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France coach Philippe Saint-Andre has announced his squad to play the Wallabies, starting on June 7 at Suncorp Stadium.
And to judge by some of his forwards, it looks like his plan is to hit the Wallabies in their weakest area – the front five – and plough them into the ground.
Many Roarers will say ‘good luck on that, monsieur’, and it’s true, the French may have a peck of trouble.
But it’s also true that the pack that’s coming is no light and fluffy croissant. It’s more a culotte de boeuf a la beaucerone.
Beaucerone is French for guard dog, which should give you some idea of what kind of dish it is – stacks of meat and potatoes – and what kind of pack this is.
Benjamin Kayser is a rock at hooker and quite a bit bigger than Dimitri Szarzewski, who’s injured and not available. The other hooker, Christopher Tolofua, is of Polynesian extraction and looks it at six feet, 117 kilograms.
The props are a nightmare. Rabah Slimani is built like a fire hydrant, veterans Thomas Domingo and Nicolas Mas are murder in the scrums, plus there’s the big Belgian, Vincent Debaty, who at six feet three and 128 kilograms… is a Frankenstein product.
The locks don’t get any smaller. Sebastien Vahaamahina, born in New Caledonia, is six feet eight and 126 kilograms. Alexandre Flanquart is a little taller than that, and Yoann Maestri, the lineout caller, is around the same height and weighs 121 kilograms. There are two flankers who don’t lighten the load much either – South African-born Bernard Le Roux, six feet six and 116 kilograms, and Antoine Burban, six feet two and 110 kilograms.
Two players, who’ve been discarded, much to the chagrin of many French rugby fans, are Pascal Pape and Francois Trinh-Duc. In five-eighth, Saint-Andre is going with a player Aussies and Saffers are pretty familiar with: Freddy Michalak. If Ewen McKenzie picks Quade Cooper for the Brisbane Test, it will be interesting to see two mercurial and sometimes erratic tens on the same field.
Morgan Parra, a natural in anybody’s book, will be the halfback, and they’ll be all kinds of talent outside, including dynamite centres Wesley Fofano and Gael Fickou, and Yoann Huget on the wing – three tries in this year’s Six Nations – and the reliable Brice Dulin at 15.
The back row duel should be a feature of these upcoming Tests. The Wallabies excel in this area but so do Les Bleus. Captain Thierry Dusautoir will be on one side of the French pack, Yannick Nyanga on the other with Louis Picamoles anchoring.
It’s going to be quite a clash, and let’s hope the refs let two teams who like to run the ball do it without too much nit picking.
Craig Joubert will be running the first Test, Wayne Barnes the second, Chris Pollock the third.
Bon chance a tous.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.