Lucasrg says...

@Toulousain lol...very funny one! ty

I believe France can win this game, I'm really looking forward to see Machenaud-Picamoles having some fun around Phipps (which I don't fancy at all at test rugby).

France is France....either they will demolish Aussies or embarrasing themselfs at home. We'll see.

Posted 19:51 09th November 2012

Toulousain says...

i see where you're headed there rosbif. france team = 15 best men at a wedding. that would be funny, but it's uncomfortably close to the truth mon ami!! are we to assume these best men have also been drinking and maybe smoking at half-time?

until PSA has picked the same players 5 games in a row, and he has them more than 5 days before any given test match, i will also be calling them the French BaBas :-)

Posted 16:46 09th November 2012

TVaddict says...

@ArmchairGeneral

lol, I know what you mean, this is a match which could easy have a 20-30 point winner either way.

I personally think that France will look to play this in a really restrained forward and set piece orientated game. I think Australia will have predicted this and will win by about 3-6 points.

Posted 13:48 09th November 2012

markpat says...

This is the first time in a long time that I've not seen a load of excuses before the game why Australia shouldn't win. Makes a pleasant change.

@Rosbif - NZ only scored 2 tries in that first game, but they wasted about 10 golden opportunities. Their execution that game was absolutely appalling.

SAF showed that that the wallaby defence can be gashed and France have the potential to be much more cutting on attack.

Australia themselves (Mike Harris) have confirmed that, in the wet, they are unable to pass the ball beyond the fly half.

If Australia win, it will be by kicks from Harris. My concern for France is that they might waste the majority of the possession that I expect them to have.

I am really looking forward to the French counter-attacking following the aimless kicks that Australia's tactics this year have consisted of - will either be great or amusingly appalling.

Posted 12:41 09th November 2012

Rosbif says...

@OzinLondon, no not bluffing at all sir, but i realise it's hard to pick up such subtleties on the web. Funny, I'm a frog in london, so we have something in common!

Imagine the following, if I may make an analogy....

Do you think when Dale Steyn runs up to bowl at Andrew Strauss he's thinking to himself "well, I'll do my best, bit of natural flair and talent, put my back into it, that'll do the trick". I don't think so! He's got a plan to get him out. He's watched hours of video. He knows Strauss' trigger movements. He's set a field. It's a game of chess. He has to be ultra precise and know exactly what he's doing with the new ball. No wasted deliveries.

There are times when natural flair can overcome lack of preparation. Federer playing a miracle shot even when he's injured for example. Or Obama doing an off the cuff speech. But these are not team pursuits. Imagine 15 best men at a wedding, none having bothered to make notes, or compare jokes, all just "having a go". Would it work? I'm guessing it might be funny, but not in the conventional sense!!

How many times have we seen an England Saxons team preparing for Churchill Cup duty beat a BaBas team packed full of stars?

I think we should start thinking of France, not as a "national team", but as a hurried together mixed bag of really talented blokes who just met in the bus on the way to the ground. We should rename them the French BaBas.

Anyhow, as you say, it makes them fun to watch and difficult to predict. But hard to put your mortgage on :-)

Posted 12:19 09th November 2012

HardYakka says...

I know PR are based in England and South Africa, but seriously, are you ever going to get over your bias against Australia?

These "Injury depleted" Wallabies side have several players coming back from injury, are ranked second in the world, drew with the ABs two weeks ago, have been playing together through the rugby championship, have won 8 of their past 10 against France including the last 5, I could go on.

Sure the Wallabies occasionally implode and put in terrible performance (Scotland come to mind) but for the most part they do grind our wins, and are ranked second for a reason.

Posted 11:54 09th November 2012

Rosbif says...

I find myself agreeing mostly with the Aussies on this thread.

I'm struggling to see how France are going to score tries tomorrow night. A quick recap for the PR team who are making predictions. Aus-NZ first game of RC. 2 tries to NZ. Both off first phase. Exposed a rusty Beale in one-on-ones with Dagg and Jane. Next week in NZ Carter kicks ABs to 15-0 lead before Dagg finally cuts through. Last game in Brisbane, zero tries were scored.

So, the most precise attacking team in world rugby, with the highest ball-in-play stats, scores only 3 tries against Aus in 240 minutes of play. And Carter is at 88% from the tee. Hmmm.

Meanwhile, France have no attack patterns, since this is a totally new team with 2 light training runs and some video work under their belts. They will not be precise (6 degrees, Paris night, slippery ball, uncertain back-line combinations, etc). And France have a 55% kicker in Michalak. Aus meanwhile have a 95% kicker in Harris. And remember, we have Nigel Owens possibly blowing pens at every dubious scrum collapse.

@PR team. With the greatest respect, this is a test match. You can't back France to win if their only weapon is aimlessly "throwing it about a bit" and hoping to get lucky with some flair. That's just not how things work in the professional era.

I would love it if you're right PR, but I see Aus by 20+ points.

Good luck to both teams. Let's hope for a cracker :-)

Posted 11:00 09th November 2012

melkdave says...

Have to say im optomistic about Frances chances in this match of putting a big win on the wallabies.and overturning that dreadfull 2010 performance.They certinally wont havea better oppotunity imoNot that i dont respect Australia,they have shown as @Rugby_RockStar says real pride and steel,this year.PSA will want to get this new era off with a bang ,and i feel he willhave the team pfyched for this match,on a mission to recliam french honour ect.Anyways it should hopefully be one hell of a cracking match

Posted 10:22 09th November 2012

TheDazzler0911 says...

France by 8

Posted 10:12 09th November 2012

rugby_rockstar says...

Its funny how recent past results fly in the face of the percieved strengths and weaknesses of the two countries, but it has to be said that sometimes france have just humilated themselves with pathetic efforts. That 2010 result in particular was an insult to every honest french rugby fan. I would like to think that the last performance is something this french team will be keen to wipe out with a huge effort. There are loads of new faces in the side who should be full of enthusiasm and fire so lets see some french fire and flair.

As for Australia, This year's Rugby Championship left me with a lot of respect for their steel and pride. They are missing great players, they are always getting abuse from their own media. But they never give up and if France approach this match with any kind of nonchalance then Australia will win. England are playing them next week and I'm certainly sitting up and taking notice of the Wallabies.

Posted 09:51 09th November 2012