France and Canada face off in a Pool D battle in Milton Keynes. Join The Roar for live scores and coverage of the 2015 Rugby World Cup from 5:00am (AEST).
French coach Philippe Saint-Andre has called for a big improvement from his side after back-to-back sub-par performances against both Italy and Romania as Les Blues look to take pole position in Pool D with a win over Canada.
France are two from two to start the tournament but head coach Saint-Andre was visibly furious during France’s laboured 38-11 win over Romania at the Olympic Stadium in London last week, with the former Toulon coach defending his half-time tirade claiming that it was all part of being a coach.
“A coach needs to be able to scream when needed, and to congratulate his players when things are going well,” said Saint-Andre after naming his side to play Canada.
“To be honest, I didn’t think about the fact that there may have been one or two cameras, apparently cameras are mandatory, so next time I’m getting upset, we’ll go under the showers!” added the former French captain.
Saint-Andre has made wholesale changes from France’s win over Romania introducing 12 new players into the starting XV with Brice Dulin, Wesley Fofana and Bernard Le Roux the lone survivors.
Rabah Slimani, Guilhem Guirado and Eddy Ben Arous come in to form an entirely new front row and they are joined in the tight five by Pascal Pape and Yoann Maestri who have both been recalled after starting against Italy.
Bernard Le Roux shifts from second-row to openside flanker and the Racing Metro backrower is joined in the backrow by Damien Chouly and captain Thierry Dusatoir.
Meanwhile in the backs, Toulon duo Sebastien Tillous-Borde and Frederic Michalak occupy the halves with Wesley Fofana and Mathieu Bastareaud playing outside them in the centres.
Brice Dulin shifts from full-back to wing for the second time under Saint-Andre, with Scott Spedding coming in at fullback and Remy Grosso receiving his first international start as the Castres winger replaces Sofiane Guitoune out wide.
France will need another bonus point win if they wish to keep the pressure on Pool D leaders Ireland, who defeated the Canadians 50-7 in their opening game in Cardiff two weeks ago, and fullback Spedding was full of praise for debutant Grosso and feels the Castres wideman has what it takes to be a difference maker for Les Blues.
“In the Top 14 last season, Remy was pretty much the best winger,” said Spedding of Grosso.
“He will be up for the challenge. He has waited for a long time, he really deserves his shot and I think he is going to take it.”
Meanwhile Canada are still in search of their first win of the tournament after going down in their opening two games to Ireland and Italy. The Canadians were easily beaten by Ireland but put in a much better performance against Italy and will consider themselves unlucky not to have got the win.
Canada have made six changes from the side that lost to Italy and although the personnel may have changed for Kieran Crowley’s side, the message remains firmly the same – win.
“We are here to win,” said Crowley ahead of Canada’s must win game.
“We are not here to play second fiddle. It is going to be a massive challenge for us. The French coach has said if they don’t make the final then it won’t have been a successful tournament for them. It is our job to make that happen.”
A bonus point win for France would put Les Blues four points clear of pool leaders Ireland, with Joe Schmidt’s side taking on Italy on Sunday, while if Canada can repeat their heroics of 21 years ago when they beat a Saint-Andre led side in Ottawa, then their World Cup dream will stay alive for another week.
Join The Roar for live scores and coverage of all the World Cup action from 5:00am (AEST).
wardad
Guest
Once again a really good blog Jack ,reading back through it gives me a really good impression of where teams like France are atm . Cheers mate !
albatross
Roar Pro
How long does the penalty advantage last for?
riddler
Guest
great show by canada.. cheers jack for the call..
Jack O'Toole
Roar Guru
FULL TIME - France secure the bonus point win and go top of Pool D on 14 points but yet again put in another sub-par performance riddled with ill-discipline and a lack of flair. France were clinical at the lineout and were good in the tight when it matter but were otherwise ill-disciplined, lacked any real penetration or spark through the middle or outwide and gave away too many penalties at the breakdown and in the scrum. Philippe Saint-Andre's side will have to improve massively if they want to trouble Joe Schmidt's Ireland and win Pool D and while France's lineout was a well oiled machine, they left a lot to the imagination in other areas of the field. Meanwhile the Canadians played with real vigour and desire and if they had of shown better discipline and decision making, the scoreline may have looked a lot closer than most would have imagined. Hearn and Van Der Merwe were the Canadians best on the day as the latter grabbed his third try in as many games as he continues his magnificent run of form at this year's tournament. Meanwhile Frederic Michalak was the clear standout in an otherwise unimaginative, disappointing display from the French backs. Michalak set up France's first try after putting Wesley Fofana away in the corner and proved to be highly elusive, creative and accurate for most of the night. While Michalak definitely has an aura of Quade Cooper's mercurial nature to his game, he turned up trumps for France tonight and will cause Joe Schmidt and Ireland a couple of headaches before their all important showdown next week. Ireland will be feeling a lot better about their chances given that tonight's performance marks France's third sub-par outing in as many games, and while France's lineout and maul looked particularly dangerous, Saint-Andre's men will have to be a lot more clinical and disciplined if they are to worry the defending Six Nations champions.
Jack O'Toole
Roar Guru
80 - France turn it over after some poor composure in the Canadian 22 and Canada come roaring back up the field with some very strong work in the midfield from Chris Hearn. Canada start to put some pressur eon the French but just as they look like breaking the line they duly turn it over and as a result the game comes to an end as referee JP Doyle blows for full time.
Jack O'Toole
Roar Guru
78' - Canada's search for a consolation is short lived as Olmstead gives away a soft penalty at the breakdown. There is a bit of disagreement in French ranks as what to do with the penalty but once again France opt to go for touch in search of sixth try. FRA 41-18 CAN
Jack O'Toole
Roar Guru
76' - France finally start to try and play some expansive rugby as Remy Tales tries to find Brice Dulin with a speculative cross kick from inside his own 22. France finally seem to take an exhale as Canada go in search of a consolation try. FRA 41-18 CAN
Jack O'Toole
Roar Guru
74' - TRY! Grosso scores on debut after benefiting from some great work from Scott Spedding. Simple decoy off the back of a scrum sets Spedding free and after shaking a poor tackle, the naturalised South African offloads to Grosso who is able to squeeze into the conrer and touchdown for France's fifth try. FRA 41-18 CAN
Jack O'Toole
Roar Guru
72' - Ouderago comes on for Chouly and Grosso appears to punish a rare mistake from Hearn as Doyle goes upto the TMO. FRA 34-18 CAN
Jack O'Toole
Roar Guru
71 - Nanyak Dala goes into the bin after a reckless and dumbfounding side entry to the ruck as France opt for the scrum 5 metres out from Canada's line. Typical of this game, France opt for the scrum but give away a penalty as Nicolas Mas is identified as the culprit. FRA 34-18 CAN
Jack O'Toole
Roar Guru
70 - Tiedemann is penalised for going straight down in his first scrum of the game. Tales predictably boots the ball straight into the corner as France go in search of a fifth try. FRA 34-18 CAN
Jack O'Toole
Roar Guru
67 - Nyanga comes on for Le Roux while Michalak's night comes to an end and Remy Tales enters the fray. Meanwhile for Canada Tiedemann comes on Woolridge.
Jack O'Toole
Roar Guru
66 - TRY! Pascal Pape scores his fifth international try and in doing so secures France the bonus point as once again France show their aerial dominance as the French bull their way towards the line. Pape takes the lneout and after rolling maul the veteran turned the beneficiary as his low drive form less than a metre out was enough to convince the TMO he had done enough to score. Michalak converts. FRA 34-18 CAN
riddler
Guest
can the shaun and george take a leaf out of tmo´s hughes book.. the show is not about you.. good call.. quick and easy..
Jack O'Toole
Roar Guru
64 - Roles reversed here as Canada are playing with a ll the flair while France get stuck into the bare bones of rugby. Phil Mack and Gilmour combine brilliantly through the middle but Canada's looming counter attack is broken up by a Bastareaud intercept. France win a pnealty down the short side and go straight towards the line and after a maul that brings Les Blues right towards the line, Doyle goes upstairs tot he TMO to see if Pape has scored. FRA 27-18 CAN
Jack O'Toole
Roar Guru
62 - Barkwill is penalised for the second time in as many minutes as Michalak boots the ball towards the corner. France go to the back of the lineout once again and angle towards the posts but after some stern Canadian defence, Parra shifts the ball wide to Bastareaud who knocks it on right on the line after substitute Olmstead did brilliantly to dislodge it. FRA 27-18 CAN
Jack O'Toole
Roar Guru
60 - Duastoir shows his class at the breakdown turning over the excellent Van Der Merwe. Duasatoir makes the tackle and is straight over the ball as he stops the winger and Canada in their tracks. The introduction of Morgan Parra has sped things up for the French as the French depth off the bench is starting to show its class. FRA 27-18 CAN
Jack O'Toole
Roar Guru
58' - Guirado OFF Kayser ON
Jack O'Toole
Roar Guru
56' - Ill-discipline costs Canada as substitute Sears-Duru gives Michalak a golden opportunity to take the game beyond a one score game.Sears-Duru made no real attempt to roll away as Michalak boots France nine points clear. Meanwhile Morgan Parra replaces Sebastien Tillous-Borde. FRA 27-18 CAN
Jack O'Toole
Roar Guru
53' - France turn the ball over again though isolation and continue to be highly ill-disciplined at the ruck as Maestri gives away a penalty for going off his feet. Hirayama knocks the ensuing penalty over as Canada make it a one score game as the deficit has now been cut to 6. FRA 24-18 CAN