France v Uruguay - Friday (Thurs GMT)

[Lizard]

France might still think a big PD could be helpful. I hope Uruguay get stuck into them.

[Puja]

France starting XV to face Uruguay: Jaminet; Bielle-Biarrey, Vincent, Moefana, Villiere; Hastoy, Lucu; Gros, Bourgarit, Aldegheri, Woki, Taofifenua, Boudehent, Macalou, Jelonch (capt).

Replacements: Mauvaka, Wardi, Falatea, Chalureau, Flament, Cros, Couilloud, Ramos.


Massive rotation with 12 changes, not that that means anything with France's ridiculous strength in depth.

Puja

[Which Tyler]

Did anyone expect anything other than full rotation?
Shortest turn-around after their biggest match of the pool stages.

I wouldn't expect Uruguay and Namibia to be the 2nd XV's chance to stake a claim, then the 1st come back against Italy.

[Puja]

Did anyone expect anything other than full rotation?
Shortest turn-around after their biggest match of the pool stages.

I wouldn't expect Uruguay and Namibia to be the 2nd XV's chance to stake a claim, then the 1st come back against Italy, and mostly 1sts against Portugal ahead of the QF.

I would expect most of the 12 who are not playing in this game to play against Namibia actually, just to make certain that no-one's ring-rusty before Italy - I don't think anyone in the French camp will be taking Italy lightly after the 6N.

Puja

[francoisfou]

Louis Bialle-Biarrey (20 years and 87 days) will be the youngest ever player to represent his country at a World Cup.

Fabien Galthié can be confident that his B team, all of whom are more than adequate replacements for the first choice side, will do the job expected of them. Talented La Rochelle fly half Antoine Hastoy will have been miffed that he wasn't in the 23 for the Blacks and will want to shine to impress his coach.
Elsewhere, as has been said above, this squad is ridiculously talented and above all many are young, which bodes well for the future.

[Puja]

Elsewhere, as has been said above, this squad is ridiculously talented and above all many are young, which bodes well for the future.

Smug git!

Nah, enjoy it while you have it - have fun with your next decade of French dominance!

Puja

[francoisfou]

Elsewhere, as has been said above, this squad is ridiculously talented and above all many are young, which bodes well for the future.

Smug git!

Nah, enjoy it while you have it - have fun with your next decade of French dominance!

Puja

[Lizard]

Vamos, Uruguay!

[Which Tyler]

Uruguay:

15. Baltazar Amaya
14. Bautista Basso
13. Tomas Inciarte
12. Andres Vilaseca (Capt)
11. Nicolas Freitas
10. Felipe Etcheverry
09. Santiago Arata

1. Mateo Sanguinetti
2. Guillermo Pujadas
3. Ignacio Peculo
4. Felipe Aliaga
5. Manuel Leindekar
6. Manuel Ardao
7. Santiago Civetta
8. Manuel Diana

16. Facundo Gattas 17. Matias Benitez 18. Reinaldo Piussi 19. Ignacio Dotti 20. Lucas Bianchi 21. Carlos Deus 22. Agustin Ormaechea 23. Felipe Berchesi

[Puja]

Uruguay don't appear to be resting anyone, but instead going big. Good attitude.

Puja

[pompey-zebra]

Nice try from Uruguay!

[Lizard]

Nice try from Uruguay!

Might have just made France mad. Well taken though.

[pompey-zebra]

Nice try from Uruguay!

Might have just made France mad. Well taken though.

Yeah, France look like turning up the heat now.

[Which Tyler]

Uruguayan counterrucking is vicious

[Which Tyler]

That's red

[francoisfou]

That's red

Hope not. Taofifenua is over 2m tall tackling who’s probably the smallest Uruguayan player and got as low as he could. Yellow only, please.

[pompey-zebra]

That's red

Hope not. Taofifenua is over 2m tall tackling who’s probably the smallest Uruguayan player and got as low as he could. Yellow only, please.

Stays a yellow.

[francoisfou]

That's red

Hope not. Taofifenua is over 2m tall tackling who’s probably the smallest Uruguayan player and got as low as he could. Yellow only, please.

Stays a yellow.

Correct decision.

[16th man]

France looking like they've been caught a bit cold by the speed that the Uruguay are playing at.

That's the correct decision on the crossing, but the entire French defence looked offside from the maul.

[bruce]

That's red

Very lucky. Didn't seem to be many arms involved and direct hit to the head.

[Lizard]

Well. I would not have picked that as a halftime score.

[16th man]

That's red

Very lucky. Didn't seem to be many arms involved and direct hit to the head.

The Uruguayan drops height pretty fast from the tackle from behind, and he is trying to get low, he's hitting around the bottom of his ribs if he's upright.

The flip side of that, is that he's probably hitting with his elbow.

I'm happier with that being a yellow.

[francoisfou]

Good contest, and the French are well and truly rattled may have underestimated the opposition who are playing out of their skins!

[Which Tyler]

That's red

Very lucky. Didn't seem to be many arms involved and direct hit to the head.

Yup.
Barely any, if any change in height (he hit before the first tackler had actually affected the dynamics), and a tackle that was always illegal due to a lack of wrap - meaning that you've got to squint to find any mitigation, and then you can't apply mitigation anyway.

ETA, I don't think there was a change in height - willneed to see more replays. Either way, mitigation doesn't get applied for an otherwise illegal tackle.

[bruce]

Shaun won't be happy with the French defence