France vs Italy, Six Nations, Sat 4 Feb 2:30pm; Pre/During/Post Match Thread

thomond2006

France:
15 Maxime Medard, 14 Vincent Clerc, 13 Aurelien Rougerie, 12 Wesley Fofana, 11 Julien Malzieu, 10 François Trinh-Duc, 9 Dimitri Yachvili,
8 Louis Picamoles, 7 Julien Bonnaire, 6 Thierry Dusautoir (c), 5 Lionel Nallet, 4 Pascal Pape, 3 Nicolas Mas, 2 William Servat, 1 Vincent Debaty.

Replacements: 16 Dimitri Szarzewski, 17 Jean-Baptiste Poux, 18 Yoann Maestri, 19 Imanol Harinordoquy, 20 Morgan Parra, 21 Lionel Beauxis, 22 Maxime Mermoz.

Italy:
15 Andrea Masi, 14 Giovanbattista Venditti, 13 Tommaso Benvenuti, 12 Alberto Sgarbi, 11 Luke McLean, 10 Kristopher Burton, 9 Edoardo Gori,
8 Sergio Parisse (c) 7 Robert Barbieri, 6 Alessandro Zanni, 5 Quintin Geldenhuys, 4 Cornelius van Zyl, 3 Martin Castrogiovanni, 2 Leonardo Ghiraldini, 1 Andrea Lo Cicero.

Replacements: 16 Tommaso D'Apice, 17 Lorenzo Cittadini, 18 Marco Bortolami, 19 Simone Favaro, 20 Fabio Semenzato, 21 Tobias Botes, 22 Gonzalo Canale.

Date: Saturday, February 4
Venue: Stade de France, St. Denis (Paris)
Weather: Sunny. Daytime high -1°C
Kick-off: 15.30 (14.30 GMT)
Referee: Nigel Owens

http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,3820_7477423,00.html

France will be out to hockey Italy after the embarrassment they suffered in Rome last year. Italy typically get their asses handed to them in Stade de France, I can't see them being within 15 points of France. Parisse will have to be at his Superman best.



Wesley Fofana is one to watch, he's been excellent this season for Clermont. It's also great to see Malzieu back in favour.

I don't think it's a full strength French side, there's a lot of players on the bench that will probably start next week. It's an incredible bench though, serious impact to come on in the second half.

I think France will win this by 20-25 points, although I hope Italy put up a big showing and stop being the mismatch team in the competition.

Fishooks12

My least favorite six nations game, especially when in Paris

Close first half but France to pull away and win by 15-25

profitius

I read somewhere that the French had only 2 days to prepare for this match so PSA said they'll be working on the basics like defense and set pieces.

CatFromHue

If Italy could just find a half back pairing they'd be a completely different team. It really is one of their weaknesses as they usually have some good to pretty good players in all the other positions.

I really don't know how this is going to go. Saint Andre while being an improvement on Lievremont as far as I can see is no Guy Noves or Fabien Galthie. I think I read somewhere that he has had very little time with the players too. He's gone for Picamoles who from what I've seen is amazing or worse than an U11 player.

Italy have a bit of a French insider in their coach Brunel. He was assistant coach to France from 2001 - 2007 and then took over Perpignan where he won (2009) and came runners up (2010) in the Top 14. Certainly he will add a lot to them.

thomond2006

Michael Chieka is one of the panelists on BBC.

CiaranMT

Interesting to hear Brunel's ambition on the BBC there.

.ak

Hope Malz has a great game. He's one of my fav French wingers. Complete underrated IMO.

CiaranMT

Same. Still remember when he nearly beat Munster in Thomond on his own a while back.

CiaranMT

Parisse's still only 28. Wow O.o

ScissorPaperRock

What time is kick-off?

freyners

5 minutes ago:p

pitch is getting torn there badly:eek:

ScissorPaperRock

freyners wrote: »

5 minutes ago:p

pitch is getting torn there badly:eek:

Gah... live pause was on... I was confused there!

thomond2006

Decent start from Italy, sometimes they looked lost when the ball went to Burton though.

mar-z

Italy doing well, but you just can't see them scoring as soon as it leaves the forwards.

Big Nelly

End to End stuff

freyners

jesus that was close for both sides, lovely kick by burton

thomond2006

Good breakout from Malzieu. 3 point chance here.

mar-z

Great kick

thomond2006

3-0 France, mostly Italy with possession so far though.

CiaranMT

Gave Italy absolutely no time to play the ball. Poor call Nige.

CiaranMT

Nice DG. 3-3

mar-z

Burton!:D

Deserved from Italy

thomond2006

Great kick from Burton, DG. 3-3

Italy have been excellent, building phases well.

Big Nelly

Who took that restart? Not another Trich Duc special from RDS?

Taco Corp

CiaranMT wrote: »

Nice DG. 3-3

Especially after first attempt was blocked.

Fireball07

Great drop goal from Burton.


Italy have been excellent.

profitius

Soft try.

CiaranMT

Just as ya say it Fireball... :P

mar-z

Too easy for Rougerie

Superbus

The pigeons made a right hames of defence there.

thomond2006

Rougerie try. You could have fitted a truck through that gap!

Hammer Archer

Surely the pigeons should have made some effort to stop him.

beglee

Who passed it to Rougerie for the assist?

KERSPLAT!

Very unlucky there for Italy

freyners

burton playing well

mar-z

beglee wrote: »

Who passed it to Rougerie for the assist?

Trinh-Duc I think

thomond2006

French pack are messing up a lot of ball at the base for Italy, the Italian forwards need to help Gori more.

Fireball07

CiaranMT wrote: »

Just as ya say it Fireball... :P

Ah sure, they respond with more good play.


France are just more clinical.

CiaranMT

Italian scrum are getting on top I reckon.

freyners

nice kick, 10-6

mar-z

Italy really on top in the set piece

its_phil

French need to commit more numbers to the breakdown or the Italians are going to continue playing with quick ball and Burton is just gonna sit in the pocket and take 3 every time.

You can clearly see Brunel's French club influence with all the dropgoal attempts.

freyners

that was ridiculous

mar-z

mar-z wrote: »

Italy really on top in the set piece

As I say it. Great try but too easy again

thomond2006

What a try by Malzieu.

A-Train

What a try! Terrible Italian defending but can't take away from that try.

KERSPLAT!

4 missed tackles...

beglee

That was a phenomenal try! Handed off two, dodged a 3rd, handed off a 4th and in, wow

RHunce

Damned work. Still 10-6?

irishbucsfan

Seriously pathetic tackling. Made it easy for him.

its_phil

Awesome step from Piccamoles and great finish by Malzieu