Six Nations: France v Italy Match Thread

Zzippy

No preview, no tables. Post your views....

France 5-0 up

Zzippy

Try Italy, great maul

Burkie1203

Bizarre try

Clegg

Vahaamahina is playing worse than he did against us.

Some achievement.

misslt

Not grounded?

Burkie1203

Embarrassing nonsense from barnes

CptMackey

Strange call. Not sure it was collapsed

danganabu

Shamefull refereeing from Barnes, you would really hope that one of the other officials would have the backbone to tell him he is wrong.

Flincher

Bizarre. I thought the 6 had done enough to warrant the penalty try, but once Barnes determined that he wasn't at fault I can see how he could away the penalty try.

prawnsambo

Ah, I'd wait until I get a better view of it. Lauret was throwing all his weight on the maul, to the extent he was off his feet. I don't think that's the optimum way of stopping a maul.

Happy4all

Barnes is giving Italy a helping hand.

prawnsambo

Italians are playing well to be fair.

lawred2

Good fun so far

The f**ckin hands on the Italians. Fierce entertaining.

Zzippy

Bit of niggle in this, crowd getting involved too, sounds like a great atmosphere. Good game to watch so far

lawred2

As an aside, that is one hell of a stadium

lawred2

France had a few lads wildly off their feet going into rucks during that play.

FCIM

If Wales v England was decided on who has the better top ref, we'd win with a bonus point every year.

awec

Italian forwards just ineffective at ruck time

bloodless_coup

How was that not a knock on the half way line

pickarooney

How is it possible to fail to score each time they're 1 metre out?

lawred2

There was no review of that touchdown there... It didn't seem so clear cut to me as to not be reviewed even briefly

pickarooney

Surely McKinley would be better than the hopeless Allan. He can't get a kick right tonight.

IIGeminiII

Matt makes me horni. Williams. Very insightful. Wet.

jammiedodgers

Butchered that

Burkie1203

If italy had half backs they would win this

Awful from france

Chiorino

Vahaamahina is an absolute penalty machine.

pickarooney

Bastareaud is having some game.

Buer

IIGeminiII wrote: »

Matt makes me horni. Williams. Very insightful. Wet.

Anyone know how to report that Venjur has multiple accounts?

lawred2

Machenaud is a cracker

Sexy too

Neil3030

IIGeminiII wrote: »

Matt makes me horni. Williams. Very insightful. Wet.

You've made 22 posts since 2013.

That's an average of 4.4 posts per year.

So you allocated nearly 25% of your annual posting allowance to post this.

Outstanding, sir.

Soulsun

Neil3030 wrote: »

You've made 22 posts since 2013.

That's an average of 4.4 posts per year.

So you allocated nearly 25% of your annual posting allowance to post this.

Outstanding, sir.

Boom!

pickarooney

Italy in the dressing room already.

FCIM

Are we getting to the stage where we have to start seriously questioning Italy's continued involvement in this tournament? Can anyone honestly say they've improved in the 18 years they've been in it? An odd surprise win here and there but generally getting hidings on a majority of occasions including here against possibly the worst French team in living memory.

Burkie1203

FCIM wrote: »

Are we getting to the stage where we have to start seriously questioning Italy's continued involvement in this tournament? Can anyone honestly say they've improved in the 18 years they've been in it? An odd surprise win here and there but generally getting hidings on a majority of occasions including here against possibly the worst French team in living memory.

It wont happen so pointless discussing it

Benetton and zebre have been hugely better this year. That will take time to feed into the national side though if they can keep improving

FCIM

Burkie1203 wrote: »

It wont happen so pointless discussing it

Benetton and zebre have been hugely better this year. That will take time to feed into the national side though if they can keep improving

In the poorest league in top level European rugby.

I agree it won't happen but they devalue the tournament and I'm saying that as a serious italophile.

robyntmorton

The score line flatters the French. They have not been great, and the Italians have shown flashes of great play.

The Italians still have a long way to go though.

lawred2

robyntmorton wrote: »

The score line flatters the French. They have not been great, and the Italians have shown flashes of great play.

The Italians still have a long way to go though.

France butchered about three tries from a couple of yards out.

France played all the rugby in that match really..

Few flashes from Italy but nothing of consequence.

Scythica

Assume basta was motm?

Akrasia

FCIM wrote: »

Are we getting to the stage where we have to start seriously questioning Italy's continued involvement in this tournament? Can anyone honestly say they've improved in the 18 years they've been in it? An odd surprise win here and there but generally getting hidings on a majority of occasions including here against possibly the worst French team in living memory.

France should be kicked out of the 6 nations, they're not taking it seriously, playing a random team every game for the last 5 years

Or kick out Scotland, their record is almost as bad as Italy since the 6 nations was formed

Chex LeMeneux

Jesus whoever tapped and went there should walk home

FCIM

Conor O'Shea was just interviewed on Dmax Italia (the Italian Six Nations broadcaster). Good grief, his Italian is rough lol.

Jack Kanoff

FCIM wrote: »

Conor O'Shea was just interviewed on Dmax Italia (the Italian Six Nations broadcaster). Good grief, his Italian is rough lol.

Yeah, funny considering his mother is from Bologna and he spent all his summers growing up over there

pickarooney

Scythica wrote: »

Assume basta was motm?

Camara

FCIM

Jack Kanoff wrote: »

Yeah, funny considering his mother is from Bologna and he spent all his summers growing up over there

Genuinely?

He was using feminine words as if they were masculine and vice versa (even changing the ends of them, not just misusing il and la), his pronunciation was all over the place and the odd English word was thrown in too. Given that what he was saying wasn't that complicated and was about a topic he's working in every day, for a guy who has been in the job two years it surprised me.

I presume he must still live in Ireland and isn't getting the practice.

FCIM

Akrasia wrote: »

France should be kicked out of the 6 nations, they're not taking it seriously, playing a random team every game for the last 5 years

Or kick out Scotland, their record is almost as bad as Italy since the 6 nations was formed

Anyway...

I wouldn't kick anyone out. I might look at having a promotion/relegation playoff between the bottom 6N team and the champions of the Rugby Europe Championship. It'd give the tier 2 teams something to aspire to. At the moment, it's a closed shop and I don't see why, as examples, Georgia and Romania who are serious about the sport shouldn't get an opportunity against a team which is about to get it's thirteenth wooden spoon in nineteen tournaments.

thebaz

Burkie1203 wrote: »

It wont happen so pointless discussing it

Benetton and zebre have been hugely better this year. That will take time to feed into the national side though if they can keep improving

Italy should at least be forced to challenge the team in division below - Georgia - home and away knockout - its too comfortable for them today as ther continuos losses have no ramifications - I think it would actually benefit Italian rugby if they were to participate in games they might win - Italy got into the 6 Nations on the back of a team that was competive and probably better than Ireland - today ther continuos defeats seam to have no consequnce - sport is about winning and losing -

FCIM

thebaz wrote: »

Italy should at least be forced to challenge the team in division below - Georgia - home and away knockout - its too comfortable for them today as ther continuos losses have no ramifications - I think it would actually benefit Italian rugby if they were to participate in games they might win - Italy got into the 6 Nations on the back of a team that was competive and probably better than Ireland - today ther continuos defeats seam to have no consequnce - sport is about winning and losing -

The problem is, I suspect, the powers that be would be petrified of one of the other five having a bad year and getting shocked by Georgia or Romania in a playoff. I agree it should happen, as I said above, but unrealistic as one of the other five losing, particularly across a two legged contest against Georgia or Romania would be I suspect it's the reason a playoff will never happen. That and I have a suspicion the suits wouldn't be too happy having to swap Rome for Bucharest/Tbilisi every two years should it come to pass.

Buer

Italy would not lose to Georgia over two legs. It's not going to happen. Georgia play most of their games against tier 3 sides and then treat their games against tier 1/2 nations as cup finals. If they played higher tier nations regularly as Italy do, they simply don't have the set up to be anything close to competitive.

Italy were genuinely competitive when they were approved. They beat Ireland 3 times in the 90s for example. Georgia are not near that level.

Losty Dublin

Buer wrote: »

Italy would not lose to Georgia over two legs. It's not going to happen. Georgia play most of their games against tier 3 sides and then treat their games against tier 1/2 nations as cup finals. If they played higher tier nations regularly as Italy do, they simply don't have the set up to be anything close to competitive.

Italy were genuinely competitive when they were approved. They beat Ireland 3 times in the 90s for example. Georgia are not near that level.

This is true. Italy are spots over Georgia and they are spots better over their next best. What is needed is a stronger second tier competition that can run complementary to 6N, possibly involving the B+I cup or academy set ups as well but that's another thread for another day. For now Italy need good management and coaching and to be involved where they are today.

AbusesToilets

FCIM wrote: »

Genuinely?

He was using feminine words as if they were masculine and vice versa (even changing the ends of them, not just misusing il and la), his pronunciation was all over the place and the odd English word was thrown in too. Given that what he was saying wasn't that complicated and was about a topic he's working in every day, for a guy who has been in the job two years it surprised me.

I presume he must still live in Ireland and isn't getting the practice.

Needs to get McKinley in as translator.