It’s Friday night and it’s France!

[Buggaluggs]

Didn't we 'win' the second half against England 19-11? I doubt the French will fade though. We will need some luck here.

[Sandydragon]

If we can start well and put some pressure on perhaps we can knock the French confidence. Maybe.

[Sourdust]

I don't think we really wanted half-time. They'll sort themselves out now.

Decent from us but we should really be ahead; you'd expect us to pay for that. Still, nice to make them sweat a BIT, at least!

[Sandydragon]

Every bloody time we start to put some pressure on we give away a penalty or make a mistake. It’s probably our biggest weakness at the moment.

[Sandydragon]

Is it me or is Seb Davies putting himself about a bit? Nothing flashy but he’s never far from the action

[Sandydragon]

French discipline definitely questionable

[normanski]

This hasn’t gone to the script.

[francoisfou]

This hasn’t gone to the script.

Non!

[normanski]

We need a Zammit interception in the last minute

[normanski]

This hasn’t gone to the script.

Non!

I told you I thought we had a few surprises but not quite enough. France looked very ordinary at times. They’re probably doing a NZ and are starting their downward curve before the RWC.

[Sandydragon]

This hasn’t gone to the script.

Non!

Congratulations matey.

[normanski]

Well played France, your defence won it finally.

[Sandydragon]

Well that was disappointing. Why can’t we keep the ball for more than 3 phases?

Big thumbs up to our defence and our set pieces were better. But we look laboured n possession. Too many mistakes

[Sandydragon]

And Jonathan Davies- fuck me that was a sitter missed

[Buggaluggs]

We had the upper hand in the second half but got no points to show for it.

[francoisfou]

Ohlala! Didn’t enjoy that! Your boys deserved more than that!

[Sandydragon]

Ohlala! Didn’t enjoy that! Your boys deserved more than that!

Not really. If you surrender possession so easily then you don’t deserve to win.

[Sourdust]

Sometimes with the Welsh runners, you can see the penalty before he's even taken the pass.

We'll make noises about positives, but that's now two games in a row where we were supposed to get smashed, but ultimately should have won. You DON'T dominate stats like that 2nd half, at home, and score nil. Not against anyone. It's not just unforgivable; I'm fairly sure it's physically impossible.

[normanski]

Sometimes with the Welsh runners, you can see the penalty before he's even taken the pass.

We'll make noises about positives, but that's now two games in a row where we were supposed to get smashed, but ultimately should have won. You DON'T dominate stats like that 2nd half, at home, and score nil. Not against anyone. It's not just unforgivable; I'm fairly sure it's physically impossible.

Agree. It needed someone to take the possession by the scruff of the neck and score. Foxy will be rueing his jumbling hands.

[Buggaluggs]

Soft hands was never a Foxy strength. Poor show dominating the second half and losing it 3-0. Strike runners like Fickou in the center has to be on our shopping list. Although saying that, I see he had zero metres today!

[Sandydragon]

We must give credit to the French defence which was outstanding. But Sourdust is right you can sometimes just see the penalty coming. It must be something structural because it’s not just one player. We even had some quick ball tonight and I know we are missing north in getting us over the gainline but in the ought Watkin and Cuthbert both made decent dents. But we didn’t really engineer space except for the bungled JD catch.

Also if we are bringing Lake on as a big ball carrier then why aren’t we getting him into position to carry. I get using him as a dummy runner but on a number of occasions he was just passing the ball on for someone else to take into contact. I’m not convinced it fazed the French defence at all.

[Son of Mathonwy]

And Jonathan Davies- fuck me that was a sitter missed

Criminal. That was the match lost. That and the bloody rule about losing possession when the ball's held up over the try line.

Could have done with a yellow when Adams was flipped over.

Great line out work though. That was literally the most aggressive line out from us I've ever seen. We were actually competing for the ball. At least in the first half.

Tragic result but great performance. France ain't all that good. Wish we could stand up to NZ the way we did tonight.

[Sandydragon]

I also think that the Rowlands Beard partnership is working very well. When AWJ returns from injury he by no means a shoe in.

Thomas at prop was busy. Francis did carry a bit more but still has work to do. Elias was busy but isn’t a huge carrier.

Faletau was immense again. Navidi was a pain for the French and Seb Davies was alright I though.

Defensively the centres were solid but I’m not convinced that is our best combination. I hope we can get them all fit for a while so we can sort out what our best combination is as our midfield looks a bit one dimensional.

And Cuthbert is in the form of his career. Thoroughly justifying his selection.

[Sandydragon]

Apparently AWJ is back in the wider squad and can be available for next weekend. Not sure I’d bring him back for that one if I’m honest.

[Sourdust]

And Cuthbert is in the form of his career. Thoroughly justifying his selection.

In terms of his all-round game, I think that's arguably true.

But 2012/13 Horse would have had a couple of tries by now.