RWC Pool D: France vs Italy, Twickenham 20:00 TV3/ITV4

Losty Dublin

France vs Italy; Twickenham, Kick Off 8PM BST. Live TV on TV3, UTV, STV and ITV.

Preview. The old rugby cliche asks about which French team shows up today but the other variable at play here is which Italian team turns up as well.

On the basis of their pre season and losses to Wales and Scotland, it isn't looking too good for Italy. Add to is that that squad captain Sergio Parisse is unavailable today and that Luca Morisi is out entirely with a FIAT leg you'd assume that there is little hope for the Azzurri. Still, they have the luxury of being able to call up Campagnaro, who is not shabby by any stretch and they field a front row who are so experienced that their first caps could well have come in front of Caesar in the Coliseum. Plus, Italy can rise their game at the queerest of times, so much as to disappoint us when they under perform.

On paper it's a very strong France with only Fofana missing from a panel who had a strong warm up season. Tillous-Borde is preferred at 9 while Michalak will be kicking at fly half, something which may distract him from feeding Bastarseaud the train crash ball that he is best know for.

Therein comes the age old legend of which one of their team turns up. A strong showing against England a few weeks showed a fit and hungry France who are capable of making the final; the second half of their game versus Scotland showed the France which we know and love to play when we want them not to. Given Italy's ability to get under teams at times and to swing a few digs and the French penchant for slow starts and for dig swinging as well, this may not be the latter and it may not be the former but a fight it will likely be.

My verdict. France to win, 37-16 and for Joubert to tolerate a bit of fisticuffs.

Zzippy

Another great preview, thanks.

Is it wrong of me to hope for a few knocks for French players?

irishfeen

For those with a HD subscription and want to watch ITV's coverage on ITV4HD... also under this frequency is ITV1 Granada HD

Del.Monte

Can't see past a French win but I struck gold with a bet on Japan earlier and Italy at 9/1 is tempting. Perhaps betting on yellow cards would be the sensible option.

efb

Two great anthems

LuckyGent88

Hopefully Italy continue the day of shocks but realistically can't see it happening.

France by 10

Stheno

Zzippy wrote: »

Another great preview, thanks.

Is it wrong of me to hope for a few knocks for French players?

Not according to Keith Wood, who earlier hoped both teams would give each other a few heavy knocks tonight

ongarite

Freddie being himself as usual.

Italy being Italy too with 3 penalties against already.

marco_polo

Scant evidence that we'll be getting a shock this evening

Dave_The_Sheep

France looking up for this one.

Surely that's advantage over Joubert? At least 15 metres gained there...

[edit] Should be a score, no matter.

thomond2006

That's a try. Picamoles' pass was flat.

Given! What a start from France.

Stheno

Have they changed the rules about refs not being from one of the playing countries?

Jaysis try reversed.

adox

No try.

corny

Terrible tmo

Dave_The_Sheep

And possibly rescinded.

Here we go again.

laugh

Let's just check that again.

aimee1

Dropped?

nehe milner skudder

this is ridiculous

Sever Tomorrow

Winger dropped it. This is ridiculous, they should have noticed that the first time round!

CurryFlavoured

Where's Fofana? Fantasy is going well...not.

That French winger is hilarious..same guy who nearly botched the try v England.

misslt

Definitely dropped it

nehe milner skudder

i know right decision was arrived at but this is farcical

Mint Sauce

Big screen over rules again.

edgecutter

France looking very good. Italy lacking discipline.

Pudsy33

CurryFlavoured wrote: »

Where's Fofana? Fantasy is going well...not.

That French winger is hilarious.

Injured but he will be back

nehe milner skudder

Please can we check michelaks pass from cardiff 07'

nehe milner skudder

who controls the big screen? any definitive newer.
Local tv?
IRB
Stadium officials?

matthew8

Absolutely dire start by Italy. There was a bit of a pull on Nakaitaci's arm I thought, he certainly would have stood a much better chance of controlling it if he wasn't grabbed.

corny

Why did he drop it. He just let go.

efb

This is rediculous there was no big screen in Gloucester

Dave_The_Sheep

It'll get to the point where the kicker will be hurrying to get the conversion taken so the ref can't bring it back and change the decision.

efb

FYI OP its ITV4

thomond2006

Mint Sauce

How is the TMO missing these things though, and telling the ref he may award try, or saying no reason why he may not award the try, when surely, out of all the camera angles the TMO has, the replay on the big screen is one of them.

Pudsy33

The Italian 23 has been poison since he's come on

.ak

Is that not playing it offside?

marco_polo

Pudsy33 wrote: »

The Italian 23 has been poison since he's come on

Absolute muck the most indecisive player I have ever seen in his brief cameo so far

nehe milner skudder

the fact he said "no reason you cannot award the try" and then rescinded it after seeing it again means he made a bollox of his job first time round.
like a surgeon getting home and realising he left his scalpel inside you.


solution:

TMO is only one who gets the feed. not the crowd with their panto villain cheers or the bottle job ref.the screen should be turned off

thomond2006

Ah Mich...

aimee1

thomond2006 wrote: »

Ah Mich...

Flaky doing the crossbar challenge

.ak

Dave_The_Sheep wrote: »

It'll get to the point where the kicker will be hurrying to get the conversion taken so the ref can't bring it back and change the decision.

Haha yeh, did you see Freddie's face? Lol

Stheno

Grief poor discipline on both sides.

Joubert is obsessed with stable scrums

.ak

Poor game. Can we watch the japan game again?

RedXIV

I think I was too spoilt with the Irish dominance and Japan upset, this game is failing to inspire

Tox56

How do you say 'hold on lads we're in a good position lets just consolidate it and not try anything stupid' in French. It's like they can't help themselves

Pudsy33

This is awful. Italy have regressed so so much. Can we stick Japan on the 6 nations instead?

corny

Don't care what anyone says Joubert is a poor referee.

Tox56

Pudsy33 wrote: »

This is awful. Italy have regressed so so much. Can we stick Japan on the 6 nations instead?

Or Georgia

matthew8

Joubert's barely been able to keep his whistle out of his mouth for 5 seconds. Italy are absolutely awful. They've looked beaten since the first minute. France have actually been pretty good.

thomond2006

Spedding is lethal from the boot. Ireland can't afford any penalties 50m out in a few weeks!

ironingbored

Joubert is giving France all those penalties he failed to give them in 2011 Final.