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My team for France |
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GPR - Rochester ![]() Veteran ![]() ![]() Joined: 01 December 2014 Location: Rhydcymerau Status: Offline Points: 17605 |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Posted: 13 March 2023 at 8:12am |
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If Gatland wants to attempt to be competitive not only for next Saturday but against Fiji first up in September then he has to develop an attacking game in line with modern day rugby. He has zero chance to beat France but he could collect together in sunny Nice this week a group of players who could start to develop some punch in attack. I know he will not add players from outside the squad but this is the team I would pick.
15. Liam 14. LRZ 13. Joe Roberts 12. JBR Williams 11. Dyer 10. Costelow 9. Cawdor 1. Carre 2. Ken 3. Francis 4. Beard 5. Jenkins 6. Tschiunza 7. Morgan 8. Faletau 16. Roberts 17. Wyn 18. Lewis 19. Rhys Davies 20. Tipuric 21. Webb 22. Patchell 23. Grady When you look at how the French & Irish attack they use their wingers in midfield situations to create the extra men - given these two players are invariably your quickest men means that any defensive chink can be exploited. Of course these players have to be comfortable distributors in traffic. Look at the contributions from Lowe & Hansen yesterday. Duhan was made to look pretty ordinary going backwards with two of the Irish tries through his channel. Gatland doesn't have many games to fine tune this team before what could well be a very chastening first game in France 2023. The way we are defending Fiji will be looking forward to using their high risk offloading game on a firm ground in Bordeaux in September.
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Fscarlet ![]() Moderator Group ![]() Joined: 26 January 2015 Status: Online Points: 8539 |
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I don't think he can call up players unless they are injury replacements sadly.
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Fscarlet ![]() Moderator Group ![]() Joined: 26 January 2015 Status: Online Points: 8539 |
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I didn't think the 2 centres were very good together, Grady was very quiet & Hawkins crashed it up every time.
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GPR - Rochester ![]() Veteran ![]() ![]() Joined: 01 December 2014 Location: Rhydcymerau Status: Offline Points: 17605 |
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Defensively they weren't on the same page. Menocello the 12 & Brex 13 were breaking through at will. With the greatest respect to that pair Danty & Fickou are up another couple of levels. At least JBR & Joe will align and make their tackles.
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Fscarlet ![]() Moderator Group ![]() Joined: 26 January 2015 Status: Online Points: 8539 |
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Can't help but agree but sadly it can't happen.
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Wil Chips ![]() Rambler ![]() ![]() Joined: 23 August 2009 Location: Africa Status: Offline Points: 49896 |
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It's a sort of hybrid team selection philosophy right now...backing fairly regular selections of the likes of Jenkins, Christ, Morgan, Hawkins, Grady and Dyer is sort of countenanced by selecting Francis, Faletau, Webb, Tipuric, Ken, Owen W/Biggar, Sanjay or their alter egos of Tomos W, Dillon, North, Baldwin, Tompkins, Adams etc...
TBH where Wales are right now is facing up to the prospect of a shoeing of biblical proportions in Paris. France may do 'a France', and not hit the same heights as they did against England, but Wales have nothing left in the hutch regardless (possible exception of Kieran W). By all means keep two or three of the 'stalwarts' but the future is the only thing that matters really...pick some young half backs ( like a Blacker/Costelow), a promising 5 with Jenkins (Rhys D),an 8 (the lad from the U20's perhaps) a 15 (LRZ) at least. Got to find a place for Reffell and Carre and so on... Zero to lose. |
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GPR - Rochester ![]() Veteran ![]() ![]() Joined: 01 December 2014 Location: Rhydcymerau Status: Offline Points: 17605 |
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I agree Wil. France doing "a France" is always possible - a little less so with Galthie/Edwards. The pace & movement of this French team is something to behold when they are in the mood. I would pay the entry just to watch their back row perform. Gatland's squad is very limited but surely the likes of Carre & Brown have got to start getting exposure.
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Fscarlet ![]() Moderator Group ![]() Joined: 26 January 2015 Status: Online Points: 8539 |
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Also how good was Flament in the second row?
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lofty evans ![]() Rambler ![]() ![]() Joined: 20 September 2007 Location: Gorseinon Status: Offline Points: 52799 |
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Wrote about Thibaud Flament last night , what a player around ability and athletic and side steps. As I said we have Beard. For me it's all how France turns up, they vanquished their old adversary England with play and passing and thinking which was fantastic to watch. Their last try was a thing of beauty seriously superb. And I don't think they kicked to Steward once, now that highlights how embarrassingly inept our players are, because that's all we did when even Jiffy lamented how ridiculous it was , kicking the ball to him. As I've already stated man for man we have no hope and if the French want to put on a show and don't take us seriously, that may be the only chink in their suit of armour that allows us in. But I expect a hammering....a geriatric 9 up against Dupont, Owen Williams v Ntamack...different league then you have Thomas Ramos at 15...accurate quick and clever v Sanjay...interesting Damien Penaud probably the best winger on the planet Dumortier is efficient not spectacular but reliable Fickou and Danty against 2 out of depth centres Danty plays like an openside at centre his jackaling is superb And a efficient dynamic and hard back row of Cros, Ollivon and Alldritt coming back into form. This squad have a real chance of winning the World Cup this year, the loss to the Irish have woken them up at a time just when we needed them to be asleep. And they really do have a thinking intelligent coach in Fabien Galthie who is not a washed out devoid Gatland and crucially they have Shaun Edwards the real power behind Gatlands successful tenure. As I said it's all on France if they want to smash us or not. They may want to make a statement at their pitch and we will be catching shadows. Edited by lofty evans - 13 March 2023 at 12:14pm |
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In 1972, Roy Bergiers scored that try and said "that was for you lofty"
"All you have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us" |
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Wil Chips ![]() Rambler ![]() ![]() Joined: 23 August 2009 Location: Africa Status: Offline Points: 49896 |
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Good call by you and Lofty, he, Aldritt and Dupont were different gravy. |
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Fscarlet ![]() Moderator Group ![]() Joined: 26 January 2015 Status: Online Points: 8539 |
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Totally agree, also Ramon & Penaud were very very good. Was hard in a way on England, I'm still not sure they played all that bad.... |
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Oracle ![]() Veteran ![]() ![]() Joined: 19 September 2022 Location: North pole Status: Offline Points: 3959 |
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They were crap ...no other view point to be listened too
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ladram ![]() Rambler ![]() ![]() Joined: 08 April 2005 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 26559 |
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Sean Holley needn't worry about his job.
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RR1972 ![]() Veteran ![]() ![]() Joined: 27 April 2009 Status: Offline Points: 17606 |
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France are clear faves but clear faves but clear faves have lost before. Let’s get right into them and get the likes of liam lrz and dyer/adams running at them. Italy and scotland gave them probs so can we. Our defence a worry but i reckon itll be closer than people think
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lofty evans ![]() Rambler ![]() ![]() Joined: 20 September 2007 Location: Gorseinon Status: Offline Points: 52799 |
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What defence RR there isn't any unless Trippy Tippy does his usual tripping exercise and a player falls over. The Italians ripped us up and if they had finished what they started they would have won. Danty and Fickou will be thinking jeez what happened to class opposition centres from Wales. I know Shanks suggested giving the dream centre partnership an opportunity to learn in France against France. Yep carry on regardless...its like watching a carry on film with one liners and brainless gags....Gatlands laws are going to be Gatlands downfall....with his selection policy. There are not enough real quality players in the squad ...besides Rees Zammitt who I actually enjoy watching and Kens relentless drive the team bores me. And it comes to something when a Welsh player does the basics right...we are formidable again. Truly need to start from Scratch and the fact some on here blame Pivac for the rot....Gatland disappeared as he knew he had got the best out of his squad and the real powerhouse and organiser was Edwards Sometimes we need to see with our eyes and what I see is dross. If France turn up its carnival time. Edited by lofty evans - 14 March 2023 at 12:54am |
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In 1972, Roy Bergiers scored that try and said "that was for you lofty"
"All you have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us" |
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Fscarlet ![]() Moderator Group ![]() Joined: 26 January 2015 Status: Online Points: 8539 |
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My only saving grace is I'm on a stag do this weekend & I should get drunk enough Saturday to wipe the game from my memory!
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