Rugby
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Maxime Medard, Vincent Clerc, Aurelien Rougerie, Wesley Fofana, Julien Malzieu, Francois Trinh-Duc, Dimitri Yachvili; Jean-Baptiste Poux, Dimitri Szarzewski, Nicolas Mas, Pascal Pape, Yoann Maestri, Thierry Dusautoir, Imanol Harinordoquy, Louis Picamoles
Replacements: William Servat, Vincent Debaty, Lionel Nallet, Julien Bonnaire, Morgan Parra, Lionel Beauxis, Maxime Mermoz
A few changes for Fra with HarryN in at openside, apparently as much to bolster the lineout as anything. Is he and openside though? Szarzewski gets the nod at hooker. I believe Servat is the better player. Poux for Debaty at prop and Maestri for Nallet in the second row. Don't have an opinion either way on those choices.
As ever the bench looks very strong.
The main question this week in the run-up to the game is can Ire really be as short at 4.50 come 9pm in Paris with the final bars of La Marseillaise ringing around the stadium?
Replacements: William Servat, Vincent Debaty, Lionel Nallet, Julien Bonnaire, Morgan Parra, Lionel Beauxis, Maxime Mermoz
A few changes for Fra with HarryN in at openside, apparently as much to bolster the lineout as anything. Is he and openside though? Szarzewski gets the nod at hooker. I believe Servat is the better player. Poux for Debaty at prop and Maestri for Nallet in the second row. Don't have an opinion either way on those choices.
As ever the bench looks very strong.
The main question this week in the run-up to the game is can Ire really be as short at 4.50 come 9pm in Paris with the final bars of La Marseillaise ringing around the stadium?
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Replies: 474
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do you not fancy france to cover the -9.5 handicap?
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Fra at home in the 6 Nations is an impressive record, especially in recent of years.
31 6N games, won 26, lost 5 for a success rate of approx 84%. Only Eng in 2008 and Wales in 2005 have won there in the last decade. |
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I'm not a cap player fordyce. I just feel the book on the high street at 1.25 is most reflective of where this price will end up by KO.
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Ireland going to get a right pasting.
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yes were guna get trounced thats 4 sure 6 nations alredy finished for us hope wales win it now
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I reckon that Ireland can win this against a very very inconsistent French side...
Ireland will give it 100%....and that may be enough.... Ireland by 7 points imho |
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i hope ur rite but really cant see it ireland never do well in france no BOD we aint same team
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D'Arcy and McFadden or D'Arcy and Earls, either way it's difficult not to see them in serious trouble against that French midfield.
Which means that Ireland have to get the better of this French pack, in France, where France rarely ever lose in this championship. The Irish strength is their back-row, but the French have a mighty looking trio as well. I hope Ireland can cause enough problems to give us 80 minutes of competition, but I'm not convinced. |
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i think r 6 nations has ended already no triple crown and cant win it french will destroy us imo hope not but i dont see how we can win
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Pitch is going to be a problem by all accounts.
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constructive comment from GPT alert
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France will be without Dimitri Yachvili for Saturday’s Six Nations match with Ireland after the scrumhalf withdrew with a back injury.
Yachvili will be replaced in the starting lineup by Morgan Parra, who will play alongside flyhalf Francois Trinh-Duc at Stade de France, while Julien Dupuy has been drafted in to the squad as backup. France coach Philippe Saint-Andre said Thursday that he preferred not to take any risks with Yachvili’s back complaint, and that calling up Dupuy so early gave him more time to get up to speed in training, should he be needed on Saturday. World Cup finalist France beat Italy 30-12 last weekend, while Ireland edged Wales 23-21. Dupuy, who has six test caps, is also a reliable kicker. |
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Ireland back row is mouth watering on paper, not quite so devasating on the pitch.
Heaslip, hasn't had a great domestic season by his standards. However come the big internaional games, he seems to be the one that steps up his performance the most. Am always amazed at the number of turnovers he comes up with, arguably more than his other two compadres. Sean O'Brien. I would just pick him at 6 and be done with it. Anywhere but 7 in fact. Make ball carrying his main responsility and leave the breakdown forraging to someone else. Ferris; If you only ever saw him in Lions and Ulster shirts, you would think he wsas Superman. And yet, in green, for some reason, he hasn't quite scald those heights. He has been very good of course, but how many MOTM awards has he one for Ireland? I know this isn't the best baromoter of level of performance and rewards the flashier players but he picks them up for fun at Ulster. I keep hoping he will be the standout performer, the best player in the six nations, but it hasnt happened yet, anyway. Personally, I would try Ferris in the second row and give this Munster scallywag POM a run at 7. |
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The way Ire stood off Wales last week and Murray/Sexton kicked meaninglessly I can't see any other option but to back France on the H/C and the outright. However I might wait to see how Ire start and go to the in-running market.
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Heaslip had a really good game against Wales, but Ferris wasn't much more than decent and O'Brien must have been on a different pitch. The latter is a bit like Leamy from a few years ago - have 1 explosive season, then disappear for a while. Get him back firing and Ireland have a good chance, but probably no team in the competition needs their back-row to carry well as much as Ireland do. It's too central to their gameplan, without having any big centres.
And they face Dusatoir, Harry and Picamoles, which I doubt would be considered easy opposition..... |
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France 15 Ireland 20
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Ireland: 15 Rob Kearney, 14 Tommy Bowe, 13 Keith Earls, 12 Gordon D'Arcy, 11 Andrew Trimble, 10 Jonathan Sexton, 9 Conor Murray, 8 Jamie Heaslip, 7 Sean O'Brien, 6 Stephen Ferris, 5 Paul O'Connell (capt), 4 Donncha O'Callaghan, 3 Mike Ross, 2 Rory Best, 1 Cian Healy.
Replacements: 16 Sean Cronin, 17 Tom Court, 18 Donnacha Ryan, 19 Peter O'Mahony, 20 Eoin Reddan, 21 Ronan O'Gara, 22 Fergus McFadden. Date: Saturday, February 11 Kick-off: 21:00 (20:00 GMT) Venue: Stade de France Referee: Dave Pearson (England) Assistant referees: Wayne Barnes (England), Andrew Small (England) Television match official: Geoff Warren (England) Looks like Earls is the only change. Dippy Dave Pearson and omnishambles Andrew Small for this one! Good luck getting any sense out of those two.  |
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What a combination in charge this weekend! Couldn't trust them not to make at least one major b alls up so no bet for me on this one, if it goes ahead.
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ireland on the handicap... !?!?!?!?!
cant decide  |
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Could nt agree more with icbd re Sean O Brien at 7 - 6 ok, 8 ok, 7 just dont seem to work
The problem is who to drop then to give POM a run at 7 - cant see DK movin Ferris into the 2nd row and out of him and Heaslip on current form - there is only 1 option but equally its a big step up for POM but what a revelation he has been this season 6. O Brien 7. O Mahoney 8. Heaslip A bit disappointed Donnacha Ryan doesnt get a starting jersey here too(2 years ago id have had any money on id have never made that statement, has improved massively this season tho!) Felix Jones makes his comeback from injury for Shannon too this weekend, will be good to see him back after a long time out Is it still snowin in France, listenin to the radio last night the game sounded in a bit of doubt! |
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Team as expected I suppose, but Donnacha Ryan showed enough last Saturday to start but is a strong replacement. O'Mahony is another good impact player, Ireland need to see the subs earlier this time.
Pearson, Barnes and Small |
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A bit disappointed Donnacha Ryan doesnt get a starting jersey here too(2 years ago id have had any money on id have never made that statement, has improved massively this season tho!)
Hear hear BJG. Ireland's problem is that everything has gone too one dimensional. DOC is predominantly picked for his choke tackle ability, but do they not think that the opposition has caught onto this tactic by now? Likewise, that seems to be all that Ferris is good for in a green shirt. Tommy Bowe and Andrew Trimble are very fortunate to keep their places. Trimble was AWOL on numerous occasions in defence, particularly his positional play on the odd occasion Wales kicked the ball. Bowe bothced up a 3 on 2 from halfway in the first half and I lost count of the number of tackles that he missed. Those calling for him to get a game in the centre because of his size might need to have a rethink. |
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Intrigues me how Ryan has a startin place for Munster yet DOC gets chosen over him for Ireland contrary to all form i have seen all season, DOC been more of a passenger than a player
Mr Kidney should start pickin players who can do the business for him now instead of players who used to do it for him in the past! |
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Hasn't Kidney suggested that he is picking on form? Undermines his argument somewhat.
Bowe had a really poor game by his standards. It was all a bit messy by Ireland in the backs generally and they will have to make fewer mistakes against France. Very odd that these days the front-row is often one of the biggest plus points. |
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Bowe and D'arcy had very poor games against Wales where tackling seemed optional but were their places ever in doubt for France, doesn't create healthy competition within squad. Agree on Ryan, he deserved to start and Ireland can play a different game with him on the field.
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Ryan & POM have the type of naked agression (within reason) that we do need, especially in games in Paris and against their chosen back row. Picamoles will be used as a battering ram all day so hopefully the boys will be ready for him and stop him getting his offloads to Thierry & Hairydonky.
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Spot on McKenna. On form this would be a savage pack: 8 Heaslip, 7 O'Mahony/ Wallace, 6 O'Brien, 5 O'Connell, 4 Ferris, 3 Ross, 2 Best, 1 Healy. Ryan can cover lock and blindside.
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D'Arcy has been living on borrowed time for far too long. McFadden was made to look a fool by George North because D'Arcy missed a tackle before him. McFadden was off balance when he went to tackle North because he had shot out of the line to close down the space outside. D'Arcy has no business being first choice, but his position isn't even remotely under threat. I'd say Rougerie is licking his lips after running straight over GD twice last season.
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Munsters imports have not helped develop Ireland's centre cover over the years, with no BOD, & its painful to think about, they may have to drag Ferris out there ala Worsely in the Lions last tour.
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Ireland's last regular centre before the BOD and D'arcy combination was Rob Henderson, Earls is playing at 13 on Saturday. Oh if we could only get a Samoan, Kiwi, Saffer etc. ;-)
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Surprised and delighted to hear people agreeing with me regarding the Irish back row and Ferris in particular.
RM, re your comment about SOB: The latter is a bit like Leamy from a few years ago - have 1 explosive season, then disappear for a while. Leamy had a serious injury and he was never the same again. Yes he was excellent, even world class prior to the injury, though never really had the impact SOB has had. It's very hard to appreciate on tv the attention SOB is getting from opposition defences. You need to be at the game and watch how defenders line up against him, look for him. double and triple mark him. They way they congratulate each other after a tackle is made on him. Inevitably, its harder for SOB to have such an impact with this type of attention. In theory, it should make it all the easier for his team mates to exploit the space this generates for them. Step up to the plate, Mr Ferris. |
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Pitch at Stade de France has been inspected within the last hour by match referee Dave Pearson. Pitch is playable, more to follow
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May still get a bit dodgy during the match with -6 forecast and a 9pm KO and no undersoil heating.
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Agree icbd and having SOB in midfield could prove beneficial in defence and attack, it will stretch their defence from the tight. Another who needs to step up to the plate is Bowe, all the talk during the week has been of North and Malzieu and rightly but Tommy isn't exactly small in the size stakes either, time to make it show.
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Those heaters only heat the top 4 inches turning it into mush, they'll make crap of in the scrum.
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Looking forward to the cocky Irish getting smashed again.
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Paddy Wallace is being flown out this evening as cover for Sexton who has a stiff calf. Precautionary they are saying.
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As a Irish Fan I am disgusted with this Coach. He won a grand slam with Eddie's Team.
Kidney has brought the Irish National Team backwards, I can name one player he has brought through that Eddie did not bar SOB and Sexton who were stars before they were picked. France bring back Poux(to replace to feeble Debarty) this will go and and destory this scrum Swarseski to up the pace around the park but his lineout is not as good but Harry back in the back row to give him an option and far more pacier and athletic player than the excellent Bonnaire. Brought in a new 2nd row?? cant make that one out. Better in every position in the pack bar POC. Better scrumhalf in Para and more confident trin duc against Sexton who confidence is shot playing for this coach. Irish midfield woeful going to be destroyed they be smashed to pieces. Malzieu off the wing and the excellent Clerc and the incredible Full back its a france back 3 by a country mile. France beat Ireland all over this park...not one Irish Player on current form other than POC would get in there 22. Kidney refuses to change the the midfield, he refuses to give Shane Jennings a prolonged spell at 7 despite being the best 7 in the country by a mile. There is no balance. France to beat the handicap and France maybe by 20 |
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He won a grand slam with Eddie's Team. Furelli will be seething when he reads this
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