France v Wales Stade de France Friday night January 31st

[francoisfou]

Here’s the probable French team

15. Ramos ; 14. Attisogbe, 13. Barassi, 12. Moefana, 11. Bielle-Biarrey ; 10. Ntamack, 9. Dupont (cap.) ; 7. Boudehent, 8. Alldritt, 6. Cros ; 5. Meafou, 4. Roumat ; 3. Atonio, 2. Mauvaka, 1. Gros

Remplaçants : 16. Marchand, 17. Baille, 18. Colombe, 19. Auradou, 20. Jegou, 21. Guillard, 22. Le Garrec, 23. Gailleton

Damien Penaud would surely have been selected, but in his place is the excellent Pau winger Théo Attisogbe. The back row looks brutal and the bench front row is mightily impressive, and I’m particularly looking forward to seeing Nolann le Garrec the replacement scrum half.

[Mikey Brown]

Roumat plays lock? I guess hoping for something similar to Woki or le Roux?

[francoisfou]

Roumat plays lock? I guess hoping for something similar to Woki or le Roux?

That’s what’s rumoured. Often plays 8 for Toulouse.

[Son of Mathonwy]

It'll be brutal whatever team France puts out.

[pompey-zebra]

In the Fail its suggesting that Evan lloyd and Henry Thomas will start in the front row, Wainwright, Faletau and Morgan in the back row ( although Wainwright is an injury doubt and will be replaced by botham if not fit), Ben Thomas as 10, Watkins and Tompkins in the centre and Adams, Liam Williams and Rogers in the back three.

Assuming the above is right, and Tomos W starts then it looks a more experienced back line than we've seen for a while at least, and a Wainwright/ Morgan/ Faletau back row is more than useful ( if fit) but it'll still be a long night, for Wales, I reckon.

[francoisfou]

Here’s the probable French team

15. Ramos ; 14. Attisogbe, 13. Barassi, 12. Moefana, 11. Bielle-Biarrey ; 10. Ntamack, 9. Dupont (cap.) ; 7. Boudehent, 8. Alldritt, 6. Cros ; 5. Meafou, 4. Roumat ; 3. Atonio, 2. Mauvaka, 1. Gros

Remplaçants : 16. Marchand, 17. Baille, 18. Colombe, 19. Auradou, 20. Jegou, 21. Guillard, 22. Le Garrec, 23. Gailleton

Damien Penaud would surely have been selected, but in his place is the excellent Pau winger Théo Attisogbe. The back row looks brutal and the bench front row is mightily impressive, and I’m particularly looking forward to seeing Nolann le Garrec the replacement scrum half.

According to Midi Olympique, this is indeed the French team.

[Son of Mathonwy]

Wales: Liam Williams; Tom Rogers, Nick Tompkins, Owen Watkin, Josh Adams; Ben Thomas, Tomos Williams; Gareth Thomas, Evan Lloyd, Henry Thomas, Will Rowlands, Dafydd Jenkins, James Botham, Jac Morgan (captain), Aaron Wainwright.

Replacements: Elliot Dee, Nicky Smith, Keiron Assiratti, Freddie Thomas, Tommy Reffell, Rhodri Williams, Dan Edwards, Blair Murray.

[Son of Mathonwy]

I am so underwhelmed by the centres, reunited after their last outing together, our drubbing by Scotland last year. I'd pick James instead of Watkin. I'd switch Evan Lloyd and Dee around, possibly Ben Thomas and Edwards too. Depending on training I might have preferred Mee to Blair. But that's with the squad Gatland picked.

If I'd picked to squad I'd also have Anscombe at 10, Llewellyn at 12 and Ioan Lloyd at 22. Also would consider Ratti at 6 but probably stick with Botham.

[Sandydragon]

That’s a very low risk (perceptionally) centre partnership Gatland has picked there. I struggle to understand why he went totally for youth last year just to revert to this? I understand that it’s likely to be a long night and defence is important. But surely James or Llewelyn deserve a place in this squad/team otherwise we have been through a year of hell for no perceivable reason.

[Sandydragon]

Botham did well in the AIs. I think he deserves his spot.

[Graigwen]

It is an underwhelming team, but I hope we are underwhelmed rather than overwhelmed.

.

[Son of Mathonwy]

My guess is:
France 45 - 18 Wales

[Numbers]

I think it'll be closer than many think, perhaps 10 points.

[francoisfou]

I think it'll be closer than many think, perhaps 10 points.

I admire your optimism, Numbers.
Maybe ten points at half time!

[paddy no 11]

Good luck, inital thoughts were around 20 points deficit

[Graigwen]

I have started on the beer already, hoping to get into a suitable frame of mind to admire Dupont and Ntamack, the latter being underrated.

I think we have a better ensemble of players on the pitch than last year, but it will still not be enough. If it is not a massacre in the scrum, we might make a fight of it. I am glad to see Nicky Smith ready on the bench. I don't think our centres can be interpreted as anything other than an attempt at damage limitation, even though Watkins has been showing more flair recently. I did not originally rate Rogers, but he has toughened up a lot this year.
.

[normanski]

I’m on the Australian Shiraz but moving onto a Argentinian Malbec to numb the pain.

I can’t see a win in any shape or form but I’d love to see us competitive until the last quarter. Then I think French power and skill will put us to the sword.

Goodness we need a win but we may have to wait a few weeks for that.

[Graigwen]

I do think we will end the 6N with a better team on the pitch, but it is likely to be a hard journey.

.

[normanski]

Well we’re competitive after 15 minutes but France look ominous.

[normanski]

Well we’re competitive after 15 minutes but France look ominous.

[normanski]

Well we’re competitive after 15 minutes but France look ominous.

[pompey-zebra]

Well we’re competitive after 15 minutes but France look ominous.

Looking too easy for France now.

[normanski]

Yeah. Fourteen points up already.

[Which Tyler]

Never good to see a player going down without any contact

[Sandydragon]

This is borderline unwatchable. France making this look far too easy. Wales have had some reasonable phases but dont look threatening.

We need to hang onto half time and pray we can get back into this in the second half but at the moment its looking like a video nasty.