen to the backs.What I find confusing is why international class backs can't themselves work out the quality of passing and running lines  needed to exploit the full width of the pitch unless they are being instructed to only operate one style of play.

I think that statement applies to all NH teams at the moment. As a group we need to raise our game.

Defences are killing rugby

Gwlad wrote:Defences are killing rugby

Yes, but last World Cup showed that the NH defensive style of rugby is obsolete against the finest attacks in the game.

I agree with the choice of the French hooker as MOTM having watched the game again.

Can anyone understand why the scrum 5 near the French line was called back when Wales shoved the French pack back, they broke up 2m from the line with the ball still in back of the Welsh scrum in control by Falatau. Surely Barnes should allow the move to continue and score, Barnes reset the scrum (why) and with a Wales put in again the least it should have been a penalty but he should have played on?

I don't think its unfair to say Wales didn't look like losing. We never looked like putting a huge score on them but I was never too worried.

Biggar's aerial game, Welsh defensive structure, experience of when and how to stop the ball (legally or not) were the difference.

Plisson seems unable to play any sort of patterns when he is away from home. Trin Duch will surely have caught the eye of the selectors. The french back line looked much more threatening once he was on. He actually runs the ball and checks the defending back row allowing space for the rest to exploit.

I also think Burbain was playing pretty well until he was bowled over by Warburton. However it was a terrible spectacle for 6N's rugby , for which the front row players on both teams must take a large amount of responsibility. Unfortunately Barnes, with his pedantic resets and mini scrum coaching sessions to seasoned pro's must also share a large amount of the blame. If players wont play ball then make a decision and bin the guilty party(s) or is it that Mr Barnes finds it difficult to decide who is at fault, hence the continual chat but no action at the scrum?

sensisball wrote:Biggar's aerial game, Welsh defensive structure, experience of when and how to stop the ball (legally or not) were the difference.

Plisson seems unable to play any sort of patterns when he is away from home. Trin Duch will surely have caught the eye of the selectors. The french back line looked much more threatening once he was on. He actually runs the ball and checks the defending back row allowing space for the rest to exploit.

I also think Burbain was playing pretty well until he was bowled over by Warburton. However it was a terrible spectacle for 6N's rugby , for which the front row players on both teams must take a large amount of responsibility. Unfortunately Barnes, with his pedantic resets and mini scrum coaching sessions to seasoned pro's must also share a large amount of the blame. If players wont play ball then make a decision and bin the guilty party(s) or is it that Mr Barnes finds it difficult to decide who is at fault, hence the continual chat but no action at the scrum?

Barnes' style certainly didn't help but I don't observe any refs showing much understanding of the current scrums. It really is beyond a joke now and just a 50:50 lottery.

He seemed much better in the game between us and Ireland last year

Worst game of rugby I've seen at this level for a long time.

5 in a row, I bet England wouldn't mind being able to achieve that. So far they haven't, against what you keep telling us is the worst French team in living memory.

It was a terrible match.