Rugby
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Wales: 15 Leigh Halfpenny, 14 Alex Cuthbert, 13 George North, 12 Jamie Roberts, 11 Liam Williams, 10 Rhys Priestland, 9 Rhys Webb, 8 Taulupe Faletau, 7 Sam Warburton (capt), 6 Dan Lydiate, 5 Alun-Wyn Jones, 4 Luke Charteris, 3 Adam Jones, 2 Richard Hibbard, 1 Gethin Jenkins.
Replacements: 16 Ken Owens, 17 Paul James, 18 Rhodri Jones, 19 Jake Ball, 20 Justin Tipuric, 21 Mike Phillips, 22 Dan Biggar, 23 James Hook.
France: 15 Brice Dulin, 14 Yoann Huget, 13 Mathieu Bastareaud, 12 Wesley Fofana, 11 Hugo Bonneval, 10 Jules Plisson, 9 Jean-Marc Doussain, 8 Louis Picamoles, 7 Wenceslas Lauret, 6 Yannick Nyanga, 5 Yoann Maestri 4 Pascal Papé (c), 3 Nicolas Mas, 2 Dimitri Szarzewski, 1 Thomas Domingo.
Replacements:16 Brice Mach, 17 Yannick Forestier, 18 Vincent Debaty , 19 Sebastien Vahaamahina, 20 Damien Chouly, 21 Maxime Machenaud, 22 Rémi Talès, 23 Gael Fickou.
Date: Friday, February 21
Venue: Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
Kick-off: 20.00 GMT
Weather: The roof will be closed.
Referee: Alain Rolland (Ireland)
Assistant referees: John Lacey (Ireland), Dudley Phillips (Ireland)
Replacements: 16 Ken Owens, 17 Paul James, 18 Rhodri Jones, 19 Jake Ball, 20 Justin Tipuric, 21 Mike Phillips, 22 Dan Biggar, 23 James Hook.
France: 15 Brice Dulin, 14 Yoann Huget, 13 Mathieu Bastareaud, 12 Wesley Fofana, 11 Hugo Bonneval, 10 Jules Plisson, 9 Jean-Marc Doussain, 8 Louis Picamoles, 7 Wenceslas Lauret, 6 Yannick Nyanga, 5 Yoann Maestri 4 Pascal Papé (c), 3 Nicolas Mas, 2 Dimitri Szarzewski, 1 Thomas Domingo.
Replacements:16 Brice Mach, 17 Yannick Forestier, 18 Vincent Debaty , 19 Sebastien Vahaamahina, 20 Damien Chouly, 21 Maxime Machenaud, 22 Rémi Talès, 23 Gael Fickou.
Date: Friday, February 21
Venue: Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
Kick-off: 20.00 GMT
Weather: The roof will be closed.
Referee: Alain Rolland (Ireland)
Assistant referees: John Lacey (Ireland), Dudley Phillips (Ireland)
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Replies: 161
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So child in a man's body Mike Phillips is dropped at last. I'm not convinced about Rhys Webb though personally, seen too many mistakes from him to be sure he will fit in at this level. No place for Tipuric again, a player who certainly is capable at this level. France meanwhile are sticking with Doussain and Bastereaud, both of whom look too slow and cumbersome for their positions.
Massive French pack, unsurprisingly, and Wales fell apart up front against Ireland, so a big improvement needed to match up to the French. It's Adam Jones that is the biggest worry for me - I got used to looking for his name on the teamsheet and thinking that Wales would be solid as long as he played, but this season that theory hasn't been working at all. |
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Does Priestland start simply because Gatland didn't want to change both halfbacks at once? He had a complete shocker v Ire even by his low standards.
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If Priestland has managed to keep his place to this season, there's no reason why he would be dropped now. Must be horrible being a Welshman seeing his name on the teamsheet - it's bloody hilarious from an outside point of view, a child could have done better at 10 last round.
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I am baffled by the welsh price... ridiculously short on current form imo
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Surprised to see Wales so short too.
They've won games against France/England etc in the last two seasons narrowly by playing very well but are clearly off some way off their best at the moment. Amazed to see Priestland get the nod again too. Would have given Phillips another chance myself. Friday under lights against the French with a big night out in town to follow would have been right up his street IMO |
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Wales were 1.9 last week. Now 1.65 and dropping further. Why? At the minimum, I expected Wales to be at least the 1.8 that Ireland were against them in the last round.
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It's a baffler, so it is.
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The other baffler is Wales' price in the outright. Now as low as 10/1 on here. They've got to win out from here just to be in the hat, then catch up a mile on the points difference. Hmmmmm......not for me at treble the price.
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I'm Irish and my brother texted me before the Ireland v Wales game to ask me if he should have a bet on Ireland. I said we have two things going for us, Phillips and Priestland, and advised him to have his bet.
Gatland has seen the light on Phillips but, unfortunately for Wales, has retained Priestland. |
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Alun-Wyn Jones out tonight?
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Sounds like he might be, although nobody is confirming anything at the moment. On the plus side for Wales the line-out cant get any worse.
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Must admit the french haven't impressed me that much either
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1.8 seems an enormous overreaction to one injury.
That said, 1.6 was a ridiculous price to begin with. |
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france at 2.74, laid off at 2.34
laid wales at 1.65 backed at 1.85 good start |
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bit red left on wales i think this is a 50/50 game
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Gatland really cant like Hook and/or Biggar can he?
RP has been horrible for so long now I predict that Mr Rolland will be the star of the show. Friday night in Cardiff and his retirement beckoning...its all set for a vintage performance I'm as confident as you can be in backing France for anything |
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RM
Wales were beaten at forward against Ireland ... Priestland was good against Italy imo very little between Priestland and Biggar on latest showings |
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Then you are in trouble CC. Best get young Davies through the ranks proper quick, he looks like he can kick the ball very well if nothing else.
Priestland was rubbish last week and capped his performance by failure to understand the laws of the game, which cost his team plenty of yards. Worst thing that can happen to a pack in trouble is their fly-half keeping them on the back foot. |
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hello cat
how are you well I hope? where are you watching tonight? |
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Disagree with your last sentence cc. To be fair, coming into the 6 nations, Priestland had not been playing badly for the Scarlets. But Biggar has been solid as a rock for the O's. If Gatland had been picking on form for the Italy game, he should have picked Biggar, no question. He must want Priestland there to try and add some dynamism at OH. Priestland did make some decent enough breaks in the Italy game, but even then his kicking, passing and tactical play was generally poor. He was worse against Ireland. Picking him again is criminal IMO. But at least Biggar should get on tonight
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the trouble is Bryan that they may be losing by the time Biggar gets on
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Agreed sewter
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We already know that his kicking can lose games all on it's own, but when his passing and basic decision making go as well it's all kinds of trouble for Wales. I thought he was poor against Italy, right up until I said so and he made a good break, but 1 patch of decent play doesn't make up for a whole load of rubbish. You have to feel for any 10 playing behind a pack well beaten, but he certainly made it worse against Ireland.
I'm not sure it's a Michalak-esque decision quite yet, but it's getting there. Maybe we will see tonight. |
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RP is also going to get a very big Picamoles running straight at him tonight
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Twitter confirms no Alun Wyn Jones... and money comes in on Wales?!
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at least this will hopefully be the last time a French referee is in charge of a match involving France.
Alain Pierre Rolland RIP |
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The BBC has 4 channels yet the coverage for this match starts at 755pm.
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Barry John on BBC2 Wales
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starts at 7.30 on BBC1 Wales
sky 952 |
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Thanks CC
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The last 4 times Wales have beaten France consist of 3 Grand Slams and 1 Championship.
Lean times when Wales have lost. |
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7.59 would be fine imo!
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rev ike is a Philistine
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wouldn't you like to hear the hymn singing rev ?
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yes-like the anthems(except flower of scotland!)dont need to hear "experts"
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is the roof closed guys?
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You must like historical montages though?
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Roof is closed.
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ty
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