Semi-Final: France -v- England

Steffano2002

L'&#201 wrote: »

LE XV DE FRANCE :

Traille - Clerc, Marty, Jauzion, Heymans - (o) Beauxis, (m) Elissalde - Dusautoir, Bonnaire, Betsen - Thion, Pelous - De Villiers, Ibanez (cap.), Milloud.

Remplaçants: Szarzewski, Poux, Chabal, Harinordoquy, Michalak, Dominici, Poitrenaud.

The coaches have decided to keep exactly the same team as last week. Good thing? Bad thing?

I'm happy enough with that team except for our Full Back. Why select Poitrenaud (the only Full Back in the squad) if you're going to ask a centre to play at that position...?

ThomasH

The coaches have decided to keep exactly the same team as last week. Good thing? Bad thing?

I'm happy enough with that team except for our Full Back. Why select Poitrenaud (the only Full Back in the squad) if you're going to ask a centre to play at that position...?

Definitely a good thing. Consistency creates experience that can not be bought. Look at the ABs squad rotation system, it back fired when they played France and just did not get it right.

This thing about having your best 30 players on the field is rubbish, choose your 15 best and stick to them unless a player continues to be bad and need to be replaced.

Hagar

Anybody with a team available to him that beat New Zealand would be mad to change it. Allez les bleus.

shrapnel222

Hagar wrote:

Anybody with a team available to him that beat New Zealand would be mad to change it. Allez les bleus.

not a full team though, wayne barnes isn't on the pitch

LordSutch

Robinson, Sackey, Tait, Catt, Lewsey, Wilkinson, Gomarsall, Sheridan, Regan, Vickery (capt), Shaw, Kay, Corry, Moody, Easter.

Replacements:- Chuter, Stevens, Dallaglio, Worsley, Richards, Flood, Hipkiss.

Stev_o

So predictions lads? 2003 all over again? Or a English massacre?

Should be interesting come scrum time French have done extremely well there i wonder if they can keep it up against the English pack.

shrapnel222

sorry but that's as far as england will go. france will not be complacent like they were in the 6 nations. tight first half, but a plethora of tries in the second for france

daveirl

This post has been deleted.

philstar

if there's any team that can beat france in paris, its england.

and i've got a feeling in my gut they'll spoil the party

Steffano2002

daveirl wrote:

This post has been deleted.

The whole country believes so. Unfortunately the staff doesn't...

Steffano2002

philstar wrote:

if there's any team that can beat france in paris, its england.

and i've got a feeling in my gut they'll spoil the party

God oh GOD let's hope you're wrong!

toomevara

If the English pack can strangle the life out of the french and starve them of possession they could just do it. Don't know how they're going to score a try against that defence though...expect lots of drop goals via wilkinsons boot..

Cant see france slipping up though, far too canny, this bunch.....

PeadarofAodh

How many times have we seen a French side look great, confident and solid only to see them implode two weeks later? I really think this could be a riveting match with both teams coming into the contest with a lot of confidence.
Not sure there'll be a lot of tries in it, reckon it could be a penalty game

nacho libre

England will win.

gadaven

brothers ! i had a dream last night ! a dream....not a nightmare ...
ALLEZ LES BLEUS !

Erin Go Brath

Expect England to go for drop goals galore. The crosskick from Wilko to Sackey I'd expect them to deploy aswell, mostly if they fall a bit behind though. It'll be percentage rugby all the way from England. Wilko kicking the yards, and kicking the points at every available opportunity.


France have way too much class all round for England to deal with, plus they are the home team. I can only see one outcome.

Allez les blues

philstar

Erin Go Brath wrote: »

France have way too much class all round for England to deal with

they said the same thing about australia before saturdays game:rolleyes:

Erin Go Brath

philstar wrote: »

they said the same thing about australia before saturdays game:rolleyes:

Australias scrum was a joke. They gave away penalties/frees and easy possession during that game from their own set plays, not to mention Englands. Your Mortlock, Tuquiri, and Lathams will get you so far, but without enough possession and a pack pulling their weight its always to be uphill.

France are not going to be hammered up front the same way Australia were.

Ah on the day anything can happen, but France have too many aces in my mind. England have just one, and Johnny is his name!

toomevara

Don't discount the pressure factor either. It's all on the French..massive expectation in front of their home crowd, the English with nothing to lose. If England are there, or there abouts, around the 60, I think the French could do an Argentina and lose the plot...England will seek to stay in touch and frustrate the french all the way.....Lot's of high balls, touch kicks and penalties I reckon, wont be pretty but they might just do it....

moe_sizlak

if england win and i think they could , they will not i believe win the final , however if france manage to win on saturday i believe they will indeed win the final , playing at home will do for them what it did for the soccer team in the final in 1998

LordSutch

Erin Go Brath wrote: »

France are not going to be hammered up front the same way Australia were.

Ah on the day anything can happen, but France have too many aces in my mind. England have just one, and Johnny is his name!

I suspect England might have another couple of Aces up their sleeves apart from Jonny, in the form of Paul Sackey & Jason Robinson.

LordSutch

Can anyone suggest which Pubs in Dublin might show the 'World Cup Semi Final' seeing as it clashes with the Ireland Football match .................

I usaully go to Oliver St John's in Temple Bar, or Sinnotts opposite the Gaiety, but surely they will all be showing the Footie on Saturday evening?

Fratton Fred

ArthurF wrote: »

Can anyone suggest which Pubs in Dublin might show the 'World Cup Semi Final' seeing as it clashes with the Ireland Football match .................

I usaully go to Oliver St John's in Temple Bar, or Sinnotts opposite the Gaiety, but surely they will all be showing the Footie on Saturday evening?

I would guess the pubs in Morehampton road will have it on.

philstar

anyone shouting for england tonight??

county

philstar wrote: »

anyone shouting for england tonight??

me,the fact i`m english might have something to do with it

toomevara

philstar wrote: »

anyone shouting for england tonight??

Me, but then again I am a total West Brit....Remember Croke Park lads, thats all I'm saying

MooseJam

I'll be cheering for France, England won it last time so I'd like a new winner this time around, Allez les bleus

Mezcita

Erin Go Brath wrote: »

Expect England to go for drop goals galore. The crosskick from Wilko to Sackey I'd expect them to deploy aswell, mostly if they fall a bit behind though. It'll be percentage rugby all the way from England. Wilko kicking the yards, and kicking the points at every available opportunity.


France have way too much class all round for England to deal with, plus they are the home team. I can only see one outcome.

Allez les blues

Spot on. England are due another kicking. Taken France (-8).

Stev_o

Mangers English and he keeps praying for us to win and England so far thats what happened so for the sake of luck i need England to keep winning :P

zAbbo

Not shouting for any team in particular, just gonna sit back and enjoy.

OPENROAD

I'm shouting for England tonight.

robinph

philstar wrote: »

anyone shouting for england tonight??

Will be plenty of shouting here. Won't bother going to the pub for it though as it would be full of 'french' supporters no doubt.

Marshy

France have more potential in the back 5 but its a question of whether the pack can create a solid platform for them. I'd expect them to gain parity at least with England up front so in that case they should be favourites.

But I've jinxed France before here so I'm not making a prediction.

BOHSBOHS

hopefully will be more interesting than the boring 2003 semi

england pickn drive for 20 phases , france get frustrated and concede pen

england gather restart , pickn drive for x phases , drop goal
rinse and repeat

englands backs on sun loungers watching a dvd on their 22

ok that last part might not have been true:D

Stev_o

Thats a great way for Lewsey to break his drought of tries. Great start for England feeling that this is going to be similar to the opening match

mike65

Rofflecopters!

Mike.

mike65

France 6 - 5 England

Nobody watching this?

Mike.

mikeruurds

mike65 wrote: »

France 6 - 5 England

Nobody watching this?

Mike.

Watching it alright. Wife had dibs on laptop for facebook time during first half

Good game so far. Nice to see England trying to play an expansive game.

sdanseo

mike65 wrote: »

France 6 - 5 England

Nobody watching this?

Mike.

Ireland v Germany, RTE 2. It has Ireland in it.

Supercell

Really enjoying this game, England showing great fight about them, its anyones game.

Supercell

Fantastic french charge, great stuff!!

Amz

It's France's game to lose, they're making so many errors and seem to be quite nervous. England seem to be just hanging on for a penalty!

France so close there ...

It's not a great game, frustrating to watch, but very tense so I guess that's good.

Supercell

Looks like engerland to go ahead!!, great stuff

Jackz

England penalty. 6 minutes on the clock.

Supercell

England are gonna win this!!

Jackz

Scored and a Wilkinson drop goal.

Supercell

Fair play to England, they deserve to get to the final.

Marshy

Longfield wrote: »

Fair play to England, they deserve to get to the final.

Can't agree with you there I'm afraid. This is a very very average side.

France were incredibly inept tonight. Its been a replica of the Argentina game. Tragic performance.

mike65

Mike.

awhir

bad match overall.bad display from france

england well desvered the win.

Aregentina For WC

mikeruurds

The Boks better make it to the final now. If they do they'll have the whole of France supporting them