Team for France

[Sandydragon]

Anyone watching the France Italy game? The impact of Edwards is really clear to see. I suspect we will need to absorb a lot of pressure and then hope they tire and we are in touching distance.

[normanski]

Anyone watching the France Italy game? The impact of Edwards is really clear to see. I suspect we will need to absorb a lot of pressure and then hope they tire and we are in touching distance.

Salutary lesson for France today even though they have the bonus point.

They’ll find Cardiff tough.

[Sandydragon]

France are a patchy team. In patches they are unplayable but they seem to lose concentration. Our forwards will need to be several times more aggressive for us to get much change out of this game.

[Banquo]

France are a patchy team. In patches they are unplayable but they seem to lose concentration. Our forwards will need to be several times more aggressive for us to get much change out of this game.

I think if you can retain possession, they will tire; they haven't the conditioning yet for Edwards defence I'd say.

[normanski]

France are a patchy team. In patches they are unplayable but they seem to lose concentration. Our forwards will need to be several times more aggressive for us to get much change out of this game.

I think if you can retain possession, they will tire; they haven't the conditioning yet for Edwards defence I'd say.

I agree. We need a strong first half to frustrate them and then execute the coup de grace in the last quarter. Easier said than done.

[MrK]

Halfpenny, McNicol, Tompkins, Parkes, Adams, Biggar, Williams
Jones, Owens, WGJ, AWJ, Ball, Moriaty, Tipuric, Faletau

B: Elias, Carre, Brown, Hill, Shingler, G Davies, O WIlliams, North.


Hopefully Adams and Biggar will be back, and Hill.

If Navidi was fit, Id have him on the bench.

Dont think we can just chuck North away, lets move him to to the bench, he can cover Centre and Wing.

[francoisfou]

The French are a "work in progress team" with new, but very experienced coaches, and will be susceptible to the occasional brainfart and loss of concentration along the way. If there's a team that could upset them, it's Wales, and with a concerted first half effort of their pack, the Welsh could spring a surprise. However, there's a two-week gap for the French to prepare just for this match and this time won't be wasted, and I rather think that normanski's eloquent "coup de grâce" will come from the French.

[normanski]

The French are a "work in progress team" with new, but very experienced coaches, and will be susceptible to the occasional brainfart and loss of concentration along the way. If there's a team that could upset them, it's Wales, and with a concerted first half effort of their pack, the Welsh could spring a surprise. However, there's a two-week gap for the French to prepare just for this match and this time won't be wasted, and I rather think that normanski's eloquent "coup de grâce" will come from the French.

Yes it’s an intriguing game to call (as most of the first two rounds of games have been). We’ve both played Italy at home and there is a sharp contrast in performances. That would point to a Welsh win.

Wales have home advantage; will France travel well?

Can Wales get their front row working again in the tight to give parity or better in the scrums? We know Jones and Lewis are good around the park and over the ball at the breakdown but can they achieve their first priority and stabilise the scrums to give a solid platform without giving away penalties against a big France pack.

Pivac has to get our defensive pods right as well and will use the fortnight break to work on this and get it fine tuned.

France are still a work in progress and for their youngsters a visit to Cardiff could prove daunting.

Game on!

[tigran]

I find it very unwise to take faith in past results looking forward to a game. Especially against a french team...
And Italy against France has been a very different animal than against Wales.

I don' t worry about the youth of our team, but about alun...our line outs have been really crap...

[francoisfou]

There could be a couple of changes to the French XV. If fit, the excellent Vakatawa, will surely return with young Arthur Vincent back to the bench. And I’m far from convinced that the big Saffer Willemse is the answer in the 2nd row, as it’d take a forklift to lift his 130kgs in the line out. Toulon’s Taofifenua (sp ?) is a better option, in my opinion. The French backrow of Ollivon, Cros and Alldritt is nicely balanced although yours ain’t bad with the exceptional Tipuric and Faletau. And I’ve just remembered Penaud! That’d be great news if he’s fit for selection! It’s got the makings of a cracker! Can’t wait!

[francoisfou]

Sadly, it appears that Damien Penaud may not be fit for Cardiff, and to compound the problem,his replacement for the first two matches, Vincent Rattez, suffered a broken leg against Italy. In that case, I wonder if Galthié will call up either Maxime Médard or Yoann Huget.

[Banquo]

Halfpenny, McNicol, Tompkins, Parkes, Adams, Biggar, Williams
Jones, Owens, WGJ, AWJ, Ball, Moriaty, Tipuric, Faletau

B: Elias, Carre, Brown, Hill, Shingler, G Davies, O WIlliams, North.


Hopefully Adams and Biggar will be back, and Hill.

If Navidi was fit, Id have him on the bench.

Dont think we can just chuck North away, lets move him to to the bench, he can cover Centre and Wing.

Looking at the analysis, if you are dropping North I hope its not because of defence in that game; he was left high and dry by what was going on inside. Too narrow, poor comms. Is Wainwright crocked?

[Sandydragon]

North is the popular sacrificial goat for that game, but it's not entirely his fault as you rightly point out.

I think Wainwright might get dropped in favour of Moriarty starting our to the latter perceived aggressiveness. In fairness we did look very passive. We definitely missed Navidi.

[Scrumhead]

The French are a "work in progress team" with new, but very experienced coaches, and will be susceptible to the occasional brainfart and loss of concentration along the way. If there's a team that could upset them, it's Wales, and with a concerted first half effort of their pack, the Welsh could spring a surprise. However, there's a two-week gap for the French to prepare just for this match and this time won't be wasted, and I rather think that normanski's eloquent "coup de grâce" will come from the French.

Yes it’s an intriguing game to call (as most of the first two rounds of games have been). We’ve both played Italy at home and there is a sharp contrast in performances. That would point to a Welsh win.

Wales have home advantage; will France travel well?

Can Wales get their front row working again in the tight to give parity or better in the scrums? We know Jones and Lewis are good around the park and over the ball at the breakdown but can they achieve their first priority and stabilise the scrums to give a solid platform without giving away penalties against a big France pack.

Pivac has to get our defensive pods right as well and will use the fortnight break to work on this and get it fine tuned.

France are still a work in progress and for their youngsters a visit to Cardiff could prove daunting.

Game on!

I agree. Most teams play better at home but France are a more extreme case.

As you say, this is a young and inexperienced French side that has now had two good starts and two poor second halves in front of their home crowd.

The atmosphere in Cardiff will test them for sure and personally I think Wales’ professionalism and structure will bring a fairly comfortable home win.

[Numbers]

My thoughts on the Ire;land game were:

We were completely outplayed in the first 30 mins, save for some excellent defence we should have been trailing by a couple of scores by then.
Tompkins was shown to be suspect in defence by Henshaw, who was continually used to expose him.
The Parkes effort was not a try, he dropped it, close but deffo no try (may have been given in a game of RL).
The Ireland pushover try I have no quarrel with as it wasn't clearly dropped and the ball carrier has the right to place the ball after going to ground.
Tomos Williams was partially at fault for two tries, missed tackle on Larmour (admittedly after Tompkins had already missed him) and the knock-on on our own line which led to the Furlong try.
Halfpenny was consistent.
Parkes played well.

Conclusions from this game are:

North or Watkin back to 13 for France, Vakatawa would have a field day against Tompkins.
Gareth Davies to start.
Hope to god Biggar is fit, also Cory hill we miss his athleticism from the bench.
Front row issues are a lottery, there wasn't much in it, I'd be inclined to stick with what we have, not that we have many options availed at the moment.
I'd be tempted to start Moriarty but although Wainwright has been quiet in the loose he has been tackling like a machine.


So with that in mind my 23 would be:

Jones
Owens
Lewis
Ball
AWJ
Wainwright
Tipuric
Faletau
Davies
Biggar
Adams
Parkes
North/Watkin (fitness dependent)
Williams/North/McNicholl (Fitness dependent, in that order)
Halfpenny

Carre
Elias
Brown
Hill/Beard (depending if Hill is fit)
Moriarty
Williams
Evans
McNicholl/Rees-Zammit

[Sandydragon]

It feels remarkably harsh to drop Tompkins after one poor game and a very good cameo. That said, this is a must win game if we want to do well in this championship, so Watkin is the obvious choice, assuming he is fully fit. Hopefully Adams is fit in which case he is an automatic choice with Halfpenny at fullback. If Liam Williams is fit and training well then he may well enter the equation, but I suspect that North will occupy the other berth. Whilst McNicoll often looks dangerous in attack, the fact that North has a good try count must mean something and defensively he seems to offer more.

That means McNicholl or Tompkins on the bench (or Liam Williams for that matter), alongside halfbacks.

I would be tempted to keep Tomos Williams at scrum half and keep Davies on the bench who I prefer as an impact player.

If we lose to France and the championship is gone then it probably is time for new faces to have a run out, i.e. Tompkins and LRZ regardless of how it goes. Our next games will be a tour of New Zealand which definitely isn't a place for experimentation.

[Numbers]

It feels remarkably harsh to drop Tompkins after one poor game and a very good cameo. That said, this is a must win game if we want to do well in this championship, so Watkin is the obvious choice, assuming he is fully fit. Hopefully Adams is fit in which case he is an automatic choice with Halfpenny at fullback. If Liam Williams is fit and training well then he may well enter the equation, but I suspect that North will occupy the other berth. Whilst McNicoll often looks dangerous in attack, the fact that North has a good try count must mean something and defensively he seems to offer more.

That means McNicholl or Tompkins on the bench (or Liam Williams for that matter), alongside halfbacks.

I would be tempted to keep Tomos Williams at scrum half and keep Davies on the bench who I prefer as an impact player.

If we lose to France and the championship is gone then it probably is time for new faces to have a run out, i.e. Tompkins and LRZ regardless of how it goes. Our next games will be a tour of New Zealand which definitely isn't a place for experimentation.

It's a little harsh on Tompkins but Vakawara is a real threat for France at 13, we could play Tompkins against Scotland perhaps, I'm looking forward to seeing Keiron Williams play for the Ospreys tomorrow, he looks class.

[Son of Mathonwy]

Agreed - this is must win. Development is on the back burner, the result on the day is everything.

[francoisfou]

Damien Penaud and Camille Chat’s names are in the squad for Cardiff although they are still not training. I remain hopeful that they can resume training in the next day or so, because it’d be a real boost to our chances of winning. If fit, Penaud would undoubtedly be in the starting XV with Chat on the bench behind the excellent Julian Marchand.

[francoisfou]

https://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-union/51550491

Tell us something new, Wyn! Name us a team that doesn't "cheat".

Sadly, Penaud won't be fit for Cardiff and could be replaced on the wing by Fickou - who I'd much rather see at centre.

[MrK]

Halfpenny, Adams, Tompins, Parkes, North, Biggar, DAVIES
Jones, Owens, Lewis , Ball, AWJ, MORIATY, Tipuric, Faletau

Elias, Evans, Lewis, ROWLANDS, Wainwright, Williams, Evans, McNIcholl

Heard it here first.

[normanski]

Halfpenny, Adams, Tompins, Parkes, North, Biggar, DAVIES
Jones, Owens, Lewis , Ball, AWJ, MORIATY, Tipuric, Faletau

Elias, Evans, Lewis, ROWLANDS, Wainwright, Williams, Evans, McNIcholl

Heard it here first.

Do you have Lewis done at TH and on the bench? Do you mean Brown or WGJ?

[normanski]

https://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-union/51550491

Tell us something new, Wyn! Name us a team that doesn't "cheat".

Sadly, Penaud won't be fit for Cardiff and could be replaced on the wing by Fickou - who I'd much rather see at centre.

It’s just a reminder to officiate the scrums more effectively and fairly for both sides.

It’s called pre-match mind games!

[francoisfou]

https://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-union/51550491

Tell us something new, Wyn! Name us a team that doesn't "cheat".

Sadly, Penaud won't be fit for Cardiff and could be replaced on the wing by Fickou - who I'd much rather see at centre.

It’s just a reminder to officiate the scrums more effectively and fairly for both sides.

It’s called pre-match mind games!

Agree, Norm, but a coach’s word in the ref’s ear before the game is a hell of a lot better than bleating to the media. I’m looking forward to what could be a cracking game in my favourite rugby stadium. Only wish I had a ticket!!

[MrK]

Halfpenny, Adams, Tompins, Parkes, North, Biggar, DAVIES
Jones, Owens, Lewis , Ball, AWJ, MORIATY, Tipuric, Faletau

Elias, Evans, Lewis, ROWLANDS, Wainwright, Williams, Evans, McNIcholl

Heard it here first.

Do you have Lewis done at TH and on the bench? Do you mean Brown or WGJ?

Sorry brown on the bench