All Blacks v France Deux: Déjà vu?

[Lizard]

Steve Hansen has turned the cliché of "Depends which France turns up" on its head by making it clear which All Blacks XXIII will show up - the exact same one as last time. (With 6 potential test debutantes in the squad still unused, there will be some fired up young players in the camp, I expect.)

I'm not sure when Les XV des Bleus is named. It will be interesting to see whether they think a similar squad can build on the good first half from last week, or if the massive blow-out that followed needs to be put behind them with an injection of fresh players.

The result seems foregone, but of course you can never count the French out. Watch for hypervigilant refereeing of tackle height!

[zer0]

I would've thought there would be at least one change in the midfield. Either Laumape to second five, Crotty to centre and ALB to the bench, or a straight swap of Goodhue for ALB. As it is, ALB can count himself very luck as he seems to have continued his Chiefs form of largely doing nothing in attack.

[Lizard]

It is a bit odd. Why have all this fresh blood in the squad and not give a couple of them a run off the bench? We’ve still got probably 19 tests until RWC2019 (2x FRA, 6x TRC2018, BCIII2018, 4x NH tour 2018*, no June tours so presume 6x TRC2019 and no BCIII?). There’s not really any hurry to settle on a 1st XXIII yet is there?

*Jap, Eng, Ire, Ita

[Lizard]

...

I'm not sure when Les XV des Bleus is named. It will be interesting to see whether they think a similar squad can build on the good first half from last week, or if the massive blow-out that followed needs to be put behind them with an injection of fresh players.
...

A bit of both.

T14 finalists Babillot, Galletier come in as flankers, moving Gourdon from 7 to 8 while Sanconnie and Cancoriet drop right out. Fellow finalist Fall replaces Medard who goes to the bench in place of Fikou, who in turn gets to start for Rosso who is out with a cracked skull. Gabrillagues also drops to the bench,switching with the very definitely French Bernard Le Roux. Bourgarit takes the 16 jersey off Pelissei, and Cedate Gomes Sa gets 18 from Slimani.

FRANCE: Benjamin Fall, Teddy Thomas, Mathieu Bastareaud (capt), Geoffrey Doumayrou, Gael Fickou, Anthony Belleau, Morgan Parra, Kevin Gourdon, Kelian Galletier, Mathieu Babillot, Yoann Maestri, Bernard Le Roux, Uini Atonio, Camille Chat, Dany Priso. Res: Pierre Bourgarit, Cyril Baille, Cedate Gomes Sa, Paul Gabrillagues, Alexandre Lapandry, Baptiste Serin, Jules Plisson, Maxime Medard.

ALL BLACKS: Jordie Barrett; Ben Smith, Anton Leinert-Brown, Ryan Crotty, Rieko Ioane; Beauden Barrett, Aaron Smith; Luke Whitelock, Sam cane, Liam Squire; Scott Barrett, Sam Whitelock (c); Owen Franks, Codie Tay;pe, Joe Moody. Reserves: Nathan Harris, Karl Tu'iinukuafe, Ofa Tuungafasi, Vaea Fifita, Ardie Savea, TJ Perenara, Damian McKenzie, Ngani Laumape.

[cashead]

It is a bit odd. Why have all this fresh blood in the squad and not give a couple of them a run off the bench? We’ve still got probably 19 tests until RWC2019 (2x FRA, 6x TRC2018, BCIII2018, 4x NH tour 2018*, no June tours so presume 6x TRC2019 and no BCIII?). There’s not really any hurry to settle on a 1st XXIII yet is there?

*Jap, Eng, Ire, Ita

Not really, but it's not unusual for he basis of the starting XV to have been identified.

Take England for example. You can see the basis of the 2003 RWC final team being formed in their annual hitouts against Australia at Twickenham (for the record, the XXII for that game was - in numerical order: Woodman, Thompson, Vickery, Johnson, Kay, Hill, Back, Dallaglio, Dawson, Wilkinson, Cohen, Tindall, Greenwood, Robinson, Lewsey, West, Leonard, Corry, Moody, Bracken, Catt, Balshaw), that by the time we get to the 2003 June test win in Melbourne against the Wallabies, the team is almost identical to the one that appeared in the RWC final later that year (in the June Melbourne test, Bracken was an unused replacement, while on the bench, neither Steve Borthwick nor Alex King made the RWC squad).

[cashead]

I would've thought there would be at least one change in the midfield. Either Laumape to second five, Crotty to centre and ALB to the bench, or a straight swap of Goodhue for ALB. As it is, ALB can count himself very luck as he seems to have continued his Chiefs form of largely doing nothing in attack.

Laumape's value is greatest being brought off the bench at his stage in his career. Just because a player isn't starting doesn't mean he's surplus to requirements or whatever, it just means that he's got a role specific to being reserve, and that's where they can add the most value. I don't see the point in needlessly taking that away and diminishing the value added of the player.

[Mellsblue]

Remind me of the name of the singer for La Marseillaise, again. Very talented lady.

My son is sat here, in his flipping NZ shirt, asking why NZ and France have such inspiring anthems and we have the boring God Save the Queen. Bloody citizens of nowhere.

[Mellsblue]

That could be red. Eyes on ball, so I’d go yellow.

[Mellsblue]

Such a shame - game over after 10 mins for a mistake.

[zer0]

Remind me of the name of the singer for La Marseillaise, again. Very talented lady.

My son is sat here, in his flipping NZ shirt, asking why NZ and France have such inspiring anthems and we have the boring God Save the Queen. Bloody citizens of nowhere.

TBF Moses Mackay seems to be the only guy on the planet who can make God Defend NZ sound any good, and God Save the Queen is pretty boring. Change that shit to Land of Hope and Glory or Rule Britannia and you'll be in business. I'm sure Lizzie won't mind.

Card was terrible.

[canta_brian]

Such a shame - game over after 10 mins for a mistake.

As a law it seems poorly devised. Often you have a defender static under the ball in a position to catch. The attacking player is moving quickly and jumps from distance. Should the defender move back and then run at the ball to allow an equal jump? Otherwise you are getting sent off simply for existing in the space under the ball that the attacker jumps into.

[cashead]

TBF Moses Mackay seems to be the only guy on the planet who can make God Defend NZ sound any good

Truth.

[Mellsblue]

Remind me of the name of the singer for La Marseillaise, again. Very talented lady.

My son is sat here, in his flipping NZ shirt, asking why NZ and France have such inspiring anthems and we have the boring God Save the Queen. Bloody citizens of nowhere.

TBF Moses Mackay seems to be the only guy on the planet who can make God Defend NZ sound any good, and God Save the Queen is pretty boring. Change that shit to Land of Hope and Glory or Rule Britannia and you'll be in business. I'm sure Lizzie won't mind.

Card was terrible.

The cricket team walk out to Jerusalem which is far more inspiring, if still far too religious. I can understand us using GSTQ against the other home unions just remind them who their masters are but we definitely need a change otherwise.

[Mellsblue]

Such a shame - game over after 10 mins for a mistake.

As a law it seems poorly devised. Often you have a defender static under the ball in a position to catch. The attacking player is moving quickly and jumps from distance. Should the defender move back and then run at the ball to allow an equal jump? Otherwise you are getting sent off simply for existing in the space under the ball that the attacker jumps into.

Yep, silly law. I don’t like that the sanction is based on outcome with little regard for intention.

[Mellsblue]

McKenzie is the business.

[Mellsblue]

Surely the correct decision there is a yellow card for Whitelock for being dump tacked by a 10.

[Mellsblue]

Well done France. That try was fully deserved.

[cashead]

Well, that sucked.

[rowan]

Moral victory to the Frogs, by the sounds of it.

[Lizard]

Yep. Totally.

[rowan]

You probably have the stats on this, but some are suggesting the ABs never been quite the same since McCaw's retirement.

[Lizard]

Tests involving McCaw: Played 148, won 131, lost 15, drew 2 (89.2%)
McCaw as captain: Played 110, won 97, lost 11, drew 2 (89.1%)
Since McCaw: Played 29, won 25, lost 3, drawn 1 (86.2%)

Slight drop, but not statistically significant. If the draw had been a win, it would be 89.7%.

[Which Tyler]

Such a shame - game over after 10 mins for a mistake.

As a law it seems poorly devised. Often you have a defender static under the ball in a position to catch. The attacking player is moving quickly and jumps from distance. Should the defender move back and then run at the ball to allow an equal jump? Otherwise you are getting sent off simply for existing in the space under the ball that the attacker jumps into.

Yep, silly law. I don’t like that the sanction is based on outcome with little regard for intention.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again; but the penalty should be shown to the man who created the dangerous situation. If the defender is in place, and you jump into him, that's your own bloody fault, even if you go off on a stretcher

[morepork]

Well, that farked the game pretty early on. The Frogs looked up for it too. Stink one.

[canta_brian]

I don't want to bash the ref, but I've only seen some highlights. Any thoughts on his overall performance? The red card seemed a poor decision, and the early 2nd half not try for France, whilst corrected by the 4th official looked about as obvious a double movement as I have ever seen.