Match thread: Wales vs France

[bruce]

I can't remember what he is like at scrums. We may have an advantage there (though looking at the stats we didn't do as well against the scratch French side as I thought). Marler is improving for Ingerland but still don't think he's any great shakes, Mako hasn't come on much either from what I've seen.

If he picks up on Marler continuously boring in, he'd be the only ref so far would have done. I can't believe he gets away with it as much as he does, it's so feckin obvious.

[Lord Llandaff]

I can't remember what he is like at scrums. We may have an advantage there (though looking at the stats we didn't do as well against the scratch French side as I thought). Marler is improving for Ingerland but still don't think he's any great shakes, Mako hasn't come on much either from what I've seen.

If he picks up on Marler continuously boring in, he'd be the only ref so far would have done. I can't believe he gets away with it as much as he does, it's so feckin obvious.

I hazard a guess, after Marler's boring performance in the World Cup game, that Messers Gatland & McBride will be having a word with Mr Joubert pre match, or at least threaten to throw a water bottle at him.

[Lord Llandaff]

Gatland is the New Labour of Welsh rugby: He convinced us of the need for pragmatism to establish a platform for progress, but when that was achieved, it turned out that pragmatism was all he was capable of, and all he'd ever wanted.

I'd be waving placards if I thought there was a decent alternative. But I still don't see one.

This is the best analogy of Gatland's tenure I have come across...

[Billyfish]

I've been totally unsurprised/surprised by England. Wales should Boss them off the park.....but Jones has started sprinkling his fairy dust and now I'm worried.

Nah,....Wales will control it.

I think England will really struggle to score tries against that Welsh defence…

Equally, I think Wales will really struggle to score with that Welsh attack.

If Tuilagi comes back in......their attack looks better.
Welsh d is blydi good.

Has Tuilagi ever troubled us? Always thought of him as fat and manageable, much like Bastereauxed (I may spelled that incorrectly).

[Billyfish]

I can't remember what he is like at scrums. We may have an advantage there (though looking at the stats we didn't do as well against the scratch French side as I thought). Marler is improving for Ingerland but still don't think he's any great shakes, Mako hasn't come on much either from what I've seen.

If he picks up on Marler continuously boring in, he'd be the only ref so far would have done. I can't believe he gets away with it as much as he does, it's so feckin obvious.

I hazard a guess, after Marler's boring performance in the World Cup game, that Messers Gatland & McBride will be having a word with Mr Joubert pre match, or at least threaten to throw a water bottle at him.

That would be nice. I think we'll prosper if we get a level playing field and we presumably will not have Gethin on as a distraction initially.

Mako, from what I remember, may as well start scrums with his face in the mud.

[alx]

If he picks up on Marler continuously boring in, he'd be the only ref so far would have done. I can't believe he gets away with it as much as he does, it's so feckin obvious.

I hazard a guess, after Marler's boring performance in the World Cup game, that Messers Gatland & McBride will be having a word with Mr Joubert pre match, or at least threaten to throw a water bottle at him.

That would be nice. I think we'll prosper if we get a level playing field and we presumably will not have Gethin on as a distraction initially.

Mako, from what I remember, may as well start scrums with his face in the mud.

Mako's scrummaging has improved significantly - he's not overly destructive but he's much more solid than he used to be and has been in good form for Saracens.

Regarding Manu, his debut try was against Wales :p. He's also not fat like Bastareaud, just very muscular which is what makes him any good. It's the rest of his game that needs work.

[kk67]

I think England will really struggle to score tries against that Welsh defence…

Equally, I think Wales will really struggle to score with that Welsh attack.

If Tuilagi comes back in......their attack looks better.
Welsh d is blydi good.

Has Tuilagi ever troubled us? Always thought of him as fat and manageable, much like Bastereauxed (I may spelled that incorrectly).

....'fraid not, Fella. Him and Billy are proper trouble. We're gonna have to work for this.

[Sandydragon]

If Tuilagi comes back in......their attack looks better.
Welsh d is blydi good.

Has Tuilagi ever troubled us? Always thought of him as fat and manageable, much like Bastereauxed (I may spelled that incorrectly).

....'fraid not, Fella. Him and Billy are proper trouble. We're gonna have to work for this.

He will certainly make it harder for Roberts to get over the gain line.

[tigran]

France played like a bunch of schoolboys, all following the ball. They were awful really, surprised Noves hasn't been able to at least get some structure.

Maybe he doesn't understand "structure" as you do

so you think he had a plan, and they knew what they were doing? They looked pretty clueless with the ball, at least until Trinh-Duc came on.

in three weeks they have solved the defense and the desire, everybody knows that attaking is the longest scheme to establish...Especially in the Novès system where the structure is less monolithic and as such more complex than others