Eight newcomers in France rugby squad for New Zealand

He is also listed in terms of all time tryscorers too.

No it isn't. FFR govern French Rugby. The LNR run the Top 14 and Pro D2 competition.

You are from the "neuf-trois"!? - and you survived, well done! The demonstrations seem to be getting more and more ugly in Paris as the years go by but as you say, there's plenty of history.

Of course the FFR don't cause FFR is Rugby league

The FFR don't schedule Top 14 and Pro D2 club games.

I agree and disagree Atlas. Top 14 , H cup and internationals are not that comparable to NZ Super, club, ITM, Internationals. Its hard for a top french player if fit and in form to avoid duty in those three competitions and he wouldn't want to either. Michalak played over forty games last year as he went from the Sharks back to France, his form waned in the end and he got injured. He was over-used. There are other proven cases where players have played over forty games by year's end without playing in both hemispheres - Pelous and Nallet spring to mind a couple of years back. I haven't hand counted them this year but there will be several top players with over forty high level games. However I do agree that most do not reach this figure as they either get injured or will occasionally be rested for a game in top 14. They're still playing too much rugby and every foreign player who plays in France comments upon it as well. Its quite well documented and a number of players, managers and even administrators have called for change as the current schedule is not putting either the game or the players' wellbeing first. Personally I find it crazy that in four consecutive weekends there is the final of the European Heineken Cup, Toulon v Clermont, then the semi-finals of the Top 14 with Toulon, Clermont, Toulouse and Castres, then the final of the Top 14, then the first test in NZ. Look at the player lists above and see which clubs they come from. How much time will PSA have with his whole squad and how does he get them fresh and up to speed in this time? Its a big challenge. As a viewer and fan I'm looking forward to the rugby and therein is the problem! The players' needs aren't taken enough into account. We want to see two teams with similar freshness and preparation battling it out.

Yep saw that Parisien. (sbs still shows french news). But are you surprised? Every single demonstration (whether it's political, students, a cause or even a sport celebration like this) always turn ugly in Paris, and in most other cities if you ask me. Thats france. Tbh I think it's a mix of ultras and casseurs as the ultras got banned from attending games in the last couple of years so they are filthy right now. And casseurs well, because they are casseurs (am originally from the 93 but luckily moved to the country as a teen, pheeewwww!!).

Riccardo and Jerry, In all honesty PSA has selected what he considers are his best troops so there will be no excuses of having a B squad. In the past, some French coaches havent played the game and rested players but it's not the case this year so we won't have any excuse if we loose (well we will have others such as home refereeing, long season etc, but not this one ;). Some fans might have preferred Trinh-Duc to be called but it's not a huge omission. Others like Pape are injured. Tbh, I think the series won't be as one sided as initially thought and we will have a contest. If we can get the physicality we had a few years ago and some good rugby in the backs am happy with that ( i want physicality bar Williams broken jaw, not fun for the big man to have to again drink his winter soup with a straw. ).

theoretically played 44 games in ten months yes of course they 'could' But they do not Just like a NZ player 'could' play Super, club, ITM (weekends and mid-week), internationals for a full 10mths without a free weekend, more if January Super pre-season games counted. But they do not

And McCaw was out for that series in 09 too, Riccardo.

Caleb Ralph! Years back I had him as my 'journeyman' in a Super online tipping contest, never let me down - he never missed a game (was mentioned on a thread here last week, he holds the record for consecutive games - 104) And who can forget his cameo for the Reds in 2011 to cap his Super career?

The French rugby union still schedule the games last time I checked

The French clubs employ their players and they can't or don't want (depending on your point of view) a test oriented Rugby system.

Caleb Ralph? One of the most successful Super Rugby players. He was more underrated then anything.

Whoa Ben. Back up the truth truck! The Ashes and with England theoretically the stronger team on paper. Scintillating. Crickets nuances and subtelties. Its ebbs and flows. A Team game played by individuals. You should invest some time as it is outstanding and it is fantastic to see the England team so potentially strong even if their #2 ranking belies the fact that South Africa is head and shoulder the best Team in the World right now.

The fact that a lot of their best roster is missing from this tour would support that stance Moa but I'm never going to write off Les Bleu till the last whistle of the third Test. 27-22 in Dunedin ring a bell? Stronger team sure but no-one expected them to win; it had been 15 years since their previous victory.

That's pretty simplistic mate. I read a Justin Marshall piece on Stuff that supports your stance on physicality but in his opinion, which I rate, it's the All Blacks determination and adaptability that sets them apart. When you think about the extra roles played by most of the players this resonates. The locks for example are now receivers and carriers, pilferers, skilled passers in tight as well as the set piece specialists. Romano and to a lesser extent Retallick are good exponents of these extra skills. McCaw has virtually reinvented the openside role, somewhat due to his age and speed it has to be said, but he remains the next guy picked after the THP. When you get an expansion of these roles across the paddock and the team has some cohesion based on their belief in their systems and each other I think it's fair to say that the end product consists of more than just violence. Oh, and a decent knowledge of how far you can push the laws and referees is definitely a bonus:)

I can't see how the inability to control your own clubs and have a structure which lay the ground rules of country first club second is any excuse for robbing the Kiwi public of a great test series. They love winning but they like to do it against the best possible teams.

Just thinking about the French playing schedule since august and the beginning of top 14: 3 November internationals, 26 Top 14 games - 29 if finalist, 6 H Cup games - 9 if finalist, 3 NZ tests plus some mid-week matches. So a top player like Maestri, Picamoles or Dusautoir who are with Toulouse say, could have theoretically played 44 games in ten months unless injured or rested.

The reason for All Black dominance... violence... no other team except the Springboks have set out to physically intimidate New Zealand. The French have been able to occasionally and the Australians try, but all other teams tacitly admit physical defeat before the match starts. They are not tough enough, and not violent enough