Wales vs France

Losty Dublin

The first bit is, like Eddie Jones' sister, dead easy

Wales: Halfpenny, North, Williams, Parkes, Williams, Biggar, Davies; R Evans, Owens, Francis, Hill, Jones (capt), Tipuric, Navidi, Faletau.

Replacements: Dee, Smith, Lee, B Davies, Shingler, A Davies, Anscombe, S Evans.

France: Fall, Fickou, Bastareaud (capt), Doumayrou, Grosso, Trinh-Duc, Machenaud; Poirot, Pelissie, Gomes Sa, Gabrillagues, Vahaamahina, Lauret, Camara, Tauleigne.

Replacements: Chat, Priso, Slimani, Le Roux, Babillot, Couilloud, Beauxis, Palis.

Preview. Earlier on today, we sent our intrepid reporter into the Leek and Croissant, Cardiff, for a in depth interview with the two coaches. Here's what they had to say....


On Eddie Jones's comments.


WG; There's no point in trash talking the Irish. I'v been doing it for years now and it does bugger all good.
JB; He makes nice jeans.

On today's game.


WG; With a good result today we can still win the Grand Slam. And stuff.
JB; With a good result today, we can actually win the toss. And if we don't, sure one of our clubs will probably buy several tosses until we win one.
WG; Their captain is a bastard. And their bench, I can't spell half of them and I'm pretty good at Scrabble.
JB; Their coach is one too. And my bench, well I can't spell half of them either.

On the forthcoming World Cup.


JB; I need to tighten up my squad.
WG; I need to tighten up my contract, in case they replace me with Neil Jenkins.

On the season just gone.


WG; Sure it's all a fix anyway. A bit like the RWC 2023 host nation selection.
JB; The clubs are happy to have it over. All their good players are knackered and want their reserves back off of me.
JB; So does this place serve beer?
WG; Just Brains.
JB; And you have the neck to give out about onion soup.
WG; You've clearly never had a pint of Brains before.
JB; I'll pass on le offer; you need plenty of it yourself.
WG; Shut your frog laced mouth. Just because you beat England last week doesn't give you the right to slag us off.
JB; Misseur Gatlund, we did see off the Pommes in style, oui oui.

On cartoon characters.


WG; What's the story with yer man Asterisk? Is he related to Serge Blanco?



JB Two words. Super Ted.

WG; Landlord, two pints please. And Cognac chasers please...
Landlord; Get out before I call a peeler....

Verdict. After two insipid seasons from two fairly flat teams, two flat gun teams need to do something and fast in what is a paper led limp end to the season. France probably showed more guile when they almost beat Ireland in Paris, and in their win in Twickers.

Wales probably look back to two TMO calls that could have gone their way; frankly I'm shocked that Warren G isn't still moaning about them to this day. A bit like how we moan about Wales in general, but I digress. Anyway, Wales have called up some fresh blood which should confuse assistant referee Wayne Barnes, not that he needs much confuse him at the best of times.

France have moved Benji Fall to full back, a move that will strike fear into the away fans. JB has opted to select Mathieu Basteraeud as his captain. Given their past history in Cardiff, this is probably part of his suspension from earlier on this season. Of course, there are no gay people in Wales so he shouldn't come to any harm.

So the result? France to break le duck, 28-19, a lot of sour grapes and hard cheese and Max Boyce to be put back on ice along with both teams hopes for 2019. Not that any of us will give a shoite, sure we'll all be drunk out of our tits given the days that's in it

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3KK12sHod0

I am utterly confused.

prawnsambo

Deleted User wrote: »

I am utterly confused.

I think that's the point of this game.

robyntmorton

Even though this game is utterly pointless, I salute Losty’s preview!

Yeah_Right

At least he has done his preview. Unlike that useless Syd fella.

sydthebeat

Yeah_Right wrote: »

At least he has done his preview. Unlike that useless Syd fella.

Just waiting for ultimate rugby to do their 'line up' pic so I can cut and paste

sydthebeat

sydthebeat wrote: »

Just waiting for ultimate rugby to do their 'line up' pic so I can cut and paste

I have no doubt that Joe browses the first few pages of the match thread as a final check to see if he has missed anything or to glean any useful insights about the opposition from the write up.

It's probably so late now that he won't have time.

If we lose tomorrow it's Syd's fault.

Thanks Syd.

sydthebeat

[Deleted User] wrote: »

I have no doubt that Joe browses the first few pages of the match thread as a final check to see if he has missed anything or to glean any useful insights about the opposition from the write up.

It's probably so late now that he won't have time.

If we lose tomorrow it's Syd's fault.

Thanks Syd.

Its alright venj, he was already into me this morning to spit ball a few issues and I put him at ease. Nae bother.

sydthebeat

sydthebeat wrote: »

Its alright venj, he was already into me this morning to spit ball a few issues and I put him at ease. Nae bother.

You might want to reconsider your phraseology there chuck...!

sydthebeat

Deleted User wrote: »

You might want to reconsider your phraseology there chuck...!

the phrase is good, its your mind thats warpped

Buer

Losty appears to have used geocities to make his preview post.

Wonderfully mad.

Webbs

Think this is an intriguing match even though there is nothing tangible to win for either team.

France have improved every match, even though they're still looking disorganised beyond a couple of phases it certainly appears that Brunel has got them playing for each other and a happy confident France is a dangerous beast. They still have their shortcomings, fitness being one of them, the Welsh setup and style of play even with Biggar in the team is to play a high tempo expansive game and with the pack they have chosen I am sure they will look to move France around.

Saying that the French pack worries me in that we could end up as we did against Ireland and get punished by pick and drive and recycling the ball if we stand off and dont compete at the breakdown. I think the backrow picked however will certainly have the ability and nous to slow down french ball and hopefully frustrate them. Faletau last week was impressive on first game back from injury showing glimpses of why he is the probably the best 8 in the NH. Another week on and I expect another step up from him.

Wales are not a million miles away from where they want to be. They look to go wide at almost any opportunity (to their detriment at times), the accuracy has certainly improved, in the past Wales have been really guilty of butchering chances (similar to Scotland last week!) but there has been a clinical edge this year. They have also improved their squad depth no end which all bodes well for 2019.

All in all I think this will be a high scoring game, both teams have nothing to lose but a lot to gain in confidence in their style of play (Wales) or just not being crap (France :-) )

Losty Dublin

Deleted User wrote: »

I am utterly confused.

Why?

Digifriendly

TV3 only showing second half of this game as they are showing presentation of 6N trophy to Ireland. First half live on 3e.

Losty Dublin

Ah, they actually are bothering to play this after all

pickarooney

France continuing with the comedy show from last week. The PlayStation freeze glitch for the opening Welsh try and Fickou summiting a pass into touch were the highlights so far.

Dravokivich

ScrubsfanChris wrote: »

Are tv3 even showing this game? Turned over and it was Stringer reporting from Twickers.

It's on 3e

ScrubsfanChris

Dravokivich wrote: »

It's on 3e

Just saw that. Was watching BBC anyway, just wanted to see who was commentating.

Losty Dublin

ScrubsfanChris wrote: »

Just saw that. Was watching BBC anyway, just wanted to see who was commentating.

I'd say that the girls off of X-Pose, Martin King and Al Porter are commentating.

Peregrine

ScrubsfanChris wrote: »

Just saw that. Was watching BBC anyway, just wanted to see who was commentating.

McNamara (ugh) with Mike Ruddock.

laugh

Peregrine wrote: »

McNamara (ugh) with Mike Ruddock.

McNamara seems more suited to circus announcer.

Losty Dublin

laugh wrote: »

McNamara seems more suited to circus announcer.

I'd have said circus ticket seller meself.

Burkie1203

Who is reffing this

Peregrine

Burkie1203 wrote: »

Who is reffing this

Ben O'Keefe of New Zealand. He was one of the ARs against Scotland last week.

Burkie1203

This match is a demonstration of ineptitude

Burkie1203

Some Welsh fans on Twitter saying they left because they can't see the game because people constantly going to and from the bars

Happy4all

Burkie1203 wrote: »

Some Welsh fans on Twitter saying they left because they can't see the game because people constantly going to and from the bars

I've experienced that at the Aviva in fairness.

Subpopulus

Bit of a cripple fight. Neither side seems that interested in winning.

Losty Dublin

The only one in Cardiff who's having a good game is Eddie Butler, and that's some performance given that he has to carry Davies and Moore today.

Burkie1203

This is so dull from france

Vital Transformation

Bastareaud is so good at the breakdown.

ScrubsfanChris

What the f did they kick it away for?
France are some stupid team.

corny

That is antonishingly poor from Doumayrou.

ScrubsfanChris

And the worst game of the tournament is poetically the last one.

Wales don't know what kind of game they want to play and France have to be the dumbest team in tier 1 rugby.

chupacabra

Jesus, I just watched the game in a pub with 5 or 6 welsh old boys in the corner and as soon as the final whistle blew they started singing and it sounded like a full choir filled the place. Makes me want to head to Cardiff for a home game now.

Hurrache

Burkie1203 wrote: »

Some Welsh fans on Twitter saying they left because they can't see the game because people constantly going to and from the bars

Unless they're working behind bar that claim is always an exaggeration.

IIGeminiII

chupacabra wrote: »

Jesus, I just watched the game in a pub with 5 or 6 welsh old boys in the corner and as soon as the final whistle blew they started singing and it sounded like a full choir filled the place. Makes me want to head to Cardiff for a home game now.

Second place is a good result for them. France without Bastardeau would be a walkover.

ScrubsfanChris

Taking Machenaud off and leaving Trinh-Duc on the field was a truly awful coaching decision. Would be wholy suprised if he ever starts at 10 for France again.

Thanos

OK, big argument here in the house
In this match, that kick off, it did not go 10 so should that not have been a scrum on half way?......

Losty Dublin

Thanos wrote: »

OK, big argument here in the house
In this match, that kick off, it did not go 10 so should that not have been a scrum on half way?......

A receiving team can opt to accept the kick and play on, or to take the line out formed on the halfway line if it goes out on the full, to take a scrum formed on the halfway line or to face a new kick off.

Going 10 simply means that the ball crosses the 10 metre line and it can travel on the surface or take a bounce on its way to go 10. If it happens that the ball doesn't go 10 then a team may catch the ball and play on or they can take a line out from where it went into touch. In the case of a ball going 10 and then returning back into the 10 meter line then the kicks is fair and it's play on.

This game may as well not have existed for me, was it any good?

connemara man

[Deleted User] wrote: »

This game may as well not have existed for me, was it any good?

Nope

Peregrine

[Deleted User] wrote: »

This game may as well not have existed for me, was it any good?

Rubbish

Burkie1203

[Deleted User] wrote: »

This game may as well not have existed for me, was it any good?

Game of the day

2nd half was like watching Wales 1970s v France 1980s

Dubinusa

Just watched the highlights....
What garbage, absolute dogshyte.
If France get organized they'll run through that Welsh side.
Gatland is not in the same league as Schmidt.

Burkie1203

Dubinusa wrote: »

Just watched the highlights....
What garbage, absolute dogshyte.
If France get organized they'll run through that Welsh side.
Gatland is not in the same league as Schmidt.

Scrum V last night and Gatland was mildly criticised for his selections and not sticking to any structure.

Jonathan Davies spoke about them needing to decide on how they will play and with RWC in mind decide on who his first choice 10 is


As for France, not having a decent 10 and group of dumb players will see them remain rabble for some time

Dubinusa

Right. They are chaotic.