RWC 2011: Quarter Final 2: England v France

[Geeves]

Well France has announced its line-up

France (15-1): Maxime Medard; Vincent Clerc, Aurelien Rougerie, Maxime Mermoz, Alexis Palisson; Morgan Parra, Dimitri Yachvili; Imanol Harinordoquy, Julien Bonnaire, Thierry Dusautoir (captain); Lionel Nallet, Pascal Pape; Nicolas Mas, William Servat, Jean-Baptiste Poux. Replacements: Dimitri Szarzewski, Fabien Barcella, Julien Pierre, Louis Picamoles, Francois Trinh-Duc, David Marty, Cedric Heymans.


While the public has announced the guillotine for the coach

[Geeves]

The Poms are:

England: 15 Ben Foden, 14 Chris Ashton, 13 Manu Tuilagi, 12 Toby Flood, 11 Mark Cueto, 10 Jonny Wilkinson, 9 Ben Youngs, 8 Nick Easter, 7 Lewis Moody, 6 Tom Croft, 5 Tom Palmer, 4 Louis Deacon, 3 Dan Cole, 2 Steve Thompson, 1 Matt Stevens.

Replacements: 16 Dylan Hartley, 17 Alex Corbisiero, 18 Courtney Lawes, 19 Simon Shaw, 20 James Haskell, 21 Richard Wigglesworth, 22 Matt Banahan.

So Wilko is over the injury but won't have special balls on the sideline.  While Flood comes in as a second play maker at 12 also covering Tindall's injury or indiscretions.

[Teach]

Gee not much comment on this. I guess the assumption is that whichever side won is not going to progress after that.

I quite enjoyed the game. Especially watching England go down at the exact score I predicted !!

There is a really good chance now that only 2 pools will be represented in the Semis (has that ever happened?). Pool losers are already through - you would have to expect the pool winners to make it tonight - although I guess the Aussie game is a bit different with Pocock and Ioane back.

Back to the England game. Wasn't it weird to see them flinging it out the backline so often. The amount of dropped ball - players completely missed by passes etc was pretty funny. Gotta wonder why they played away from their traditional strength.

Did that stupid article by Stephen Jones get under their skin? 

[jules]

Allez les Bleus!

Gee not much comment on this. I guess the assumption is that whichever side won is not going to progress after that.

I quite enjoyed the game. Especially watching England go down at the exact score I predicted !!

I enjoyed the game too! France are great to watch when it's not your team they have are playing on the day they have decided to turn up.

Likewise it was nice to see the English floundering. Their big boys just didn't really get control of the game, so all their attempts to show some backline flair were just under too much pressure.

Did that stupid article by Stephen Jones get under their skin? 

I actually quite liked that article. Probably the first Stephen Jones article I can ever remember liking.

His point that the exciting style of rugby that the All Blacks and Wallabies prefer is definitely more entertaining to the fans than the 10 man rugby style that England is so infamous for. I believe that England have taken some of it on board, but as you note they are still struggling to try and modify their play in that direction.

I love it that the two winners from yesterday, Wales and France, are both playing exciting expansive rugby. It's not often a game not involving my fav teams holds my complete attention, but I really enjoyed this game, was exciting.

Looking forward to today's big matchups too. This RWC has been amazing I reckon.

Jules

[Geeves]

Gee not much comment on this. I guess the assumption is that whichever side won is not going to progress after that.

About time the French side turned up.  But I'll back Teach and state that France will not win the next game.  I think they played their grand final last night.

Must admit I always enjoy watching the poms loose.

[Teach]

.... Probably the first Stephen Jones article I can ever remember liking...

He doesn't necessarily believe what he wrote, and I don't think I do either - there are plenty of legitimate ways to win and a forwards battle can still be exciting.

Really he is still a sad little wind-up merchant, regardless of who he is trying to wind-up - although it was nice that he picked someone else for a change.

[swiss toni]

KNOCK KNOCK

WHO'S THERE

THE PLANE WILL BE BOARDING IN 10 MINUTES MR JOHNSON.