SA v Francey

[Mr Mwenda]

Anybody see these games? All I've seen is some strange wittering. Based on where SA were in the autumn i'm surprised the frigs didn't win one of the matches.

[morepork]

Anybody see these games? All I've seen is some strange wittering. Based on where SA were in the autumn i'm surprised the frigs didn't win one of the matches.

SA won both pretty handily but only because they defended like mad. France were big, confrontational, but utterly predictable, spending the majority of the games running one out from rucks. Some of the phases went 20-plus.

[Mr Mwenda]

Tah - saw some highlights of a french debutant centre who looked pretty handy. Clearly those were the only bits worrh watching.

[Spiffy]

Tah - saw some highlights of a french debutant centre who looked pretty handy. Clearly those were the only bits worrh watching.

Penaud. Exciting player. Only about 20. Wonder if he is related to the old French FH Penaud?
Kolisi looking a bit special in the Bok backrow.

[morepork]

Tah - saw some highlights of a french debutant centre who looked pretty handy. Clearly those were the only bits worrh watching.

Penaud. Exciting player. Only about 20. Wonder if he is related to the old French FH Penaud?
Kolisi looking a bit special in the Bok backrow.

All action,

[Hollognois]

Penaud. Exciting player. Only about 20. Wonder if he is related to the old French FH Penaud?
Kolisi looking a bit special in the Bok backrow.

Yes, the young Damian Penaud is the son of "the old french FH" Alain Penaud.

[Mr Mwenda]

Just turned this on to see the french pressing for ages but without any real guile until turned over. Stuuuupid.

[Mr Mwenda]

Deoressing from France - it's like they're surprised when they can't just bust through the defence with power.

[francoisfou]

I didn't see any of the matches but I'm not surprised we lost all three tests.
I don't mean to make excuses in this age of professional rugby but these French players have been playing since August and must be knackered.
We can probably say something similar for the Boks and all other top tier sides but sadly in France the national XV hasn't been given priority, it's the clubs who have had the biggest say. However, with Bernard Laporte as President of the FFR, things are changing, but it's not going to happen overnight. Another wave of foreign players will be arriving for the new season thus restricting game time for young French players who want to put their hands up to be selected for les Bleus. There are a couple of very promising new players appearing - centre Damien Penaud for one (mentioned above) and we've a surfeit of top class scrum-halves , Serin, Dupont, Parra and Machenaud, but elsewhere we're a bit thin.
In November, we're playing the All Blacks, the Boks and Japan. Revenge against the Boks would be sweet.

[Mr Mwenda]

I thought this year they had more national team prep time? Has this borne any fruit?

[francoisfou]

I believe they did for the 6N and where did they finish? 5th, I think with a record of won two lost three.
So there ain't much fruit in the tree!!
Guy Novès has "had the support of the FFR", which of course is the kiss of death and unless they beat either the Blacks or the Boks, he'll have an appointment with La Guillotine!!

[Hollognois]

I believe they did for the 6N and where did they finish? 5th, I think with a record of won two lost three.

The team that finished 5th with a record of won two, lost three was Wales. France finished 3rd ..

[rowan]

Boks A beating French Baabaas, I believe

[francoisfou]

I believe they did for the 6N and where did they finish? 5th, I think with a record of won two lost three.

The team that finished 5th with a record of won two, lost three was Wales. France finished 3rd ..

Thanks for correcting me!!

[rowan]

Vast tracts of empty space in those stands! There was a time when I'm sure a fixture like this would have sold out in SA. Which begs the question, is there simply too much rugby in the modern era? It's not just the increasing amount of international rugby on display, but also Super Rugby in addition to long-standing provincial and club competitions. I mean, the fans are only going to go and watch so many games per year. & then you've got live games from elsewhere in the world on TV and via live streaming as well. So eventually that's going to lead to spectator burnout. I know. I've been there, and that's precisely why, apart from the business end of the quadrennial World Cups, I limit myself mostly to third tier games nowaways, when I choose to stream a match on the net.