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.
sixo_clock
Roar Guru
Cheers, :) ;) :( :)
Daz
Guest
Haha point well taken. But even Chihuahuas have a bite and as they say every dog has its day in the sun. For mine I want to see them act like Qld Blue Heelers, a cross between Dingo unpredictability and Wolfhound ferocity. If you need an example just google Trevor Geilmeister.
Sircoolalot
Guest
Scots are actually pretty decent as a unit. Their ball retention is up there with the best in the world. Not great at counter rucking though, when they lose it they don't seem to get it back very often. Scrum is average Lineout is up there with the best on form Skills are absolutely shocking though, same with the rest of the team. Not even anything flash just catching, running lines etc...
Bakkies
Guest
Afternoon games at the SFS are terrible as you can barely see the ball due to the glare. French tv viewers won't be able to see the game either and they watch Rugby in bigger numbers.
Chan Wee
Guest
what about Sheridan , i think he was taller than Carl H also Mackintosh of chiefs looks really tall. and Wayatt crokkett also. from a physics point of view , i think u need the props to be os same / simillar height. else there will be listing to shorter side.
Chan Wee
Guest
same with the footy team :P
Chan Wee
Guest
i think the SH sides shud also play a test series on an alternate basis in NH. all 3 tour and play one test vs each of the NH sides (sometimes italy). IMO test tours shud be reciprocal. happens in cricket :)
Garth
Guest
How many RWC finals have France lost now?
Birdy
Guest
I think your call to arms for the Wallaby pack and the dog analogy would be more effective if most people around the world hadn't come to the conclusion, after watching Aussie packs for the last decade, that they resemble Chihuahuas more than Pit Bulls.
expathack
Guest
What was the score the last time a Deans-coached Wallabies met France?
Daz
Guest
Good luck to Les Bleus. To continue your dog analogy, it's not the size of the dog in the fight but the size of the fight in the dog. Many dogs outsize and outweigh a pit bull but I know which dog I'd put my money on. Two things the Wallabies can take from a pit bull: No other dog outweighs them for sheer bloody minded determination and they don't growl and make noises before the battle, they just attack and never give up.
Birdy
Guest
Good points Jeznez. Andrew Sheridan of England was about the same height as Hayman. Backing up your point, both are legendary amongst their team mates for their basic strength.
Blinky Bill of Bellingen NSW
Guest
Steady on, you'll knock my confidence.
Rusty
Roar Guru
cant wait to see if he gets "mugged" on tour again
nickoldschool
Roar Guru
Perso I think PSA will go with that: 15 Dulin, 14 Huget, 13 Basta, 12 Fofana, 11 Medard, 10 Tales, 9 Parra, 8 Picamoles, 7 Nyanga, 6 Dusautoir, 5 Maestri, 4 Flanquart, 3 Mas, 2 Kayser, 1 Domingo PSA has only selected 3 locks so I think he might try something there and bring a 3rd row (maybe Chouly or Le Roux, or even Picamoles?). The group: Forwards (18) : Front rowers : Thomas DOMINGO (Clermont), Alexandre MENINI (Toulon), Guilhem GUIRADO H (Perpignan), Benjamin KAYSER H (Clermont), Christopher TOLOFUA H (Toulouse), Vincent DEBATY (Clermont), Nicolas MAS (Montpellier), Rabah SLIMANI (Paris) Locks : Alexandre FLANQUART (Paris), Yoann MAESTRI (Toulouse), Sébastien VAHAAMAHINA (Perpignan) Back row : Antoine BURBAN (Paris), Damien CHOULY (Clermont),Thierry DUSAUTOIR (Toulouse), Yannick NYANGA (Toulouse), Fulgence OUEDRAOGO (Montpellier), Louis PICAMOLES (Toulouse), Bernard LE ROUX (Racing), Backs (13) : Scrum-half : Maxime MACHENAUD (Racing-Métro 92), Morgan PARRA (Clermont) FH : Frédéric MICHALAK (Toulon), Rémi TALES (Castres) Centres : Mathieu BASTAREAUD (Toulon), Gaël FICKOU (Toulouse), Wesley FOFANA (Clermont), Rémi LAMERAT (Castres) Wings : Yoann HUGET (Toulouse), Felix LE BOURHIS (Bordeaux), Maxime MEDARD (Toulouse) Full-backs : Hugo BONNEVAL (Paris), Brice DULIN (Castres)
Warren Adamson
Roar Pro
The same can be said for almost any match that a team feels robbed. New Zealand felt as though food poisoning stopped them in '95. South Africa were knocked out of the 2011 World Cup for some shocking referee decisions: Australia were allowed to play the ball on the ground for countless rucks. Wales felt robbed in 2013 against Australia. It's the way of the game and "rub of the green/bounce of the ball." Get over it and play the game - every team has felt robbed and sometimes rightly so, but with TMOs now having better influence and the referee board being transparent with their selections and discipline, referees are now held to a higher standard.
chochie
Guest
Wallabies will be too good for that team...3-0 whitewash my prediction
Tane Mahuta
Guest
1) Domingo 2) Kayser 3) Mas 4) Vahaamahina 5) Maestri 6) Dusautoir 7) le Roux 8) Piccamoles 9) Macheneaud 10) Michilack 11) Medard 12) Fofana 13) Bastareuad 14) Huget 15) Dulin Is my guess.
Tane Mahuta
Guest
The Wallabies have only gone backwards since Deans if you are concerned about wins, points differential, defence, RC placing and ranking points. But who cares about wins, its all about looking pretty.
chuck
Guest
How many test have they won against THE ALL BLACKS since 2011 your true champion's did you say!!!!!!